Even Batman needs a hero; he could find one in Dr. Glenn Gailis of Klamath Falls, Ore. Both Batman and Dr. Gailis share a common goal of helping others live longer and safer lives.

 

Batman, as a young, impressionable child, tragically lost his parents in an act of violence, according to one of the original 1939 stories. Thereafter, he committed his life to helping others. Dr. Gailis, an energic and altruistic family practitioner, dedicated over 40 years of his professional life to treating illness and hasn’t slowed down even in his very busy “retirement.”

 

Dr. Gailis grew up in Cicero, Ill. When he was a boy, his mother would tell him, "You know, if you study hard and always do your best, you don't have to remain in this situation.  It is about individual responsibility, and you can't blame others for your life." At the University of Iowa on an undergraduate athletic scholarship for gymnastics, Gailis had a good older friend, mentor, and model medical student who encouraged him to apply to medical school based on his work ethic.

 

As a family practice physician in Klamath Falls, Dr. Gailis saw the extent to which tobacco-related addictions kept his patients, many of whom started as teenagers, from living the healthiest lives possible. In “retirement,” Dr. Gailis sought to learn more about the challenges his patients had faced by taking the locally offered smoking cessation class.

 

Armed with this new understanding, and desiring to be an effective spokesperson for tobacco avoidance, Dr. Gailis decided one morning several years ago to become “Batman” to kick (cigarette) butt in downtown Klamath Falls. Traditional smoking cessation programs, although well-intentioned, have not been very effective. Preventing adolescents from starting in the first place is much more successful.  

 

And who do young people admire? Superheroes who come to the rescue are at the top of the list. Now, Dr. Gailis dresses as Batman with all the regalia including a monogram on the back of the cape: “Kick Butts.” He has become everyone’s hero, collecting tens of pounds of litter over the years. As he picks up butts in populated areas of downtown Klamath Falls, passersby, including children, call out to Batman, who responds with a friendly educational message addressing the perils of tobacco usage. In the time of the coronavirus pandemic, he has even been called upon to urge community members to abide by local public health guidelines.

 

Staying purposeful, a Blue Zones principle, during all one’s life, including retirement, is consistent with Dr. Gailis’s credo: “I’m a doer, not just a talker. My life belongs to the community and I want to live it to the fullest.” Indeed – in addition to his tobacco prevention efforts, Dr. Gailis has been one of the most engaged volunteers in Klamath Falls’ Blue Zones Project efforts.