Ken
Stuart, president and founder
of SBRI, presented Farmer with
the Advancing Global Health Award.
Farmer talks with
SBRI scientists
about their progress investigating
solutions to infectious diseases
and encourages them to "stay in
the labs! We on the outside are
waiting for these tools."
SBRI welcomed Dr. Paul Farmer, founder of Partners In Health, as
keynote speaker at SBRI's fifth annual Passport to Global Health
Celebration, which drew more than 700 people to the Washington State Convention
and Trade Center on April 23. The Passport event raised $463,282 to support
SBRI’s infectious disease research, while raising awareness of the need
to improve health for underserved populations.
Known worldwide for his pioneering endeavors in global health, Dr.
Farmer's work is the subject of Pulitzer Prize-winning author Tracy
Kidder's book, Mountains Beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul
Farmer, A Man Who Would Cure the World. Dr. Farmer, along with
Partners In Health co-founder Dr. Jim Kim, received SBRI's Advancing
Global Health Award, given annually to individuals who have had a
significant impact in improving the health of the world.
Praise for Seattle and SBRI
Farmer praised the Seattle community for its role in improving global
health, while pointing to SBRI as a leader in the field. “People in
Seattle, you should be proud of what's happened in this city," he said.
"Seattle is going to be the hub of global health in this country and the
world. This city performed CPR on international health. This is a
special city, and SBRI is a special institution.”
Farmer described his work in Haiti, dealing with patients battling
tuberculosis, a disease that SBRI researchers are focused on. “It's sad
work but it is gratifying work, as the scientists at SBRI know, but they
have their eyes on the prize,” he said, referring to the “prize” of much
needed new diagnostics and drugs to combat TB.
Visit to SBRI
Prior to the Passport event, Dr. Farmer spent several hours touring
SBRI's labs, learning about its research program and meeting scientists.
He thanked SBRI researchers for their work, reminding them that he and
his colleagues working in the field are waiting on much needed new
solutions made possible by discovery research being done at SBRI. Later
at the event, he said: "Everybody at SBRI - stay in the lab! We on the
outside are waiting for these tools."
Thanks to Sponsors and Hosts
Proceeds from the event help initiate innovative new research and
accelerate breakthrough discoveries at SBRI. Thanks to McKinstry Co.,
through its charitable foundation, and the Charles Simonyi Fund for Arts
and Sciences for each offering $50,000 challenge matches to support
the event. And, special thanks to this year's table hosts and corporate
sponsors for their contributions to a successful event!
2009 Passport to Global Health Celebration
Corporate Sponsors
Presenting
McKinstry Corporation
Premier
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
We Work for Health
Benefactor
Amgen
BNBuilders, Inc.
Gilead Sciences Inc.
KeyBank
Lease Crutcher Lewis
SageCliffe
Vulcan Inc.
Wells Fargo
Patron
Alexandria Real Estate
Equities, Inc.
BioMed Realty Trust, Inc.
Clark Nuber, PS
ClearPoint, LLC
Invitrogen Life Technologies
Johnson Barrow, Inc.
Petrizzo Strategic Group
Sparling
VLST Corporation
Wilson Sonsini Goodrich
& Rosati
