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Since 2010, West Virginia Public Broadcasting has produced a series called Inspiring West Virginians, highlighting 29 leaders in health, business and science. In this week’s episode, we hear three of these stories- a kind of finale- because this is the final year of the Inspiring West Virginians series.
Geoffrey Cousins- Heart Pioneer
We’ll hear from Geoffrey Cousins, who could have worked anywhere as a heart surgeon. But he came home to West Virginia to practice medicine.
“I think I bring a lot back to WV that other heart surgeons who are not West Virginians can’t possibly bring,” he said.
Sylvia Mathews Burwell, Former HHS Secretary
We’ll hear the story of a West Virginia native who was once hand-picked by the president to lead the Department of Health and Human Services.
“It is incredible thing to be from our state and to be proud of it,” said Sylvia Mathews Burwell, the former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services under the Obama Administration.
"I told Sylvia in grade school that she would be our first female president I'm still holding out for that. I think that might still come true."- Kristi Scott, longtime friend of Sylvia Mathews Burwell
Burwell is now President of American University in Washington, D.C.
In Search of Meaningful Work: Dr. D. Holmes Morton
Dr. D. Holmes Morton, of Fayetteville, is a high school dropout who found meaningful work by founding a clinic for children who have special needs.
“These children are seen as important to the culture and the community,” he said. Morton and his wife Caroline of Beckley, founded the Clinic for Special Children in Strasburg, Pennsylvania.
In this story, we travel with Dr. Holmes to Amish country to hear about one of the most unusual medical clinics in the United States where doctors and scientists diagnose and treat rare genetic disorders in children from Old Order Amish and Mennonite communities.
Independent producer Jean Snedegar reported these stories with the help of West Virginia Public Broadcasting’s Suzanne Higgins.
After working for the BBC for more than 20 years, in 2002 Snedegar returned to her home town of Elkins, West Virginia because she missed the mountains and her people.
"I do very much see it as my roots and I see that small town as fostering a kind of curiosity and stubbornness I think that has allowed me to do a lot of what I wouldn't have been able to do."- Dr. D. Holmes Morton, native of Fayetteville, W.Va.
A special thanks to Jean Snedegar and Suzanne Higgins for their help with this episode.
Music in today’s show was provided by D. Holmes Morton and Paul Holmes Morton, Ed Bowes, Gerry Milnes, John Gallagher, W.G. “Snuffy” Walden, Dinosaur Burps, Roma Yagnik, Ben Townsend, and Anna and Elizabeth.
Patrick Stephens is our audio mixer. Roxy Todd is our producer.
Jesse Wright is our executive producer.
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On this West Virginia Week, the primary election in the state turns ugly and racist, an ambulance driver is indicted for the death of a man in Elkview and Democrats call for an investigation of Senator Jim Justice.
Continue Reading Take Me to More NewsThis week, too often, people with mental health challenges or substance use disorder wind up in jail. But crisis response teams offer another way. Also, changes to the Endangered Species Act could benefit big business. They could also kill animals like the eastern hellbender. And, in troubled times, a West Virginia writer says to find peace in nature.
Continue Reading Take Me to More NewsOn this West Virginia Morning, an intimate look at the work of the crisis teams responding to the opioid crisis.
Continue Reading Take Me to More NewsA plan to funnel millions of dollars in oil and gas royalties toward conservation efforts is getting support from an unexpected group. From The Allegheny Front, we learn about fracking proposals in southeastern Ohio – and what WVU researchers say could be the impact on wildlife.
Continue Reading Take Me to More News
