Our History
Beginning in 1962, 300 flight attendants from 26 airlines volunteered to assist in remote clinics as part of the Air-Intermed program.
The foundation was established in 1961 by Dr. Verne Chaney shortly following the death of his friend and colleague, Dr. Thomas A. Dooley III. Dr. Chaney gave up the practice of thoracic surgery in Monterey, California to continue the humanitarian medical aid programs of the legendary Tom Dooley. In order to bring greater international support and cooperation to the Foundation, Dr. Chaney established an affiliated organization, Intermed, in Geneva, Switzerland in 1961 as the affiliated international extension of Dooley-Intermed.
The “Defining Moment” in a Remarkable Legacy
A defining moment in Dr. Chaney’s life occurred in September 1960 when he volunteered for three months to help Tom Dooley in Vietnam and Cambodia to establish surgical procedures, train local health workers and assist in the care of children and villagers displaced by the war.
Dr. Dooley tragically died of cancer in January, 1961 but Dr. Chaney, upon the request of Tom’s brother, Malcolm, left his private practice of chest surgery in Monterey, California to be Medical Director in Asia for Dooley’s organization, MEDICO. MEDICO, unfortunately, folded for lack of funds in September, 1961, but with the support of Tom’s mother, Agnes, and other close friends who had worked with Tom in Southeast Asia, Dr. Chaney decided to re-open the projects, which Tom had started in Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, and India. In 1961, Dr. Chaney established the Dooley Foundation to continue providing medical care to the less fortunate around the world.
Working from a pay phone in the lobby of the St. Francis hotel, Dr. Chaney solicited the aid of other medical colleagues and friends. By good luck and possibly fate, assistance soon arrived from notables such as the singer, Peggy Lee, Bob Prescott of Flying Tiger Line, Carl Nichols of Cunningham and Walsh Advertising, Ian Smith of Medical Coaches, Sam Pryor of Pan Am, John Hench of Disney Productions, the noted explorer and news journalist, Lowell Thomas, Dr. Bob Worth of the University of Hawaii, authors Eugene Burdick and Bill Lederer, and Father Hesburgh of Notre Dame.
The basic orientation of the foundation has always been the caring for the patient.
Simply stated: to treat illness in those who are sick and to prevent illness in those who are well.
A Half Century of Dedication to Humanity
The year 2010 represented the 50th year of Dr. Verne Chaney’s personal involvement and dedication to supporting and managing medical care, health education, and training projects to villagers in the less privileged world.
