UA Institute Accepting Nominations for Rural Health Heroes Award

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The University of Alabama Institute for Rural Health Research is seeking nominations for its 2013 Rural Health Heroes Awards.

The awards will honor rural health-care providers and others who assist in reducing or preventing obesity and promoting wellness.

Award winners will be honored at the 14^th Annual Rural Health Conference, which will be Wednesday, Feb. 20, at UA’s Ferguson Center. The Institute for Rural Health Research and the University’s College of Community Health Sciences are hosts for the conference.

The institute is accepting nominations in the following three categories: rural community members or organizations, health-care providers or government officials and agencies; students enrolled in Alabama colleges and universities, including undergraduate, graduate, medical students and residents; and faculty and staff of Alabama colleges and universities.

The conference, “The Weight of Our Rural Communities: Partnering to Reduce Obesity,” will feature national keynote speakers. Breakout session topics will focus on nutrition, physical activity and clinical issues related to obesity.

The conference will be from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The registration fee is $100 a person ($25 for students) and includes breakfast and lunch. Continuing Education Units are offered.

For more information about the Rural Health Heroes Awards or to nominate an individual or organization, contact Barbara Wright at bwright@cchs.ua.edu or 205/348-0025. The deadline to receive nominations is Jan. 11. For more information about the conference, visit the Rural Health Conference website at http://rhc.ua.edu or phone 205/348-0025.

Established in 2001, the Institute for Rural Health Research works to bring the highest attainable standard of health to rural communities.The Institute pursues this mission through the combined strength of community involvement, scientific knowledge and informed public policy. The Institute’s research efforts are focused on health issues that impact people who live in rural areas.