Professor in the Hood | Legacy Interview with Dr. Carol Parks

In the earliest days of Christian Community Health Fellowship (CCHF), when models of Christian healthcare for the underserved were nearly nonexistent, a small band of pioneers answered a clarion call to serve. Among them was Dr. Carol Parks—a trailblazer in Christian public health whose legacy continues to shape how we understand medicine, community, and mission.

Dr. Parks passed away recently, leaving behind a profound legacy of service, scholarship, and Spirit-filled compassion. Her presence, wisdom, and example will be deeply missed by the CCHF community and all who were shaped by her life and ministry.

Born and raised in South Philadelphia, Dr. Parks discovered her passion for science early on. By tenth grade, she knew she wanted to work in healthcare. Dr. Parks came to Christ as a child at a neighborhood Bible club, drawn in by snacks and flannelgraph stories. That early faith shaped every step of her journey. From community clinics to the halls of academia, her work was always about more than data. It was about restoring hope.

“Hope,” she reminded us, “is often missing in public health. We’ve replaced it with policy. But the gospel brings hope. And when you marry policy and gospel, you have something powerful.” CCHF is what it is today in no small part because of Dr. Carol Parks’ unwavering commitment to that powerful combination. Her life taught us that healing is not just what happens in a clinic— but also in a living room, a neighborhood, and a soul. She showed us what it looked like to be a healer, a teacher, a disciple, and a listener. She showed us how to follow Jesus into the heart of the community. She showed us how to bring hope.

We thank God for her life, and we mourn her loss with hearts full of gratitude. We encourage you to listen to this CCHFTalk Legacy Interview and watch her video interview on Youtube, recorded just a few months before she passed.

We hope you enjoy this podcast, follow, like and share with your friends!

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CCHFTalk is a production of Christian Community Health Fellowship.

CCHF's Mission: The mission of Christian Community Health Fellowship is to encourage, engage and equip Christians to live out the gospel through healthcare among the poor and marginalized.

CCHF's Vision: We envision a movement of God's people who choose daily to promote healing in marginalized communities in the name of Jesus.

To learn more about Christian Community Health Fellowship (CCHF) and how you can get involved please visit our website at CCHF.org. If you see medicine as more than a career choice - as a calling to serve Christ – then these are your people. Yearly we host the CCHF Conference where hundreds of individuals and organizations join together to network, learn, and worship. Visit https://www.cchfconference.org/ for full schedule, details, & to register!

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