Sen. Frist, Reps. Rangel and Nethercutt and HHS Sec. Thompson Honored by National Minority Health Month

4/10/2003

From: Cleve Mesidor of National Minority Health Month, 202-347-3820

WASHINGTON, April 10 -- April is National Minority Health Month! As a national kick off, the organization, National Minority Health Month (NMHM), held its 2nd Annual Awards dinner and recognized Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, U.S. Reps. Charles B. Rangel and George R. Nethercutt, Jr., HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson, industry leaders, and health advocates for outstanding contributions towards the elimination of health disparities among minority populations.

"Each award has historical significance, connecting honorees to a tradition of improving health care for every American. NMHM is also pleased to announce a new tool to help those fighting to eliminate health disparities. NMHM is collaborating with the newly formed Alliance of Minority Medical Associations (AMMA) to publish an Annual Report on the state of minority health. The Annual Report will offer a systematic approach to the elimination of health disparities," said Dr. Gary Puckrein, program director of National Minority Health Month.

Under the theme, Vision 2003: Shifting the Paradigm through Health Education and Awareness, Jim Vance, WRC-TV4 News Anchor, was master of ceremonies for the black tie event at the Hyatt on Capitol Hill. The gala was underwritten by Aventis and by the distinguished patronage of Pfizer inc. Amgen, Astrazeneca, and Chartered Health Plan.

"The American Medical Association congratulates everyone who has contributed to the success of National Minority Health Month. We strongly support this organization's mission to eliminate health disparities in minority populations," said Yank D. Coble, Jr., MD, President of the American Medical Association. "The AMA is strongly committed to addressing racial and ethnic disparities in health care and to increasing the number of minority physicians."

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, the keynote speaker, received the National Minority Health Month Lifetime Achievement Award, an honor designated for an individual whose life work has had a significant impact on minority health.

"I'm honored tonight to join the prominent leaders in public policy and health care gathered here in recognition of one of America's most critical health issues," said Frist. "We have made headway in addressing health disparities, but we must also look ahead at how we can continue to make progress. Every American deserves the highest quality health care, regardless of race, gender or where they live. Tonight's commitment to the issue will contribute greatly to reducing health disparities nationwide."

In the area of health promotion, Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson, received the Booker T. Washington Award for Health Promotion. This award is presented to individuals or organizations that have made an outstanding contribution to the promotion of wellness in minority communities. Booker T. Washington started National Negro Health Week (NNHW) in 1915. From 1921 to 1953, NNHW was a program supported by the United States Public Health Service. National Minority Health Month is a rebirth of NNHW.

"It is a great honor to receive the Booker T. Washington Award for health promotion. At the Department of Health and Human Services, we are committed to achieving the goals of Healthy People 2010. National Minority Health Month's commitment to building coalitions at the community level is the type of collaborative effort that will help government move closer towards the elimination of health disparities, said Tommy Thompson, Cabinet Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services.

The Severo Ochoa Award was presented to U.S. Representative Charles B. Rangel. Born in Spain in 1905, Severo Ochoa won the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1959 for his contributions to the discovery of the mechanisms in the biological synthesis of ribonucleic acid and deoxyribonucleic acid. The Severo Ochoa Award recognizes each year an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the eradication of HIV-AIDS in minority communities.

"I am honored to receive the Severo Ochoa Award for my commitment to the eradication of HIV-AIDS in minority communities, like my district in Harlem, New York," said U.S. Representative Charles B. Rangel. "We have to do more to ensure that people have access to quality healthcare. National Minority Health Month's goal to target communities at risk and work towards the elimination of health disparities is a step in the right direction."

Dr. Elena Rios, president of the National Hispanic Medical Association, received the Mary Eliza Mahoney Award for outstanding contributions she has made towards closing the gap in healthcare for Hispanic communities. Mary Eliza Mahoney was America's first black professional nurse. She graduated from the New England Hospital for Women and Children Training School for Nurses in 1879.

Congressman George R. Nethercutt, Jr. received the award named after Bernardo Alberto Houssay of Argentina, who was presented with the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1947 for his discovery of the part played by the hormone of the anterior pituitary lobe in the metabolism of sugar. This Award recognizes individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the elimination of diabetes in minority communities.

"Minorities have twice the incidence of diabetes as Caucasians, putting a tremendous strain on minority families," Nethercutt said. "I am grateful for this honor, and I look forward to finding ways we can continue to help these families live longer, healthier lives, both through prevention and treatment of this disease."

In the area of cardiovascular health, the Charles Richard Drew Award was presented to Dr. Luther T. Clark, Chief, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, SUNY Downstate Medical Center. This prestigious award is given to an organization or individual for meritorious work in the area of cardiovascular health in the minority community. Dr. Charles Richard Drew earned the degree of Doctor of Science in Medicine in 1940. Regarded as the pioneer of blood plasma preservation, Dr. Drew developed the concept of blood bank and organized a blood bank in London during World War II. He later served as the director of the American Blood Bank.

Zora Brown, president of the Breast Cancer Resource Committee, received the Susan La Flesche Picotte Award, an distinction presented to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to minority women's health. Susan La Flesche Picotte was born in the Omaha tribe in 1865. She was the first Native American Woman M.D.

Dr. Samuel So, executive director, Asian Liver Center at Stanford University received the Santiago Ramon y Cajal Award, an honor presented to individuals who produce outstanding research on minority health. Born in 1852 in Spain, Santiago Ramon y Cajal won the Nobel Prize for Medicine in 1906 for his work on the structure of the nervous system.

National Minority Health Month Founders Awards were presented to former Congressman J.C. Watts, Congresswoman Donna M. Christian-Christensen, Former Congressman Louis Stokes, and Cheryl Boyce, Executive Director, Ohio Commission on Minority Health. Representatives Christensen and Watts led the charge in Congress during the 107th session to pass the concurrent resolution (H. Conn. Res. 388) in both the House and the Senate to recognize the month April as National Minority Health Month. During the 101st congressional session, then Congressman Stokes, introduced H.J. RES. 327 to Designate September 1989, as National Minority Health Awareness Month. Since 1989, Cheryl A. Boyce, Executive Director of the Ohio Commission on Minority Health, has been promoting wellness and health events in Ohio in observation of minority health month.

"We wholeheartedly support the important aims of National Minority Health Month. Aventis sponsors a number of educational and disease awareness activities in minority communities, and its Multicultural Marketing department is dedicated to pursuing partnerships, research and educational programs that both address the health needs of multicultural populations and result in improved health outcomes," said Gerald P. Belle, President, Aventis Pharmaceuticals, North America.

"Pfizer is proud to be a part of National Minority Health Month Inc's celebration of the achievements of leaders who work everyday to eliminate health disparities in minority populations across America," said J. Patrick Kelly, president of Pfizer U.S. Pharmaceuticals. "Working together, through partnerships and initiatives aimed at building awareness, facilitating action and providing access to quality health care, we can help to close the health care gap and ensure that people live longer, healthier and happier lives."

National Minority Health Month was launched in April 2001 to raise awareness of and implement initiatives to reduce the problem of the minority health disparities among Blacks and African-Americans, Hispanics, Asians, Native Americans, Pacific Islanders, Alaskan Natives and Native Hawaiians at the community level. Since the conception of NMHM, the Governors of eight states have signed proclamations designating April as Minority Health Month. During the 107th Congress, the United States Senate and House of Representatives passed a resolution, which calls upon the President to proclaim the month of April as National Minority Health Month.