WebMD Health Corporation Honors Heroes.
On November 6, 2015, WebMD Health Corp honored its 2015 Health Hero award winners. Honorees were recognized for their dedication to changing the healthcare landscape and providing inspiration to those looking to over come their own health challenges.
The event kicked off with Good Morning America’s co-host Robin Roberts. She welcomed the crowd and recognized this year’s outstanding class of winners. Glenn Close won the 2015 People’s Choice Award which was selected by the WebMD community. The Prodigy Award was presented to Kenneth Shinozuka and the Advocate Award was presented to Ronald “Jake” Clark, and Dr. Bennet I.Omalu was presented the Scientist Award.
“Every single one of tonight’s heroes faced a crossroads in their lives when — moved by compassion, moved by love, moved by the simple human desire to make things better in a time of difficulty – they made a conscious decision to act; to invent; to deliver; to show the simple, magnificent power of the human spirit. I hope their stories inspire each of us to engage our own inner hero to act,” Robin Roberts said.
Seth Rogen stated, “Over the years, my wife and I have really tried to get young people – specifically – engaged to fight Alzheimer’s. When I heard about Kenneth, I was completely blown away. If I was more confident and cooler in high school, I could literally be your father, which is horrifying but kind of cool to think. You would have been of great pride to the Rogen family,” Rogen said with a laugh.
While introducing her sister, Jessie Close, thanked Glenn for saving her life before she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. “To say I am grateful to be alive, grateful to Glenn, is an understatement. Mental illness was not something we discussed as a family. It was Glenn and our mother who saved my life, Glenn who brought me to the hospital and Glenn who stays in close touch.”
The star-studded event included Seth Rogen, Harry Carson, Jessie Close, Kevin Lacz and Fran Drescher. The evening also featured musical performances by Amos Lee, Mary McBride and The Broadway Boys with hit songs including, Violin, I Don’t Need No Doctor, and Heroes.
This year’s WebMD Health Hero Awards Gala was supported by Allergan (allergan.com) and Cancer Treatment Centers of America (cancercenter.com). WebMD’s Health Heroes each receive a $10,000 donation from WebMD to his or her cause and will be featured in the November/December issue of WebMD Magazine. In addition, each winner was presented with a custom designed award created by Thingsmiths using 3D printing technology.
