FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Lisa Olszak Zumstein
724-679-9261
lisa@acms.org
Allegheny County Medical Society Foundation to Hold Virtual Gala
Live-streamed Event Will Honor Freddie H. Fu, MD, and Will Feature Cameron Heyward of the Pittsburgh Steelers in Initiative to Support Children with Asthma in the Mon Valley
PITTSBURGH (September 29, 2021) - The Allegheny County Medical Society Foundation (ACMSF) is hosting a “Virtual Gala” for members and friends at 7 p.m. Thursday, October 7, 2021, in order to honor excellence in individual physicians and community groups, raise funds to expand and improve pediatric asthma treatment in the Mon Valley, and celebrate the dedication and resilience of the region’s physicians throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Anyone interested is welcome to join the virtual event on You Tube at https://youtu.be/vGkblKqtEug.
The live-streamed event will include a remembrance for Freddie H. Fu, MD, Pittsburgh’s world-renowned sports medicine and orthopedic surgery pioneer, who died on September 24, 2021. ACMS mourns the loss of Dr. Fu, who was a longtime ACMS member. The Gala program will include a video of Dr. Fu’s acceptance speech as he received the prestigious 2021 John G. Krah Executive Leadership Award.
The Gala will also present speakers who will share personal stories by videotape. First among them is Cameron Heyward of the Pittsburgh Steelers, whose philanthropic and humanitarian endeavors are as renowned as his exploits at Heinz Field. A native Pittsburgher, Heyward suffered throughout his childhood with asthma, enduring multiple hospitalizations. Deborah Gentile, MD, a pediatric allergist and asthma specialist and a zealous advocate for children with asthma and their families, also will appear on video describing the severe impact of asthma on children and families. Dr. Gentile will describe the challenges and unmet needs that are faced by hundreds of families in the Mon Valley region of Allegheny County.
Since its inception in 1960, ACMSF has granted more than $3 million to a variety of programs focused on creating a healthier region. This year’s Gala is a fundraiser for the establishment of Community Partners in Asthma Care, an expanded and improved asthma treatment center for the Mon Valley where childhood asthma is pervasive. The region experiences triple the rate of child asthma as compared to the national average reported by the Centers for Disease Control. These clinics will transform access to specialty asthma care, which is an essential aspect of bringing the condition under control and enabling children to live healthier, happier lives.
A highlight of the evening will be the presentation of awards to physicians, individuals, and community organizations that have excelled in their efforts to improve the health and environment of Allegheny County residents. Award recipients from 2020 will be honored along with this year’s awardees, as last year’s Gala was cancelled due to pandemic restrictions. 2020 award recipients are: Mark DeRubeis, MBA, John G. Krah Executive Leadership Award; Kurt R. Weiss, MD, Richard E. Deitrick Humanity in Medicine Award; Brad W. Butcher, MD, Ralph C. Wilde Leadership Award; Jonathan Weinkle, MD, Nathaniel Bedford Primary Care Award; Justin J. Vujevich, MD, Physician Volunteer Award; Maren L. Cooke, PhD, Benjamin Rush Individual Award; and Brother’s Brother Foundation, Benjamin Rush Community Organization Award.
The 2021 award recipients are: Freddie H. Fu, MD, John G. Krah Executive Leadership Award; Terence W. Starz, MD, Richard E. Deitrick Humanity in Medicine Award; John S. Rozel, MD, Ralph C. Wilde Leadership Award; John. T. Wisneski, Jr., MD, Nathaniel Bedford Primary Care Award; Carlos M. Perez-Ruiz, MD, Physician Volunteer Award; Victoria S. Humphrey, Benjamin Rush Individual Award; and Women for a Healthy Environment, Benjamin Rush Community Organization Award. ACMSF also will pay tribute to a group of distinguished physicians who have practiced medicine for 50 years, and to those outstanding Allegheny County physicians who have received the Pennsylvania Medical Society Top Physicians Under 40 award.
ACMS president Patricia Bononi, MD, will host the Virtual Gala, along with Gala chair Mark A. Goodman, MD, and William K. Johnjulio, MD, chairman of the ACMS Foundation board of directors.
Necessitated by the restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic, the ACMSF Virtual Gala is a creative response that reflects the very same ingenuity and dedication that has characterized the healthcare community as they have coped and strategized throughout this unprecedented time.
For more information about the Gala, visit www.acms.org/events/2021-acms-foundation-gala/ or call ACMS, (724) 679-9261. Information about how to register, navigate the event and donate will be provided. Everyone is welcome.
The Allegheny County Medical Society is dedicated to improving healthcare through education, advocacy, service, and physician well-being. The organization has been serving Allegheny County since 1865.