Press Room

The James F. and Sarah T. Fries Foundation announced that Dr. Walter Dowdle has been named the 2010 Fries Prize for Improving Health. The Fries Prize is awarded annually to that individual judged by a prestigious Prize Jury to have made the greatest contribution to human health.  Dr. Dowdle will be the 19th person to receive the Fries Prize. 

The Prize amount is $60,000 and Dr. Dowdle has pledged the full amount of the award to a scholarship fund established by the CDC Foundation in memory of Louise Martin. Dr. Martin, a former Task Force employee and researcher in the Task Force's Malarone Donation Program, was killed in 1998 while on assignment in Kenya. The Louise Martin, DVM, MIS, EIS '85 Endowed Memorial Scholarship provides scholarships for disadvantaged young women in Kenya to attend a national school. Dr. Dowdle's contribution will fund a challenge gift to match funds donated to the Fund through next June. The average cost of one girls's scholarship is about $1000 annually, so the gift allows us to dramatically expand the number of girls who can benefit from the generosity of Louise's friends and colleagues, as well as the greater community.

Dr. Dowdle was nominated for the Fries Prize by Drs. Anne Schuchat and Bill Foege, notable public health professionals. Dr. Foege was also the first recipient of the award in 1992. As noted by the Foundation, this award is given:  “For extraordinary and continuing leadership and scientific achievement to help prevent millions of cases of disease and death from HIV/AIDS, influenza, polio, and other diseases.”  

James F. Fries, M. D., the Chairman of the Fries Foundation and Professor of Medicine at Stanford University, issued a statement noting that Dr. Dowdle received this Prize based on  his “life work of abundant innovation, courage, and integrity emerged, which touched not only those millions who benefitted directly from the body of work but also health policies, colleagues, students, and of course the CDC.” The Fries Prize will be awarded at a ceremony this Fall.

Past winners of  the Fries prize include former Surgeon General Everett Koop and longtime public health advocate and lead scientist for The Carter Center, Dr. Donald Hopkins. In addition to the prize award, the winners also receive a bronze statuette by Robert Holmes. 

About the Fries Prize for Improving Health
The Fries Prize is awarded annually by the James F. and Sarah T. Fries Foundation, a non profit organization established in 1991 by James and Sarah Fries. The Foundation’s mission is to identify and honor individuals, organizations, or institutions which have made great contributions to the health of the public. for major accomplishments in health improvement, unrestricted as to field, with emphasis upon recent contributions to health in the United States, and with the general criteria of the greatest good for the greatest number. This Prize is intended for that individual who has done the most to improve health, as judged by an expert and prestigious Selection Jury. It is awarded for achievement, rather than potential. The Fries Foundation awards the Prize annually with the intent to highlight and showcase the factors and approaches that most improve the public health; heighten the visiblity of successsful ideas, programs, innovations, and policies that have improved health; and encourage others to emulate the accomplishments of the Prize nominees and recipients. For more information about the Fries Foundation please visit www.friesfoundation.org.

About the Task Force for Global Health
The Task Force for Global Health (The Task Force) is a not-for-profit, public health organization with a 25-year history of using collaboration to save and improve the lives of millions of people around the world each year.  Based in Atlanta, the Task Force is recognized for its expertise and experience in cultivating partnerships with organizations, experts, and communities focused on both international and domestic health and human development.  Partnering with leading experts in various fields, the Task Force brings people together to improve the way health information is used and solve problems through meaningful exchange. Task Force initiatives focus on the areas of disease eradication and control, immunization and vaccines, capacity building for public health, and other areas. For more information about the programs and initiatives of the Task Force, visit www.taskforce.org.