Re: Toakase Fakakovikaetau: Pioneering pediatrician in Tonga (5)
Dear ProCor colleagues,
The Lancet profile (1) of Dr. Toa's program screening school children for rheumatic heart disease in Tonga will attract much needed attention to a health challenge that is under-recognized and under-addressed. This Lancet's article highlights the worthy work of a single individual and the widespread health improvements that can result, affirming the role that each of us potentially can play in promoting heart health and, we hope, inspiring others to advocate for preventive policies and programs. "These basic preventive steps in reducing the burden of heart disease have liberated precious resources in a country where the cost of sending one child abroad for treatment matched the cost of upgrading preventive services in primary care facilities," The Lancet observed. I hope the article, and Dr. Toa's example, will help motivate others around the world to support with much-needed funding and resources the many small but mighty efforts taking place on the ground all around the world, most of which are under the radar of the international community.
Here's a little background on how the Lancet profile came to be written. A Lancet editor read an article which announced Dr. Toa receiving ProCor's 2008 Louise Lown Heart Hero Award. She asked me how to contact Dr. Toa, and we put them in touch. I am delighted that we are only in the third year of the award yet we have achieved one of Dr. Lown's original goals in establishing it--to bring visibility to worthy but unrecognized efforts around the world.
I'm also heartened by this indication that ProCor is providing a window for developed countries and international journalists into countries that are addressing CVD in innovative, low-cost ways--from whom we all can learn much.
The review committee for the Louise Lown Heart Hero Award met on June 4 to review the 20 applications from 15 countries that we received for the 2009 award. We narrowed the field to several finalists and will announce the 2009 recipient shortly.
Thank you to everyone who has applied, nominated, or forwarded information about the award to colleagues--you are all part of this success. And thank you to all of the heart heroes out there!
Catherine Coleman
Editor in Chief, ProCor
Citation:
1. Available open access after free registration: www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(09)61138-7/fulltext.
The Lancet profile (1) of Dr. Toa's program screening school children for rheumatic heart disease in Tonga will attract much needed attention to a health challenge that is under-recognized and under-addressed. This Lancet's article highlights the worthy work of a single individual and the widespread health improvements that can result, affirming the role that each of us potentially can play in promoting heart health and, we hope, inspiring others to advocate for preventive policies and programs. "These basic preventive steps in reducing the burden of heart disease have liberated precious resources in a country where the cost of sending one child abroad for treatment matched the cost of upgrading preventive services in primary care facilities," The Lancet observed. I hope the article, and Dr. Toa's example, will help motivate others around the world to support with much-needed funding and resources the many small but mighty efforts taking place on the ground all around the world, most of which are under the radar of the international community.
Here's a little background on how the Lancet profile came to be written. A Lancet editor read an article which announced Dr. Toa receiving ProCor's 2008 Louise Lown Heart Hero Award. She asked me how to contact Dr. Toa, and we put them in touch. I am delighted that we are only in the third year of the award yet we have achieved one of Dr. Lown's original goals in establishing it--to bring visibility to worthy but unrecognized efforts around the world.
I'm also heartened by this indication that ProCor is providing a window for developed countries and international journalists into countries that are addressing CVD in innovative, low-cost ways--from whom we all can learn much.
The review committee for the Louise Lown Heart Hero Award met on June 4 to review the 20 applications from 15 countries that we received for the 2009 award. We narrowed the field to several finalists and will announce the 2009 recipient shortly.
Thank you to everyone who has applied, nominated, or forwarded information about the award to colleagues--you are all part of this success. And thank you to all of the heart heroes out there!
Catherine Coleman
Editor in Chief, ProCor
Citation:
1. Available open access after free registration: www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(09)61138-7/fulltext.
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