APS Press Room
| For immediate release April 2, 2005 |
Contact: Chuck Weber (847) 705-1802 |
AMERICAN PAIN SOCIETY PRESENTS 2005 ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS
BOSTON, April 2, 2005 – The American Pain Society (APS) today announced the winners of its prestigious annual achievement awards at the organization’s annual scientific meeting.
Every year, APS rewards excellence in the field of pain management by presenting six separate awards for career achievement, pain scholarship, education and public service, advocacy on behalf of children, outstanding service to APS and early career achievements.
“The American Pain Society sponsors these annual awards to publicly recognize outstanding efforts in improving the understanding of pain management among health care professionals and the general public,” said APS President Dennis Turk, Ph.D. “We salute these individuals and their important contributions toward alleviating suffering of people with chronic and acute pain.”
The Wilbert E. Fordyce Clinical Investigator Award recognizes career achievement in clinical research on pain and is awarded to Robert H. Dworkin, M.D., professor of anesthesiology, neurology, oncology and psychiatry and director of the anesthesiology research center at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry. Dr. Dworkin’s primary research interest is the identification of risk factors for the development of chronic pain in patients with herpes zoster and in women undergoing breast cancer surgery. One of his program’s major findings is that patients with greater acute pain are more likely to develop chronic pain. The award is named for its first recipient, Wilbert E. Fordyce, PhD.
Linda Watkins, Ph.D., professor of psychology, University of Colorado, won the Frederick W.L. Kerr Basic Science Research Award for individual excellence and achievements in clinical pain scholarship. Dr. Watkins has made significant contributions to understanding how the immune system works with the nervous system to moderate and produce persistent pain states and hyperalgesia. She also has pioneered the discovery of glia (neuralgia) in pain conditions, and her work in this area has been published in leading scientific journals. Dr. Watkins was chosen in recognition of her excellence and achievements in pain research. The award honors Frederick Kerr, founder of APS.
The John and Emma Bonica Public Service Award pays tribute to this couple for their leadership in the pain-treatment movement. It recognizes contributions by an individual or organization through public education, public service or other vehicles to communicate information about pain. The 2005 awardee is Penny Cowan, director of the American Chronic Pain Association. In the late 1970s, Ms. Cowan developed fibromyalgia and learned to manage her pain and regain her quality of life. She held the first meeting of a chronic pain support group in 1980 and dedicated her life to spreading the message that pain patients have responsibility for their care and a should play a key role on the treatment team. In 2001, Cowan founded Partners for Understanding Pain, a coalition of pain advocacy organizations with common goals in promoting better understanding of the social, economic and public health impact of chronic pain.
In recognition of the longstanding APS interest in promoting improved pain management in pediatric health care settings, the Jeffrey Lawson Award recognizes advocacy efforts to improve pain management in children. It is named in memory of Jeffrey Lawson whose mother, Jill, campaigned aggressively against performing surgery and other procedures on children without anesthesia. This year’s winner is Lonnie K. Zeltzer, M.D., professor of pediatrics at UCLA’s David Geffen School of Medicine and director of the pediatric pain program at Mattel Childrens’ Hospital at UCLA. Dr. Zeltzer serves on numerous national research councils and boards, and her clinical program integrates complimentary and traditional treatment of chronic pain. She has completed studies of hypnotherapy, yoga, acupuncture and meditation, and is part of an NIH-funded national research consortium studying the late effects of childhood cancer. Dr. Zeltzer received this award in recognition of her outstanding public service and her excellence in pain management for children.
The Elizabeth Narcessian Award recognizes outstanding educational achievements in pain management in honor of Elizabeth Narcessian, MD, a noted educator on the appropriate use of opioids, pain assessment and rehabilitation of patients with chronic pain. The award was given to Keela Herr, RN, Ph.D., professor and chair, adult and gerontological nursing, University of Iowa. As an educator, researcher and writer, Dr. Herr’s work has significantly improved professional and public awareness about pain management for the elderly, especially those with dementia and related illnesses. Dr. Herr is an editor of Geriatrics at Your Fingertips, now in its sixth edition, and her publications have helped primary care physicians improve their pain assessment and management capabilities.
The 2005 Distinguished Service Award for outstanding and dedicated service to APS was awarded to Christine Miaskowski, R.N., Ph.D., professor and chair of the Department of Physiological Nursing at University of California San Francisco. Dr. Miaskowski is a former APS President and has served on numerous committees and task forces for the organization through the years. Her main research interest focuses on pain management for oncology patients, which began after her personal experience in managing her father’s intractable cancer pain. This award was presented in recognition of her outstanding record of service to the society.
To recognize early career achievement in pain scholarship, APS created the John C. Liebeskind Early Career Scholar Award. It was presented to Gilbert Wong, M.D., assistant professor of anesthesiology at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine. Much of Dr. Wong’s recent work has been involved with pancreatic cancer pain management. He earned the award for his outstanding publication record and contributions to the development of new theories and method for assessing and treating cancer pain.