Sadly, Kentuckians face numerous and serious health challenges. The Commonwealth’s citizens suffer from among the highest rates of cancer, heart disease and obesity in the nation.
Yet there is hope. There are dedicated doctors, nurses, and health professionals throughout the Commonwealth to help Kentuckians live longer, healthier lives.
In fact, Kentucky is actually leading the way in several fields of high-tech biomedical research. This episode of Kentucky Heroes highlights some of the cutting-edge medical research being conducted at the University of Louisville. In it you’ll get to know:
Dr. Larry Cook is the Executive Vice President for Health Affairs at the University of Louisville. An accomplished pediatrician who served as Chief of Staff at Kosair Children’s Hospital, Dr. Cook is responsible for overseeing U of L’s Health Sciences Campus, including the expansion of research facilities and the recruitment of talented researchers to Kentucky.
Dr. Laman Gray, Jr. brought international acclaim to Louisville in 2001 when he and his team successfully implanted the first self-contained artificial heart. In the years since, Dr. Gray has continued his research and been a driving force behind The Cardiovascular Innovation Institute, a partnership between U of L and Jewish Hospital which is working every day to beat Kentucky’s leading killer, heart disease.
Dr. Donald Miller is a distinguished cancer researcher and Director of U of L’s Brown Cancer Center. He is leading the charge in U of L’s quest to earn designation as a Comprehensive Cancer Center by the National Cancer Institute – the first such center in Kentucky.
But beyond its central goal of helping people live longer, healthier lives, this type of research brings economic development opportunities to Kentucky. We’ve seen how other states have leveraged their strong universities into good-paying jobs for their citizens. That’s why I have been proud to support this type of research at Kentucky’s universities.
Doctors Cook, Gray and Miller are just a few of the dedicated professionals working to improve the health of Kentuckians, but their efforts deserve recognition and appreciation.
I hope you enjoy this installment of our Kentucky Heroes series, and I hope you will take time to learn more about these exciting programs.