Two graduates from the University of Louisville School of Medicine have spent years supporting children affected by gun violence through education and outreach.
Dr. Orion Rushin and Dr. Manting Xu, both Louisville natives, are key contributors to the Future Healers program—a community initiative led by the nonprofit Christopher 2X Game Changers. The program is a partnership with UofL Hospital’s Trauma Institute and the University of Louisville School of Medicine.
Its mission is simple but powerful: help children in Louisville who have experienced violence imagine a different future through education in medicine and science.
Rushin and Xu joined the program in 2021, the same year they began medical school. The Future Healers program works with children between the ages of 4 and 13, teaching them about health, science, and careers in medicine.
“Medical school can be very difficult and stressful,” said Rushin. “While studying and taking exams, it’s easy to forget why you started. Connecting with Future Healers helped me remember my purpose.”
For these children, the program opens doors to possibilities beyond their environment. Instead of seeing only violence in their neighborhoods, they begin to see futures filled with lab coats, stethoscopes, and hope.
“I wanted to be in medicine, but growing up, I didn’t see people who looked like me doing this work,” said Rushin. “There aren’t many Black women or Black people in general in the field. So becoming the example I needed as a child has been powerful.”
Beyond classroom sessions, Rushin and Xu also co-created a resource to help children learn on their own. The Future Healers Journey to Wellness Personal Journal is a 100-page book combining fun activities with health education.
The book starts with safety lessons on firearms, burns, and fires. It then covers wellness topics like nutrition, sleep, and relaxation. Each section ends with a journal prompt. The book also includes coping strategies and basic information about the human body.
“It’s a great tool,” said Xu. “Kids can use it at home, and teachers can use it in class. We didn’t expect it to reach so many people, but it’s had a big impact.”
Children in the program have responded with enthusiasm, and their knowledge has grown.
“It’s always amazing to see how much they remember and how excited they are to learn,” Xu said.
While the doctors have given their time and knowledge to the program, they say they’ve gained important skills in return.
“Medicine is about communication,” Xu explained. “You need to explain things clearly to your patients. Teaching kids in the Future Healers program is the same. You have to make things easy to understand but still accurate. Those are skills we’ll use throughout our careers.”
The program has grown rapidly since its launch in July 2021. It began with just 25 children. Today, more than 800 kids from across multiple states participate.
In 2023, the program expanded to Nashville. There, it partnered with Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and the nonprofit Stronger Than My Father to create The Future is NOW (Non-violent Options Win).
Later that year, the program reached three elementary schools in the Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) system. In early 2024, it expanded to Bardstown, marking its first move into a rural area in Kentucky.
“It’s amazing,” said Rushin. “Looking back on where we started and seeing how far we’ve come—it shows that something positive can grow quickly when people believe in it.”
Although Rushin and Xu are now beginning their residency programs, they plan to stay involved. Both will continue to serve as specialty medical advisors for Christopher 2X Game Changers.
