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LOCAL DOCS IN THE NEWS DR. BRIAN JURIGA NAMED TEAM PHYSICIAN OF THE YEAR BY OATA Jeffrey Kempf, DO, Director of the Office of Pediatric Global Health at Akron Children's Hospital, received the M. Bridget Wagner, DO, Humanitarian Award at the Ohio Osteopathic Association's an - nual medical convention April 24. Dr. Kempf, who is also an attending physician in Akron Children's Emergency Department, was recognized for his work treating patients and improving pediatric medical care in many underserved areas at home and abroad, in such countries as Belize, Guatemala, Ethiopia and Kenya, as well as in Native American reservations in Montana. Following the devastating earthquake in Haiti in 2010, Dr. Kempf helped expand medical services there — including the creation of a collaborative to improve pediatric health care at St. Damien's Hospital, near Port-au-Prince. Through his leadership and partnership, a heart program was devel - oped at Akron Children's to provide cardiothoracic surgical care for Haitian children with congenital heart defects. He has been working with Rotary International to develop a pediatric cardiovascular surgery program at St. Damien's. After members of the St. Damien's staff spent several weeks observing pediatric surgeries and postsurgical care at Akron Children's in the fall, they were able to provide care for the first children to undergo heart surgery at St. Damien's this past March. After graduating from Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine in Missouri and completing a pediatric residency in Des Moines, Iowa, Dr. Kempf started his career at the Public Health Corps in southwest Florida. There, he worked in a pediatric clinic that provided care to the children of migrant farm workers and other indigent children. The experience inspired him to advocate for children who lacked access to healthcare. "I am honored to receive this award," says Dr. Kempf. "The world is full of children who continue to lack access to adequate health care, not only in Haiti or Africa but here at home as well. We should strive to insure that every child has access to health care and is provided the opportunity to grow and reach his or her full potential." DR. JEFF KEMPF HONORED FOR HUMANITARIAN WORK Brian J. Juriga, DO, Co-medical Director of Sports Medicine at Lake Health, is one of three physicians named 2015 Team Physician of the Year by the Ohio Athletic Trainers' Association (OATA). Dr. Juriga was recognized at the OATA's annual banquet on May 8, for his dedica - tion to student athletes and the schools he serves, as well as for his support for the profession of athletic training. Trained as a family physician with specialization in sports medicine, Dr. Juriga has been the team physician for Mentor High School for the last eight years. He has also served three other schools in Lake County as the direct physician for once-a-week injury checks in an attempt to ensure all the athletes have timely and appropriate care. Beyond his sports medicine practice, Dr. Juriga continues to work with the U.S. Paralympics ski team. This assignment has taken him to many places over the years, including Sochi, Russia, for the Paralympic Games in 2014. In recognition of his outstanding contributions, Dr. Juriga was also recently named a Fellow by the American Osteopathic Academy of Sports Medicine. 1 2 | Cleveland/Akron/Canton MD NEWS ■ M D N E W S . CO M ■ J U LY/AU G U S T 2 0 1 5