The Johns Hopkins trauma surgeon responsible for the viral Twitter hashtag #ThisIsOurLane in response to an NRA tweet recently revealed to NPR how his own experience with gun violence shaped his activism.
Dr. Joseph Sakran, MD, was shot in the throat after a high school football game while hanging out with a group of friends.
He said a life-changing moment came for him as he viewed the scars from the surgery and shooting in the mirror and his father walked by and advised that he could feel sorry for himself, or "take this second opportunity and really make a difference for other people."
His experience inspired him to practice emergency medicine, and he often shares it with patients and their families.
"I think having been a victim and now a provider, I have a unique experience, and I think one of the things I always try to do is to have empathy," said Dr. Sakran. "I think that it's very different than sympathy — really being able to put yourself in their shoes and what they must be feeling and going through."
Dr. Sakran told NPR his three top priorities to ending gun violence are expanding universal background checks, ensuring federal funding can provide data-driven solutions and focusing on safe gun storage and increased education.
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