Angelique D. Brown, MD, Family Practice, and Sandra L. Gadson, MD, Nephrology, were honored for Community Service Recognition on March 10, 2018, at the Gary Genesis Convention Center during the 4th Annual Women and Men: “Celebrating Healthy Hearts” program.
Patrick W. Bankston, PhD, Assistant Dean and Director, Indiana University School of Medicine, Northwest/Dean, College of Health and Human Services was also recognized for Distinguished Service.
The event was co-sponsored by the Black Women Physicians Institute (Rose Green Thomas, Ed. D) and CommunityHealthNet, Inc. (Janet Seabrook, MD/MBA).
Drs. Brown and Gadson were highlighted for their many years of service in the Northwest region and exceptional care to patients. Dr. Bankston was noted for his leadership role in the planning and progression of the School of Medicine from a two-year to four-year program in the city of Gary.
The event opened with vendors for health screening and products/services. Program participants included members of the clergy and first ladies who joined the celebration to implement the concept of “Health Ministries in Northwest Indiana.”
Guest speakers were Reverend Charles M. Morgan (Honorary Co-Host); Homer Cobb, President, NAACP, Hammond Branch (Co-Host); C. K. Cargle, One Church/ One School; Donald James, Pastor, St. Luke A.M.E. Zion Church; Ste-phanie Welsh, Pastor, Israel C.M.E. Church; and Invocation by Reverend Dr. David Neville, Director of Spiritual Care, Methodist Hospitals.
The event provided a review of the Rose M. Green Academic Medicine Scholarship Award, geared to first and second year minority female students enrolled in accredited U.S. medical schools. The 2017 scholarship recipients were Kadijah Porter, Indiana University School of Medicine; and Maya Torain, Duke University.
Medical students were encouraged to apply for the scholarship before the 2018 application deadline on May 30.
Speakers from East Chicago, Gary, and Hammond spoke on topics of heart health diseases and strategies for prevention, leading to healthier lifestyles. Consistent references were made regarding cardiovascular disease as one of the leading causes of death in the United States—one in every three deaths is from heart disease and stroke. Heart disease kills more women than all cancer incidences combined.
Newly appointed Health Commissioner, Reuben Rutland, MD, Gary Health Department, represented Mayor Karen Freeman Wilson, City of Gary (Honorary Co-Host) and addressed the audience in terms of his personal experiences and encounters with patients affected with heart sicknesses. He stressed ways to avoid cardiovascular diseases as well as the need to understand the symptoms such as chest pains, breathing difficulties, speech, and other disorders.
