CALGARY, June 10, 2015 /CNW/ - Camille Dow Baker, co-founder of the Calgary-based charity CAWST, Centre for Affordable Water and Sanitation Technology, has been named the 2015 recipient of the Canadian Medical Association (CMA) Medal of Honour.
The award recognizes her work with CAWST as a "Made in Canada" education-based solution for one of the world's great public health issues: the lack of access to safe drinking water and sanitation.
The Medal of Honour represents the CMA's highest award recognizing a person who is not a member of the medical profession. Previous winners include Roméo Dallaire, Peter Lougheed and Rick Hansen.
"I am deeply honoured and humbled to receive this award," Dow Baker said. "It gives me great hope for the world when Canadian medical professionals recognize the health needs of those not fortunate enough to be living in Canada, and the intrinsic connection between water and health."
Dow Baker is a professional engineer who led a successful two-decade career in Canada's oil and gas sector before co-founding CAWST in 2001 as an organization dedicated to helping solve global water and sanitation needs by focusing on building local knowledge and skills.
Dow Baker served as CAWST's volunteer CEO from 2001 to 2011 and remains a member of the charity's board of directors. CAWST's network of 800 implementing clients has reached nearly 10 million people in 68 countries with better water or sanitation.
Dow Baker has been president of the board of directors for the YWCA of Calgary and a member of the board of the Alberta Oil Sands Technical Research Authority (AOSTRA). She was awarded an honourary Doctor of Laws degree from the University of Calgary, as well as an honourary Bachelor of Business Administration in Non-Profit Studies from Mount Royal University. She has also been awarded the Alberta Centennial Medal, Global Woman of Vision Award, the National GRIOT Award for science and technology, the Ernst and Young Award for Entrepreneurship, the University of Calgary Environmental Design Award of Excellence and a Rotary Integrity Award.
The CMA Medal of Honour will be presented to Dow Baker in August at the CMA Annual Meeting in Halifax, NS.
Media: Contact CAWST to arrange an interview with Camille Dow Baker and/or to access images.
SOURCE Centre for Affordable Water & Sanitation Technology (CAWST)
Image with caption: "CAWST co-founder Camille Dow Baker has been named recipient of the CMA Medal of Honour (CNW Group/Centre for Affordable Water & Sanitation Technology (CAWST))". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20150610_C6914_PHOTO_EN_17888.jpg
Image with caption: "Centre for Affordable Water & Sanitation Technology (CAWST) (CNW Group/Centre for Affordable Water & Sanitation Technology (CAWST))". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20150610_C6914_PHOTO_EN_17889.jpg
Christopher Mason, Communications Officer, Tel: 403-243-3285 ext. 247, Cell: 587-885-1039, [email protected]
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