It is now my honor, Class of 2020, to introduce your Commencement speaker. Like you, he has faced real adversity in his life. When he was seven years old, his father, a police officer, was killed while on duty. When he was beginning his career and starting a family, he and his wife Aileen learned their infant daughter had Pompe disease, a rare and, at the time, fatal genetic disorder. But like you, Class of 2020, he did not let adversity define his life. He quit his job and joined with scientists to find a medicine that would treat Pompe disease—and they succeeded. And, as we hope for you, Class of 2020, he went on not only to become a leader in the biotech industry, but he has led with values. He co-authored a document, “A New Commitment to Patients”, signed by many leaders in the biotech industry, in which he and his colleagues recognize a [Quote]“moral obligation to develop the best medicines and ensure that every person who may benefit has access to them.”[Unquote]
As it happens, a movie, titled “Extraordinary Measures” was made about John and Aileen’s efforts to find a cure for their children. Let’s watch a brief clip of the film.
Class of 2020, I give you your Commencement speaker, and with the honorary degree just bestowed, your classmate, John Crowley.