Norwalk Physician Receives Humanitarian Award

(NORTHBROOK, IL, January 7, 2010)—Stephen M. Winter, MD, FCCP, of Norwalk, CT, has been nationally recognized for his humanitarian efforts on the Amazon Promise project, Sustainable Health Promotion for the Indigenous Populations of the Northern Amazon Basin, based in Loreto, Peru.

The CHEST Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP), recently announced the winners of the 2009 D. Robert McCaffrey, MD, Master FCCP Humanitarian Awards, at The Foundation's Making a Difference Awards Dinner, held in October in San Diego, CA. Dr. Winter was one of two recipients of The CHEST Foundation's $15,000 Humanitarian Awards, which are given on behalf of medical professionals who volunteer their time and expertise to improve the health of communities and people in need worldwide.

"These physicians and their projects leave lasting impressions on the communities in which they serve," said John C. Alexander, Jr., MD, FCCP, President of The CHEST Foundation. "The CHEST Foundation commends their efforts and is proud to recognize and support this year's award recipients."

Dr. Winter, chief of pulmonary and critical care medicine at Norwalk Hospital, has been involved in international relief work for the past 30 years. As a member of the Amazon Promise project team, Dr. Winter distributes mosquito nets and provides health education and medical clinics for the Guarana people of the upper Amazon. The use of these mosquito nets by the people in the remote villages dramatically reduces morbidity due to malaria, dengue, and nocturnal vampire bat bites. On the most recent trip, the team of 14 volunteers was able to move 900 kg (1,980 lbs) of mosquito nets with supporting medical supplies by helicopter, river launch, and, ultimately, dugout canoes, to these remote villages, a daunting task that required extraordinary flexibility and creativity.

Established in 1998, The CHEST Foundation D. Robert McCaffree, MD, Master FCCP Humanitarian Awards program encourages volunteer service by ACCP members to improve the health of individuals and communities through advocacy, direct patient care, and/or patient education activities. In addition to honoring the recipient, The CHEST Foundation also grants a monetary award to the organization each recipient supports.

The CHEST Foundation was created in 1996 as the philanthropic arm of the ACCP and seeks to improve lung health for patients and communities through education focused on public health issues. The ACCP represents 17,500 members who provide clinical pulmonary, critical care, sleep, and cardiothoracic patient care in the United States and throughout the world. The mission of the ACCP is to promote the prevention and treatment of diseases of the chest through leadership, education, research, and communication. For more information about The CHEST Foundation, please visit The Foundation's Web site at www.chestfoundation.org.

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Contact:
Jennifer Stawarz, (847) 498-8306