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Fairfield Prep Celebrates Alum's Humanitarian Work

FAIRFIELD, Conn. — Fairfield Prep announced last week that it will honor graduate Dr. Jim Roach with its second annual St. Ignatius of Loyola Alumni Award. Roach, a member of the private high school’s class of 1950, will receive the award in a ceremony in September.

“It is very humbling,” Roach said when the school told him he’d receive this year’s honor. “I’m not sure I deserve this – there are many others who are so worthy.”

Fairfield Prep established the St. Ignatius of Loyola Alumni Award in 2010 to honor graduates who “exemplify the characteristics that Prep seeks to instill: Open to Growth, Intellectually Competent, Religious, Loving and Committed to Justice.”

Roach, a physician for 40 years, once served as president of the medical staff at St. Vincent’s Hospital and continued his work at St. Joseph’s Manor in Trumbull. He has also served as a board member at St. Vincent’s Hospital, St. Vincent’s College and St. Vincent’s Special Needs. He has also done extensive work with Bridgeport’s Cardinal Sheehan Center, an athletic and after-school program for the city’s youth, and with the Mercy Learning Center, which helps disadvantaged women.

But perhaps no act of Roach’s life shows his compassion more than what he did in 2004. That year Roach donated a kidney to a teacher who would have died without the transplant.

Roach will receive his award at Prep’s Mass of the Holy Spirit on Sept. 9. The school said in its announcement, “The Prep Community is very proud to recognize Jim for this important honor.”

Know of any other people in the Fairfield community who do great things? Tell us about them! Send information and photos to gcanuel@thedailyfairfield.com.

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