Harold Paul Freeman MD

Harold Paul Freeman, M.D. was born in Washington, DC on March 2, 1933 to Atty. Clyde Freeman Sr. and Lucille Thomas Freeman who was an elementary school teacher. His older brothers were Clyde and Thomas and all three, like their parents, were enthusiastic tennis players.

Harold graduated Salutatorian from Dunbar High School in 1950 and Catholic University in 1954. He graduated from Howard University Medical School in 1958.

Harold married Artholian (Arti) Palmer in 1957. They had two sons, Hal in 1959 and Neale in 1963. Both sons became physicians and tennis players like their Dad.

Harold completed his residency in General Surgery at Howard University Hospital in 1964 and then moved to New York where he completed a Senior Residency at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Hospital for Cancer in 1967.

Harold then joined the staff at Harlem Hospital where he remained, after becoming Director of Surgery in 1974, until 2000. During this period, from 1988-89, he was President of the National American Cancer Society.

Harold subsequently was Director of Surgery at North General Hospital and then President/CEO until 2001.

From 1991-2002, Harold was Chairman of the U.S. President's Cancer Panel ( appointed by President Bush and President Clinton for four three-year terms).

In 2000, he became Associate Director of the National Cancer Institute as well as Director of the Center to Reduce Cancer Health Disparities.

On a lighter side, for over 20 years, Harold enjoyed friendships and travel through his clubs, The Fellas and The National Guardsmen.

Harold also found a dear friend and partner of more than 2 decades in Ralph Lauren, with whom he shared a commitment to making high quality cancer care accessible to all. Together, in 2003, they co-founded the Ralph Lauren Center for Cancer Care and Prevention in Harlem, bringing high quality cancer care and patient navigation to a medically underserved community.

Harold received numerous awards but one of his favorites was the Mary Woodward Lasker Public Service Award received in 2000 "For Enlightening Scientists and the Public About the Relationship Between Race, Poverty and Cancer".

His legacy is secured as he is considered the Father of Patient Navigation, a program he started at Harlem Hospital in 1990 which has spread throughout our country and internationally. A children's book highlighting the origin of this program, "The Navigator", co-authored by Ali Bovis is due to come out this Fall.

In addition to his wife Arti and sons Hal and Neale, Harold leaves his grandchildren, Thomas, Elle and Savannah, daughter-in-law Kerry and a host of friends who love him.