The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) has announced its selection of Lynne Holden, M.D., co-founder and president of Mentoring in Medicine in New York City, to receive a Community Health Leaders Award. Holden is being honored for her work to reduce health disparities by creating a more diverse health care workforce. She is one of 10 extraordinary Americans who received the RWJF honor for 2009 at a ceremony at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C.

Holden has established an all-volunteer organization that encourages and nurtures disadvantaged students from Harlem and the South Bronx in New York City to enter the health professions. Reaching students as young as the first grade, Mentoring in Medicine exposes students to a wide range of health professions and provides mentoring, academic enrichment and leadership development to set them on the path toward health careers. Holden has created a movement that motivates and supports nearly 6,000 students and engages nearly 500 health care professional volunteers.

"Dr. Holden inspires young people who might never have considered a career in health care," said Janice Ford Griffin, national program director for the award. "She has also actively engaged them as health ambassadors who regularly disseminate information to improve the health of their communities." Holden's health ambassadors distributed crucial information in Harlem and the Bronx when the H1N1 flu strain, better known as the swine flu, first broke in New York City. Her health ambassadors also have worked to educate their communities about the dangers of smoking and how to prevent heart disease through the American Heart Association's "Go Red for Women" campaign.

Nearly 500 health care professionals volunteer to help Holden inspire and mentor thousands of young people to realize dreams of health careers. "I feel so fortunate to do what I do." said Holden. "Emergency medicine is a very special place to work, but I really love helping young people realize the same dream of a very rewarding and important profession - medicine."

Anthony A. Clarke said that he was a "Mentoring in Medicine success story." Last year, Clarke completed applications to 16 medical schools. After careful consideration, he decided to enroll in the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, where the Mentoring in Medicine program is based. "Dr. Holden believes in the idea of reducing health care disparities and improving health literacy by changing the health care workforce. Mentoring in Medicine is constantly going into schools, churches and community centers to share information with people," Clarke said.

The Community Health Leaders Award honors exceptional men and women from all over the country who overcome significant obstacles to tackle some of the most challenging health and health care problems facing their communities and the nation. The award elevates the work of the leaders by raising awareness of their extraordinary contributions through national visibility, a $125,000 award and networking opportunities. This year the Foundation received 532 nominations from across the United States and selected 10 outstanding individuals who have worked to improve health conditions in their communities with exceptional creativity, courage and commitment.

There are nine other 2009 Community Health Leaders in addition to Holden.

Source:
Jennifer Combs
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Community Health Leaders