Inova Loudoun Hospital to Honor Two Dedicated Community Leaders

Karen Russell and Paul Ziluca to Receive 2009 Awards

Leesburg, VA – (September 3, 2009) – The Loudoun Laurels Honors – an Inova Loudoun Hospital initiative that recognizes outstanding individuals and organizations whose service to Loudoun County deserves emulation – will recognize its 2009 recipients, Karen Russell and Paul Ziluca, on Wednesday, Sept. 16, at 6 p.m. The black-tie event will take place The Golf Club at Lansdowne Resort, 44050 Woodridge Parkway, Lansdowne, VA, 20176.

Karen Russell has shown her commitment to underserved members of the Loudoun community by working to create opportunities for every citizen, no matter what challenges they might face. Over the many years she has worked with ECHO (Every Citizen Has Opportunity), Karen has helped to improve the lives of countless Loudoun citizens who, without ECHO’s help, would not have had an opportunity to join the work force.

Paul Ziluca has worked tirelessly for nearly 30 years to preserve the history and protect the character of Loudoun County. His involvement with land conservation led to Civil War battlefield preservation and, in 2000, the creation of a citizens committee by the Loudoun Board of Supervisors for the preservation of the 1863 cavalry battlefields of Aldie, Middleburg and Upperville. Most recently, Paul’s efforts helped lead to a new section of Loudoun’s comprehensive plan that protects battlefields.

Individual seats for the 2009 Loudoun Laurels Award Ceremony and dinner are $350 and must be reserved in advance. Tickets and sponsorships for the event are available by contacting Tracy Edmonds at 703-858-8806 or tracy.edmonds@inova.org.

Proceeds from the evening will benefit Inova Loudoun Hospital’s pediatric therapy services. These programs serve children from birth through teen years who exhibit such developmental challenges as autism, Down’s syndrome, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, learning disabilities and attention-deficit disorder. The funds raised through The Loudoun Laurels Honors will provide scholarships for students who wish to enter the pediatric therapy field and will support the desire of current therapists in other areas who wish to specialize in this area.

Katelyn Hall, the 2009 March of Dimes National Ambassador, and her parents will share their story at The Loudoun Laurels Honors to help raise awareness of and support for the hospital’s pediatric therapy services. Inova Loudoun Hospital is grateful for its partnership with the March of Dimes for their help in providing rehabilitation services to children who have disabilities due to premature birth and injury.

“When talking about babies born prematurely or with birth defects, the focus is often on the hospitalization of these children,” said Brenda Mohile, March of Dimes Maryland-National Capital Chapter Program Service Committee Chair. “However, for many families, that hospitalization is just the beginning of a long journey. Many of these children need ongoing help with speech and language development, physical limitations and developmental delays. With the help of special therapies, including those at Inova Loudoun Hospital, many children are able to overcome these limitations.”

Inova Loudoun Hospital, serving Loudoun County for nearly 100 years, is part of Inova Health System, a not-for-profit healthcare system based in Northern Virginia that consists of hospitals and other health services, including emergency- and urgent-care centers, home care, nursing homes, mental health and blood donor services, and wellness classes. Governed by a voluntary board of community members, Inova’s mission is to improve the health of the diverse community it serves through excellence in patient care, education and research. Inova provides a healthy environment for its patients, families, visitors, staff and physicians by prohibiting tobacco use on its campuses.