Finding Everyday Wonders

DEAR ALUMNI AND FRIENDS,

A small child, born with limited vision, now smiles at the sight of her mother, enjoys picture books, and marvels at the light and the colors of the world around her.

A medical student, stricken with a mysterious illness, uses her knowledge, research skills and determination, to find the path to a cure.

A woman, diagnosed with breast cancer, turns for help to the cancer center she had previously known only through her work—and her health is restored.

In the busyness of our work at Indiana University School of Medicine, it is easy to miss the wonder and importance of what we do every day.

Through these and other stories in this edition of IU Medicine we are reminded of the healing and the hope we bring by advancing care through research, training the next generation of physicians and scientists, and caring for the patients who turn to us for answers.

We’ve managed to continue and accelerate this important work while grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic for nearly two years. It has complicated everything we do and pushed our faculty, particularly our clinical faculty on the front lines, to their limits.

It would have been easy to lose focus on our mission. Instead, our faculty, students and staff have adapted and persevered—and continue to succeed. And that fills me with optimism for the future.

I recently worked alongside our medical students at a COVID-19 vaccine clinic. I was inspired by their dedication and enthusiasm. As they watched me and listened, I was reminded again of the responsibility—and the privilege—we have in preparing the next generation. As we delivered relief and protection through the vaccine, I was reminded of how biomedical research saves lives.

Through these challenging times, I’ve also been heartened by the steadfast support of donors, whose gifts make innovation possible and help us prepare healers.

We still have so much work to do. Many difficult-to-treat diseases still lack therapies. Many marginalized communities face health disparities for which we must be part of the solution. We must help Indiana become a healthier state.

These are big challenges, but the IU School of Medicine has tackled difficult problems before and prevailed. Each is within reach.

Thank you for being part of this community—and for helping make the everyday wonders possible.