[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 41 (Monday, March 6, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3493-S3494]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
DR. MIKE CAUDLE FINDS FOREIGN SOIL, COMMON GROUND
Mr. HELMS. Mr. President, all of us think and talk a lot about
priorities these days, and that it is good. And ever so often we read
or hear about a special person with special priorities and principles.
When we do, a sense of admiration wells up within us--and, in my own
case, a sense of regret that I haven't done more than I have in terms
of what my father used to call the Lord's work.
I have reached the age, Mr. President, when far younger men and women
than I are doing wonderful and remarkable things. Many of them I have
met; some are like members of the family. One in particular came to
mind the other night when I was reading the 1994 annual report of the
Knoxville Medical Center, of the University of Tennessee.
But I am moving ahead of my story. Many years ago I met a young man
named Bob Caudle whom I found impressive. I was then one of the senior
officers of Capitol Broadcasting Co. in Raleigh which owned and
operated a television station, a radio station, two statewide radio
networks and an assortment of other related enterprises.
I persuaded Bob Caudle to join Capitol Broadcasting's team. He served
well until he retired and then agreed to become a part of the Helms
Senate family. We don't have a staff, Mr. President--not in Washington
nor in Raleigh nor in Hickory. We're a family that is praised by even
my strongest critics for the splendid constituent service they render--
not only to North Carolinians but to citizens all over the country who
contact us seeking assistance.
Bob and Jackie Caudle had two little boys when Bob began work at the
television station. Later a precious little baby girl, Lisa, rounded
out the Caudle family.
Lisa Caudle is today a beautiful young woman with one of the most
beautiful voices I've ever heard. Both of the Caudle boys long ago
became men, both became highly respected physicians. Dr. Bob Caudle,
Jr., is in practice in Raleigh. Dr. Michael Caudle, hereinafter
referred to as Mike, is now chairman of the University of Tennessee's
Medical Center's department of obstetrics and gynecology.
I mentioned the 1994 annual report of the University of Tennessee's
Medical Center of Knoxville. The entire issue is devoted to the subject
of compassion. The foreword discloses to all of us the definition of
compassion. Note these eloquent words, Mr. President:
Deep inside ourselves, there is a place where compassion
knows no limits; where love and concern for our fellow human
beings become omnipotent. But for many, limited courage and
determination leave this wellspring untapped. For others,
this wellspring is where they find their life's purpose.
Such is the case for the physicians, staff and volunteers
features in these pages. The Medical Center was their
starting point, but their compassion has led them beyond the
institution's walls. They have gone where others are weak,
vulnerable, lonely and broken. Their journeys have changed
them forever.
Mr. President, there follows immediately in that annual report a
full-page color picture of Dr. Mike Caudle, striding along a walkway at
the medical center, stethoscope in the right pocket of his white
physician's jacket. And then, on the next page, begins an in-depth
tribute to that distinguished physician who, it seems, was a polite
little boy visiting his dad at the Raleigh television station--surely
it could be no longer than a few weeks ago.
No, Mr. President, it was awhile ago, and I want Senators, and others
who peruse the Congressional Record, to have this tribute, headed
``Foreign Soil, Common Ground'' available for reading.
Therefore, Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the
aforementioned article be printed in the Record.
There being no objection, the article was ordered to be printed in
the Record, as follows:
In August of 1961, 10-year-old Michael Caudle sat
mesmerized by the family television set on which he saw the
raising of the Berlin Wall. He wondered what life would be
like for those people who were literally being sealed off
from the rest of the world. He later learned that ``the
wall'' was only part of something called the Iron Curtain, a
symbol of Soviet domination throughout Eastern Europe.
Thirty-two years later in 1993, Caudle's childhood wonderings
were realized when he visited Romania on a medical mission
trip. Now a physician serving as chairman of University
Medical Center's Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Dr.
Caudle was persuaded to make the journey after listening to a
speech given at his church by a Romanian Parliament member.
Touched by this description of the many needs in Romania, he
decided to serve as a link to the country, spending a week
teaching at the medical school in Timisoara and performing
obstetrical and gynecological procedures at rural clinics.
Although Dr. Caudle had always wanted to visit Eastern
Europe, he found his first few minutes there a bit
unsettling. ``When I got off the airplane, they bodily
searched me. They have these military people with AK-47s and
they X-ray your luggage,'' he explained. ``They asked what I
was doing there, and I told them I was working for the
Romanian doctors who were waiting for me outside. They looked
outside and slammed my luggage down and left. When I asked my
Romanian colleagues why the guards suddenly left me alone,
they said, `Every gun in that airport needs an OB/GYN doctor
for his wife. They aren't going to mess with you,'''.
As Dr. Caudle began his work, he soon discovered that many
women were desperate for sterilization, a procedure that was
previously illegal in Romania. ``I told the doctors `I don't
think it's a good idea for women to be pregnant all the time.
What you should be doing is a sterilization procedure called
tubal ligation,''' Dr. Caudle recalled. ``I explained it to
some patients with the help of one of their doctors, and
several volunteered to have it done. The word spread quickly
once the women realized what this could mean for them. This
was a big step toward getting at least a few people out of a
cycle that has kept women constantly pregnant, anemic and
sick.''
This cycle was only part of a ``reign of terror'' begun
under Romania's ruthless dictator, Nicolae Ceausescu, who
ruled Romania from 1965 until 1989. Wanting to limit
individuality and thoughts of freedom, Ceausescu banned
education of the humanities and sciences. His rules grew even
more despotic when he banned contraceptives and demanded that
women bear at least five children.
Ceausescu's restrictions and demands bankrupted the country
and alienated its people. Romania's discontent led to a
revolution in December 1989 when a revolt occurred in the
city of Timisoara over the deportation of an ethnic Hungarian
pastor. The uprising resulted in the deaths of hundreds when
Ceausescu ordered his army to fire on the crowd. Protests
began in many cities the day after the massacre, and on
December 22, the dictator was forced to leave the country. He
was soon captured, however, and executed after a brief trial.
In the aftermath of the revolution, Romania is still in a
state of social and economic despair. Every aspect of life is
reduced to a minimal level, particularly health care. In this
setting, Dr. Caudle found himself playing the multiple roles
of physician, technician, engineer and teacher.
``You can see the value of people like me spending time
there and providing technical instruction. They are finally
getting some equipment, but it has just been collecting dust
because they don't know how to use it. The key is education.
I could go over there and see patients for the rest of my
life, but teaching through the university multiplies the
effort,'' Dr. Caudle said.
With the aid of a translator, Dr. Caudle gave several
lectures to the medical students. ``They are very bright. It
is quite difficult to get into medical school there,'' he
explained. ``They came to class with lists of questions they
had spent hours preparing. `How do you do this in America?'
or `How do you do that?' They were very well read, but they
have old textbooks.''
This teaching experience, however, was a two-way street,
particularly in the rural settings. Dr. Caudle had to learn
to function without the technology he has grown used to in
the States. He also learned that maturity and a proven track
record are advantageous for medical missions like this one.
``They challenge your authority on everything because they
are so well read. They have their own reasons for doing
things, and they argue with you,'' Dr. Caudle remembered.
``What I have learned is that there are some things we do in
the States that I'm not sure are right anymore. We do them as
a habit and they do it differently. Now I can't decide which
way is right.''
The questions went beyond obstetrical and gynecological
issues as Dr. Caudle's first visit came to a close. He
realized that the time spent in Romania had influenced him in
a profound way. ``Dr. Dragulescu, the rector of the medical
school in Timisoara, was thanking me for making sacrifices to
come to his country and I said, `Your people died in the
streets, your children died. What is it for me to come here
for a week compared to what you've been through?' I went over
there to help, but what happened was that I found out what
was really important to me. It reorients your priorities and
how you spend your time,'' he explained.
Although he could justifiably feel overwhelmed at the
enormity of the problems which exist there, Dr. Caudle feels
that he and others can make a difference. ``Romania
[[Page S3494]] is like much of the rest of the world. Life
there is filled with chronic misery. It's the slow drip of
the economy that drags Romanians down, and that's why
Americans need to go over there to help,'' he urged. ``Beyond
what Americans can accomplish, it's such a privilege to meet
so many of these people who are to Romanians what our
revolutionary patriots are to us.''
This emotional experience was translated into action as Dr.
Caudle returned home and began a search to legitimize these
types of visits. That search led him to discover an
organization on The University of Tennessee's Knoxville
campus called the Alliance of Universities for Democracy.
Founded in 1990, the group is an alliance of American
universities and more than 100 Eastern European members. The
Alliance promotes democracy and encourages Eastern European
Universities to develop closer relationships with their
communities.
Beyond legitimizing medical missions, the Alliance also
serves as a way for equipment to be shared. ``There are
companies in the States that dispose of medical equipment in
landfills. Some of that equipment is 20 years ahead of what
they have in Romania. These companies are willing to send it
over there, and the Alliance gives these kinds of efforts a
name--a way to do this sort of thing,'' Dr. Caudle explained.
Dr. Caudle completed his second mission trip in June 1994.
He also arranged this past October for Rector Dragulescu's
first visit to the United States. Dragulescu, a cardiologist,
spent time comparing medical technologies with University
Medical Center's faculty, as well as formulating an overall
picture of health care in this country.
Although the rector's visit lasted only two weeks, one of
the graduates of a Romanian medical school will be doing a
five-year OB/GYN residency at University Medical Center.
Totally unrelated to Dr. Caudle's visit, medical student
Cristian Andronic applied for the residency program here.
Because Dr. Caudle was impressed by and familiar with the
medical schools in Romania, he granted Andronic an interview.
``I told him that if he wanted to find a way to get here,
we would take a look at him. I'll be darned if he didn't
scrape up the money to come, which was close to a year's
salary for someone over there. He flew to Chicago and caught
a bus to Knoxville,'' Dr. Caudle said. ``He'll be here for
several years. My hope is that he will then return to Romania
to practice and teach.''
These types of exchanges, both short and long term, provide
a more realistic view of the United States than the
idealistic ones held by many Romanians. ``They love
Americans, particularly in western Romania. You see little
American flags in the backs of their cars. It's an ideal we
can't possibly live up to, but it's also a great opportunity
for us,'' Dr. Caudle commented.
``It's a huge obligation to be an American in Romania,'' he
added. ``They have read all about George Washington and the
founding of our country on principles of freedom and `one
nation under God' and they take it all very seriously.''
It seems to have all come full circle. He was a post-war
boy interested in and bothered by events more than half a
world away. He grew up and pursued a career seemingly
unrelated to these interests. But his career is precisely
what led him to discover this other world. The ideals upon
which his country was founded are now held sacred by these
faraway people who are no longer strangers.
``My relationship with my friends in Romania has brought
all these things about the Iron Curtain, my faith and the
reality of these people into one form. You know, they are
more like us than they are different. They have the same
basic hopes, needs and desires,'' Dr. Caudle concluded.
``Their courage is tremendous and they have taught me a
lot. I feel like I'm helping to fight for their freedom
because they still don't have it yet--not in the sense of a
workable economy, which is necessary to stay free. It would
be easy to slowly drift right back into some kind of
communistic or totalitarian regime. They have to continue to
fight for freedom--it's an elusive thing.''
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