Patch Adams
Patch Adams is best known for his work as a medical doctor and a clown and as a social activist who has devoted forty-two years to changing America’s health care system. He believes that laughter, joy and creativity are an integral part of the healing process. The Gesundheit Institute is a project in holistic medical care based on the belief that one cannot separate the health of the individual from the health of the family, the community, the world and the health care system itself. Patch created a hospital—free for all people—that will be fully modern at 10 percent of the cost. The cleaning person and the surgeon will make the same salary—$300/ month—and all permanent staff will live there as a communal village, eliminating 85 percent of the environmental footprint.
