MedAmb March 2016 – Paul Carlson Partnership

MedAmb March 2016

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Meet Craig Anderson,
Director of Medical and Health Programs

Craig will oversee the programs to strengthen the capacity of medical and public health practice in Congo with the ultimate objective to raise the standard of health care. He will build and manage the Medical Ambassador's program and train western medical and health practitioners to serve and partner with national initiatives. Craig was with World Concern for 13 years, and began as the Director of Community Development in Quito, Equador. He then became Somalia Country Director followed by Africa Director where he resided in Nairobi, Kenya. In Craig's most recent position as International Teams' Community Catalyst, he was responsible for strategies and methodologies for integrated community transformation. Craig has a Masters in Public Health from UCLA, and a BS in Biological and Physical Science, Phi Beta Kappa, from Colorado State University. Craig lives near Indianapolis, IN, and been married to his wife, Hope, for 38 years. He has three children and five grandchildren (two of which are identical twin granddaughters!). We welcome Craig to PCP!

A note from Craig:

Have you ever walked into a room and felt like everyone was just waiting for you to start the party? Well that just begins to describe the welcome I have had from all the Medical Ambassadors I have talked with or met in person.
I apologize for coming about six months late in many of your minds, but I needed a little divine nudging from the Lord to leave a job I loved with International Teams serving as the resource/trainer for their field workers around the world doing holistic or in their terms “Integrated Community Transformation”.

With about 13 years living overseas with a Christian Relief and Development organization, a Masters in Public Health and a lifelong passion for the poor, it felt like a perfect match to help PCP’s medical and healthcare work with CEUM (Covenant Church of Congo). The challenges in Congo look familiar in some ways to me, but at the same time every place has its unique history and culture that is both fascinating and humbling to learn. So a “knowledgeable heart for Congo” is a work in progress for me. With my first trip to Congo at the end of this month, I expect to be one step smarter than a two year old Congolese baby culturally.

The fact that we have such a great team of dedicated healthcare professionals creates a unique resource that I believe the Lord will use in a mighty way as we lean into Him and His ways. I appreciate your willingness to be used by God and walk alongside our Congolese brothers and sisters in a manner that is different than the “great American way” but much more effective in the long run. Thanks for your part to allow the Congolese to realize their dreams of healthy lives for their people.

Thank you!
Craig Anderson
Director of Medical and Health Programs
Paul Carlson Partnership

PCP Medical Steering Team

Eric Gunnoe
Mary Stockmeyer
Marta Klein
Ann Hagensen
Flory Buki
John Whittington
Meritt Lohr Sawyer

PCP Focus Group Chairs

Dentistry: Dan Connors, Bill Scott
Eye Care: Brian Duvall, Gary Archer
Hospital Administration: Flory Buki
Internal/Adult Medicine: Jeni Whittaker
Maternal Health: Jim Walker
Nursing: Ann Hagensen, Julie Maylon, Desire Kindarawa
Pediatrics: Eric Gunnoe
Pharmaceuticals: Ann Dooko, John Whittington
Surgery and Anesthesiology: Bob Demaster

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Contact Us:
8303 W Higgins Rd
Chicago, IL 60631
773-907-3302
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Honoring an Ambassador

Thomas Donald Lindquist, MD, Ph.D.

Thomas Donald Lindquist, MD, Ph.D. was vacationing with his wife, Joan, on Maui, when he suffered a presumed fatal cardiac event while swimming in the ocean. Bystanders and paramedics tried heroically to revive him but were unsuccessful. He passed away on March 3, 2016 at the age of 66.

Tom's life was driven by his faith. He loved and served Jesus Christ and strove for excellence in all things, working at whatever he did with all his heart, as unto the Lord [Colossians 3:23].

Tom was born to missionaries Margaret and Franklin Lindquist on September 26, 1949 in Chicago, Illinois, the first of four children. Growing up in the Democratic Republic of Congo in Central Africa, Tom developed a deep love for humanity and a passion for healing, specifically for restoring sight. Professionally, he exemplified servant leadership, medical excellence, wisdom, faith, and good-natured fun. Personally, Tom was grounded in his faith and biblical Christian values and shared a humble, unconditional love with each person he encountered, whether patient, family, friend, or associate.

Tom first received his Ph.D. in physiology from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey in 1978 and completed his medical degree at the same institution in 1981. After completion of ophthalmology residency at the University of Washington and fellowships in Cornea and External Disease and Glaucoma from the University of Minnesota, he practiced as professor of ophthalmology at the University of Washington for eleven years. He spent nine years as Director of Cornea and External Disease at Virginia Mason and most recently, nine years as Chief of Cornea and External Disease at Group Health Cooperative in Redmond, Washington. He continued to serve as clinical faculty with the University during this time as he remained passionate about teaching and furthering research in the field.

Tom became medical director at SightLife in 1987 and gave nearly 30 years of his life to the mission of restoring sight and eliminating corneal blindness worldwide. In the early years of his service to SightLife, Tom oversaw operations that produced about 700 hundred corneas for transplant per year; today the organization is responsible for more than 25,000 corneal transplants annually. He was generous with his time and expertise through his involvement as a member and leader of The Cornea Society, the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, American Academy of Ophthalmology and the Eye Bank Association of America (EBAA). In 2009 he was recognized for his outstanding contributions to eye banking, receiving the R. Townley Paton Award, the highest honor bestowed on ophthalmologists by the EBAA. Tom's wish to become an eye and tissue donor was fulfilled on his passing through the collaborative efforts of Legacy of Life Hawaii, the San Diego Eye Bank and SightLife.

Though well accomplished, Tom was always modest regarding his substantial contributions to the field of ophthalmology. He published more than 90 papers and 40 book chapters, co-authored five editions of Ophthalmic Surgery, and gave numerous lectures on a variety of topics. In all of his work, Tom always brought fun and laughter. Some of his colleagues' favorite moments with Tom were enjoying belly laughs with him as he shared funny stories or lightened the room with his humor.

In his personal life, Tom loved fishing (especially salmon), woodworking, and was an avid Chicago sports enthusiast. He loved and collected art and was fascinated by the beauty and power of light, particularly as a metaphor of God's presence in our world and his own life. Yet, his greatest priorities were his faith and his family. He lived his life on a daily basis in service of his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and, with his wife Joan, raised their children in Godly nurture and love. Though a world-renowned physician and researcher, he was most proud of his wife, children and grandchildren.

Tom is preceded in death by father Franklin, mother Margaret, and son David. He is survived by his wife, Joan, children Jennifer and husband Nate, Timothy and wife Kristen, Peter and wife Elizabeth, and Andrew and fiance; Elise, as well as nine grandchildren, Will, Eva, Luke, Katelyn, Hartley, Marcus, Jake, Hannah and Meredith. He is also survived by siblings Kurt Lindquist, Lindy Lindquist and Sheri Lindquist Whitfield.

"Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things." Philippians 4:8

As an expression of sympathy, memorial contributions may be sent to the Paul Carlson Partnership (www.paulcarlson.org) and SightLife (www.sightlife.org).

(Published in The Seattle Times on Mar. 13, 2016)

Meet Craig Anderson, Director of Medical and Health Programs