navigationJump to searchFor the 1998 film, see Patch Adams (film).
Patch Adams

Robert Loughridge “Wildman” Adams, Jr. (brother)

Hunter Doherty “Patch” Adams (born May 28, 1945)

is an American physician, comedian, social activist,

 clown, and author. He founded the Gesundheit!

Institute in 1971. Each year he organizes volunteers

from around the world to travel to various countries

where they dress as clowns to bring humor to orphans,

patients, and other people.[1]

Adams is currently based in Urbana, Illinois. In collaboration with the

institute, he promotes an alternative health care model not funded by

 insurance policies.[1] Adams was born in Washington, D.C., the son

of Anna Campbell Stewart (née Hunter) and Robert Loughridge Adams

His maternal grandfather, Thomas Lomax Hunter, was a Poet Laureate

of Virginia. His father, a United States Army officer who fought in Korea,

died while stationed in Germany when Adams was only 16.[1] After his

father’s death,

Adams returned to the United States with his mother and brother. Adams

has stated that upon his return he encountered institutional injustice which

made him a target for bullies at school. As a result, Adams was unhappy and

became actively suicidal. After a third hospitalization in one year he decided

u don’t kill yourself, stupid; you make revolution.”[4] After graduating in 1963

from Wakefield High School,[5]

Adams completed pre-med coursework at George Washington University.

He began medical school without an undergraduate degree, and earned his

Doctor of Medicine degree at Virginia Commonwealth University (Medical

College of Virginia) in 1971. In the late 1960s one of his closest friends

a man, not a woman as depicted in the film) was murdered. Convinced

of the powerful connection between environment and wellness, he believes

the health of an individual cannot be separated from the health of the family,

پچ آدامز community, and the world.

While working in an adolescent clinic at MCV, in his final year of med school

he met Linda Edquist, a fellow VCU student who volunteered in the clinic

Adams and Edquist married in 1975 and had two sons, Atomic Zagnut “Zag”

Adams and Lars Zig Edquist Adams; they divorced in 1998.

Soon after graduation, Patch, Linda, and friends founded the Gesundheit!

Institute (originally known to many as the Zanies), which ran as a free

community hospital from 1971 to 1984.

A revamped Gesundheit! Institute, envisioned as a free, full-scale hospital

پچ آدامز and health care eco-community, is planned on 316 acres (128 ha) in

Pocahontas County, West Virginia. Its goal is to integrate a traditional

hospital with alternative medicine, with the organization developing

educational programs in sustainable systems design targeted to

medical students and the general public.

Since the 1990s Adams has supported the Ithaca Health Alliance (IHA),[7]

 founded as the Ithaca Health Fund (IHF) by Paul Glover. In January 2006

IHA launched the Ithaca Free Clinic, bringing to life key aspects of Adams

vision. Adams has also given strong praise to Health Democracy, Glover’s

book written and published the same year.

In October 2007, Adams and the Gesundheit! Board unveiled its campaign

to raise $1 million towards building a Teaching Center and Clinic on its land

in West Virginia. The Center and Clinic will enable Gesundheit! to see

patients and teach health care design.

Adams urges medical students to develop compassionate connections

with their patients. His prescription for this kind of care relies on humor

and play, which he sees as essential to physical and emotional health.

Ultimately, Adams wants the Gesundheit! Institute to open a 40-bed

hospital in rural West Virginia that offers free, holistic care to anyone

who wants it.[8]

Adams was awarded the Peace Abbey Courage of Conscience Award

n January 29, 1997.[9] In 2008, Adams agreed to become honorary

chair of the “International Association for the Advancement of Creative

Maladjustment” or IAACM. MindFreedom International, a nonprofit

پچ آدامز coalition that Gesundheit! belongs to as a sponsor group, launched

the IAACM to support “creative maladjustment” and social change.[10]

Adams still leads trips to cheer kids up all over the world. He also teaches

at one session of Wavy Gravy’s

circus camp Camp Winnarainbow. In media[edit]   Patch Adams with Nechama

Rivlin in Award Ceremony of the Danielle Prize Healing with a Heart, April 2017

The 1998 film Patch Adams was based on Adams’ life and his views on medicine

Adams has heavily criticized the film, saying it eschewed an accurate representation

of his beliefs in favor of commercial viability. He said that out of all aspects of his life

and activism, the film portrayed him merely as a funny doctor.[11] Patch Adams

also said of Robin Williams in an interview, “He made $21 million for four months

of pretending to be me, in a very

simplistic version, and did not give $10 to my free hospital. Patch Adams,

the person, would have, if I had Robin’s money, given all $21 million to

a free hospital in a country where 80 million cannot get care.”[12]

However, in another interview, Adams did clarify that he did not

dislike Williams saying, “I think Robin himself is compassion, generous

and funny. I like to think that that’s who I am, and so I think he was

the only actor I wanted to play me, and I think he did a fabulous job.

[۱۱] Williams also had actively

supported St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital for several years.[13]

Upon hearing of the death of Robin Williams, he released this statement:

The terrible news of the passing of Robin Williams reached me here in the

Peruvian Amazon late Monday night with tremendous sadness. Surrounded

by over 100 friends and clowns on our annual clown trip, we mourn this tragic

loss and continue to treasure his comic genius. Robin Williams was a wonderful

kind and generous man.

One important thing I remember about his personality is that he was

unassuming—he never acted as if he was powerful or famous. Instead,

پچ آدامز he was always tender and welcoming, willing to help others with a smile

or a joke. Robin was a brilliant comedian—there is no doubt. He was a

compassionate, caring human being. While watching him work on the set

of the film based on my life—Patch Adams–I saw that whenever there

was a stressful moment, Robin would tap into his improvisation style

to lighten the mood of cast and crew. Also, I would like to point out,

Robin would be especially

kind toward my children when they would visit the set. Contrary to how

many people may view him, he actually seemed to me to be an introvert

When he invited me and my family into his home, he valued peace and

quiet, a chance to breathe—a chance to get away from the fame that

his talent has brought him. While early in life, he turned to drug use

and alcohol to escape, he replaced the addiction with moments of

solitude to help cope with the stress that fame brought. This world i

s not kind to people who become famous, and the fame he had garnered

was a nightm are.

While saddened, we are left with the consequences of his death. I’m

enormously grateful for his wonderful performance of my early life,

which has allowed the Gesundheit! Institute to continue and expand

our work. We extend our blessings to his family and friends in this

moment of sadness. Thank you for all you’ve given this world Robin,

thank you my friend.[14]