Statements from:
Dr. Julie Gerberding, director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Mary Woolley, president and CEO, Research!America
Dr. Georges C. Benjamin, executive director, American Public Health Association
Robert M. Pestronk, executive director, National Association of County & City Health Officials
WASHINGTON—November 20, 2008—In recognition of Public Health Thank You Day on November 24, leaders in the public health community have issued the following statements. To learn more about Public Health Thank You Day, please visit www.publichealththankyouday.org.
Julie Gerberding, MD, MPH, director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
On Public Health Thank You Day, "we recognize our ‘health protection heroes' who work tirelessly every day to promote the health of people of all ages. The 14,000 public health professionals at the CDC say ‘thank you' to each of these heroes on the frontlines of health. As a result of their dedication, we are all able to live healthier, safer, and longer lives."
Mary Woolley, president and CEO, Research!America
"As Thanksgiving approaches, Research!America and leading U.S. public health organizations are asking Americans to give special thanks to their federal, state, and local ‘public health heroes' on Monday, November 24, Public Health Thank You Day. All too frequently we forget that it is our public health workforce that is working every day to keep us safe and healthy. These unsung heroes help to keep our water clean, our food safe, and our nation protected. These heroes include our public health researchers, health inspectors, public health nurses, and health educators. Joining Research!America in support of Public Health Thank You Day are the American Public Health Association, Association of Schools of Public Health, Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, National Association of County & City Health Officials, and the National Alliance for Hispanic Health. We owe a debt of gratitude to all public health professionals at the local, state and federal level who make it possible for us to live in a safer, healthier world."
Georges C. Benjamin, MD, executive director, APHA: American Public Health Association
"Every year the work of public health professionals saves millions of lives by helping people to avoid injuries, illnesses, and chronic diseases. And although it may often go unnoticed because the focus is on prevention, public health workers provide an essential service that should not be taken for granted. On behalf of my colleagues at APHA, I would like to take this opportunity to extend our gratitude to our members and all the other public health workers who toil in the name of protecting and promoting the health of our communities."
Robert M. Pestronk, MPH, executive director, NACCHO: National Association of County & City Health Officials
"We salute each person who serves the public in their work through local health departments. Local health department staff protect and improve the health of our communities nationwide. Public Health Thank You Day reminds us to thank those who prevent disease, promote healthy lifestyles, limit the spread of illness, and create conditions that will improve the quality of our lives. Each of us and our family members, friends, and neighbors depend on them."
To learn more about our public health heroes and the important work they are doing every day in our communities, please visit www.publichealththankyouday.org
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