Why UPHE, from Dr. Robert Weir

As a double-boarded Neurologist and Psychiatrist, I have dedicated my life to improving brain health. Our identity as unique individuals is intimately linked to our brain and mind. When exposed to polluted air, we risk permanent damage to our very essence. Poor air quality, such as we experience in the Salt Lake Valley, is linked to significantly higher rates of stroke and dementia.

Our most vulnerable populations – the children and elderly – are at the highest risk. But it is not all doom and gloom: there are things we can do to improve public health. UPHE is at the forefront of these efforts.

While in the hospital, I can help several patients per day. UPHE allows me to expand that scope by helping countless others, even beyond the Wasatch front. We educate, advocate, and when necessary, litigate. We are part of a lawsuit against the State of Utah for failing in its public trust obligations “to ensure that enough water reaches Great Salt Lake to prevent ecological collapse and a public health crisis.” We are fighting to protect Parley’s Canyon and prevent a new 634-acre mine from destroying our beautiful natural landscape and further compromising our air and water quality.

As the often-quoted saying goes, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.” Those of us in healthcare witness our immediate impact daily. However, public health is not a burden for healthcare professionals alone. UPHE calls upon all of us to join together, creating a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts. Together, we can work to protect our children and future generations. Imagine a future with a replenished Great Salt Lake, improved air quality, and reduced inversions. This is not just a fantasy – it’s a possible reality! But it requires collective action. This holiday season, please consider supporting UPHE in our efforts to make this vision a reality.

As a Greek proverb wisely states: “A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.”