Don’t get me wrong, I love me some Emmys, Grammys, and Oscars, but let’s not pretend the winners of those awards are doing anything world-changing. Yes, there is beauty in art and beauty is necessary, but wouldn’t it be nice if we rolled out the red carpet and idolized people who are saving lives and making the world a safter place to live? Luckily, you get to do just that.
The wonderful folks at Save the Children, along with partners like Medtronic Foundation, The Merck Company Foundation, and Masimo Foundation for Ethics, Innovation and Competition in Healthcare, and supporting partners GlaxoSmithKline, Novartis and Time Inc have created The Real Awards, a global award program to develop greater appreciation for health care workers around the world and the life-saving and enhancing care they provide.
What I learned is that as great as these workers are, the world is short more than 5 million health workers especially in rural settings both at home and abroad. The frontline workers in these areas are often community health workers and midwives who can either treat locally or even in-home.
Sometimes in rural areas of other countries, these very workers are the only point of contact to health care for millions of people. Can you imagine? I work with people and their health in a very outer-circle way and I know I feel pressure to make sure I’m doing the right thing all the time. Imagine if you were a midwife, or pharmacist or dentist in charge of not just delivering babies or administering the care you’re trained in, but of overall health for millions. Talk about deserving of an award.
To read the inspirational stories of the international REAL Awards honorees and nominate your very own health worker in the United States go to www.theREALawards.com until TOMORROW November 29, 2012. Winners will be announced the week of January 13, 2013. When you are tuning in for your Golden Globes party-be thinking of the Real heroes of the night.
I’ve written this piece as a member of the GlobalTeamof200 for Mom Bloggers for Social Good. To read other inspirational pieces, check out our Tumblr.
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