A citrus tree, planted at the UCF College of Medicine to honor the late Cynthia Kahn, has provided a beautiful harvest this winter to several families.
Cynthia was head of public services at the college’s Harriet F. Ginsburg Health Sciences Library until her untimely death in June. At a memorial for Cynthia in July, the college planted a citrus tree in the Tavistock Green to remember “her life with life.”
This week, the library staff picked more than 50 large navel oranges from the tree and sent two boxes of the fruit to Cynthia’s family. The college also sent oranges to Tim Newman, who works in UCF’s Department of Landscaping and Natural Resources. Last summer Tim worked to locate Cynthia’s tree and actually purchased two so that “he was sure that even if one died, there would always be an orange tree at the Health Sciences Campus in honor of Cynthia,” said Barbara O’Hara, director of Health Sciences Campus operations.
Tim is now undergoing cancer treatments. Barbara delivered the oranges to Tim’s home with a card that summarized the COM’s sentiments: “The College of Medicine is thinking of you and can’t wait to have you back with us. We miss you.”