The six winners of the Gerard Health Foundation’s annual Life Prizes
have been announced.
The awards honor leaders who uphold the sanctity of
life through their work.
Raymond B. Ruddy, president of the Massachusetts-based Gerard Health
Foundation, said the six winners have done some of the “most important
work” of the pro-life movement and are an example to follow.
The awards
will be presented in a Washington, D.C. ceremony on Saturday, Jan 22,
2011, organizers say.
Awardee Dr. Alveda King is a board member of Georgia Right to Life
who sees the pro-life movement as the heir to the civil rights work of
her father, Rev. A.D. King, and her uncle, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King,
Jr. She herself underwent two abortions but was deeply affected by an
ultrasound of a child’s beating heart.
Ruddy praised her change of heart as “awe inspiring.”
“She is more than a contribution to pro-life efforts, she is a
blessing and an encouragement. We are honored to know her as a fellow
laborer for life and to present her with this award.”
King responded to the award with gratitude, saying: “I had to look at death in abortion to appreciate the life of the
unborn child, and my prayer is that Life Prizes will be a beacon to stir
those across the nation to celebrate life and recognize the important
battle we face to protect it.”
Kristan Hawkins, executive director of Students for Life of America,
was another honoree.
Since 2006, her organization has helped double the
number of campus pro-life groups in the U.S. and has trained more than
5,000 student activists.
Hawkins said she was “humbled” to receive the award and praised the “trailblazers” of the pro-life movement.
Also taking one of the Life Prizes was Jeanne Head, a former
obstetrics nurse, who has served as U.N. Representative for National
Right to Life and the International Right to Life Federation. Ruddy
praised her international work and her understanding of the “ripple
effect” of abortion.
Douglas Johnson, legislative director of the National Right to Life
Committee (NRLC), said it was “a great honor” to receive one of the Life
Prizes. He said he hoped it draws renewed attention to the NRLC’s work.
The final individual winner for this year, Marie Smith, is the
founder and director of the U.S.-based Parliamentary Network for
Critical Issues. She has also served as international director at
Feminists for Life. According to Ruddy, she helped unify respect for
human life at the international levels of government and religious
leadership.
“The fruits of her labor have protected countless unborn children and
their mothers across the globe and we are thrilled to recognize and
award her accomplishments.”
The Life Prizes also awarded the Terri Schaivo Life & Hope
Network, founded by the family of the severely disabled woman who died
after a Florida court ordered that she be deprived of basic nutrition
and hydration.
The organization has assisted more than 1,000 families
through providing resources, support and medical facilities for those in
need.
Ruddy called the group “a godsend” to those at their “weakest, most vulnerable hour.”
The Life Prizes include $600,000 in prize money split among all
honorees. They memorialize the pro-life leaders Norinne A. and Raymond
E. Ruddy.
The selection committee includes Richard Doerflinger of the U.S.
Conference of Catholic Bishops; Peggy Hartshorn of Heartbeat
International; Kay Coles James of the Gloucester Institute; and Jack
Willke of Life Issues Institute.
The committee chose this year’s winners
from 90 nominations.
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