J. George Fodor Award
The George Fodor Award is named in honour of the founder of Blood Pressure Canada. The award is given annually to an individual, organization, or program that has made a significant and lasting impact on public awareness and/or control of hypertension in Canada. The George Fodor award is presented at the annual general meeting of Blood Pressure Canada.
2009 winner of the George Fodor award
| Dr. Richard Lewanczuk - For his continued commitment and outstanding contribution in providing direct patient care, producing multiple research publication in the area of hypertension, and extensive national involvement in the dissemination and implementation of the CHEP recommendations. |
Past winners of the George Fodor award
2008
To the Government of Canada -
for their outstanding commitment and efforts from the Public Health Agency of Canada, Statistics Canada, and Health Canada, resulting in Canada becoming a world leader in prevention, treatment and control of hypertension.
2007
The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario – The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario established a “hypertension” focus in 2005 and have contributed significant resources and leadership into the effort to prevent and control hypertension in Canada. An innovative program for integrated multi-disciplinary approaches to the management of hypertension was initiated and a unique educational needs assessment was developed for nurses, pharmacists and family physicians. The first major physical measures survey of hypertension in Canada since 1995 was conducted in Ontario by The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario in 2006. The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario has also been advocating to the Ontario government regarding system changes to improve the management of hypertension. Further an innovative interactive patient website has been developed to aid patient self management of hypertension. The resources developed by Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario have been made available to other Heart and Stroke Foundations many of which are developing their own hypertension themes as a priority. Lastly the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario has had annual media launches to support the annual update of Canadian Hypertension recommendations. For these activities that contribute to the current and future control of hypertension the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario has been awarded the JG Fodor award.
2006
Dr. Arun Chockalingam After receiving his Masters in Biomedical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, (Madras) Chennai, India, Dr. Chockalingam moved to Canada and continued his studies at Memorial University of Newfoundland. There he completed his PhD and later joined the Faculty of Medicine. During his career, Dr. Chockalingam has addressed the diagnosis, epidemiology, and effect of lifestyle, on hypertension, both within the confines and outside of Canada. Dr Chockalingam was the President of the Canadian Coalition for High Blood Pressure Prevention and Control (now Blood Pressure Canada) for seven years. Dr. Chockalingam has been an active and influential member of the Canadian Hypertension Education Program. He is currently Secretary General of the World Hypertension League and, since 2005, has initiated and organized World Hypertension Day in Canada, an annual public awareness campaign. Dr. Chockalingam is currently a Professor and Director of Global Health at Simon Fraser University.
Previous Fodor Award Recipients
Dr. Tom Wilson Dr. Wilson received his MD from the University of Alberta and his MSc from the University of Toronto. He was appointed Assistant Professor of Pharmacology at the University of Saskatchewan in 1973. He is the Founding Director of the Cardiovascular Risk Factor Reduction Unit at the University of Saskatchewan and now serves as Head of the Department of Medicine at that institution. Dr. Wilson is a long-time contributor to research by the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada. He has been a great influence in the prevention of cardiovascular disease in Canada.
Heart Health Initiative & Dr. Andres Petrasovits (1937-2001) The Canadian Heart Health Initiative was launched in 1986 by the federal and provincial governments. The aim of the program was to reduce the incidence of cardiovascular disease in Canada, for which the federal government supplied matching funds to all the provinces for the implementation of community-based programs for the prevention of cardiovascular disease. The Initiative comprised a five-phase, fifteen-year program for which a team of dedicated experts was assembled and to which substantial resources were devoted. Dr. Petrasovits is the only posthumous recipient of the George Fodor award which was given after his untimely passing in July, 2001. Dr. Petrasovits had a great influence in the development of the International Heart Health Declarations and the Canadian Heart Health Initiative.
Calgary Fire Department Blood Pressure Assessment Program In 1995 the Calgary Fire Department started a screening program for high blood pressure. Eleven hundred fire fighters were initially trained to measure blood pressure according to rigorous standards, which are maintained by annual reassessments of their accuracy and technique. The Fire stations in Calgary are open to the public for blood pressure assessment. Blood pressure screening is also offered in the workplace, in schools and other public venues. There have been several media events and as many as 10,000 blood pressure assessments have been done annually. Persons with elevated blood pressure are directed to appropriate care depending on their measured blood pressure. The Calgary Fire Department obtained funding from the Heart and Stroke Foundation and Bristol-Myers Squibb to train other Canadian fire departments to assess blood pressure and the program is expanding across Canada.