DR. TOM CATENA
Humanitarian.
Missionary.
Time's 100 Most Influential People in the World.
Aurora Prize Winner.
World's Most Outstanding Catholic Missionary.
The Nuba people call him, Dr. Tom.
ONE DOCTOR FOR 750,000 PEOPLE
Dr. Tom Catena graduated from the Union Hospital Family Medicine Residency in 1999. Since graduating Dr. Catena traveled to Kenya and then the Nuba Mountains in Sudan founding the Mother of Mercy Hospital. In South Sudan Dr. Catena has settled in as a Catholic Missionary serving the native Nuban population in the Nuba Mountains. His work as the sole doctor for 750,000 people while sheltering from bombs from his own government has garnered worldwide attention culminating in Dr. Tom Catena winning the Aurora Prize's award for Awakening Humanity. A full bio of Dr. Catena is available here.
AN ANGEL AMONG US
In a rare trip to the United States on February 10th, 2019 Dr. Tom Catena, returned to Terre Haute for an interview at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology coordinated by the Richard G. Lugar Center for Rural Health and Union Hospital. The night rightfully dubbed, "An Angel Among Us" was a rare opportunity for Dr. Catena to catch up with his former mentors and colleagues. The evening included Dr. Catena discussing his duties to the Aurora Foundation, his time in Terre Haute, and the working conditions within the Nuba Mountains. Prior to the event Dr. Catena toured the updated residency he trained at over 20 years ago. While his time in town was short, Dr. Catena, his mentors, and his colleagues all appreciated the opportunity to share stories and memories while giving a platform for Dr. Catena to share his mission. A once in a lifetime opportunity for attendees is in the photo gallery below. Click here for the full video.
THE MISSION
Released in 2016, The Heart of Nuba won the Hollywood Film Festival's Most Impactful Documentary Feature. The trailer below shows Dr. Tom Catena's work in dramatic fashion.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SUPPORT DR. TOM?
Dr. Tom Recommends anyone wishing to support his hospital in the Nuba Mountains to donate through the African Mission Healthcare Foundation
DR. CATENA & THE LUGAR CENTER
Collaborating with the Lugar Center and UHFMR, Dr. Catena, helped establish an exchange program for doctors who are training in Kenya to also train in the United States. The gallery to the side includes pictures of staff from the Lugar Center working in Kenya and of Dr. Catena's early days as a resident with the UHFMR. Lugar Center Staff includes Dr. Jim Turner and Dr. James Buechler. The exchange program afforded the opportunity for providers who trained in the United States to continue to provide for rural citizens in the Wabash Valley.
Dr. Tom Catena's training in Terre Haute, specifically the Rural Training Track in UHFMR's curriculum, helped prepare him for the working conditions associated with his missionary work. Click on the video to the right to hear Dr. Catena discuss his time training in Terre Haute during his remarks on the 40th anniversary of the UHFMR.
TRAINING IN TERRE HAUTE