Robert Macauley

Robert Macauley is a doctor and author whose writing draws on the experiences of children with serious illnesses and the relationships formed through care. His book, Because I Knew You: How Some Remarkable Sick Kids Healed a Doctor’s Soul, shares stories of children facing life-threatening conditions, from diagnoses before birth through adolescence, and of the courage and devotion shown by their parents. The book also reflects Macauley’s experience surviving childhood abuse and his commitment to helping protect children from harm.

Through these accounts, it explores the emotional demands of medicine, what clinicians can learn from patients and families, and the capacity for love amid difficult circumstances. Published by Chehelam Press, the book received a starred review from Kirkus Reviews, which praised its insights into end-of-life medicine and its moving portrayal of life in wrenching moments. All sales proceeds support the pediatric palliative care program at Oregon Health & Science University, with a portion also benefiting Darkness to Light, an organization dedicated to preventing child sexual abuse