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Nancy Whitelaw Receives the 2009 Elizabeth Fries Health Education Award

-Award Recognizes NCOA Leader's National Contributions to Health Promotion -

WASHINGTON, July 20 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Nancy A. Whitelaw, Ph.D., Senior Vice President and Director of Center for Healthy Aging at the National Council on Aging (NCOA), has been awarded the 2009 Elizabeth Fries Health Education Award. The Elizabeth Fries Health Education Award is presented to honor a health educator who has made a substantial contribution to advancing the field of health education or health promotion through research, program development, or program delivery. Dr. Whitelaw received the award for leading an innovative, effective, nationwide movement to deliver evidence-based health enhancement programs through networks of community-based, aging, and health care organizations.

"It is truly a privilege to receive this prestigious award," says Dr. Whitelaw. "The work and accomplishments for which I have been recognized actually represent the efforts of thousands of experts in health and aging around the nation. I hope that this honor will draw greater attention to our common work and help to make credible, cost-effective community health programs more broadly available."

In support of investments by the U.S. Administration on Aging and other public and private funders, including The Atlantic Philanthropies, the Center for Healthy Aging promotes a variety of efforts that help older adults in diverse communities across the country feel better and gain skills and confidence for self care. These offerings, among others, include Healthy IDEAS, to manage symptoms of depression; Enhance Fitness, to improve strength and function; A Matter of Balance, to reduce the risk of falls; and Stanford's Chronic Disease Self-Management Programs. For more information, please see: www.healthyagingprograms.org.

About the Elizabeth Fries Health Education Award

The award was founded by James F. and Sarah T. Fries in memory of their daughter Elizabeth Ann Fries, Ph.D., who died in 2005 of complications from breast cancer at the age of 42. Dr. Fries was a professor of Psychology at Virginia Commonwealth University and co-director of the Cancer Outreach Program, using behavioral and educational approaches to reduce cancer incidence through risk factor reduction, and to evaluate program effects. She made many important contributions to health education program development, implementation, and evaluation.

About NCOA

The National Council on Aging is a non-profit service and advocacy organization headquartered in Washington, DC. NCOA is a national voice for older Americans - especially those who are vulnerable and disadvantaged - and the community organizations that serve them. It brings together non-profit organizations, businesses and government to develop creative solutions that improve the lives of all older adults. NCOA works with thousands of organizations across the country to help seniors find jobs and benefits, improve their health, live independently and remain active in their communities. For more information, visit http://www.ncoa.org.

SOURCE National Council on the Aging, Inc.