Dr. Howard Koh Describes How Gratitude and Optimism Have Led to a Rewarding Life of Healing and Helping

Dr. Howard Koh’s story is inspiring. His immigrant parents raised him to be grateful for and contribute to their adopted country.  And he has certainly made his contributions, serving first as a practicing oncologist, then moving into the field of public health.  After treating too many patients who were dying from cancers caused by tobacco use, Howard Koh turned his attention to tobacco cessation, and his determined efforts there resulted in great success.  After serving in the Massachusetts state government, Dr. Koh was named as Assistant Secretary for Health for HHS in the Obama administration, and in that role found himself in the middle of the White House’s efforts to overhaul the US healthcare system, as well as other ambitious initiatives.  Today, Howard teaches and researches at Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health and is turning much of his considerable talent, energy, and optimistic mindset towards impacting another vexing challenge in our society, homelessness.  In this episode, he discusses this work, as well as his research and writing on the role of spirituality in our well-being and his passion for music and baseball.