March 11, 2010, Ottawa – Rampant tuberculosis in First Nations communities, fetal alcohol spectrum disorder and the latest research on cancer were just some of the stories on centre stage at this year’s Media Awards for Excellence in Health Reporting gala at the Museum of Civilization in Gatineau on March 2, 2010.

“Much has changed across Canada since the first Media Awards ceremony took place in the mid-1980s,” said Kaaren Neufeld, President of the Canadian Nurses Association. “What has remained consistent throughout the past 20 years is the high calibre of Canadian journalism. Over time, the field of health care reporting has changed drastically and there has been a dramatic increase in the number of health related stories published. The quality of today’s stories is unsurpassed - the proof of which we have seen tonight.”

“The range of topics covered, and covered so well by this year’s winners, highlights the role that the media has in raising awareness of health issues," added Dr. Anne Doig, President of the Canadian Medical Association. “Speaking up on issues that need telling, explaining the convoluted, shining light on areas too often kept in the dark, these are just some of the services provided by members of the media reporting on health issues.”

Winnipeg Free Press reporter Jen Skerritt took away two awards in the Excellence in Print Reporting – In-depth categories.  One was for her feature article exposing the lack of access to affordable, fresh and healthy food in Winnipeg’s inner-city, and the second one for her feature series exposing the ugly truth about tuberculosis among Manitoba’s native population where rates of infection are more than 100 times the national average.

The Excellence in Local Print Reporting award was won by Angela Hill from the Prince Albert Daily Herald for her stunning story on the rise of HIV in Saskatchewan, particularly in the aboriginal community. 

CBC/Radio-Canada swept the electronic broadcast categories winning all five radio and television entries.  Winner of the Excellence in Television Reporting – In-depth category, Radio-Canada’s series “Découverte” impressed the judges with its scientific look at cancer and the means of preventing this devastating disease.  CBC Radio in Edmonton weaved a well-balanced heart-rending story on people dealing with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder winning the Excellence in Radio Reporting – In-depth category.  The CBC radio news story filed by Pauline Dakin on how lung cancer has become the forgotten cancer won the award in that category and Laurie Graham, from CBC News: The National, won the Excellence in Television Reporting – News award for her story on prescription drug recycling. The Local Broadcasting Reporting award was given to CBC-Ottawa for their ambitious and timely series about preparations for the onset of the H1N1 virus that was broadcast on television, radio and online.

The awards program, jointly hosted by the Canadian Nurses Association and the Canadian Medical Association, also paid tribute to Michelle Lang, health reporter for the Calgary Herald who was killed while on duty in Afghanistan last December.  It was announced that the 2011 Media Awards will feature a category named on her behalf, the “Michelle Lang Excellence in Print Reporting – In-depth Feature Article”.

This year’s winners were chosen from 140 submissions after a rigorous judging process involving panels of individuals from journalism, nursing, medicine and health care.