Heroes for Health—2009 Annual Gala Dinner

Please join us on June 7 at our 2009 annual gala dinner, honoring our heroes for health. Learn about our honorees, be inspired in your important role as an advocate, and support PSR-LA’s work towards a world free from nuclear threats and a safe, healthy environment for all communities. This year we are proud to honor:

• Her Majesty Queen Noor of Jordan will be presented with the Healing the Planet Award (via video) for her many extraordinary  efforts for world peace and justice, including promoting Arab-Western relations, conflict prevention, sustainable development, poverty eradication, human rights and disarmament. Most recently she has taken leadership in the Global Zero campaign for the abolition of nuclear weapons.
• Jose Quiroga, M.D. will be presented with the Socially Responsible Medicine Award for his dedication to treating victims of torture and advocacy for a more peaceful world. As Chilean President Salvador Allende’s personal physician, Dr. Quiroga narrowly escaped the Pinochet coup and emigrated to the United States, where he volunteered to treat victims of torture at UCLA and Venice Family Clinic. In 1980, he co-founded the Program for Torture Victims, where he currently serves as Medical Director.
• Sandra Steingraber, Ph.D. will be presented with the Environmental Health Champion Award for her expertise and authorship on the environmental links to cancer. Steingraber’s highly acclaimed book, Living Downstream: An Ecologist Looks at Cancer and the Environment presents cancer as a human rights issue. It was the first to bring together data on toxic releases with newly released data from U.S. cancer registries.
• Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas will be presented with the Founders Award for championing preventive policies to protect public health throughout California. As a state senator, Ridley-Thomas’ leadership was critical to helping PSR-LA pass legislation condemning medical professionals’ participation in torture. He has also authored legislation to help prevent childhood lead poisoning and advocates for better access to healthcare for all communities.

This gala dinner is dedicated to the memory of Professor James Warf, a Manhattan Project scientist who became a lifelong nuclear abolitionist and peace activist.

In this time of opportunity — when a nuclear weapons free world is within reach, when environmental health policies rooted in science are attainable, and when human rights and social justice issues are breaking into the public health dialogue — we must fight harder than ever to make sure the voice of physicians and health professionals informs and guides these important decisions. Please join us this June 7. Become a sponsor of the dinner using the form in this newsletter, purchase tickets, or place a congratulatory message in our tribute book through our website: www.psrla.org or call Denise Duffield at 213-689-9170 x102.