Levi Rickert to Accept Innovation Health Hero Award from Alliance for Health

Native News Network Staff in Native Health. Discussion »

GRAND RAPIDS – Levi Rickert, editor-in-chief of the Native News Network has been selected to receive the Innovation Health Hero award by the Alliance for Health. The Alliance Health Heroes are those who go above and beyond to promote health and help people in need, while creating positive, healthy change among their communities.

Levi Rickert, editor-in-chief of the Native News Network and Prairie Band Potawatomi Levi Rickert – Prairie Band Potawatomi

“Levi's passion to arrest the health disparities of Native Americans is a big part of what has made the Native News Network a success among American Indian communities.”

Said Mike Mohan, Native News Network publisher.

In the 18 months since the Native Health section has been publishing the healthy living information, Levi has penned or solicited health professionals to write over 465 articles that have been viewed over one million times. Targeting the afflictions that most plague Indian people – diabetes, heart disease dental hygiene and nutritional choice in remote areas to advance the programs and events in Indian country that reduce suffering.

By Rickert's innovative use of the Internet to provide an up to date information center for health topics, events and successful health programs available to Native Americans, the Native News Network has been able to provide access, free of charge, to any and all website visitors. Native event and program organizers have shared with the Native News Network how important this service has been too participation â€“ from flu shots and immunizations to culturally relevant healthy eating.

The Alliance for Health is a broad-based community coalition dedicated to the encouragement of optimal health for all residents of western Michigan, through high quality health care services at the lowest cost. They bring together all related parties to work together on health related community priorities and initiatives. The Innovation Hero award seeks to uncover and identify for recognition:

Evidence of creative, thought-provoking and resourceful solutions to health care challenges.
Evidence of significant triple bottom line impact (economic, local, global).
Developed new practice(s) that may have potential for future applications in other settings.

Levi received the News yesterday in Chicago while covering the Midwest Native American Economic Development Conference.

What:
Health Heroes presented by Alliance for Health

When:
November 13
6:00 - 9:00 pm

Where:
The Goei Center
818 Butterworth St. SW
Grand Rapids, Michigan 49504

posted October 17, 2012 12:30 pm edt