Dr. James O鈥機onnell
James O鈥機onnell, M.D., a 1970 University of Notre Dame graduate and founder and president of the Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program, was recently awarded the .
Presented by The Albert Schweitzer Fellowship, this prestigious award recognizes O鈥機onnell for his advocacy and direct service to people experiencing homelessness. The Schweitzer Prize is given to an individual whose life example has significantly improved the health of people in the United States or abroad, and whose commitment to service influences and inspires others.
The serves more than 11,000 homeless people each year in two hospital-based clinics and more than 80 shelters and outreach sites in Boston. In addition to serving as president of the program, O鈥機onnell spends much of his time directly caring for Boston鈥檚 homeless population on the street and in one of the program鈥檚 clinics.
Past Schweitzer Prize honorees include Sargent Shriver and Eunice Kennedy Shriver, U.S. Surgeon General David Satcher, community health center pioneer Jack Geiger, and Presidents Jimmy Carter and George H.W. Bush.
O鈥機onnell graduated maxima cum laude from Notre Dame and went on to earn a master鈥檚 degree in philosophy and theology from the University of Cambridge and his medical degree at Harvard Medical 91视频.