What is INMED’s biggest award? The INMED Comninellis Award for Compassionate Service to Humanity. This award was established by the INMED Board of Directors to recognize people who demonstrate care and concern for the needy, who give selflessly of their time and resources, and who inspire others to take similar action.
The 2018 Comninellis Award for Compassionate Service to Humanity recipient is Fred Loper. As a medical student at the University of Oklahoma, Fred Loper was recruited to help start Good Shepherd Clinic in Oklahoma City – a ministry launched after a homeless man had his wound stitched by a bartender in a local tavern because he had nowhere else to go for treatment. Following graduation, Dr. Loper proceeded to lead the Baptist Medical Dental Fellowship for twelve years, facilitating healthcare in Guatemala, Dominican Republic, Ghana, and Cuba. 2012 through 2016, Dr. Loper was again at the helm of Good Shepherd Clinic, providing medical and dental care to low-income and uninsured people throughout central Oklahoma. In this context he also mentored students from University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, who enjoyed the inspiring privilege of witnessing Dr. Loper’s excellence in action.