Bill Bauman, who serves as the director of the National Center for Excellence for the Medical Consequences of Spinal Cord Injury, earned a Service to America Medal, known as "Sammie," for his work improving the quality of life for paralyzed veterans.
Bauman was celebrated by the Partnership for Public Service with his collaborator of nearly 25 years, Ann Spungen, last week.
More than a decade ago, Bauman and Spungen founded the National Center for Excellence for the Medical Consequences of Spinal Cord Injury in the Bronx in an attempt to understand the effects spinal cord injury has on the body, namely in veterans.
“Not long ago, a spinal cord injury was tantamount to an early death sentence, not because of the immediate effects of a paralyzing injury, but because of the many medical complications that followed,” Michael E. Selzer, director of the Center for Neural Repair and Rehabilitation at Shriners Hospitals in Philadelphia, said in a statement. “Now these patients have an almost normal life span and a greatly improved quality of life.”
The Partnership for Public Service described Bauman and Spungen’s work glowingly, noting that the strides they’ve made are notably improving the lives of veterans and other paralyzed patients.
"Their work led to the realization that persons with spinal cord injury are at a markedly increased risk for heart disease. These investigators were the first to describe and then treat an asthma-like lung condition common in those with higher levels of paralysis. They have developed approaches to make it easier for paralyzed patients to undergo successful colonoscopies.
New Rochelle Mayor Noam Bramson noted “the Sammies are among the most prestigious awards given to public service, so this is a really big deal,” he added. “And of course, an even bigger deal is how Bill and Ann’s work is improving the lives of veterans and others with spinal cord injuries.”
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