Sen. Leatherman Receives MUSC Healthy Communities Award

Contact: Heather Woolwine
843-792-7669
woolwinh@musc.edu

May 24, 2016

CHARLESTON, SC – The Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) issued its 2016 MUSC Healthy Communities Award to Senator Hugh K. Leatherman Sr. on May 23. Leatherman received the award for his consistent advocacy of higher education and health care collaboration for the betterment of South Carolina.

The MUSC Healthy Communities Award is presented to an individual, group or organization who works to target specific community health issues, demonstrate leadership, and/or collaborate in ways with MUSC that bring about innovative access to the state’s only comprehensive academic medical center.

“Senator Leatherman demonstrates everything that this award represents,” said David J. Cole, M.D., FACS, MUSC president. “In order for MUSC to lead health innovation for the lives we touch, we know that external advocates are critical to expanding our reach and impact for quality health care. We are grateful for the unwavering role that Senator Leatherman has served as it relates to changing what’s possible for the health of our communities.”

Senator Leatherman led the charge in 2010 to pass a state allocation for the MUSC Hollings Cancer Center, allowing for advanced tobacco-related cancer research. And together with Senator Thomas Alexander, he spearheaded the effort in the senate to establish a statewide telemedicine network to provide specialty care to communities throughout South Carolina, particularly focusing on improving delivery of health care for those suffering from strokes.

The senator has also demonstrated leadership on behalf of the state’s citizens by supporting a state allocation of $25 million for the new MUSC Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital, which will serve children and families statewide.

This is the second year that MUSC has issued the MUSC Healthy Communities Award, with last year’s award presented to North Charleston Mayor Keith Summey. Summey received the award for his role in working with the North Charleston City Council, Children’s Hospital Advisory Board and MUSC Health leadership to facilitate the donation of a $4 million land parcel that will improve his community’s access to comprehensive, academic medical care in their own backyard.

About MUSC

Founded in 1824 in Charleston, MUSC is the state’s only comprehensive academic health system, with a mission to preserve and optimize human life in South Carolina through education, research and patient care. Each year, MUSC educates over 3,100 students in six colleges and trains 950+ residents and fellows across its health system. MUSC leads the state in federal and National Institutes of Health and research funding. For information on our academic programs, visit musc.edu.

As the health care system of the Medical University of South Carolina, MUSC Health is dedicated to delivering the highest-quality and safest patient care while educating and training generations of outstanding health care providers and leaders to serve the people of South Carolina and beyond. In 2024, for the 10th consecutive year, U.S. News & World Report named MUSC Health University Medical Center in Charleston the No. 1 hospital in South Carolina. To learn more about clinical patient services, visit muschealth.org.

MUSC has a total enterprise annual operating budget of $7.1 billion. The 31,000 MUSC members include world-class faculty, physicians, specialty providers, scientists, contract employees, affiliates and care team members who deliver groundbreaking education, research, and patient care.