Michael Driscoll has built a life around taking good care of himself, others, and the world around him. Placer Land Trust (PLT) is honored to have the support of people like Mike and his wife, B.J., who first donated in 1999, and have been consistent PLT members since 2008. Mike believes in PLT’s mission in land conservation. “Once it’s gone, it’s gone. We have to preserve what we have,” said Mike. “Groups like PLT are important. Without them, who knows what would happen.” Mike is not against development, but wants to see it done with a purpose and with consideration of the future. He shared a favorite quote by Frank Lloyd Wright that sums up his philosophy, “No house should ever be on a hill or on anything. It should be of the hill. Belonging to it. Hill and house should live together each the happier for the other.”
Mike also enjoys the health benefits of nature, which makes sense since he is a doctor at Kaiser Permanente. He enjoys hiking near his home along the American River Canyon, and his wife B.J. runs the trails. Mike likes to share the benefits of spending time outdoors with others by coordinating hikes for his Kaiser colleagues. He also manages to combine his passion for the outdoors and helping others by participating in a 330 mile, 4 day bike trip with NorCal Aids Cycle, through which he raised awareness and almost $2,500 in support of HIV/AIDS service providers in the Sacramento area.
However, it was Mike’s upcoming adventure that really made his face light up…his second medical mission to Kenya this September. He is traveling with a charitable organization that he helped to create that consists of doctors, nurses, and other volunteers. This small organization, Unimedlink International, partners with a community clinic in Kenya to conduct a medical camp, providing locals with services such as vaccinations, deworming of children, wellness education, wound care, and matching hundreds of patients with prescription eyeglasses. In 2014, the medical team saw over 1,000 patients in two days, and with a larger team this year, they hope to serve even more. Aside from the medical care provided, Mike and his team are helping to bring awareness to locals that this community clinic is a great resource for them, and are also working with 10 Kenyan medical students to deepen their training and education.
Mike and the team are paying for their own travel expenses and medical supplies, and are relying on donations to make this medical mission possible. If you are interested in helping a good person do some good work for a community in need, then I hope you’ll consider supporting his mission at www.unimedlinkinternational.com. I just did!
