Mission News

Mission and Mountain Area Health Education Center announced their recipients of the 2008 Spirit of Martin Luther King Award during a celebration honoring the legacy of the civil rights leader held January 8 at the MAHEC Auditorium. The recipients of the awards are Lourdes Lorenz, director of Mission's Integrative Medicine/Integrative Health Care and Irene Jurczyk, director of Interdisciplinary Programming and Special Projects at MAHEC. The recipients were chosen for their attitude and actions that exemplify the spirit and values of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

"There's so much to be done," explained Lorenz, who says she has high expectations for seeing change happen in the community. She adds that she would like to see more structured programs that allow uninsured people to have access to and facilitate the process to get affordable health coverage. She also feels strongly about a cardiovascular clinic for the African-American population, with more information and education about health risks.

In her role at Mission, Lorenz coordinates a new department that strives to combine the best practices of complementary and traditional medicine in a partnership where patients and practitioners work together to address healing on physical, emotional and spiritual levels. At Mission and at MAHEC she teaches educational classes on diversity and cultural competence, serves on the Ethics Committee.

In the community, Lorenz serves as treasurer of the Executive Board of the YWCA and on the Board of Directors of ABIPA, the Asheville Buncombe Institute for Parity Achievement, an organization that deals with eliminating health disparities in communities of color.

Jurczyk has established a nationally recognized fellowship in Adult Developmental Medicine at MAHEC. Her focus has been on youth with special healthcare needs and education for physicians in Adult Developmental Medicine. As a result of her leadership, progressive steps have been made toward creating an equal standard of care for those less served.

"Receiving this award is a great honor and means much to me personally", said Jurczyk.  "Dr. King and his family's work in the area of social justice has been influential in the development of my own worldview." 

The celebration and award are part of the diversity programs at Mission and MAHEC. Hallum led the Ceremonies and the Rev. Mark Ward of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Asheville was the speaker for the event. Special music was provided by Rockell Whiteside.