In 2000, I read a feature in New Yorker magazine on Dr. Paul Farmer, an incredible doctor, human being and humanitarian - and the article (and Dr. Farmer) touched me so profoundly that I tore the article from the magazine and I have kept it ever since. He was a hero to me. An example of the kind of man I wanted to know, the kind of person I strived to be. I never, ever in my wildest dreams thought I'd ever have the occasion or chance to meet him or be in the same space with him. And yet here we are - at the premiere of the documentary "Bending the Arc" about the formation of Partners in Health - with me working the press line in my profession as a film publicist. Never would I have thought that my job would put me in the path of Dr. Paul Farmer - but I was so honoured, grateful and elated to have that opportunity. He's exactly as kind and gentle as you would imagine. A real legend. Life can be magic, dreams can come true. Even with life's ups and downs, it has shown me that again and again.

You can read the original article that introduced me to the work of Dr. Paul Farmer in the New Yorker's archives:  http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2000/07/10/the-good-doctor-2

For more information on Partners in Health and to support their work, check out their website:  http://www.pih.org

For more information on "Bending the Arc", please see: https://www.sundance.org/projects/bending-the-arc

Also, there's this great video on the discussion "Empathetic Storytelling and the Moral Imagination" which features Dr. Paul Farmer, as well as the producer of "Bending the Arc" Cori Shepherd Stern. A description: 

Today’s most creative social entrepreneurs and storytellers harness the power of their imagination to invoke a moral universe. Fueled by an ethical imperative, these changemakers employ the tools of empathetic storytelling and new immersive experiences to drive social change. This session explores the role moral imagination plays in realizing a world of peace, justice, and sustainable prosperity.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHeFzj2psjk