Jeremy Kaufman was supposed to be a minister. Then he broke his neck while snowboarding, and his world changed instantly. Kaufman tried pharmaceutical painkillers, but sought an alternative after realizing they came with horrific side effects, both mental and physical. That’s when he discovered medical marijuana, which eased his pain without an asterisk, and led him to open the Center for Palliative Care (C.P.C.) in Georgetown, which he runs with a partner. Now a true believer in the cannabis cause, Kaufman has gone from a patient to the one helping patients, and no one does it with more care or empathy, probably because he knows exactly how they feel. STEVE ELLIOTT 74 S. Lucile St., 888-972-1555, thecpc.org