A Prevention Poem
Prevention is caring about human outcomes,
it is pre-term babies supported
viruses foiled
alcohol avoided
thyroid replaced
phenyalanine suppressed
lead eliminated
vitamins embraced
enzymes measured
genes coded
but especially it is food and
transportation and housing and
respite and clean environments,
little children guided and stimulated,
mothers who are challenged, getting help,
babies born who are wanted, expected, and valued
wrestling with inequities and striving for justice
Remember that the big numbers in prevention will be in socially-designed
programs.
When the final analysis is made, prevention is the ultimate EQUAL OPPORTUNITY
enterprise.
The author of this poem is Doctor Allen Crocker. He is the Program Director of
the Developmental Evaluation Center at Boston Children’s Hospital.
Allen’s principal research interests are in etiology and prevention of
developmental disabilities, and in improved service systems for persons with
these conditions.
He has had a a long time interest and involvement in preventing disabling
conditions and is often called upon to impart his wisdom (and his poetry) to
other Prevention advocates.
