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Dr. Janet Neslen Award - |
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Courtesy of the
Carroll
County Times By Maria
Tsigas, Times Staff Writer
Monday, June
09, 2003 |
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Dr.
Janet Neslen retired last year, leaving behind a 50-year
career dedicated to public health. In
May, an award was named in her honor. The first recipient will
be Lou Yeager, in recognition of the work he's done to
facilitate access to health care in the community, an issue
Neslen has made her lifelong mission.
Neslen, 78, of
Westminster, retired in December from the county's Health
Department, where earlier in her career she served 15 years as
the health officer. Most recently she was the deputy health
officer. She is also a pediatrician.
In addition to her
service in the Health Department, Neslen's personal and
professional passion has been working to relieve inequalities
in health care.
Disparities in health care are part of
the system, Neslen said.
"Our health-care system has
the greatest technology and scientific backing, but it can't
begin to take in basic health care for all," she
added.
Furthermore, there are many people in the county
without health-care benefits. The county and state provide
services through programs, but it's just not enough to meet
the needs, Neslen said.
In 1999, Neslen was
instrumental in establishing the organization Partnership for
a Healthier Carroll County, along with John Sernulka,
president and chief executive officer of Carroll County
General Hospital.
The organization's general goal is to
expand the capacity of the community to improve health and
quality of life, said Tricia Supik, the organization's
executive director.
Supik said the award is to honor
Neslen on her retirement, and it will be given annually by the
organization.
Neslen said that it was when she spent
several years in the Health Department practicing in the
community health field and working with the hospital, which
provides health care to individuals in a piecemeal fashion,
that the idea to form a community partnership between the
hospital and Health Department was formed.
The
organization is a community partnership designed to connect
personal health with community health, thereby improving both,
she added.
Larry Leitch, the Health Department's
current health officer, said that it was during Neslen's
tenure as health officer that she made her impact on the
community and then carried that work over into her five years
as deputy health officer.
She is respected and admired
in the community, primarily because of her interest to provide
access to health care to the most needy. That is where she
made her mark, he said.
Janet Neslen said she was
surprised that an award was being named in her
honor.
"It's overwhelming, and I'm certainly
delighted," she said, "It feels good to know your work is
appreciated." |
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