Larry Dorr ’63 on campus for book reading
Dr. Lawrence Dorr ’63, an internationally known hip and knee replacement surgeon who provided the vision for Cornell College’s Dimensions: The Center for the Science and Culture of Healthcare, will read on campus at 2 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 29. The reading is on the second floor of Cole Library, where books will be available for purchase.
Dorr, a member of the Cornell College Board of Trustees, is on a book tour for his new novel. “Die Once Live Twice” is an epic history of medicine that begins in Philadelphia before the Civil War and ends on the eve of World War II. The book brings to life the drama of scientific discovery and the extraordinary achievements of modern medicine from its early days to the pioneering use of vaccinations, never-before performed surgeries, and finally to the discovery of penicillin. A “who’s who” of the history of medicine, the novel weaves together memorable fictional characters with medical luminaries of the 19th and early 20th century, telling the story of the miracle workers who changed the face of medical care.
Ten percent of the book proceeds will go to Operation Walk, an international medical mission Dorr started in 1994. His team has traveled to Russia, Nepal, China, India, the Philippines, Cuba, Nicaragua, Peru, and beyond—providing knee and hip replacements to several thousand patients. Dorr received the 2005 Humanitarian of the Year Award from the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons for his work with Operation Walk.
More than 20 Cornell students have been chosen to volunteer with Operation Walk through Dimensions, Cornell’s academic enrichment program designed to creatively prepare students for successful careers in a variety of health professions. Dimensions is believed to be the first of its kind to place meaningful emphasis on the art of healing as well as on the science and treatment of disease. Dorr conceived Dimensions after noting that too many residents and fellows were educated in a scientific tunnel.
Dorr is medical director of the Dorr Arthritis Institute at Centinela Hospital Medical Center in Inglewood, Calif. He is a world leader in hip and joint replacement surgery and research, and his research has aided in the design of widely used orthopedic implants.
He graduated from Cornell in 1963 with a B.A. in English. While at Cornell, Dorr was a member of the 1961 conference championship football team. In 2003, Dorr received Cornell’s Distinguished Achievement Award.
More information on “Die Once Live Twice,” including an excerpt, is available here.
