PROFILE: Dr. Blood provides care to Haitians
By DENISE HINCKLEY
Dr. Mike Blood is a family practice physician based in Crawfordsville who met his wife June at a wedding. Blood recently took June to Haiti where they were best man and matron of honor for two medical students having a wedding. Blood’s work in this county blended with his commitment to bring health to Haitians marries his medical skills with Haitian and Montgomery County medical needs.
“I have been on several trips to Haiti now and will go back in the spring,” Blood said. “The need there is so great. The average life-span is 50 years of age and we see lots of high blood pressure, diabetes and nutritional problems. I’ve seen everything from malaria to tuberculosis. Even leprosy still exists there,” Blood said with a wince. “The hardest part of being there is that we can’t help everyone. I just make up my mind to help the people I can.”
Blood said he and his wife were honored to travel to Haiti to stand beside Jason and Geralde at their wedding.
“Jason is studying to be a doctor in Haiti. I have helped with his training when I am in there and he has come to Crawfordsville a couple times now to work with me and other doctors in the area,” Blood said. “Part of our mission to Haiti is training so that Haitian doctors can solve their own problems.”
Blood has been a physician in Crawfordsville for 18 years.
“I was looking for a small town to practice in and raise my family,” Blood said. “I came here and joined doctors Brown and Truax. I had everything I wanted in Montgomery County except a racquetball court,” Blood said with a laugh. “We are now a small specialty group of doctors Truax, Roberts, Douglas, Barton and myself. We are a part of the Athens Medical Group,” Blood continued. “We take care of 95 percent of our clients needs. Although we quit delivering babies, we take care of all ages.”
Blood knew he wanted to become a physician when he was in junior high school. After graduating from high school in Chicago, Blood headed off to Illinois Wesleyan where he earned his B.A. in biology.
“I was the first person in my family to go to college,” Blood proudly said. “I was lucky to get scholarships. After Wesleyan I went to Vanderbilt for my M.D. and then did my residency in Missouri until 1984.”
Blood was heavily involved at the Boys and Girls Club for 14 years.
“I coached a lot of basketball, soccer and baseball,” Blood said. “After so many years I decided to look for something else to occupy my hyperactive mind and satisfy my attention deficit disorder,” Blood said with a hearty laugh. “That’s when I started traveling to Haiti.”
Blood said he believes that giving to others less fortunate has been rewarding and that he gets more than he gives in the long run. He has no plans to quit going to Haiti in the near future but rather is planning another medical adventure for the spring. He said he loves to help people and is looking forward to going back to Haiti.
“I appreciate the donations we receive from so many people here in Montgomery County each time we go to Haiti,” Blood said. “We have shoes, wheelchairs, medical supplies and Fuji donates film containers that we use in our pharmacy to fill prescriptions.”
When Blood isn’t serving others and finds a rare moment to relax, he enjoys riding his bike on rural roads in the county, working on cars with his son Daniel, playing the bagpipes and spending time with his wife and their four children.
“I have a great wife and my kids are all doing great things. Montgomery County is a wonderful place to raise a family. There is no place better.”
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