May 19, 2018
Lekshmi
Nair, MD, a board-certified family physician in Manvel, was named a Health Hero
by the Texas Medical Association (TMA) for her commitment to improving the
health of her community. She is one of only three physicians TMA honored with
the second annual award today during TexMed, TMA’s annual conference, in San
Antonio.
The award recognizes
TMA members who have led and participated in all three of TMA’s flagship
outreach programs: Be
Wise — ImmunizeSM, a program to educate about
vaccinations and improve vaccination rates in Texas; Hard Hats for Little Heads (HHLH), a bike helmet giveaway program; and Walk With a Doc Texas(WWAD), a national grassroots movement devoted to encouraging
healthy physical activity. TMA’s
Council on Health Promotion presents the award as part of its oversight of
TMA’s outreach programs, along with the TMA
Foundation (TMAF),
which funds them.
“It’s wonderful
to be selected as a Health Hero,” said Dr. Nair. “I host these events because they
are great ways for physicians to connect with people in the community and build
that patient-physician trust which helps them make healthier choices.”
Dr. Nair and
Love to Share Foundation America have sponsored the annual Life and Soul Health
Fair since 2011, offering health screenings and education to community members,
and new HHLH bicycle helmets to kids. After giving helmets for many years, Dr.
Nair started offering vaccinations at the fair to meet attendees’ need for flu
shots. Since then, she has applied for and received six Be Wise Local Impact
Grants to give vaccinations at her fall event.
“Introducing
vaccinations has added great value to my events,” said Dr. Nair. “People call in advance to make sure we
will have the vaccine.”
Dr. Nair also began
hosting WWAD walks with Love to Share Foundation in March 2017, where Manvel
and Pearland residents may join her for monthly walks.* “Walking is one of the best
things we can do to live a long, healthy life. This program makes it easy and
fun,” said Dr. Nair.
The TMA
Foundation, TMA’s philanthropic arm, is committed to connecting the charitable
concerns of physicians with the people of Texas. The three TMAF-funded outreach
initiatives enable physicians to give back to their community and help support
TMA’s mission to “improve the health of all Texans.”
Dr. Nair has practiced
family medicine in Manvel for 12 years and is a member of the Brazoria County Medical
Society. She sees patients at Clear Lake Regional Medical Center and the Memorial
Hermann Hospital System, and she works with other medical groups including
Prestige Medical PA.
A TMA member
for 14 years, Dr. Nair plans to continue hosting TMA outreach programs to help her
community stay healthy. “It’s all about giving back and caring for others,” she
said. “And it makes a big difference.”
Other
physicians who were named Health Heroes are TMA President Douglas W. Curran,
MD, of Athens, and Li-Yu Mitchell, MD, of Tyler. They join four physicians who
received this distinction in 2017.
TMA is the largest state medical society in the nation,
representing more than 51,000 physician and medical student members. It is
located in Austin and has 110 component county medical societies around the
state. TMA’s key objective since 1853 is to improve the health of all Texans. TMA
Foundation raises funds to support the public health
and science priority initiatives of TMA and the Family of Medicine.
Be Wise —
Immunize is a service mark of the Texas Medical Association.
*Dr. Nair hosts walks
the first Saturday of every month, 7:30-8:30 am, at 3642 Bailey Ave. in Manvel.
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Contact: Brent Annear (512) 370-1381; cell: (512) 656-7320; email: brent.annear[at]texmed[dot]org
Marcus Cooper (512)
370-1382; cell: (512) 650-5336; email: marcus.cooper[at]texmed[dot]org
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