Why I give to BW/F – A Hippocrates Society Profile
The Hippocrates Society recognizes current and former physicians and scientists at Brigham and Women’s/Faulkner Hospitals who have made a cumulative philanthropic commitment of $10,000 or more to support the hospitals.
Julie Glowacki |
In a recent interview, Hippocrates Society Committee member Julie Glowacki, PhD, talked about why she gives to BW/F. Glowacki directs the Skeletal Biology Research Laboratory in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at BWH. She is also a professor of Orthopedic Surgery at Harvard Medical School and professor of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine.
When did you decide to become a philanthropic supporter of BW/F?
It’s very personal for me to be able to direct donations for research experiences for young people. I was born and raised as an inner-city kid in Dorchester. In the tenth grade, I received a summer grant that allowed me to work for 10 weeks in a research laboratory at Brandeis University. That summer changed my life—I wouldn’t be sitting here without it. My gratitude for that experience is very much a part of why I give to the hospital today to support aspiring researchers.
What difference does philanthropy make in your work?
As a researcher, I have benefited a great deal from private gifts to research programs. And I’ve always appreciated discretionary support, because I can use it to help my trainees, to give them stipends for summer work, opportunities to travel to scientific meetings, and other kinds of educational experiences for the young people I work with. I love seeing young people inspired by science, and philanthropy makes that possible.
What would you say to others of modest resources to encourage them?
I may be the most unlikely member of the Hippocrates Society Committee. I certainly never thought I’d be in this position as a researcher. But the expertise I’ve gained at the Brigham has put me in positions to earn extra income in a variety of ways: honoraria for lectures, consultancy fees, royalties for patents, fees for expert testimony in patent hearings. When I saw that grateful patients frequently give $10 or $20 to a research fund, I thought, ‘Why not me?’ A little goes a long way.
What kind of message does it send when BW/F staff give back to the hospitals?
It shows that we’re part of a team that has a job to do that’s much bigger than our day-to-day activities. To participate in that bigger picture is very rewarding. Because I have benefited from private donations, I know that my contributions help nurture work that I love at a place that I love. Giving back to the hospital creates a continuum of opportunity for other people to experience that same kind of joy that I get out of my own research.
For more information about the Hippocrates Society, please contact Emily Muller at 617-424-4221 or emuller1@partners.org.
Read more about the Hippocrates Society's Humanitarian Award.