The Welcome Back Awards Now Accepting Nominations to Honor Courageous Individuals Dedicated to the Depression Community
September 18 2007 - 7:00AM
PR Newswire (US)
Program Celebrates Milestone 10th Anniversary NEW YORK, Sept. 18
/PRNewswire/ -- The Welcome Back Awards is now accepting
nominations for its special 10th anniversary celebration. Winners
will be honored at a ceremony in May of 2008 and can receive up to
$15,000 to donate to the not-for-profit organization of their
choice. The Welcome Back Awards is a program established by Eli
Lilly and Company to recognize outstanding achievements in the
fight against depression and the stigma often associated with the
illness. "Lilly is proud to be a part of the Welcome Back Awards,"
said John Hayes, M.D., vice president of Lilly Research
Laboratories and global brand development team leader -
Neuroscience, Eli Lilly and Company. "If you would like to be
considered for this special anniversary celebration, nominate
yourself, or someone you know for this prestigious award." Call for
2008 Nominations Over the past ten years, the Welcome Back Awards
has honored people who have persevered in overcoming depression,
helped others to do the same or dedicated endless amounts of time
and effort to spreading awareness of the illness. In May 2007, Dr.
Thomas Stanage was honored with a Welcome Back Award for his work
with Lewis & Clark Behavioral Health Services, Inc., in South
Dakota. Navigating the vast landscape of South Dakota is one of Dr.
Stanage's hardest tasks. However, he ensures that mental health
services are available to all who need them by educating local
professionals and having his own staff travel hundreds of miles to
reach everyone. "Dr. Stanage's inspirational work places him in an
elite crowd of individuals who have transformed the understanding
and treatment of depression," said Roberto Lewis-Fernandez, M.D.,
Welcome Back Award committee member and associate professor of
clinical psychiatry at Columbia University in New York. "I am
looking forward to continuing the heritage of excellence during
this anniversary year." An independent panel of mental health
experts will select honorees in five categories: lifetime
achievement, destigmatization, community service, primary care, and
psychiatry. Winners will share a total of $55,000, to be donated to
the not-for-profit organizations of their choice. Each award
recipient and one guest will receive complimentary airfare and
accommodations to attend the ceremony in Washington, D.C. in May
2008. How to Apply for an Award or Nominate Someone Else Anyone,
except employees of Lilly, may apply or be nominated for a Welcome
Back Award. Nomination forms can be obtained by calling
1-800-463-6440, or by visiting http://www.welcomebackawards.com/.
All submissions for consideration must be received by Monday,
November 12, 2007. Completed nomination packets should be sent to:
The 2008 Welcome Back Awards, P.O. Box 536, New York, NY, 10008-
0536. About the Award Categories -- Lifetime Achievement: Any
individual whose perseverance has helped him or her overcome
clinical depression and resume a fulfilling life is eligible. This
person serves as an inspiration to consumers and healthcare
professionals alike, offering hope that depression is treatable and
obstacles to recovery can be overcome. (Award level: $15,000) --
Destigmatization: Any individual whose noteworthy public efforts
have helped promote the understanding of depression and reduce the
shame and guilt associated with the illness. (Award level: $10,000)
-- Community Service: Any individual whose outstanding work
creating and improving community programs fosters a supportive,
caring environment for those suffering from depression. (Award
level: $10,000) -- Primary Care: Any healthcare professional -
psychologists, physicians, social workers or nurses - whose unique
approach to identifying particular needs in depression diagnosis
and treatment serves as an example to others. (Award level:
$10,000) -- Psychiatry: Any psychiatrist who transcends the
profession through community work, innovative clinical programs,
teaching, new research, outstanding work with patients, or who
makes a significant impact on the community or other medical
disciplines. (Award level: $10,000) About the Welcome Back Awards
Lilly established the Welcome Back Awards in 1998 to fight the
stigma associated with depression and to promote the understanding
that depression is treatable. Over the past ten years, Lilly has
donated more than $300,000 to charity on behalf of the 47 Welcome
Back Award winners. About Eli Lilly and Company Lilly, a leading
innovation-driven corporation, is developing a growing portfolio of
first-in-class and best-in-class pharmaceutical products by
applying the latest research from its own worldwide laboratories
and from collaborations with eminent scientific organizations.
Headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, Lilly provides answers -
through medicines and information - for some of the world's most
urgent medical needs. Additional information about Lilly is
available at http://www.lilly.com/. DATASOURCE: Eli Lilly and
Company CONTACT: Kristin Campbell, Chamberlain Healthcare Public
Relations, +1-212-884-0636 Web site:
http://www.welcomebackawards.com/ http://www.lilly.com/
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