Generations Family Practice of Cary is pleased to announce that pediatrician Christine Macomber, MD, is the 2015 recipient of the Centers for Disease Control’s Childhood Immunization Champion Award for the state of North Carolina. The CDC has chosen National Infant Immunization Week, April 18-25, to announce the award winners.
The CDC Childhood Immunization Champion Award is an annual award that recognizes individuals who make a significant contribution toward improving public health through their work in childhood immunization. Each year, up to one CDC Immunization Champion from each of the 50 U.S. states, 8 U.S. Territories and Freely Associated States, and the District of Columbia are honored.
“I am honored to be named the CDC Childhood Immunization Champion Award winner for North Carolina and remain committed to educating parents on the importance of vaccination in our community,” Macomber said. “The importance of childhood immunizations cannot be emphasized enough. In spite of many years of progress, we still must work to increase vaccination rates in order to protect children against disease.“
Her dedication to immunization began when she was a medical pediatric resident at University of Massachusetts Medical Health Center. She cared for a child with significant complications from varicella, also known commonly as Chicken Pox. Dr. Macomber felt that the child’s outcome might have been better if she had received the varicella vaccine. This experience inspired her to dedicate her career to helping reduce unnecessary pain and suffering in children by encouraging parents to vaccinate their children in order to protect against serious, preventable diseases.
Dr. Macomber often engages parents in conversations about vaccination by posting and sharing immunization messages on her social media networks. She provides reading materials for parents and has immunization signage displayed throughout her office. She also takes time to talk with parents about the benefits of vaccination and listen to their concerns, so that she can address them.
The Champion Award recognizes individuals who are working at the local level. It honors those who are doing an exemplary job or going above and beyond to promote childhood immunizations in their communities.
Macomber, a mother of four children, joined Generations in 2013 where she sees pediatric patients. She earned her board certification from the American Board of Pediatrics and is a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Generations Family Practice offers comprehensive primary medical care, from ‘cradle to rocker’–from Well-Baby care to Geriatrics, and everything in between. Generations is located at 110 Preston Executive Dr, Suite 100, in Cary.
[Released – CARY, NC – APRIL 22, 2015]
* Read more about this honor at http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/events/niiw/champions/index.html
