NEW YORK CITY, Feb.21– Barbara Barlow, MD, Director of Surgery at Harlem Hospital Center in New York City and Director of the Injury Free Coalition for Kids, was presented the Lewis and Jack Rudin New York Prize for Medicine and Health of fifty thousand dollars, for her work in making Harlem and communities around the nation safer for children and their families.

Dr. Barlow created the Injury Free Coalition for Kids in 1988 with the mission of reducing the rate of injuries in children through education, construction of safe play areas, and the development of community based programs. Since that time, major injury admissions of community children in Harlem have decreased by fifty five percent for children living in Central Harlem, and violent injuries decreased by forty six percent.

“The journey of the Injury Free program began with an idea to make the community safer for children and their families. Today, this program has gone on to be a national program that is used in 44 hospitals across the country,” said Dr. Barlow.

Injury is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality for children and young adults living in the United States, and children living in poverty have a higher rate of injury than children of more substantial means. The Injury Free Program has not only cut the major injury rates in children in half, but it has helped to rebuild the Harlem communities.

“The involvement we have in the community helps to rebuild, empower, and give hope to economically stressed neighborhoods. You can go and revisit these areas and see the how they have transformed. There are houses painted, gardens growing, and neighbors talking and helping each other, it’s amazing. You know it’s never just enough to take care of yourself, but to take care of the people and communities around you,” said Dr. Barlow.

As yet another show of her generosity, Dr. Barlow contributed the fifty thousand dollar prize money back to the Injury Free Coalition for Kids program.

The Lewis and Jack Rudin New York Prize for Medicine and Health was established to create a forum for a distinguished member of the medical community to receive recognition from the New York healthcare community and share innovative research and strategies for addressing pressing healthcare issues with healthcare researchers and clinicians in metropolitan New York.

The New York Academy of Medicine is an independent, non-partisan, non-profit institution whose mission is to enhance the health of the public. Its research, education, community engagement, and evidence-based advocacy seek to improve the health of people living in cities, especially disadvantaged and vulnerable populations. The impact of these initiatives reaches into neighborhoods in New York City, across the country, and around the world. It works with community based organizations, academic institutions, corporations, the media, and government to catalyze and contribute to changes that promote health.

Posted on 02/21/2008

Contact:
Malini Doddamani
Director of Communications
mdoddamani@nyam.org
212.822.7285