It often seems like news of tragedies, scandals and strife account for the majority of major headlines. But 2016 contained plenty of positive and inspiring stories too.
Here, Becker's Hospital Review pulled some of our favorite feel-good stories from the year. In some way or another, these stories brought our attention to human decency, generosity, perseverance, progress and gratitude. Some made national headlines while others were local in scale. They are presented in no particular order.
1. Former La Rabida Children's Hospital patient donates first paycheck, toys to current patients
After starting a job at his father's automobile repair business during the holidays, Lawrence Clark Jr. on Dec. 20 donated $500 — all of the earnings from his first paycheck — along with two bags of toys to the patients of La Rabida Children's Hospital in Chicago. Mr. Clark, 20, who has cerebral palsy, received care at the hospital on an inpatient and outpatient basis for most of his childhood.
2. Why 2016 was a good year for humanity: 38 gains in health and well-being
News headlines and the general media are saturated with heartbreaking stories of death, disease, war and crime. When reflecting on the past year in news, it's easy to think 2016 brought more conflict than progress. But this mindset overlooks the many beautiful and inspiring things that have happened in the past year. Here are 38 positive stories and events from 2016 related to healthcare, charitable giving and overall well-being.
3. Michael Dowling: Giving thanks to family, friends and for the privilege of working in healthcare
In the spirit of Thanksgiving, Michael Dowling, president and CEO of New Hyde Park, N.Y.-based Northwell Health, writes about the importance of expressing authentic gratitude and acknowledging the privilege that is working in healthcare — despite the many frustrations and stress that often characterize the industry.
4. 11 largest gifts from individuals to healthcare organizations in 2016
Here are the top 11 gifts, pledges and bequests from individuals to hospitals or health organizations within the past year and the causes they will go toward.
5. This mother and son are attending the same medical school at the same time
Terresa Miller, a 46-year-old mother of three, always dreamed of becoming a physician. However, she didn't want to attend medical school while raising children. Now that her kids are grown, Ms. Miller took the plunge and enrolled at Tulsa-based Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences with a focus in pediatrics. Among her younger classmates is her son, 23-year-old Cody.
6. Last medical school to use live animals for training quits the practice
For years, the University of Tennessee College of Medicine Chattanooga had been a holdout. Although every other medical school has stopped using animals to teach students, it hadn't — until July, reports The Washington Post.
7. Why this physician still loves medicine after 68 years of practice
Ninety-year-old Walter Lawrence Jr., MD, who went to medical school during World War II, has a message to potential medical school applicants: medicine is worth it, despite fears of burnout, administrative burden and a constantly changing industry.
8. Legally blind man prepares to graduate from medical school
Like his classmates at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Jeffrey Gazzara has overcome various challenges on his journey to his upcoming graduation. But he overcame one challenge that his classmates haven't: retinitis pigmentosa, a degenerative retinal disorder that left him legally blind.
9. Why this patient tattooed a hospital's slogan and physician's initials on his chest
Because 56-year-old Brian Andrianos has heart problems, diabetes and high blood pressure, he's more than used to being in Syracuse, N.Y.-based Crouse Hospital's emergency room, according to Syracuse.com. When his physician of 25 years, Mark Erlebacher, MD, jokingly suggested he get a hospital-related tattoo because of his frequent visits, Mr. Andrianos took his words to heart and did just that.
10. Kids collect donations for patients at Children's Mercy Hospital
"We want [the patients] to feel OK and safe because sometimes they're scared." With these words, 7-year-old Kenzie Segreto describes her inspiration for collecting books and stuffed animals for patients at Kansas City, Mo.-based Children's Mercy Hospital.
11. Dreamgirls cast performs for VCU Medical Center patients
Desiree Roots is a cast member in Dreamgirls, which ran at Richmond-based Virginia Repertory Theatre in August. On Aug. 3, she made a longtime friend's dreams come true.
12. The story behind the viral photo of a dad asleep under his son's hospital crib
A father was photographed sleeping under his 1-year-old son's hospital crib after he worked the overnight shift at a nearby container company from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. The photo, which Mr. Palmer's wife Amy posted on Facebook July 5, gained more than 10,000 likes.
13. Maimonides physicians play music at cancer survivor celebration
Hundreds of local survivors who have battled cancer at Brooklyn, N.Y.-based Maimonides Medical Center were recognized during the hospital's cancer survivors day celebration. Patrick Borgen, MD, a physician and chairman of the department of surgery and head of MaimonidesBreastCenter, entertained with his band, Mazel Tov Cocktail — comprised of other physicians and survivors.
14. Physician donates kidney to save her patient's son
Ester Kwok, MD — a Stanford (Calif.) Medicine affiliated physician through University HealthCare Alliance at Kwok Pediatrics and Internal Medicine — didn't believe in organ donation due to her cultural and religious convictions. But after learning her patient's son and one of her staff members needed new kidneys, she reconsidered and joined the National Kidney Registry.
15. Why Harvard and a Hong Kong oyster sauce company want healthcare to focus on happiness
Known for their international Chinese-style sauce and condiment business, the Lee Kum Kee family donated $21 million to the Boston-based Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health to establish a center for happiness research. The center, called the Lee Kum Sheung Center for Health and Happiness, is dedicated to finding the psychological, social and emotional strengths that protect against disease. It opened in April.
16. Orlando hospitals waive medical bills for victims of Pulse nightclub shooting
On June 12, a gunman entered Pulse, an Orlando, Fla.-based LGBT nightclub, and shot 49 dead and left 53 injured. Orlando Health's Orlando Regional Medical Center treated 44 of the victims and Florida Hospital treated 12. Neither hospital billed survivors of the shooting for out-of-pocket medical costs, sparing them a combined $5.5 million.
17. Chris Van Gorder runs a $3B health system — and he'll never miss your email
When it comes down to it, superior leaders are experts at connecting with and inspiring people. Integral to this is the ability to communicate effectively and meaningfully — to show that beyond disseminating information, the leader is genuinely interested in hearing from his or her employees. That's why Chris Van Gorder, president and CEO of San Diego-based Scripps Health, pledges to always respond to all emails in a timely fashion.
18. John Oliver forgives $15M in medical debt
On his HBO program in June, Last Week Tonight host John Oliver demonstrated how easy it is to get into the debt buying business and gain access to the personal information of thousands of people. After spending $50 in April to incorporate a debt acquisition company in Mississippi, Mr. Oliver's company was offered nearly $15 million in medical debt from Texas for about $60,000. Instead of trying to collect from the 9,000 affected people, Mr. Oliver forgave the old bills, thereby making the largest one-time giveaway in television history.