On December 11th 2021, IHL Founder and Chief Executive Dr. David P. Roye turned 75 years.
This is a 75th birthday wish to our beloved Dr. Roye, aka Uncle Luo.
#DPR75 You Got It In You
He is a doctor. He has helped tens of thousands of patients across all corners of the globe. Some of them regard him as their last hope.
He is a father. He raised 6 children and 14 grandchildren, all college graduates, and successful individuals.
He is a veteran. At only age 23, he was a battalion commander leading over 300 soldiers.
He is a pioneer. He founded the Department of Pediatric Orthopedics at Columbia University Medical Center more than 40 years ago.
He is a teacher and a mentor. Many of his students are now directors and leaders of major hospitals.
He is an athlete. He has cycled across most of China. Although he is over 70, he can still deadlift 100kg.
He is an old friend to China. Over the past 20 years, he has traveled to dozens of cities across China, dedicating his time, savings and love to treat thousands of children in orphanages.
To promote the development of China's medical industry, he founded the non-profit organization, International Medical Leadership. For the past 16 years, IHL has provided a platform for international exchanges for hundreds of doctors, scholars, and health care administrators.
His name is David Roye, and his students gave him an interesting Chinese name “Luo De Wei”. But his Chinese friends intimately calls him “Luo Shu” or “Uncle Luo”. He thought this new name to be very fitting, and down to earth.
I first met Uncle Luo at the Harvard China Forum in Boston 10 years ago. This gentleman left a deep impression on me. In a lecture theatre packed with an audience of Chinese students, he shared his many deep and rich medical experiences in China. He analyzed the challenges faced by China's medical system at that time and called on the students to return to the motherland after graduation, and to devote themselves to healthcare and medicine on their return.
Although he is an internationally renowned surgeon, he does not give the slightest sense of distance. The tone of his speech, his every gesture, and the expression on his face all show his love for China, and a strong sense of mission to the medical cause.
Not long after the outbreak of COVID-19 in China, despite persuasion from his family and colleagues to stay, he resigned from his beloved occupation, and bid farewell to a career of 40 years at the Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital in New York. He left New York and set off to Beijing to begin a new chapter in his medical career.
I still remember on February 20th 2020, when I picked up David from Beijing Capital International Airport, he had endured a journey of more than 32 hours, but he still walked towards me with wind on the soles of his feet.
That brought me back to the first time we met 10 years ago. I approached him with curiosity and asked him, "What makes you so invested in China and China's medical cause?" He replied, "I came to China for the first time in 1997, and provided free surgical treatment to dozens of young patients in Harbin, China. Since then I have slowly fallen in love with this land and the simple and wonderful people here. I hope to help Chinese patients not only through the scalpel in my hand, but also through my influence, and my many decades of medical experience in the United States, to help Chinese patients get better treatment.”
With these words, David brought me into the unfamiliar and familiar field of medical care. From my previous work in health care systems, to starting a business in the medical field, I am fortunate to have the guidance and company of this wise man.
And there are many others who have been similarly inspired by him. Today, on this special day, many people have sent their wishes to this 75-year-old young man in their own way.
Dear David, in the eyes of strangers, you are an accomplished old man who is respected and looked up on. In the eyes of your friends here, you are an eternally young gentleman with sunshine in your eyes and a spring in your step.
We are always catching up with you.
Happy 75th Birthday, Dr. Roye, we thank you for all you do and wish you forever young.
