During The Union World Conference on Lung Health 2024, Prof Jane Carter received The Union’s highest honour – the Union Medal – alongside Dr Razia Kaniz Fatima. The prestigious award recognises those who have made an outstanding contribution to lung health by their leadership, scientific research, and advocacy.
Jane is a pulmonologist and public health expert, leader and tireless worker, who has made a huge impact on lung health at global and domestic levels in both high and low-burden settings. Jane’s contributions encompass a broad range of areas including providing care to people affected by tuberculosis (TB), drawing younger generations into the fight against TB, building capacity in high TB burden countries, expanding the global body of evidence on TB, and much more.
Jane has been a dedicated Union member for over 30 years, who has had a tremendous impact on The Union. Most notably as President from 2011 to 2016, faculty lead for several training courses and, most recently, founding member of the American Friends of The Union, which has mobilised resources and made generous contributions to the organisation.
When Jane received the Union Medal at the opening session of the Union Conference in Bali, Indonesia, she gave a very moving speech. Here are a few extracts:
Learning the good news
“When I opened my email two weeks ago to find a note from Guy that I was awarded the Union Medal, I admit to thinking that I had read the message incorrectly, cleaned up my glasses and re-read the note. The first image was that of my years as President standing on the stage and awarded this honor to many of my TB heroes – and I did re-image the year that I dropped the medal, it rolled off the stage and I dove into the audience to pop up and yell ‘It did not break’. I then read Guy’s message again.”
How it all began
“In July 1988, I started my pulmonary fellowship. The first day, my mentor who had encouraged me to study pulmonary told me he was sending me to the TB clinic one afternoon a week – ‘The field of tuberculosis led to the field of pulmonary medicine – TB is being eliminated and you will not see it again after the next 5 years’. My first day in the clinic turned into a lifelong passion for working in this field.
“In 1996, I found a flier for a conference centered on TB – it was the first North American Region Conference to be held in Chicago. I quickly signed up and when I walked into that conference room, I realised I had found my people – all with the same interest and the same passion to address this disease and end its impact on people around the world.
“And then passed several decades of work and travel, friendships and colleagues, grants, projects, papers but always seeing and caring for people with TB in clinics around the world.”
No more excuses
“This morning at the World Health Organization session we heard the latest data regarding the TB pandemic. 10.8 million people fell ill last year and 1.25 million died. All of this occurring over 50 years after the discovery of an affordable and effective curative regimen – after the last decades of discovery of rapid diagnostic testing, new shorter regimens, the recognition that children have the right to access care and prevention, involvement of advocates and people affected by TB and so many other advances.”
…
“Above all global human capacity is lacking – or inequitably distributed – leaving millions, usually the poor, without access to clinicians trained in lung diagnosis and care. These issues – tobacco, COPD, household air pollution, global resource inequity for treatment, diagnostics and human infrastructure – remain challenges for all of us.”
Thank you all
“I still list myself first as a clinician – so let me not overlook the opportunity to say I accept this award on behalf of my patients who inspire me daily with their courage and resilience, who always taught me what to study, and more importantly – how to care.
“I have been extremely blessed to be able to work with so many people throughout the world. When I read Guy’s email, I started putting together my thank you list. It would not matter if I had the length of this entire conference, I would not have sufficient time to thank by name all of those who I should.
“There is one person who I must thank by name – that is my husband Tom – thank you for always telling me to follow my heart in whatever work I was doing and for always pitching in… I could not have had a better partner for this very blessed career. I accept this award on your behalf as well.
“Let me end with this African proverb – if you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.
“Thank you all across the world for traveling with me, for being my village – we still have much more to do and a long road ahead. I thank The Union for recognising this journey of many.”