Expelled from two schools, Lance O’Sullivan became a troublemaker and was on a fast path to failure. In desperation, his solo mother sent him to Hato Petera College, where he connected with his Maori ancestry and was given ‘discipline and the belief that I could have lofty dreams and aspirations’.
Eventually going on to study medicine, Lance worked briefly as a GP within the public health system before setting up a ground-breaking practice in the Far North with his wife Tracy that offers free healthcare to the many who can’t afford it.
(back cover text from The Good Doctor)
My Dad received this book for Christmas because it was #1 on the Paper Plus biography shelf and when I saw it I was quite keen to read it myself. It’s still early in the year but I think this may be the best book I will read in 2016. Here are 5 reasons I recommend you buy and read this book too:
1) An inspiring Kiwi
Lance O’Sullivan is an inspirational guy. He has come from a disadvantaged background to make something of himself and help a large number of people. Lance has a great “do as I do” mentality. He is out there caring for the poor and living his life as an example for others. He cycles his 30km round trip commute to work to encourage others to be more active and he gave up alcohol for 8 years because he saw the damage it is causing in our New Zealand communities.
2) Open your eyes to poverty in New Zealand
If you have this idea that New Zealand doesn’t have poverty because a) it’s NZ, b) the government takes care of low income people through schemes like Working For Families, right? and c) you don’t know anyone poor; by the end of this book your misconceptions will be shattered. I was taken aback to learn that Rheumatic fever, a “3rd world disease” which can cause massive heart damage, is a big problem among Maori and Pacific kids in NZ. Skin sores and head lice which are relatively cheap to treat are also big health issues for kids in Northland due to poverty. Lance is a guy who lives and works with poor communities. He sees the effects of poverty on a daily basis and is doing something about it.
3) Catholic Social Teaching in action
Catholicism is not mentioned much in the book. However, Lance and his family have recently come back to the Catholic faith and Catholic social teachings are evident in Lance’s ethos. Throughout the book Lance talks about treating a person rather than a disease or symptom, putting the poor and vulnerable first and that it is important for people to participate in society in paid or volunteer work. If you have read about Catholic social teachings and wondered what exactly you can do, here is an example of a kiwi bloke who is living these teachings in his everyday life.
4) The importance of Maori culture in New Zealand
One of the key messages is the importance of Maori culture in empowering Maori people. Living in a Maori environment at Hato Petera College with strong Maori role models, as well as hearing a young Maori doctor speak, inspired Lance to become a leader. He talks a lot about how Maori culture can help overcome spiritual poverty. Sullivan challenges all of us as New Zealanders, regardless of heritage, to become more engaged in Maori culture in an authentic way. We can all do this, even in small ways. One thing he notes is that we sing the Maori verse of the national anthem with less pride than the English verses. By singing all the verses with equal enthusiasm, we are standing in unity as a nation.
5) Buy the book and help others
Royalties from the book go to the Moko Foundation so you are supporting a good cause. The Moko Foundation is a charitable organisation which Lance and his wife helped set up – to find out more about the foundation, buy and read the book!
The Good Doctor – Breaking the Rules, Making a Difference (Lance O’Sullivan, Penguin Books NZ, 2015) is available in NZ at Paperplus, Whitcoulls and also online.
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