Dan is an Orthopaedic surgeon who works in poor neighborhoods in Chicago's inner city where poverty, violence and death are ways of life.

In addition to all this misery, there are numerous cases of uninsured or underinsured families in those neighborhoods left on seemingly endless waitlists, as they grow sicker and even die from their medical conditions.

Dan knew he had to do something to help, and what he did is amazing:

(story continues from "Read More")

Dan runs what is now three nonprofit clinics in Chicago's inner city, and at those clinics, no patient is ever turned away for inability to pay.

Since 2010, his clinics have treated more than 100,000 uninsured or underinsured patients, and in addition to his other duties, Dan personally sees patients and conducts surgeries.

Although he is "always on call," Dan knows he can't save everyone but he tries. Of his patients he told CNN Heroes, "The greatest thing we give them is hope."

I would add, with that hope, he also gives them a healthy dose of love and compassion.

Editor's Note: To see him in action, please watch a 1 minute, 58 second video of Dan and some of his patients, here. To learn more about his work, click here and his background, here.