Published: October 10, 2008 – Indianapolis Recorder
Courage. Dedication. Grace. Humility. These are just some of the attributes which distinguish those we deem our heroes. Few question that Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X possessed them in abundance and, though history is still unfolding, the challenges facing a possible Obama presidency will likely provide the historical context necessary for his fair assessment. For it is conventional wisdom that heroes are “a product of their times”; it takes great challenges to truly define a man’s character.
But that theory is put to the test by the quietly extraordinary life of one Dr. Keith Woodard, who on October 16th will be honored posthumouslywith the prestigious Indiana Public Health Award at the 2008 George Rawls M.D. Scholarship Scholarship Dinner. Keith was a 1992 graduate of the Indiana University School of School of Medicine (IUSM) and an anesthesiologist who spent the majority of his career on staff at St. Vincent’s Hospital. He was my friend and, though we were roughly the same age, a mentor and hero of mine.
Though Keith was very dedicated to his career at St. Vincent’s he was a strong advocate of community service, and refused to allow the love of his profession to override his passion for missionary work. He participated in medical mission trips to South Africa, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. He felt personally called to provide care to victims of the tsunami in Indonesia and Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. In total, Keith completed at least 12 mission trips, including 8 to the continent of Africa itself.
Keith was my hero not only because he showed courage, dedication, grace, and humility in challenging times, but also because he spent his life encouraging the attributes in others. Recognizing the importance of education in his own life, he was tirelessly committed to mentoring students in high school, and was deservedly inducted into the North Central High School Alumni Hall of Fame in 2006. While Keith himself was a graduate of Indiana University in Bloomington, he was an avid fundraiser for the United Negro College Fund because he truly believed the organization’s motto admonishment “A Mind is a Terrible Thing to Waste” was another personal call to action for him.
Sadly, in a tragic motorcycle accident, on June 25th of this year the city of Indianapolis and IUSM lost a great friend and colleague; but the world lost an even greater humanitarian and human being.
While it is true challenges can reveal character, Keith’s character was revealed in that he himself sought the challenges, and handled them and those around him with grace. Those who knew him remember a vibrant spirit with an infectious smile, love of life, and steadfast faith in God. Keith’s life cannot be fully measured by a mere accounting of his heroic selflessness. His spirit was a like ripple which continues to spread, threatening a tsunami of compassion and dedication to others.
Heroes like Keith, if we are so blessed, come along once in a lifetime. From their touch comes our responsibility to continue to express God’s love for others through service. In response to this challenge his friends and family are dedicated to creating an endowed scholarship in Keith’s name. Upon full funding of $100,000, the Keith J. Woodard Memorial Scholarship Fund will provide $5,000 in scholarships annually to two under-represented minority students for fees related to medical mission work overseas, or in a designated disaster area.
You can donate to the scholarship fund at www.medicine.iu.edu/woodard. For additional information, please contact either of the Keith J. Woodard M.D. Memorial Scholarship Fund co-chairs, Dr. Robert Patterson (rdpatter@iupui.edu) or Dr. Tina Harris (tkkinchen@yahoo.com).
“If you’re in medicine, you’re here for a reason – you’re here because you care.”
Keith J. Woodard M.D.
