For Chandra Are, MBBS, JL & CJ Varner Professor of Surgical Oncology & Global Health, philanthropy isn’t always about money.
"You don’t always need a wealth of resources," he said. "You just need a wealth of spirit to give."
What makes Dr. Are’s thoughts on this subject particularly relevant is that he’s about to receive the inaugural Academic Global Surgeon Award from the American College of Surgeons, a body of 80,000-plus surgeons. The award is part of a series that celebrates surgical humanitarianism and volunteerism.
Dr. Are was named the first recipient of this award for his efforts in creating and sustaining various global curricula and programs in surgical oncology to help alleviate health care disparities in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), with a particular focus on India.
Dr. Are admits that he may not fit the model of the traditional "surgical volunteer."
"I’m not a missionary surgeon – I don’t travel to various places around the globe and perform surgical procedures," Dr. Are said. "I’m in an academic environment, but I still do global work with a humanitarian aspect to it. The work I do helps improve education and stimulates research. And in doing that, I feel I am helping to create the local workforce that is capable of doing the work by themselves and the conduct geography-specific research to critically evaluate their own outcomes. ."
The ACS emphasized Dr. Are’s work with Society of Surgical Oncology to help develop a global curriculum in surgical oncology, which, the organization said, "highlights the global variation in cancer care education and makes the case for a streamlined global surgical oncology curriculum of uniform standards. This resource-stratified curriculum can be used as a foundational platform for training surgical oncologists, which is critical in low- to middle-income countries."
In addition, the ACS said, Dr. Are "developed a global curriculum in research literacy for surgical oncologists, the main purpose of which is to build the research infrastructure and capacity in countries where research can be difficult to conduct because of limited resources, lack of training, and so on."
David W. Mercer, MD, chair of the UNMC Department of Surgery, said he could think of no one more deserving of the inaugural ACS award.
"Dr Are has had a lifelong pursuit and interest in global health and has dedicated his career to ensuring better health care, teaching and research are conducted around the world," Dr. Mercer said. "I’m proud of his being the recipient of this award and look forward to future advances in global health from Dr Are."
Dr. Are said the award was an honor, and he credited his parents for instilling a spirit of service.
"None of us do this work expecting an award or a reward," he said. "We do it because we enjoy it and it’s wired into us — for me, because of my parents and watching my surgeon father deliver charitable health care for many without the means for decades. Having said that, it’s still an honor, and awards like this open new doors to increase our ability to do more of this work.
"Nothing beats the joy of giving," Dr. Are said.
Congratulations Dr. Are
Congratulations, Dr. Are! Well done!
Congratulations, Dr Are! Your parents would be so proud of your spirit of charitable giving. You are incredibly deserving.
Congratulations, Chandra! Your humility and your charity are an example for all of us to follow.
Dr. Are is a class act! The American College of Surgeons couldn't have selected a better individual for this award. Way to go, Chandra!
Congratulations Dr. Are on this well-deserved award!
Congratulations, Chandra.
Congratulations, Dr. Are.
Congratulations, Dr. Are. What a wonderful honor!
Congratulations Dr. Are!
Congratulations! Well deserved
Congratulations Dr. Are! I can't think of anyone who deserves this more than you for all of the selfless ways in which you continue to give back to humanity.
The perfect pick – congratulations, Dr. Are!
Congratulations Dr. Are!
Congratulations, Dr. Chandra.
Congratulations, Dr. Are!
Congratulations, Dr. Are! I can't think of anyone more deserving.
Congratulations Dr. Are! Very well-deserved honor!
Congratulations, Dr. Are! What a lovely honor.
Congratulations Dr. Are!
Congratulations, Chandra!
Congratulations!! Very well deserved. Such an honor!
Chandra: You are an inspiration to your colleagues, patients, and students.
Nicely done
Congratulations! Well deserved honor.
Congratulations Chandra! What a terrific acknowledgment of the importance of your program.
Congratulations Dr. Are!!
An absolutely fitting honor. Congratulations.
Congratulations Chandra!
Congratulations!
Well deserved, Dr. Are!