On June 1, 2020, Cleveland Clinic’s CEO and president issued the following message to patients, caregivers and the community, sharing the organization’s unequivocal support to end racism and healthcare disparities.

In the days and weeks that followed, Cleveland Clinic endorsed the decision of the Cleveland City Council to declare racism a public health crisis, while caregivers organized a White Coats for Black Lives demonstration to honor the late George Floyd and take a stance against racial inequality.

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By Tom Mihaljevic, MD, CEO

There is no place for violence or racial disparity in our world. As an organization dedicated to the well-being of all, we will respond to events and actions that undermine public health.

Each of us is affected by the senseless deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and other African Americans. The aftermath of this weekend’s protests inflicted additional hurt.

People are feeling pain, sorrow and fear. And we care. We care about our patients, our fellow caregivers and our neighbors in the community.

This is a time for us to embrace one another with respect and empathy. It is a time to be guided by what we stand for at Cleveland Clinic as a beacon of hope.

Helping others to heal is our mission. Inclusion is our core value. Caring for the community is a cornerstone of our nearly 100-year foundation.

Cleveland Clinic will be working with the community to address violence and to end disparities of care, which have been exacerbated during this pandemic. We will be creating forums for caregivers to have discussions about these events, and offer resources for them to process the hurt they are feeling.

We are committed to all who we serve to address these issues today and for every day moving forward. This is our responsibility as caregivers in our endless quest to create better health for all.