Tuberculosis Patients Arrive, Media in Tow

When Andrew Speaker learned during his honeymoon in Europe that he had a particularly drug-resistant form of tuberculosis, he had only one thought: get to National Jewish Medical and Research Center in Denver.

Robert Daniels was thinking the same thing in a locked medical ward in Arizona, where he had been held for more than a year after failing to comply with his doctor’s orders.

Both cases have been controversial. But no one questioned the patients’ desires to be treated at National Jewish, the nation’s premier institution for treating drug-resistant tuberculosis and other respiratory diseases. So both men came to National Jewish.

The cases have focused unprecedented international attention on National Jewish. Articles featuring National Jewish reached close to 50 million newspaper readers and 167 million television viewers. Calls to National Jewish have doubled since the arrival of Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker’s faith in National Jewish was borne out when he was released July 26 after completing successful treatment.

Mr. Daniels treatment has just begun as New Directions goes to press.