I began to come into close contact with poverty, with hunger, with disease, with the inability to cure a child because of a lack of resources… And I began to see there was something that, at that time, seemed to me almost as important as being a famous researcher or making some substantial contribution to medical science, and this was helping those people.

At times, I cried because I knew about poverty but when I experienced it for the first time, it became real. During takes and getting my make-up done I’d literally just start crying because the story felt so real.

One truly must have suffered oneself to help others.

"By helping people, it's a form of healing for myself, because I hurt so many people. I know that".

"So amazed, I asked if this is what these people do to these children so it hurt my feelings and I said to my God given self that one day, when I am in position, I will help these young vulnerable children".

Today was heart-breaking, and — I was shaken to the core as I thought about the people I met in China and Russia and Afghanistan and Iraq and other places who yearn for freedom, and who look to this building and these shores as a place of hope, and I saw the images being broadcast around the world, and it breaks my heart.

I am motivated to act when I see people or members of my community hurting —physically, emotionally, and spiritually – and when the vulnerable population experience health challenges.

I prayed for a time like this – to be in a position to help people. I cannot deny the role of these people in my life, their stories open my eyes to realities my privilege shields me from. It breaks my heart when I am not able to help some of them, but I am hopeful they’ll find help somewhere.

Many a time, I try to put myself in the shoes of others living around us who can’t have one square meal a day and I will always end up in tears of not being able to do something to help their situation.

I would help others, out of a fellow-feeling.

I left the settlement feeling that I had to do something for them and others in the same situation.

After graduation, due to special circumstances and perhaps also to my character, I began to travel throughout America, and I became acquainted with all of it. Except for Haiti and Santo Domingo, I have visited, to some extent, all the other Latin American countries. Because of the circumstances in which I traveled, first as a student and later as a doctor, I came into close contact with poverty, hunger and disease; with the inability to treat a child because of lack of money; with the stupefaction provoked by the continual hunger and punishment, to the point that a father can accept the loss of a son as an unimportant accident, as occurs often in the downtrodden classes of our American homeland. And I began to realize at that time that there were things that were almost as important to me as becoming famous for making a significant contribution to medical science: I wanted to help those people.

I am the poet of the poor, because I was poor when I loved; since I could not give gifts, I gave words.

After graduation, due to special circumstances and perhaps also to my character, I began to travel throughout America, and I became acquainted with all of it. Except for Haiti and Santo Domingo, I have visited, to some extent, all the other Latin American countries. Because of the circumstances in which I traveled, first as a student and later as a doctor, I came into close contact with poverty, hunger and disease; with the inability to treat a child because of lack of money; with the stupefaction provoked by the continual hunger and punishment, to the point that a father can accept the loss of a son as an unimportant accident, as occurs often in the downtrodden classes of our American homeland. And I began to realize at that time that there were things that were almost as important to me as becoming famous for making a significant contribution to medical science: I wanted to help those people.