Awards honor contributions to improving health care
Island residents and others who have had an impact on health in the community, the state and the world will receive "World Health Awards" at a dinner from 5 to 10 p.m. tomorrow at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Hotel.
The Hawaii Health Foundation initiated the awards to promote Hawaii as a world center for health. They are named for Dr. Earl Bakken, inventor of the transistor cardiac pacemaker and founder of Medtronic, largest producer of implantable medical devices; Kenneth Brown, former chairman of Queen's Health Systems; and "Auntie Aggie" Cope, Hawaiian healer and former chairwoman of Papa Ola Lokahi, a statewide native Hawaiian health organization. The three have been designated "Living Treasures of Hawaii."
The Kenneth F. Brown Hawaii Health Award recognizes isle residents who have made a significant impact on the health of Hawaii and the world. This year's recipients are:
» Dr. H. Lorrin Lau, obstetrician/gynecologist who developed the first affordable pregnancy test. His research in protein biochemistry helped to use enzymes to reduce scarring from burns so painful surgery for scar tissue is minimized. He predicted the discovery of progesterone, follicle stimulating hormone and other hormones of pregnancy, and helped develop early pregnancy monitoring through monitoring of alpha fetoprotein.
» Dr. Thomas Kosasa, who pioneered the practice of infertility medicine in Hawaii, founding the first large infertility clinic. He also worked on research that helped to develop the early pregnancy test using "radio immunoassay."
The "Auntie Aggie" Cope Community and Cultural Health Award is given to someone who has made a significant impact on the health of the community, including cultural health. Recipients are trustees of the James Campbell Estate: Clinton R. Churchill, Richard W. (Dick) Gushman II, David A. Heenan and Ronald J. Zlatoper.
The Hawaii Health Foundation Integrative Medicine Award honors someone who has integrated multiple disciplines and made a positive impact on the health of Hawaii residents and around the world.
Awardees are Dr. Gerald Jampolsky and his wife, Dr. Diane Cirincione, who founded the Center for Attitudinal Healing. There are 130 such centers in 26 countries, including one at Castle Medical Center.
Jampolsky last year won a national award from the American Medical Association for his work, which began with catastrophic illness in children. He created an approach to heal emotional wounds and has been invited around the world, including Bosnia and Africa, to help people.
Dr. Wilson Greatbatch of New York will receive the Earl Bakken International Health Award, which recognizes someone who has made a significant impact on health around the world. He invented the implantable pacemaker and the lithium iodine battery, holds 323 patents and is now working on nuclear fusion energy.
Dr. Terry Shintani, president of the foundation and one of its founders, created the Hawaii Diet and health program to encourage lifestyle changes.
A movie about the program will be shown at the awards dinner. Called "More Than a Mouthful," it shows 24 people eating according to recommendations of the diet program, losing weight and getting off many medications, he said.