A hero you never heard of has died

[Skip Lackie]

Dr. Donald Henderson died on August 19 at the age of 87 in Towson, MD. Dr. Henderson was the architect and director of the effort to eradicate smallpox, a truly gruesome and painful disease that killed 300 million people (and disfigured and blinded hundreds of million more) in the 20th Century alone. It has been called the greatest achievement in the history of medicine. Dr. Henderson, an employee of the US Centers for Disease Control, was loaned to the World Health Organization from 1966 to 1977, and ran the worldwide effort that used field workers to perform vaccinations in the world's most remote areas. The last case of naturally occurring smallpox occurred in Somalia in 1977. He later served on the staffs of Presidents George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush.

Unfortunately, heroes like Dr. Henderson never get the recognition, honor, or rewards that we constantly bestow on those in the entertainment or professional sports industries.

[Studedude]

Unfortunately, heroes like Dr. Henderson never get the recognition, honor, or rewards that we constantly bestow on those in the entertainment or professional sports industries.

So true, Skip! It is a reflection of all that is wrong with our society that movie "stars," football players, and other folks that actually offer very little, really, to society, are over compensated and glamorized, while folks that are in the business of saving lives and serving others are on the bottom of the popularity and compensation scale.

[sweetolbob]

Unfortunately, heroes like Dr. Henderson never get the recognition, honor, or rewards that we constantly bestow on those in the entertainment or professional sports industries.

Well said and dead on, Skip. Luckily for society, folks like him did it for all the right reasons and not the notoriety. Bob

[rockne10]

Names like Jonas Salk we know. Though he too refused to patent his polio vaccine, which could have earned him $Billions; instead published it freely, and made the eradication of polio an easily affordable gift to the world.

[52 Ragtop]

So true, Skip! It is a reflection of all that is wrong with our society that movie "stars," football players, and other folks that actually offer very little, really, to society, are over compensated and glamorized, while folks that are in the business of saving lives and serving others are on the bottom of the popularity and compensation scale.

Real Heroes don't wear capes and throw balls, they wear dog tags! But as stated, in todays society, THAT is NOT the belief! Sad, very sad.

Jim

[8E45E]

Unfortunately, heroes like Dr. Henderson never get the recognition, honor, or rewards that we constantly bestow on those in the entertainment or professional sports industries.

I would like to think they will name a hospital or a learning institution after him, if there isn't one already. There are many hospitals and schools named after individuals who have done their part in saving the lives of millions around the world.

Craig

[BobPalma]

Unfortunately, heroes like Dr. Henderson never get the recognition, honor, or rewards that we constantly bestow on those in the entertainment or professional sports industries.

So true, Skip.

I was surprised to learn that smallpox was a world health threat that recently. I thought it had been dispensed with decades earlier.

Thanks for the report on Dr. Henderson's achievement. BP

[Skip Lackie]

So true, Skip.

I was surprised to learn that smallpox was a world health threat that recently. I thought it had been dispensed with decades earlier.

Thanks for the report on Dr. Henderson's achievement. BP

I believe the last new case in the US was in 1949, so it pretty well dropped from our sight in North America after that.

[Mikado282]

Too bad they haven't been able to do the same with TB. Supposedly 1\3 of the world's population is infected with it. I remember in the 60's and early 70's the pronouncements of how it is almost eradicated in the US. It then came back with a vengeance. I have never known anyone who had smallpox, I have known a lot of people who had polio and a lesser number of those who had TB including my grandfather.