2009 Jerry Nance Community Service Award Winners

Unsung Volunteer Heroes of Durham and Orange Counties Recognized

(l – r): Dr. David K. Walmer, Dr. Robert Buchanan, JoAnn Garofalo, Dr. Lisa White, Nancye Bryan

The Durham-Orange County Medical Society has presented its annual Jerry Nance Community Service Award to three non-physicians and two physicians, recognizing them for their work in improving the health and well being of residents in Durham and Orange counties. The winners were presented certificates and checks for $250 during the Medical Society’s monthly meeting on December 9, 2009. The award categories includes students, medical residents, non-physicians and physicians and seeks to recognize unsung volunteer heroes of Durham and Orange counties who have not had prior recognition for their volunteer work.

Co-winners in the non-physician category of the 2009 Jerry Nance Community Service Award:

Nancye Bryan, a leader and advocate for people with mental health, developmental disabilities and substance abuse issues. She was honored for her work as a dedicated and consensus building member of the local Consumer and Family Advisory Committee of the Durham Center, since its inception in 2003.

Lisa L. White, PhD, founder of Rock Against Cancer in January 2000, a nonprofit to help children being treated for cancer with music. Dr. White’s son, Gabriel Titus, was diagnosed with childhood leukemia in 1996 and successfully completed three years of chemotherapy using music therapy during his treatment.

JoAnn Garofalo, RN, CPSN, a nurse clinician in the division of plastic and reconstructive surgery at Duke University Medical Center, was recognized for her work as a Triangle Radio Reading Service volunteer reader since February 2004. She has spent several hours a month reading USA Today to about 20,000 people who can no longer read standard print.

Co-winners in the physician category of the 2009 Jerry Nance Community Service Award:

Robert Buchanan, MD, a cardiologist who has participated in two medical mission trips to the Amazon jungle with CERT, the Christian Emergency Relief Team, two medical missions to Haiti with HOM, Haiti Outreach Ministries, and one mission trip to Ecuador with the Christian Medical and Dental Association. Dr. Buchanan is a partner at Triangle Heart Associates and staff member of Durham Regional Hospital.

David K. Walmer, MD, PhD, is chief of reproductive endocrinology at Duke University Medical Center and founder of the non-profit Family Health Ministries, which has been serving the people of Haiti for ten years, with a support staff of nine people based in Durham. FHM employs 61 Haitians in three communities to operate two medical clinics, one school and an orphanage. The Ministries recently received $100,000 from the Goldman Sachs Charitable Committee to further develop an innovative colposcope invented by Dr. Walner for use in the treatment of cervical cancer in low resource countries.