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| OBITUARY |
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| Year : 2019 | Volume
: 32
| Issue : 2 | Page : 108 |
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Dr. Daniel Blumenthal – Activist
David Bor1, Jose Francisco Gutierrez2, Michael Glasser3
1 Cambridge Health Alliance, Harvard Medical School, MA, USA
2 Pan American, Health Organization (WHO), Rockford, Illinois, USA
3 University of Illinois, Rockford, Illinois, USA
| Date of Web Publication | 18-Nov-2019 |
Correspondence Address:
David Bor
Cambridge Health Alliance, Harvard Medical School, MA
USA
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
DOI: 10.4103/1357-6283.271201
How to cite this article:
Bor D, Gutierrez JF, Glasser M. Dr. Daniel Blumenthal – Activist. Educ Health 2019;32:108 |
We were all surprised, and stunned, by the passing of Dr. Daniel Blumenthal. We were not surprised at his accomplishments and dedication as an educator, a researcher, and a humanitarian.
He was dedicated to health-care equity and equality – please access the YouTube video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nn9k0YHlPhM.
David Bor, MD, Cambridge Health Alliance, Harvard Medical School, recounts that Dan participated in the greatest public health achievement of the 20th century (perhaps), the eradication of small pox. He not only talked the talk of community-oriented primary care, but also walked the walk, including working as a VISTA volunteer in the rural south, directing an Atlanta Neighborhood Health Center, and chairing the Morehouse Department of Community Health and Social Medicine. He served as the dean for community programs at Morehouse University. Those two latter positions do not exist at most medical schools. It is a tribute to Dan that Morehouse prioritized these areas of concern – a structure that serves as a model for Network: Towards Unity for Health schools.
Dr. Bor continues: At the network meetings, Dan often ran seminars on community participatory research and education. He was an engaging teacher who used humor and quiet insistence to cajole even the shiest participants to contribute actively. Although I never accepted his invitations to seek out a low-cost but skilled tailor in Nepal or Vietnam, I know that he rarely missed the opportunity to acquire a new suit. “He was a quiet and humble man with an infectious laugh.” Yet, he had progressive politics and an intense determination to follow his own moral compass.
Dr. Jose Francisco Gutierrez, Regional Advisor, Pan American Health Organization (WHO), adds that Dan had an engaging presence that created a safe environment for meaningful exchange and collaboration. He was “an eloquent gentleman, an accomplished jazz piano player, and a true teacher – one of those people that could make you proud of being human.”
Related to Education for Health, Dr. Blumenthal was a staunch supporter and an excellent reviewer of journal submissions. His insights to authors and journal editors will be very greatly missed.
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