Freed honored by university and state

by Michael J. Happy / PEACH Web Project Manager

Dr. Gary Freed, founder and director of the Program for Equity in Adolescent and Child Health (PEACH), was honored recently with the Distinguished Faculty Achievement Award by the University of Michigan.

The Board of Regents created the Distinguished University Professorships in 1947 to recognize senior faculty for exceptional scholarly or creative achievement, national and international reputation, and superior records of teaching, mentoring, and service.

"It's humbling and gratifying to be recognized by the University of Michigan for helping to make a difference in the lives of kids, and the achievements have all been with that in mind," said Freed, who arrived at U-M in 1998 and established the Children's Health Evaluation and Research  (CHEAR) Center,  the first pediatric health services research center in the country. "It's also humbling that this is not an award from the School of Medicine or from any particular unit within the university but is university-wide. It's also a wonderful statement by the university to recognize work that helps to advance the lives of children."

Among his many contributions, Freed led pioneering efforts in vaccine policy, health workforce policy, and child health equity, including founding PEACH; the Michigan Child Health Equity Collaborative (Mi-CHEC); and a second collaborative, Michigan Community Hospitals Improving Equity for Children (Mi-CHIME).

Throughout it all, Freed said he always remained focused on improving the lives of children but pointed out the difficulty of turning information into progress.

"Academics do a lot of research, and even if we try to focus our research in areas where it's going to make a difference, it doesn't happen as often as we would like," Freed said. "We often create information that may not be in the right place at the right time to affect policy or the way we practice medicine. But every now and then, you hit the sweet spot, have the right information at the right time that actually makes a difference.

"In my 30-odd-year career, doing 100-plus research projects, there have been six times where I actually made a difference, and those six times are what I'm most proud of. It may not seem like very many times, considering how much research I've done, but if everybody could make a difference five or six times during their career, it's a pretty good batting average."

Freed said that he's grateful for the time, advice, support and, when needed, correction of his two primary mentors: Dr. Gordon DeFriese, the founding director of the health services research center at the University of North Carolina; and Joel Fleishman, the founding director of the public policy program at Duke who died at 90 in September 2024.

"Both of them had amazing and illustrious careers, and without their help and their guidance, it would not have been possible for me to have the career that I had," Freed said.

Freed is also thankful for the support of his family: his wife, Eileen, and three adult children, Ben, Michele and Ariel.

"My wife was a real partner throughout my career," Freed said. "And my children, all of whom at the appropriate times, supported and challenged me to do my best, the way that only your children can because they have no qualms about speaking truth to power. That has been more helpful than I ever could have imagined."

Freed's youngest daughter, Ariel, who works in the Michigan legislature, helped make the Distinguished Faculty Achievement Award even more special by working with the state to honor her dad with a Special Tribute certificate. The certificate, signed by Governor Gretchen Whitmer and other legislators, in part, reads: "Let it be known that it is a pleasure to offer congratulations to Dr. Gary L. Freed upon his selection for the Distinguished Faculty Achievement Award. With his many contributions to the field of pediatric health services research and child health equity in Michigan, nationally, and internationally, this is a most fitting symbol of excellence."

"I was stunned," Freed said of the award from the state. "That was a really nice surprise."