Cindy Bruzzese, executive director of the Vermont Ethics Network in Montpelier, and Dr Allan Ramsay, professor emeritus of family medicine at the Larner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont, have been named recipients of the Madison-Deane Award for Excellence in End-of-Life Care for 2020 and 2021, respectively.
The award, which carries a $1,000 cash prize, is presented annually by the University of Vermont Health Network — Home Health & Hospice to a Vermont individual, group or organization that exemplifies the vision of Drs James Madison and Robert Deane, who sought to transform end-of-life care in Vermont. Recipients of the award demonstrate excellence by catalyzing efforts that advance the acceptance of death as a natural part of life; leading education, information and resources relevant to end-of-life issues; and creating and encouraging dialogue surrounding how individuals and families confront life-threatening illness.
In addition to her work at the Vermont Ethics Network, Bruzzese is a certified ethics consultant and a clinical ethicist at the University of Vermont Medical Center. She also serve as chair of the Ethics Committee for the State of Vermont’s Department of Disabilities, Aging and Independent Living; is an active member of the clinical consult team of the Central Vermont Medical Center Ethics Committee; and directs the Statewide Task Force on Palliative Care and Pain Management. Bruzzese is a graduate of Colby College and holds a Master of Public Administration from the University of Vermont and a Master of Science in Business from Clarkson University and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.
Ramsay, a hospice and palliative care physician, has been a family physician in Vermont for more than 40 years, serving in numerous leadership roles throughout his career. He was the first medical director of palliative care at the University of Vermont Medical Center and has practiced at the People's Health and Wellness Free Clinic in Barre since 2012, including serving as medical director for several years.
Due to the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the award committee selected 2021 and 2020’s recipients simultaneously.