Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients can sometimes feel as though there is not enough support and resources for our community. For a condition that is common and also on the rise across the world,[1,2] it seems counterintuitive that there’s not more acknowledgement of how difficult these diseases are to live with and to treat.
For patients and their families, knowing that clinicians and scientists are working towards developing tools and treatments that will help in managing these conditions can be validating and impactful. People who have devoted their careers to IBD aren’t doing it for recognition. But there is a way to honor their contributions.
What is The Sherman Prize?
Recognizing excellence in healthcare can a profound impact on the field as a whole. The Sherman Prize was created to recognize and reward those who have gone “above and beyond” in their work to help bring a better quality of life to those who are living with these conditions.
The Bruce and Cynthia Sherman Charitable Foundation is in its 9th year of awarding The Sherman Prize in 2024. It is actually 2 awards: The Sherman Prize is awarded to two IBD clinicians, surgeons, researchers and/or academics; and The Sherman Emerging Leader Prize is awarded to one IBD clinician, surgeon, researcher, academic, or physician assistant.
In 2020, I interviewed Dr Dermot McGovern, who was the Committee Chair for The Sherman Prize that year. He talked about the ripple effect, and how an award like this has effects that goes far beyond the winners.
“If you can actually see the trophy, it’s got almost ripples on it. And the idea is that they, they drop a stone in the pond, and that creates ripples. So the effect of their prize gets bigger and bigger. It’s sort of pays on pays on and so on. And the idea was to spread awareness about inspirational people in our community who have given so much to fighting IBD.”
Past winners who have appeared on About IBD Podcast include:
- Corey Siegel, MD, MS on About IBD Podcast Episode 128 — CDPATH: A Prognostic Tool for Crohn’s Disease
- Uma Mahadevan, MD on About IBD Podcast Episode 136 — Pregnancy and IBD: The PIANO Study
- David T. Rubin, MD, FACG, AGAF, FACP, FASGE, FRCP (Edinburgh) on About IBD Podcast Episode 85 — Dr David Rubin Answers COVID-19 Vaccine Questions
How to Make a Nomination
Anyone can make a nomination. Nominees can also come from across the spectrum of the IBD community. Past winners have included clinicians, researchers, a colorectal surgeon, a pediatrician, and a psychiatrist. Dr McGovern did recommend that patients who want to make a nomination of one of their providers may want to ask for support from their provider’s colleagues or someone at their institution.
To learn more about the prize, past winners, or to make a nomination, head to https://shermanprize.org/. Nominations are open until May 24, 2024.
Source:
1. Windsor JW, Kaplan GG. Evolving Epidemiology of IBD. Curr Gastroenterol Rep. 2019;21:40. doi:10.1007/s11894-019-0705-6.
2. Agrawal M, Jess T. Implications of the changing epidemiology of inflammatory bowel disease in a changing world. United European Gastroenterol J. 2022;10:1113-1120. doi:10.1002/ueg2.12317.