My husband, Nick, and I are grateful that our parents made it clear as we were growing up how much they expected of us. Home life, the Catholic schools we both attended, and our experiences during our training as physicians reinforced those family messages of community and compassion. So when we started making money after long years of education, it seemed natural that we would support causes that mattered to us.
We've always liked considering both local and global giving -- and we've been fortunate to learn of causes that resonate for us, especially when we've been able to see firsthand the kind of impact that can so improve human potential. Given that, combatting infectious diseases has been a cause that we have long felt worthy of our giving.
Most of us know about malaria, tuberculosis, polio and HIV/AIDS. But there's a whole host of other diseases out there that can be just as deadly and debilitating. They're known as neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). "Neglected" because they get little attention from the world, and those most affected live in remote areas, with few resources, and very limited access to healthcare.
When Nick and I were working in Uganda at the end of the 1980s, we saw firsthand the devastation wrought by NTDs. To this day, we both remember a Medical School field trip with colleagues to learn more about African sleeping sickness, a frightening illness that causes fever, mental changes, and sometimes death. Another memory from our time in Uganda is that we never went swimming in Lake Victoria because of the risk of snail fever, which can damage major internal organs like the liver and kidneys.
We know how scary these diseases can be. We also know what wiping them out would mean to the lives of more than a billion people. The good news is that in many cases we have the means to do that -- it's just a case of getting the drugs and treatment to those in need. That's not easy. And Nick and I both feel that one of our best chances to help deliver that help is by giving to a non-profit called the END Fund.
We continue to be positive about giving in our local community. But our continuing commitment to giving at a global level is inspired by our belief that everyone -- everywhere -- should have the chance to lead a healthy, productive life.
This post is part of a series produced by The Huffington Post and the #GivingTuesday Team at 92nd Street Y, to celebrate #GivingTuesday. #GivingTuesday is a global giving movement, and the series (which will feature content throughout November) aims to celebrate how people are giving back around the world. For more information about #GivingTuesday, visit here. And to join the conversation on social media, use the hashtag #GivingTuesday.