DEARBORN, Michigan – Patch Adams, noted medical doctor, social activist and clown, will bring his unique message of healing to University of Michigan-Dearborn and patients of Oakwood Healthcare this week as part of the University’s commemorative events honoring Martin Luther King, Jr.
Dr. Patch Adams
Dr. Adams, the focus of the 1998 film, Patch Adams will spend Thurs., Jan. 19 and Fri., Jan. 20 interacting with UM-Dearborn students and spreading joy to the Dearborn community.
On Thursday, Adams, with the help of UM-Dearborn students, will bring his renowned clown corps to patients at two Oakwood Healthcare locations. The group will visit the Adult and Child Day Care (3601 Pelham, Dearborn, MI) at 10:45 a.m. and the Oakwood Hospital and Medical Center (18101 Oakwood Blvd, Dearborn, MI) at 11:30 a.m.
That evening, Adams will give a public lecture titled, “Medicine for Fun, not Funds,” on the UM-Dearborn campus at 6:30 p.m.
The event, which is free and open to the public, will be held on campus in Kochoff Hall, located in the University Center (4901 Evergreen Road, Dearborn, MI).
On Friday, Adams will have a special event for UM-Dearborn students at 10:30 a.m. where he will share his story – Living a Life of Joy.
More About Patch Adams
Adams has devoted 30 years to changing America’s health care system. He believes that laughter, joy and creativity are an integral part of the healing process and therefore true health care must incorporate such life. Adams and his colleagues formed the Gesundheit Institute which addresses four major issues in health care delivery: the rising cost of care, dehumanization of medicine, malpractice suits, and abuses of third-party insurance system. Adams adds to his training as a physician, his experience as a street clown. In working with health and mental health professionals, he explores the relationship between humor and therapy using his unique blend of knowledge, showmanship and hands on teaching techniques.
About U of M – Dearborn
Founded in 1959 with a gift of just over 200 acres of land and $6.5 million from the Ford Motor Company, University of Michigan-Dearborn is a metropolitan university serving southeastern Michigan, committed to excellence rooted in strong academics, innovative research and programming and civic engagement. The University has nearly 8,900 students pursuing more than 100 bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral and professional degrees in liberal arts and sciences, engineering, business and education. A top-ranked university with a faculty devoted to teaching, and students committed to achievement, UM-Dearborn has been shaped by its history of partnering with local leaders and communities, and is committed to finding solutions for the challenges that face the region.
About Oakwood Healthcare
Founded in 1953 and headquartered in Dearborn, Michigan, Oakwood Healthcare System is a comprehensive regional healthcare network that serves residents over a 500 square mile area. Comprised of four acute care hospitals, 45 primary and specialty care sites and four centers of excellence, Oakwood provides services to more than one million people in 35 communities. As the second largest employer in suburban Wayne County, Oakwood is home to more than 9,000 employees and 1,300 physicians representing nearly every medical and surgical specialty and subspecialty. Oakwood has been recognized as one of the nation’s top 100 Integrated Healthcare Networks, one of Metro Detroit’s Best and Brightest Companies to Work For, and now, as a 2011 recipient of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. For more information about Oakwood, visit www.oakwood.org.