Attleboro Resident Honored at State House

Attleboro resident Donna Palmer was recognized with a TB Honor Roll Award last month during "World No TB Day" at the Massachusetts State House.

The Medical Advisory Committee for the Elimination of Tuberculosis (MACET), a group of physicians and other TB experts focused on Massachusetts, hosted the event attended by Sen. Richard Ross, Rep. Paul Heroux, Rep. Betty Poirier and more than 140 state legislators, Department of Public Health officials, physicians, nurses and community members.

Palmer was honored for her work at the Norton Department of Public Health. Seven individuals from across the state were selected for a TB Honor Roll Award, which recognizes Massachusetts residents who made extraordinary contributions to protect communities from the contagious and potentially deadly threat of tuberculosis.

Palmer also received citations from Ross, Heroux, Poirier as well as Sen. James Timilty, Rep. F. Jay Barrows and Rep. Steven Howitt.

During the event, physicians and TB experts presented key information about the disease's impact on the health, safety and economy of Massachusetts. 

"More than 300,000 residents of Massachusetts are living with TB infection," said Cynthia Tschampl, MACET government relations subcommittee co-chair. "That’s five Fenway Park's full of people living with TB infection!"

TB is the second-leading cause of infectious death worldwide (second only to HIV) and can be passed by activities as innocent as breathing in the vicinity of a person with the contagious form of the disease.  

"Three deaths occur every minute of every day due to TB," said Sue Etkind of Milton, who won the TB Hero Award and is currently STOP TB USA's executive director.  

She continued, "This is a completely preventable, treatable, curable disease."

The state's Department of Public Health protects those who live and work in Massachusetts from TB through its Division on TB Prevention and Control. Dr. Lauren Smith, interim-commissioner said, "It takes a lot of energy and resources to maintain a program like this."