Letter from Dr. Tom Kramer

This year I worked with 8 of my colleagues from the Emergency Department at Penn Medicine to organize a half-day of activities related to the practice of Emergency Medicine. It was fun to plan activities that would introduce the boys to the variety of skills we use every day, and even more fun to see them engage in the activities.

Each boy is unique. Some enjoyed the wilderness medicine, where we learned about lightning strikes and snake bites. Some thrived while learning about the heart and CPR, and others had the most fun building casts and learning how to suture. Watching them engage with medical concepts was incredibly fulfilling for myself and the 8 colleagues who joined us for the morning; even if none of these boys pursue a career in healthcare, this session gave them the exposure to think about whether this career interests them.

I choose to support the KB Foundation because I deeply believe in its mission to empower young boys through real world experiences that can open their eyes to worlds they have never seen, and teach them skills and character development along the way. The KB Foundation is special because of its group mentoring style; by bringing together mentors with far ranging backgrounds, the kids are continuously exposed to different people, ideas, careers, and role models.

This allows for a much broader range of experience, yet they see the same mentors showing up routinely and get to build relationships with many different mentors. I am inspired by the dedication of everyone involved and am proud to contribute to a cause that is truly making a difference in the lives of these young men and the community.

To those considering how they can support the KB Foundation, I would say they should get involved. While financial contributions are essential, the greatest value that a mentor can bring is their time, experience, and willingness to be present for these boys.

Dr. Tom Kramer
Department of Emergency Medicine
Penn Medicine