The American Heart Association, whose mission is to be a relentless force for a world of longer healthier lives, announced today that they will honor Deborah L. Crabbe, MD, FACC, FAHA, Professor of Medicine at the
Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, at next year’s Philadelphia Heart Ball.
Dr. Crabbe was chosen for this honor because of her dedication to heart disease in women, more specifically black women, and to her focus on racial and ethnic disparities in heart disease and stroke, which are still the No. 1 and No. 5 killers of men and women in this country. Evidence shows that racial inequities negatively affect African Americans’ mental and physical health, and heart disease, stroke and other chronic health conditions disproportionately afflict Black Americans.
The Edward S. Cooper Award is an honor bestowed upon a physician, researcher or medical professional who is making significant contributions to our medical community and who exemplifies the best of humankind. Dr. Edward S. Cooper, MD is Emeritus Professor of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Cooper served for the American Heart Association for 30 years, and in June of 1992 became the first African American president of the organization. During his tenure as AHA president, Dr. Cooper helped to address the special health care needs of people of color. He placed particular emphasis on preventive health care and health education for minorities, who are six times more likely to die from heart disease than whites. As a member of an under-represented group of Americans in the healthcare profession, he actively recruited other minorities to the medical field.
Dr. Crabbe is a graduate of the Howard University College of Medicine in Washington DC. For the past 20 years, Dr. Crabbe has dedicated her time in clinical work and research specializing in Women’s Cardiovascular Health and racial disparities in hypertension. She currently serves as an attending physician in the Temple Heart and Vascular Institute of the Lewis Katz School of Medicine.
“I am proud and humbled to be selected by the American Heart Association to receive this award that honors the legacy of Dr. Edward S. Cooper,” said Dr. Crabbe. “It’s been extremely gratifying to serve in a variety of roles with the American Heart Association over the past 20 plus years to work toward a shared goal of saving and improving the lives of those living with heart disease, the number 1 killer worldwide.”
The Philadelphia Heart Ball raises funds for public and professional education, advocacy, scientific research, and community programs right here in Philadelphia. With its community partners, the AHA is addressing nutrition insecurity and hypertension in high risk patients in North and West Philadelphia. Research funded by the AHA has yielded important discoveries such as CPR, life-extending drugs, pacemakers, bypass surgery, surgical techniques to repair heart defects and more.