K. Lindley Dodson, M.D., was our colleague and our friend, and much more to her family and others who loved her, including the thousands of children and families across our community whose lives she touched as a beloved pediatrician.
As the reality of this tragedy begins to sink in, our reaction to her senseless killing understandably turns from shock and sadness to anger and frustration. These feelings are particularly acute for our health care professionals, already exhausted by the relentless emotional and physical toll of the pandemic.
It is so important that we honor Lindley and the impact that she and her work as a physician had on so many of us. Her exquisite focus on caring — so evident in our remembrances of her — is a guiding light as we support each other in this challenging time. In her life, Lindley embodied what is so special in our profession and in health care, and now more than ever we need to tap into that same force to help lift each other up.
Are there lessons from this tragedy? Can we gain courage to address critical public health issues, such as violence and mental illness? As a medical school, we recognize the imperative to tap the powerful tools of our expertise, backed by science and research, to help address pervasive, health-related societal ills that are too easily ignored. Let’s come together in advancing Lindley’s commitment to caring.