Patch Adams Biography
Patch Adams (Hunter Doherty “Patch” Adams) is an American physician, comedian, social activist, clown, and author. He founded the Gesundheit Institute in 1971. Besides that, he is noted for his annual program that urges volunteers to dress as clowns to bring humor to orphans, patients, and other people.
Patch was born on the 28th of May 1945 in Washington, D.C. Sometime in his childhood, he came across an institutional injustice which made him a target for bullies at school. Subsequently, he lacked happiness and had various suicidal thoughts. After a third time in the hospital in one year, he told himself, “you don’t kill yourself, stupid; you make revolution.”
Patch went to the Wakefield High School where he graduated in 1963. Next, he joined the George Washington University. Soon after he started pursuing his Doctor of Medicine Degree at Virginia Commonwealth University although he still had not gotten his Undergraduate degree. He graduated with his Doctor of Medicine degree in 1971 from the Medical College of Virginia.
Through his work and statements, Patch has shown that he believes that there is a powerful connection between environment and health. Because of this, he believes that the health of a person is permanently conjoined with the health of the family, community, and even the world.
Gesundheit! Institute
Soon after graduating from school, Patch worked with his wife, Linda, and a couple of friends to launch the Gesundheit! Institute (Originally known as the Zanies). The institute started as a free community hospital from 1971 to 1984. The Organization has grown throughout the years to become a well-established non-profit healthcare organization, whose mission is to reframe and reclaim the concept of ‘hospital’.
Patch urges medical students to develop compassionate connections with their patients. He does this through humor and play which, according to him, is a key factor in improving physical and emotional health. Of late, the organization is aiming at integrating a traditional hospital with alternative medicine Also, it is developing educational programs in sustainable systems design targeted to medical students and the general public.
In Media
In 1998, a film named after him was released starring Robin Williams as Patch Adams. The film featured Adams’ life and his views on medicine. However, Patch criticized the film saying that it abandoned all that he stood for just for commercial viability. He added onto that saying that despite all his activism works and life aspects, he was portrayed merely as a funny doctor.
However, he later revealed that he had no issues with Robin Williams. He said:
“I think Robin himself is compassion, generous and funny. I like to think that that’s who I am, and so I think he was the only actor I wanted to play me, and I think he did a fabulous job.”
Other Work
Alongside all his other work, Patch is an avid supporter of many other health firms such as the Ithaca Health Alliance (IHA) and St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital. He is also the honorary chair of the “International Association for the Advancement of Creative Maladjustment” or IAACM. Besides health and wellness, Patch is also a speaker, traveling all over the world lecturing on his medical methods and cheering kids up.
Patch Adams Age
He was born on the 28th of May 1945. As of 2019, he is 74 years old.
Patch Adams Family
Patch was born to Anna Campbell Stewart (maiden name Hunter) and Robert Loughridge
Adams. His father worked as an Army officer for the United States. He died while in Germany when Patch was only 16 years old. His maternal grandfather was the poet Laureate of Virginia, Thomas Lomax Hunter.
Patch has been married twice. At first, he married Linda Edquist, a fellow founder to the Gesundheit! Institute. The couple stayed together until 1998 when they divorced. After that, he spent a couple of years single. In 2010, he married Parenti. They have been together ever since. Patch now has three children, Atomic Zagnut Adams, and Lars Zig Edquist Adams. They were both born while in his first marriage.
Patch Adams Bibliography
- Adams, Patch; Maureen Mylander (1998). Gesundheit!
- Adams, Patch (1998). House calls. cartoons by Jerry Van Amerongen.
- Bourque, Judith (1999). The real Patch Adams (videorecording) / a film by Judith Bourque.
- John Graham for the Giraffe Heroes Program (1999).
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