KELOWNA, BC, May 31, 2017 /CNW/ - The Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS) is pleased to announce that Elizabeth Payne is this year's recipient of The Joan Hollobon Award. Elizabeth is a reporter at The Ottawa Citizen in Ottawa, Ontario. Her submission included two stories regarding the Ebola crisis, both of which ran in the Ottawa Citizen and Postmedia papers across the country.
The Hollobon Award recognizes a member of the media whose work has contributed significantly to the public's understanding of health care. The award is named in honour of Joan Hollobon, who worked as a medical reporter for The Globe and Mail for 25 years until her retirement.
Elizabeth worked for months interviewing scientists and health workers before travelling to Guinea in June 2016 to follow the trail of VSV-EBOV. This Ebola vaccine, developed in Canada's national microbial laboratories in Winnipeg, became the first proven weapon against the deadly disease. Elizabeth's reporting raised awareness about one of our country's greatest health achievements in a way that had not been done before. It also offered a seldom seen perspective into the desperation of survivors who thought they were the lucky ones, only to be shunned by their communities.
In their remarks, the judges noted: "Elizabeth presented a compelling, human face to an epidemic few Canadians – fortunately – will get to experience firsthand. A deserved winner of this year's Hollobon."
About CPRS
Founded in 1948, the Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS) is a not-for-profit organization whose members are engaged in the practice, management or teaching of public relations. Members work to maintain the highest standards and to share a uniquely Canadian experience in public relations. CPRS is a federation of more than 2,500 members across 14 Member Societies based in major cities or organized province-wide. For more information, visit our website: cprs.ca.
SOURCE Canadian Public Relations Society
Karen Dalton, Executive Director, CPRS National, 416-239-7034, [email protected]
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