VCU news

By Eric Peters

The Caribbean nation of St. Vincent will present the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal tomorrow to Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU (CHoR) for providing care to 69 St. Vincent children since 2002. This medal acknowledges exceptional public service and is the only one St. Vincent has awarded to a non-citizen. His Excellency Sir Frederick Ballantyne, Governor General of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and an official representative of Queen Elizabeth II will present the award.

Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU has treated 69 St. Vincent children in Richmond, and more than 75 percent of the cases were for the treatment of pediatric heart conditions. In addition, more than 60 medical professionals from CHoR have provided care to St. Vincent children both at CHoR and during volunteer medical team trips to St. Vincent. John Duval, chief executive officer of VCU Health System, will accept the award on behalf of the health system and its leadership.

“The Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU is a proud partner of the World Pediatric Project,” said Duval. “Through this partnership, our goal is to help St. Vincent and other nations of the Caribbean region address the critical health care needs of their children. We are honored that St. Vincent is awarding us the Diamond Jubilee medal – it is a testament to the exceptional doctors, nurses and staff here in Richmond.”

CHoR’s commitment to St. Vincent began in 2002 as part of a partnership with World Pediatric Project, a nonprofit organization founded and based in Richmond, Va., that provides surgical and diagnostic care to Central American and Caribbean children. William Moskowitz, M.D., professor and chief of the Division of Pediatric Cardiology at CHoR and vice chairman of the VCU Department of Pediatrics, is one of World Pediatric Project’s first volunteers.

“Our clinical teams of physicians, surgeons, nurses and trainees gain invaluable experience from their work abroad, and in turn are able to provide life-altering specialty pediatric care to children who would otherwise go untreated,” said Moskowitz. “Many complex disorders and public health concerns Americans consider rare are common in other countries. Our rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease prevention program has a dramatic effect on public health in St. Vincent.”

The Diamond Jubilee medal is a commemorative medal created to mark the 60^th anniversary of the accession to the thrones of Queen Elizabeth II. Only the United Kingdom, Canada and the Caribbean realms, which include St. Vincent, award this medal. The award acknowledges honorable service, public service or outstanding achievement.