COPIC HUMANITARIAN AWARD
The Copic Humanitarian Award is presented each year to honor a NDMA physician member for volunteer medical services and contributions to the community. The award seeks to recognize physicians who volunteer outside the spectrum of their day-to-day lives.
The recipient of the award designates a $10,000 donation from Copic to be provided to a health care-related 501(c)(3) organization within their respective state. If you know a worthy NDMA physician member, please nominate him or her for this award. Learn more about the COPIC Humanitarian Award here.
Learn more about COPIC.
Dr. Joan Connell: 2024 Copic Humanitarian Award Recipient
Dr. Joan Connell
Nominated by Dr. Michael Jankoviak, he sees firsthand Dr. Connell's fierce dedication to always putting the patient first. Her success in treating acute and complicated medical patients requires many focused hours outside of the office visit. She tirelessly searches for and finds the best support for her patients’ needs. While this could be said of many physicians, Dr. Connell has an intense desire to improve her patients' health trajectory.
Dr. Connell has become the go-to person when navigating some of the most challenging patient care hurdles. She volunteers many hours researching and navigating possible solutions to consistently and successfully achieve that goal. The time and tenacity required to successfully accomplish this can never occur in an eight-minute office visit. Through her 20-plus years in medicine, she has served as a health advocate and leader, going out of her way to make a difference by serving as NDMA’s Physician Advisory Group Chair, advocating for underserved populations and many other health-related causes. Her tireless efforts are truly worthy of recognition. When it comes to advocating for medicine, she is a true champion.
Dr. Connell selected Soul 57 as the recipient of the $10,000 Copic donation. Soul 57 strives to provide a community for youth who've experienced the tragedy of losing a parent, sibling, or primary caregiver. With the help of mental health professionals and trained individuals who provide tools in the grieving process, Soul 57 offers a setting where youth can connect, communicate, and navigate their grief with peers who have experienced similar loss.
Dr. Grant Syverson: 2023 Copic Humanitarian Award Recipient
Dr. Grant Syverson
Nominated by Make-A-Wish North Dakota, the foundation shares that Dr. Syverson exemplifies what it means to be a humanitarian both within his profession and beyond. His support for Wish Kids has helped them grow and experience life in ways they otherwise wouldn’t have.
While many rheumatology patients are unaware that they qualify for a wish, Dr. Syverson has been diligent in referring his patients, allowing them the “opportunity to have opportunities” as he puts it.
Beyond Make-A-Wish, Dr. Syverson volunteers with the Arthritis Foundation in North Dakota, its annual Jingle Bell Run and Camp Sisu for young people with arthritis. He also serves on the board of ShareHouse, which provides Substance Use Disorder services to the region, and serves on the Fargo Cass County Board of Health.
Dr. James Buhr: 2022 Copic Humanitarian Award Recipient
Dr. James Buhr
Dr. Buhr practiced rural medicine for nearly 40 years prior to his retirement from clinical practice in May of 2020. During those years he demonstrated commitment to his patients, family, and colleagues which made a significant impact on his community. He was instrumental in bringing Hospice to the Valley City community in the 1980s and served as their local medical director. He has a special interest in humanitarian efforts for the underserved and dedicated a great deal of time on mission trips to Africa to assist with health care and hospital infrastructure and continues to be active with the Global Health Ministries. He was also the primary physician for many years for the Open Door Center which serves adults and children with developmental and intellectual disabilities in the Valley City community. Dr Buhr’s contributions to his profession and his community display a commitment to the health and wellbeing of others.
Dr. James Miles: 2021 Copic Humanitarian Award Recipient
Dr. James Miles
Dr. Miles was nominated by Make a Wish North Dakota. Dr. James Miles has made an indelible mark on children across North Dakota, not only through his work as one of only two board certified, fellowship trained pediatric neurologists in the state, but also through his volunteer work, which has focused on supporting children with critical or life-threatening illnesses.
Dr. Dennis Wolf: 2020 Copic Humanitarian Award Recipient
Dr. Mary Aaland: 2019 Copic Humanitarian Award Recipient
Dr. Mary Aaland
Dr. Mary Aaland's dedication to training communities on how to STOP THE BLEED led to a $10,000 grant to assist smaller communities in being able to benefit from this program designed to save lives when seconds matter.
"I am pleased to report, that two very talented high school students developed a project as part of their engagement in the Future Business Leaders of American to teach all high school students the course STOP THE BLEED." Dr. Aaland
The funds allowed the program to purchase over 200 kits (each kit costs $69) and 215 students completed the training program.
STOP THE BLEED classes were taught to all Emmons County High School Students: Linton, Strasburg and Hazelton; 7th and 8th grades were added in Linton and Hazelton schools.
