Dear Colleagues:
The extent of the horrifying human and physical toll caused by the earthquake that struck parts of Turkey and Syria is now coming fully into view. It is heartbreaking to see the scale of the devastation, the loss of life, and the damage done to people who already have endured so much: war and displacement, poverty and disease, and now this unspeakable natural disaster.
A feeling of sadness evoked by this sort of human suffering is an experience shared universally. For our community, dedicated to helping and healing others, events like this are particularly hard to witness. With this in mind, I urge each of you to take a moment to find solace in the importance of our shared work and remember the value of what we do here together. As always, please support each other, especially those colleagues or students who may be directly affected.
Please keep the people of Turkey and Syria, their families and friends, in your thoughts, and, if you are so inclined, consider how to be of service to them through charitable donations or other support.
All my best,
Katrina Armstrong, MD
Chief Executive Officer of Columbia University Irving Medical Center
Executive Vice President for Health and Biomedical Sciences
