Better Health, Brighter Future
International awards program honors non-professional caregivers
The BRAVE Awards, an international awards program intended to recognize everyday people who serve as caregivers, is now accepting nominations. Developed and implemented by Shire plc, the global specialty biopharmaceutical company, the program is designed to recognize the courage and dedication of non-professional caregivers, honoring everyday heroes who provide regular, consistent care to another person.
Nominations for the 2012 BRAVE Awards are being accepted between now and June 17, 2012 through the official website at www.ShireBRAVEAwards.com. Award recipients will be announced in November 2012. The nomination process is straightforward: consider a caregiver you believe deserves recognition; visit the website to learn more; and complete the online form.
A Selection Committee consisting of Shire employees and non-Shire representatives will choose the finalists. Shire employees across the world will then be invited to select up to ten (10) award recipients from the pool of finalists through an online voting system, and each award recipient will receive $10,000 USD or the equivalent in local currency.
“Voluntary caregivers are often unsung heroes and the BRAVE Awards recognize the important and sometimes undervalued caregiver role that family, friends and neighbors play in the lives of others around the world,” said Angus Russell, Shire Chief Executive Officer.
A caregiver is defined by the Shire BRAVE Awards as an individual who is providing regular, consistent care for another person in a volunteer capacity. The caregiver can be a relative, neighbor, or friend who gives their time, support, and compassion regularly, helping another person who is not able to care for himself or herself. The caregiver cannot be a professional healthcare provider and cannot be compensated in any formal way through their activities as a caregiver. Doctors, nurses, hospital staff and other healthcare workers are not eligible. Nominees must be age 18 or older as of March 15, 2012. In 2012 the Shire BRAVE Awards is open to eligible nominees in ten countries – Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Switzerland the United Kingdom, and the United States.
There are no restrictions on the type of care being provided, and the care recipient need not be prescribed a Shire medicine or treatment. The program has been developed to ensure confidentiality and privacy, and adheres to Shire’s Privacy Policy.
In 2011, the inaugural year of the Awards, nearly 400 nominations were received. Profiles of those first year BRAVE Awards recipients can be viewed on the website.
The Shire BRAVE Awards are presented in the spirit of Shire’s BRAVE culture, which fosters an environment that encourages its employees and partners to act with integrity; create innovative solutions that make a difference; act on the needs of others; strive to be better everyday; and to exemplify trust and openness through teamwork.
For further information please contact:
Matthew Cabrey ([email protected])
+1 484 595 8248
Notes to editors
About the Shire BRAVE Awards
The Shire BRAVE Awards is an international program created by Shire to honor the courage and dedication of individual voluntary caregivers. For the Shire BRAVE Awards, a caregiver is defined as an individual who is providing regular, consistent care for another person(s). The caregiver cannot be a professional healthcare provider and cannot be compensated in any formal way through their efforts as a caregiver. The caregiver can be a relative, neighbor, or friend who gives their time, support, and compassion regularly, helping another person(s) who is (partly or wholly) unable to care for themselves due to health and wellness issues, injury, or other extenuating circumstance. Nominations for the 2012 BRAVE Awards will be accepted between March 15, 2012 and June 17, 2012 and award recipients will be announced in November 2012. For further information on the Shire BRAVE Awards, including official rules, legal disclosures, and Privacy Policy please visit www.ShireBRAVEawards.com.
ABOUT SHIRE PLC
Shire is a global specialty biopharmaceutical company that focuses on enabling people with life-altering conditions to lead better lives. For further information on Shire, please visit www.shire.com.