March 2, 2010 (CHARLESTON, SC)—The National Association For Continence (NAFC) awarded Shlomo Raz, MD, with the Rodney Appell Continence Care Champion Award at the Society for Urodynamics & Female Urology (SUFU) annual meeting in St. Petersburg, FL on February 26, 2010.  The honor, presented by Eric Rovner, MD, professor of Urology at the Medical University of South Carolina and a member of NAFC’s Board of Directors, is sponsored by Pfizer Global Pharmaceuticals.

Originally from Uruguay, Dr. Raz came to the United States to complete a fellowship at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) School of Medicine and has since become the overseer of the Division of Female Urology, Reconstructive Surgery and Urodynamics at UCLA.

A widely published author, of over 200 peer reviewed publications, Dr. Raz has helped to develop the field of female urology for over two decades. Currently he is a member of 18 professional societies and on the editorial board of numerous prestigious health journals including the Journal of Urodynamics and Neurourology, the Journal of Neurologic Rehabilitation and the Journal of Applied Urodynamics.

Victor Nitti, MD, vice chairman of Urology at New York University’s Lagone Medical Center and chairman of the SUFU Board commented, “Dr. Raz has cared for countless patients and greatly improved their quality of life, but his impact goes far beyond that. He is a great teacher and has trained 54 fellows and those fellows have gone on to train over 60 more, who Dr. Raz affectionately calls his ‘grandchildren.’ These grandchildren have trained another ten great-grandchildren. From this lineage comes today’s and tomorrow’s thought leaders in continence care.”

Established in 2000 to recognize healthcare providers who serve as role models to others for outstanding contributions in research, education and clinical practice, NAFC’s Continence Care Champion Award raises awareness among a variety of professional societies and elevates the importance of addressing incontinence. A listing of all past award recipients can be found on NAFC’s website, in the Hall of Fame.