Red Cross Heroes: Visalia doctor donates a days pay each week to the disadvantaged

VISALIA, Calif. (KGPE) – The American Red Cross is honoring its 2025 Central Valley heroes – individuals recognized for their extraordinary acts of courage, kindness and compassion. This year’s health care hero is Dr. Naeem Siddiqi who donates part of his pay to help vulnerable communities.

“This is my passion and mission in life, to take care of people regardless of their ability to pay,” Siddiqi said.

Siddiqi is an obstetrician and gynecologist in Visalia. His career has spanned more than 40 years, but one thing has stayed the same.

“The one thing I did pride myself in is when I started my own practice that anybody who comes to my office throughout my career as an OB-GYN that if they’re money or no money, insurance, no insurance, I never said no to anybody. I would take care of them, period,” Siddiqi said.

His compassion for those less fortunate goes back to lessons from his mother when he was a child in Pakistan.

“This comes from my mother, I was 17 years old when she passed away of cancer, and we had no money. So I committed myself to take care of women, that’s it,” Siddiqi said.

His mother and father weren’t wealthy, but they were hard working and helped others. He recalled a story from when he was seven or eight years old.

“One night, my mother would pick up some groceries, we walked down the street, and we’d leave the groceries at night time at the doors of the people who were hungry, and then we ran back so we didn’t want them to know who was giving those groceries to those people,” Siddiqi said.

He now works an extra day each week and donates those earnings to charities that provide food and resources to communities in need.

“I bond more with the poor people than the rich people because of where I come from, I know how they feel, I know what they think, I know who they are, because I’m one of them,” Siddiqi said.

He’s used to staying out of the spotlight and couldn’t believe it when he learned he’d been named a Red Cross Hero.

“I’m happy and content with my life so I don’t need this glory and T.V. show, no so I was kind of surprised, who is this, what’s happening, but I’m glad it did happen,” Siddiqi said.