Bates Lands Public Health Educator Award

Sheila Bates, manager of Community Outreach for Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, has been named the 2008 Health Educator of the Year by the Tennessee Public Health Association.

The award is given annually to an individual who displays a true passion for helping patients and the public understand the benefits of disease prevention and the latest in treatment advances.

Bates is responsible for developing programs on cancer prevention and early detection that are both educational and entertaining. She serves as the Colorectal Cancer Resource Committee Chair for the Tennessee Comprehensive Cancer Control Coalition and also has implemented a pilot program providing life coaching to cancer survivors.

– by Dagny Stuart