Dr. James Brown

"We are either going to treat this patient, or he is going to die, and I say we treat."


That quote from Dr. Brown was said after a patient was not being treated in the emergency room because of lack of payment. I think it epitomizes the way he practices medicine. A former Navy surgeon and a practicing general surgeon in Virginia for the last 30 years, Dr. Brown has chosen to end his career in N'gaoundèrè, Cameroon providing quality healthcare to a place struggling to just survive. Dr. Brown is technically providing general surgical care to the Prostestant Hospital and the serves as head of PAACS (Pan African Association of Christian Surgeons). As the head of PAACS in N'gaoundèrè, he instructs two residents leading surgeries and bible studies alike. Dr. Brown also does an amazing amount of surgeries. As the only attending surgeon, he is always "on call." In other words, he never has a day or even a night off. By my count, in addition to his surgical duties, he also works in pediatrics, obstetrics, gynecology, gastroenterology, pulmonology, infectious disease, orthopedics, urology, internal medicine, and family medicine.

You may ask, how can one man do all of this? The answer: the best that he can. He literally taps into energy stores that I don't think exist. I also think his faith plays a large role in how he is able to handle his responsibilities. Whatever you may believe, there is little doubt when you see this man, that a higher power is on his side. He once said "80% percent of what I do here I have never done in the states." This is a doctor who had been practicing for thirty years. Often times he is functioning on a hope and a prayer, and more times than not somebody is alive today because of that.

And of course, there is Carolyn Brown. As they say, behind every great man is a great woman. This couldn't be more true in this case. As a nurse, she handles a lot of patient care as well as education for the other nurses on staff. In addition, she handles virtually all the household duties and is the de facto adminstrator of the patient benevolent fund designed to help patients who simply cannot pay for lifesaving treatment. She is a woman of patience, grace, and dignity.

The next time you think you work too many hours, you hate your boss, you don't get paid enough, you despise your commute, think of Jim and Carolyn Brown. They just may put everything into perspective.

-Brent Brown