Friday, October 16, 2009
Honoring Arizonan David Carey for Receiving a Community Health Leaders Award
Sen. Meg Burton Cahill
Legislative District 17
602-926-4124
October 16, 2009 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Honoring Arizonan David Carey for Receiving a Community Health Leaders Award
STATE CAPITOL, Phoenix – David Carey of Tempe was recently chosen to receive a Community Health Leaders Award by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The award is given to ten people each year who have overcome odds to improve the health of others.
“This is a fitting honor for David Carey, who is an exceptional person who has dedicated his life to assisting people in their health care,” said Sen. Meg Burton Cahill. “His work is absolutely inspiring to me.”
Carey’s biography from the Robert Wood Johnson Community Health Leaders website in his honor reads:
“David Carey, chairperson, Inspire Human Services Co-op, Phoenix, Ariz. Mr. Carey is being honored for his work as chair of Inspire Co-op, which allows people with disabilities to direct and control their own health care services, and for his activism to assure safe public transportation options for persons with physical disabilities. Carey’s leadership led Inspire to secure long-term contracts to provide attendant care services and established the company as one of the first self-directed cooperatives in the United States. Inspire is owned and directed by people with disabilities. Carey became a quadriplegic following a gunshot accident in 1988.”
Carey was asleep at home when he was shot by roommates who accidentally discharged a gun. Since then he has been a continued advocate for people will disabilities, education and gun responsibility. Prior to the accident, he was enrolled at Scottsdale Community College and a promising baseball athlete.
Carey was chosen as one of ten to receive the award from 532 applications received by the Foundation. The winners each receive leadership training through the fellowship program as well as $125,000. $105,000 of Carey’s award is designated for the Inspire Co-op he chairs. The balance is given to Carey for personal development.
“In this economy, when the state underfunds programs for the disabled, it is exceptional that $105,000 will go to the Inspire Human Services Co-op,” said Burton Cahill. “David is such an amazing advocate and it was an honor for me to see him receive this award in Washington, D.C. David is often at the Capitol and came to support a bill I proposed that would have allowed the disabled community apply for the same small business opportunities created for women and minorities. The work he does makes me a better senator.,” said Burton Cahill. “
Carey was one of two Arizonans given this honor. The other is Frances Stout, R.N., chairperson of the board, Tohono O’odham Nursing Care Authority (TONCA), Sells, Ariz.
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is focused on health care issues and improving the health of all Americans. The Foundation on the Internet: http://www.rwjf.org/
I have never met Mr. Carey, but I can testify to Sen. Burton Cahill's respect and admiration for him - anybody who spends more than 10 minutes with the Senator hears his story and about how much he inspires her.
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