Shout Out to the Big Brother

My brother Lee is based in Atlanta working for the CDC's Epidemic Intelligence Service where, as best I can tell, he occasionally zooms around the world setting up studies and investigating outbreaks of all kinds of diseases.  The EIS is closely related to the Department of Defense since it essentially acts as the U.S. defense system against disease outbreaks (He even wears a military-style uniform with an optional saber and may or may not look like your local Royal Caribbean Cruise Ship Captain).

In November 2009, Lee traveled to Western Kenya for about three weeks to work on a study in Kisumu, and I happened to be in Nairobi for work so we were able to meet up for a weekend.  We really enjoyed seeing each other, and it is amazing to think we were able to meet up halfway around the world in a small town on the shores of Lake Victoria.

We watched the sunset at the colonial-era Kisumu Yacht Club, visited the Impala Sanctuary, saw a movie (which I can't do in Kigali), and generally wandered around town.  So a very nice weekend all around.  Since Lee was in Kenya, he has traveled to South Africa for another study and Cancun for a cruise ship outbreak.  He misses Kristen, Thomas and Lizzie when he is away but enjoys his work.

On a side note, Obama's father is from this region of Kenya so while he is generally HUGE in Africa, they have essentially already deified him in this area (Obama's grandmother's house is being converted into a national museum).

I mention this about Lee's work because there is a new book about the history of the EIS and a brief summary in the New York Times (NYTimes: An Elite Team of Sleuths, Saving Lives in Obscurity).