Legacy Awards were presented as the concluding awards at the EMS Star of Life on May 11, 2010.
The following people were chosen for this award because they were the “founding fathers” for improving the care for critically ill and injured children in Tennessee during the implementation of the principles of Emergency Medical Services for Children in Tennessee and continue to support its efforts.
Joseph B. Phillips, Richard Land, and Donna Tidwell
The first legacy award is presented to Joseph B. Phillips, Richard Land and Donna Tidwell from the Department of Health, Division of EMS. The partnership between TN EMS for Children and the Division of EMS is
Jeff Davis
The second legacy award is presented to Jeff Davis. Jeff was present at the first strategic planning event at Fall Creek Falls in 1996 and has continued to advocate for the care of children throughout his career and as an EMS board member.
Craig Becker
Craig Becker, CEO and President of Tennessee Hospital Association is receiving a Legacy Award for his longstanding partnership with TN EMSC and for ensuring that hospitals throughout Tennessee have the right equipment and training to care for the needs of children.
Kevin Churchwell, M.D.
Dr. Kevin Churchwell, title, came to Tennessee as a new faculty member at Monroe Carroll, Jr. Children’s Medical Center about the same time as the initial activities began for TN Emergency Medical Services for Children. He has championed TN EMSC since the beginning and has continued to be an advocate by balancing relevance, profit, and people.
Bob Duncan
Bob Duncan, position, has tirelessly advocated for TN EMSC whether it was in the halls of Congress or our state capital. He has been a true champion for children and will be greatly missed as he begins his new position at Children’s Hospital and Health Systems of Wisconsin as executive vice president of Community Services.
Jay Deshpande, M.D.
It is difficult to put into a sound byte the significance of the next legacy award recipient. His actions are a living example of a quote by Billy Graham. “Our days are numbered. One of the primary goals in our lives should be to prepare for our last day. The legacy we leave is not just in our possessions, but in the quality of our lives. What preparations should we be making now? The greatest waste in all of our earth, which cannot be recycled or reclaimed, is our waste of the time that God has given us each day.” Dr Jay Deshpande spends his time making a difference in the lives of those he encounters; whether it is performing life saving procedures on a child, sitting at a conference table addressing the issues at hand; or being a friend to a colleague. Dr. Deshpande is one of the original four principal investigators for the grant that funded an emergency medical services for children pilot program in Tennessee back in the early 90’s. Dr. Deshpande is often cited as a visionary leader for developing a system of care for critically ill and injured children in Tennessee. His time of daily hands-on participation in activities of the TN-EMS-C are missed, but he is and always will be a trusted friend and treasury of wisdom.
