On June 4, 2014 Philadelphia lost Paul Fink, MD. Dr. Fink, a psychotherapist, psychiatry professor, and speaker, was a fierce advocate for his beloved specialty. "I have been an activist most of my life," he wrote. "Part of my role and that of other physicians is to help those less fortunate."
He took that role seriously. For example, he worked to prevent child abuse and the treatment of trauma. He was a true believer in the findings of the Adverse Childhood Experiences Study, which showed that life experiences such as childhood maltreatment are major risk factors for the leading causes of death and illness in the United States. He called this study "the most important proof of the validity of one of the major building blocks of psychoanalysis." Dr. Fink always wore a button on his lapel with the African Maasai Tribe’s traditional greeting: And how are the children? He was an advocate that our answer should be the same as the Maasai, The children are well, meaning that we have done what is necessary to ensure their safety and well-being.http://http://acesconnection.com/profiles/blogs/dr-paul-j-fink-a-tr...
On March 13, 2014, Professor Eddie Ohlbaum of Temple Law School passed away. In addition to being the architect of the nationally recognized trial advocacy program at Temple, Professor Ohlbaum was a tireless advocate for children who had been abused and neglected. He was "ever-present" at the Support Center for Child Advocates. Frank Cervone, executive director of the center, recalled him as a man of endless energy, offering a keen sense of commitment. Ohlbaum served the organization as a volunteer child advocate as well as chairman of the board and other board posts, in addition to being a consultant. And he did so without pretension.http://www.law.temple.edu/SitePages/Ohlbaum-Tribute/Ohlbaum_Obituar...