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WebMD Health Heroes

Meet our 2008 winners

Each year, we celebrate four visionary Americans who faced down daunting health challenges – and then gave back to others in truly inspiring ways.

To nominate your own health hero,
see below.

2008 Health Heroes

Laura Ziskin

Laura Ziskin

Her own struggle with breast cancer left Hollywood producer Laura Ziskin furious that a cure has not been found. To help fund research, she founded a highly successful non-profit.

Winter Vinecki

Winter Vinecki

The illness of a parent can traumatize any young child. But when Winter Vinecki, 9, learned her father had prostate cancer, she swung into action to raise money to find a cure.

Katherine Stone

Katherine Stone

After giving birth to her first child, Katherine Stone developed postpartum obsessive-compulsive disorder. Rather than hide her illness, she launched a blog to reach and help other women.

Dr. Jane L. Delgado

Dr. Jane L. Delgado

As director of the National Alliance for Hispanic Health, Jane Delgado is acutely aware of the link between pollution and health, especially for children-- and she's empowering young people to make a difference.

WebMD's Gift

This year, WebMD awarded $2,500 to each Health Hero to be used for their foundation or project. Click on the tabs to find out how they plan to spend their prize.

Laura Ziskin

Laura Ziskin

"I'll donate this $2,500 award to Stand Up to Cancer. As a cancer survivor and mother, I believe we need to look at how we can sustain and continue to raise very large sums of money and how we continue to provoke the community and the government to focus on this problem in a really dedicated way."

Laura Ziskin

Nominate Your 2009 Health Hero Here

Know a Health Hero? Tell Us!

For next year's winners, the editors of WebMD are seeking heart-lifting, true tales that both move and inspire us.

Who is a candidate? Patients, doctors, nurses, and family members who met a medical diagnosis or condition with courage, underwent (or gave) treatment, and then helped give back to others will be given top consideration.

Winners will be celebrated in the pages of WebMD the Magazine and on WebMD.com.

To nominate someone you know, please submit his or her true story NO LATER than August 14, 2009.

Winners Archive

© 2008 WebMD. All rights reserved.

WebMD Message Boards

Health Heroes Message Board

Connect Who has inspired you?
Talk about your own personal health heroes on the WebMD Health Heroes Message Board.

WebMD the Magazine

WebMD the Magazine

Each year, WebMD's Health Heroes are announced in the pages of the November/December issue of WebMD the Magazine.

Nominate Your 2009 Health Hero Here

Know a Health Hero? Tell Us

For the fourth year running, the editors of WebMD are seeking heart-lifting, true tales that both move and inspire us.