Physicians for Peace Announces Volunteers of the Year

NORFOLK, VA (10/08/2009)(readMedia)-- Physicians for Peace, a Norfolk-based international non-profit organization focusing on medical education in the developing world, announced its 2009 Volunteer of the Year Medical Diplomat Awards at their 20th Anniversary Celebrate the Nations 2009 Gala Reception on October 3 in Virginia Beach, Va. The awards, recognizing Physicians for Peace volunteers for their unique and outstanding contributions to the work and mission of the organization, are given in three categories — physician volunteers, allied health professionals (non-physicians), and non-medical mission support. This year's winners are:

Christopher Walters, D.P.M., Centerville, Virginia  -- Physician Volunteer category

Dr. Chris Walters, who specializes in podiatric medicine, is a longtime Physicians for Peace volunteer leading missions to Eritrea since 2004. Dr. Walters has been the primary fundraiser collecting over $1 million dollars in original retail value of in-kind donations of orthopedic equipment. Dr. Walters has also pioneered new surgical techniques for limb reconstruction of severe deformities which are not seen, well understood, or treated in the United States. These novel techniques, which are safe, reproducible and sustainable in the developing world, are soon to be published for educational purposes for dissemination to other developing nations. Dr. Walters practices with Inova Health System at the MidAtlantic Permanente Medical Group in Fairfax, Va.

Gilberto Mejia, C.P., Mechanicsville, Virginia -- Allied Health Professional (non-physician) Volunteer category

Gilberto Mejia, a certified prosthetist, has guided the prosthetists in Dominican Republic towards higher standards of care embodying the Physicians for Peace philosophy. When Mr. Mejia first started providing training as part of the Physicians for Peace Walking Free program, the clinic in Dominican Republic was making as few as 7 prostheses a week, and not making them very well. Seven years later, the same clinic has a robust staff, is known for their quality of service, and is a self-sustaining operation that makes over 30 prostheses a week, helping amputee children and adults rebuild their lives. Mr. Mejia is employed by Hanger Orthopedic Group, Inc. at their Mechanicsville, Virginia office.

John Knight, M.P.H., Portsmouth, Virginia -- Mission Support Volunteer category

John Knight has volunteered for Physicians for Peace for many years and is the founder and champion of the Seeing Clearly Program, one of the many sustainable programs in the Philippines. The program, first launched in the Philippines, has been a huge success due to John's leadership and hard work, and is now being replicated in Haiti and Honduras. In addition, Mr. Knight serves on the Physicians for Peace Medical Operations Committee and has gone on five missions to the Philippines, with his sixth mission scheduled for this October. Mr. Knight is owner of The Book Exchange in Norfolk, Virginia.

"Physicians for Peace volunteers are the forefront of our organization," noted Physicians for Peace President and CEO Brig. Gen. Ron Sconyers (USAF, Ret.), "It is the work they do in the field that has changed a countless number of lives in more than 50 countries, and the skilled group of our annual Medical Diplomat Awardees represents the best of our organization. We congratulate them for their time and dedication to bring medical care and specialized training to underserved populations around the world."

ABOUT PHYSICIANS FOR PEACE

Physicians for Peace is an international private voluntary organization that mobilizes healthcare educators to assist developing nations with unmet medical needs and scarce resources. Through effective, hands-on medical education and training, clinical care and donated medical supplies, Physicians for Peace creates long-term, sustainable, replicable, and evidence-based projects to help partner nations build medical capability and capacity to help themselves. Volunteers for the 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization have conducted medical missions in more than 50 countries.

With its headquarters in Norfolk, Va., Physicians for Peace has programs in 22 countries and offices in Manila, the Philippines; Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic and Asmara, Eritrea. Throughout 2009, the organization is celebrating its 20th Anniversary.

For more information, go to: www.physiciansforpeace.org

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