C. Everett Koop

C. Everett Koop
Name	C. Everett Koop
Caption	Official portrait as Surgeon General
Office	Surgeon General of the United States
President	Ronald Reagan
Term start	January 21, 1982
Term end	October 1, 1989
Predecessor	Julius B. Richmond
Successor	Antonia Novello
Birth name	Charles Everett Koop
Birth date	14 October 1916
Birth place	Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
Death date	25 February 2013
Death place	Hanover, New Hampshire, U.S.
Party	Republican
Education	Dartmouth College (BA), Cornell University (MD)
Spouse	Elizabeth Flanagan, 1938, 2007, Cora Hogue, 2010, 2013

C. Everett Koop was an influential American pediatric surgeon and public health administrator who served as the Surgeon General of the United States under President Ronald Reagan. His tenure, marked by his distinctive Vandyke beard and United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps uniform, transformed the office into a powerful platform for public health advocacy. Koop courageously addressed controversial issues like the AIDS epidemic and tobacco control, often putting him at odds with his conservative political allies. He is widely regarded as one of the most effective and recognized figures in the history of American public health.

Early life and education

Charles Everett Koop was born in Brooklyn and grew up in a Manhattan neighborhood. He developed an early interest in medicine, influenced by his family's Congregationalist faith and a strong sense of public service. Koop earned his undergraduate degree from Dartmouth College in 1937, where he was a member of the Phi Beta Kappa honor society. He then attended medical school at Cornell University, graduating with his Doctor of Medicine degree in 1941, and completed his surgical residency at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.

Medical career and appointment

Koop established himself as a pioneering figure in the field of pediatric surgery. In 1946, he joined the surgical staff at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and later became its surgeon-in-chief. He co-founded the Journal of Pediatric Surgery and was a founding member of the American Pediatric Surgical Association. His innovative work, especially in separating conjoined twins, brought him national prominence. Despite his personal opposition to abortion, his medical reputation led President Ronald Reagan to nominate him for the position of Surgeon General of the United States in 1981. His confirmation was delayed for months due to concerns from senators about his views on abortion and euthanasia.

Tenure as Surgeon General

Upon his confirmation in 1982, Koop embarked on a tenure that emphasized science over politics. He became the nation's leading spokesperson during the emerging AIDS crisis, mailing an educational report on the disease to every household in America in 1988. His report stressed that AIDS was not spread through casual contact and advocated for sex education and condom use, angering many conservatives. He also declared tobacco addiction to be a form of drug dependence, notably stating that cigarette smoking was as addictive as heroin or cocaine. His 1986 report on the dangers of second-hand smoke was instrumental in advancing smoking bans in public spaces across the United States.

Post-Surgeon General career and advocacy

After leaving the United States Public Health Service in 1989, Koop remained a highly active public health advocate. He founded the C. Everett Koop Institute at Dartmouth College to promote health education. He served as a senior scholar at the C. Everett Koop Institute at Dartmouth and later as a special advisor to the National Institutes of Health. Koop also launched DrKoop.com, an early and influential health information website. He continued to speak out on issues like childhood obesity, vaccination programs, and tobacco control, and was a vocal critic of the tobacco industry and its marketing practices.

Personal life and death

Koop was married to Elizabeth Flanagan for nearly 70 years until her death in 2007; they had four children. One of their sons, David Koop, died in a mountain climbing accident in 1968. In 2010, Koop married Cora Hogue, a longtime family friend. He lived in Hanover, New Hampshire, near Dartmouth College. C. Everett Koop died at his home in Hanover, New Hampshire on February 25, 2013, at the age of 96. His death was announced by the C. Everett Koop Institute.

Legacy and honors

Koop's legacy is that of a principled public servant who elevated the stature of the Surgeon General of the United States. He received numerous awards, including the Public Welfare Medal from the National Academy of Sciences. The C. Everett Koop National Health Awards are given annually for outstanding health promotion programs. His name adorns buildings at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and Dartmouth College. Historians credit his frank, evidence-based campaigns with saving countless lives by changing national behavior and policy regarding AIDS, smoking, and public health education.

Category:American surgeons Category:Surgeons General of the United States Category:1916 births Category:2013 deaths