HONORING A HERO FOCUSED ON GIVING BACK: DR. MICHAEL L. ZOLLICOFFER, M.D.

On 2025-04-07, Representative Kweisi Mfume (D-MD-7) delivered a floor speech titled "HONORING A HERO FOCUSED ON GIVING BACK: DR. MICHAEL L. ZOLLICOFFER, M.D." in the House.

HONORING A HERO FOCUSED ON GIVING BACK: DR. MICHAEL L. ZOLLICOFFER, M.D.

Congressional Record, Volume 171 Issue 62 (Monday, April 7, 2025) [Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 62 (Monday, April 7, 2025)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Pages E293-E294] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] HONORING A HERO FOCUSED ON GIVING BACK: DR. MICHAEL L. ZOLLICOFFER, M.D. ______ HON. KWEISI MFUME of maryland in the house of representatives Monday, April 7, 2025 Mr. MFUME. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate a beloved native son of Baltimore, Dr. Michael L. Zollicoffer, M.D. Dr. Z, as he's known to most of his patients, is a physician of boundless compassion and enthusiasm, and he has spent more than 35 years breaking down barriers to healthcare for all Baltimoreans, regardless of their ability to pay. His clinic has been a ray of hope for the under and uninsured, and his selfless commitment to healing has had major impacts on the wellbeing of his community. Dr. Michael Zollicoffer is the son of trailblazing pediatrician Dr. Lawrence Zollicoffer, co-founder of Garwyn Medical Center, one of Baltimore's first Black-owned multi-specialty medical centers. Dr. Z followed in his father's footsteps by attending the University of North Carolina (UNC) School of Medicine located in Chapel Hill; the school that his father helped integrate. While at UNC, Dr. Z was honored with the MacNider Award, a prize given to sophomores with humility, good character, and impeccable personal integrity. Dr. Z earned his Doctor of Medicine from UNC in 1985 and returned to his hometown to finish his medical training. He completed his residency in pediatrics at Sinai Hospital of Baltimore in 1988 and remained in Baltimore to begin his own practice. He opened his urgent care facility, Life Care Plus, in an area of our city that struggles with poor health outcomes and poverty. In the decades since he opened Life Care Plus, Dr. Z has been a guardian angel to the people of the 21215 ZIP Code. Beyond his willingness to practice in an underserved area, what is so remarkable about Dr. Z is that he will never turn away a patient because they don't have enough money. A pediatrician by trade, he encourages patients to bring in their grandparents for free check-ups, and he'll happily give patients his personal cell phone number to call him any time, 24 hours a day and 365 days a year. Dr. Z's spirit of generosity has turned his clinic into a family home, and many of the people he treated as children now bring their own kids to the clinic. His incredible value to his community has been repeatedly recognized, with Dr. Z receiving awards like the UNC Harvey E. Beech Outstanding Alumni Award and the University of Maryland, Baltimore County's Community Leadership Award. The love that the people of Baltimore hold for Dr. Z was most clearly shown in recent months, as Dr. Z is now dealing with health struggles of his own. He was recently diagnosed with renal and colorectal cancer, and due to insurance issues, he was facing the possibility of being unable to pay his medical bills. When his patients heard, they leapt into action to create a GoFundMe which has raised more than $250,000 from over 3,000 individual donors. As further proof of his virtue, Dr. Z made clear that every penny that he doesn't need for his treatment, will go directly into his clinic. Mr. Speaker, you would be hard-pressed to find another individual with as much passion [[Page E294]] for healing and love for his community as Dr. Michael Zollicoffer. For his kindness, his selflessness, and his God-given abilities, Dr. Z has been a pillar of the Baltimore community for decades. His cancer prognosis are positive and, God willing, he'll be practicing in our city for years to come. ____________________