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CFAH Contact: Goldie Pyka gpyka@cfah.org 202-387-2829 |
A Holiday Gift from Oprah Winfrey
WASHINGTON, DC - (Dec. 15, 2010) - With great pride and joy the Center for Advancing Health (CFAH) announces that its founder and president, Dr. Jessie Gruman, has been recognized by Oprah Winfrey for her commitment to help Americans when they or their loved ones face the challenges of a serious illness. During this holiday season of good will, it was especially inspiring and gratifying to receive a personal letter recognizing Dr. Gruman’s extraordinary contributions from this esteemed national leader.
“Since 1992, CFAH has worked to give evidence-based guidance to people to help them make good decisions and take effective actions to find and use good health care,” said Dr. Gruman, author of AfterShock: What to Do When the Doctor Gives You - or Someone You Love - a Devastating Diagnosis. “Ms. Winfrey’s unsolicited recognition demonstrates that CFAH’s message has reached beyond policymakers and providers and is producing real, meaningful change.”
Dr. Gruman and the staff at CFAH are grateful to Oprah for her gracious and compassionate letter. Recently diagnosed with cancer for the fourth time, Dr. Gruman has continued to offer valuable insights and assistance to others through essays and blogs chronicling her latest health challenges. This letter of recognition from Oprah comes as Dr. Gruman recovers and she and CFAH renew their dedication to serving others.
Dr. Gruman continues to write and speak in the media and to national audiences about the changing responsibilities of patients, drawing on surveys, peer-reviewed research findings and her own experiences as a patient.
This acknowledgment also comes on the heels of an exceptionally successful year for CFAH. In 2010, CFAH has realized several milestones, including:
- The launch of the Prepared Patient Forum, an interactive website that helps people find and effectively use the health care system.
- The expansion in both reach and content of theHealth Behavior News Service (HBNS), which disseminates news stories to journalists worldwide on the latest findings from peer-reviewed research journals.
- The release of a widely cited national study, Snapshot of People’s Engagement in Their Health Care, showing that only one-third of American adults take the actions required to benefit from the health care available to them.
Douglas Kamerow, MD, Chair of the CFAH Board of Trustees, said: “We continue to be very proud of the great work of Dr. Gruman and CFAH. CFAH’s achievements in 2010 and Ms. Winfrey’s recognition are testaments to the valuable contributions of its work and its outstanding leader. They also validate our non-profit’s mission to ensure that all Americans are prepared to find and use the best care available to them.”
About the Center for Advancing Health (CFAH)
Since 1992, CFAH has conducted research, communicated findings and advocated for policies that support everyone's ability to make good choices about health and health care. CFAH is an independent non-profit organization that is supported by a number of foundations (principally the Annenberg Foundation and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation) and individuals.
