The American Heart Association has awarded its Physician of the Year Award to Gary Balady, M.D., professor of medicine at Boston University School of Medicine and director of Noninvasive Cardiology and Preventive Medicine at Boston Medical Center.

The award is presented annually to a practicing physician who has rendered outstanding contributions to the accomplishment of the American Heart Association's mission to build healthier lives, free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke.

"Dr. Balady has an extraordinary record of service and leadership for the American Heart Association at the local, affiliate and national levels," said Nancy Brown, the association's CEO. "He has made major contributions to preventive cardiology and rehabilitation with a focus on the cardiovascular benefits of physical activity. He has also provided leadership to many of our committees, including his service as chairman of our Council on Clinical Cardiology from 2001 to 2003."

Balady has chaired or participated in writing groups for American Heart Association scientific statements on cardiac rehabilitation, physical activity, cardiovascular disease prevention, defibrillation and cardiovascular screening. He served on the Expert Panel on High Blood Cholesterol and is a past chair of the Committee on Cardiovascular Risk Prevention.

He is a longtime supporter of the association's Boston-area Heart Walk and Heart Ball fundraising events and served as president of the Founders Affiliate in 2008-09.

Source:
American Heart Association