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A Prescription From the Surgeon General: Magnify Hope

By Jeff Arnold, CEO and Chairman

Last week at the 2017 Lake Nona Impact Forum, I had the honor of interviewing Dr. Vivek Murthy, the 19th Surgeon General of the United States. As “America’s doctor,” his job is to advise our national leaders on issues relating to public health in our country, and educate and empower the American people on the same. Since being confirmed as Surgeon General in December 2014, Dr. Murthy has brought attention to critical issues like physical activity and nutrition – but also has placed considerable focus on emotional well-being, including the impacts of addiction and mental health.

You can watch my conversation with Dr. Murthy in its entirety – jump to 2:40 in this video – to hear for yourself – but I want to leave you with something he said that stuck with me most: “Many of the illnesses we’re dealing with in America are diseases of despair that are driven by deficits of hope. What we need to do is magnify hope.”

I always leave Lake Nona hopeful and inspired, and my time with Dr. Murthy was no exception.