ARTHRITIS FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES WINNERS OF HIGHEST NATIONAL AWARD FOR AWARENESS
Contact:
Meera Venkatraman
Arthritis Foundation
(404) 965-7528
ATLANTA, January 16, 2009 – The Arthritis Foundation announces the winners of the Russell L. Cecil Award. The recipients, Glenn Marrichi and Kathy Lubbers, received the nationally presented award for raising the level of arthritis awareness and understanding among the public.
With more than 21 years of combined service as Arthritis Foundation volunteers, Marrichi of Lake Bluff, IL, and Lubbers of Key Biscayne, FL, both have made a significant impact in educating the public about arthritis and the Arthritis Foundation. In 2008, Marrichi and Lubbers were instrumental in generating support for the organization’s first Ad Council campaign. The inaugural Ad Council campaign will launch later this year and will help empower and educate Americans about the seriousness of arthritis.
Marrichi is a member of the Arthritis Foundation's executive committee and national board of directors and serves as chair of the organization’s marketing & communications committee. In addition, he has been a member of the board of directors of the Arthritis Foundation, Greater Chicago Chapter, since 1992, where he is a member of the executive committee and a previous chapter chair. Professionally, Marrichi is president and CEO of The Marketing Identity, Inc.
Lubbers is a member of the Arthritis Foundation's national board of directors, focusing on development and fundraising for the organization. Having lived with rheumatoid arthritis for more than 20 years, her dream is a world free of arthritis pain. Professionally, Lubbers is president and CEO of Gingrich Communications where she leads a team responsible for the brand management of former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich.
The Arthritis Foundation established the Russell L. Cecil Award in 1956 to recognize communication efforts that educate and engage the public about arthritis and the Arthritis Foundation. Previous winners have included journalists and broadcasters from CNN, FOX, CBS, USA Today, Parade and WebMD. The award is named in honor of the late Russell L. Cecil, M.D., a pioneering physician in the field of rheumatic diseases, professor of medicine at Cornell Medical College and former medical director of the Arthritis Foundation. In addition to his pioneering role in rheumatology, Dr. Cecil was a leader in arthritis awareness and education through his textbooks, brochures and speeches. The Cecil Textbook of Medicine has been one of the world's most trusted medical references since its original publication in 1927.
About the Arthritis Foundation
The Arthritis Foundation is the leading health organization addressing the needs of some 46 million Americans living with arthritis, the nation’s most common cause of disability. Founded in 1948, with headquarters in Atlanta, the Arthritis Foundation has multiple service points located throughout the country.
The Arthritis Foundation is the largest private, not-for-profit contributor to arthritis research in the world, funding more than $400 million in research grants since 1948. The foundation helps individuals take control of arthritis by providing public health education; pursuing public policy and legislation; and conducting evidence-based programs to improve the quality of life for those living with arthritis. Information is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 1-800-283-7800 or www.arthritis.org.
