Day 99: National Doctor's Day

National Doctor's Day was created to show appreciation to your doctors. Doctors perform vital diagnosis, treatment and care for yourself and your family. When you are well, your doctor keeps you well. When you are sick, there is no other person more important to you than your doctor.

The first Doctors Day observance was March 30, 1933 in Winder, Georgia.  Eudora Brown Almond, wife of Dr. Charles B. Almond, decided to set aside a day to honor physicians. This first observance included the mailing greeting cards and placing flowers on graves of deceased doctors. The red carnation is commonly used as the symbolic flower for National Doctors Day.

On March 30, 1958, a Resolution Commemorating Doctors Day was adopted by the United States House of Representatives. In 1990, legislation was introduced in the House and Senate to establish a national Doctors Day. Following overwhelming approval by the United States Senate and the House of Representatives, on October 30, 1990, President George Bush signed S.J. RES. #366 (which became Public Law 101-473) designating March 30 as "National Doctors Day."

Doctors play a vital part to assure there is an organization like Children’s Health Fund. Founded in 1987 by pediatrician/child advocate Irwin Redlener, MD, and singer/songwriter Paul Simon, Children’s Health Fund commits to providing comprehensive health care to the nation’s most medically underserved children through the development and support of innovative primary care medical programs and the promotion of guaranteed access to appropriate health care for all children.

Children’s Health Fund realizes this mission through the energy and talent of their dedicated team of doctors, nurses, psychologists, social workers, nutritionists, and other clinical and support staff and our partnerships with esteemed academic medical centers and concerned corporate and individual sponsors.

Children’s Health Fund  believes in “A Doctor for Every Child”. For too many children in poor rural and urban areas, there is no consistent, quality health care in their lives. The problem may be transportation, insurance, or language and cultural barriers. The end result is too often the same. Children lack the essential health services to grow and thrive. In the most heartbreaking scenarios, they develop life-threatening illnesses—or lifelong conditions—needlessly, for want of decent health care.

Children’s Health Fund has created a “Blue Bus,” a pediatric mobile medical clinic, which draws children and families for curbside checkups and treatments.  To ensure underserved children get the health care they need, sometimes caregivers must go to the children.

Donation: $5

To support Children’s Health Fund, please visit:  http://www.childrenshealthfund.org