Recognized as individuals who improve the lives of others, two UofL faculty and two UofL Hospital staff are honored with the Commitment to Compassion Award.

Presented by the Partnership for a Compassionate Louisville, the award is given to health care professionals who inspire others to be more compassionate.

Matt Adamkin, M.D., and assistant professor in the Division Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, UofL School of Medicine, is among this year’s winners for his work with Special Olympics athletes. Adamkin is a physical medicine and rehab physician in the UofL Department of Neurological Surgery and UofL Physicians – Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation.

His volunteer work with Special Olympics Kentucky includes providing no cost physicals to the special athletes who often suffer from intellectual or developmental difficulties.

Amanda Corzine, M.S.N., R.N., S.A.N.E.-A., and Vicki Yazel, B.S.N., R.N., S.A.N.E.-A., are receiving a joint award for their work at UofL Hospital’s Sexual Assault Forensic Examiner (SAFE) Services, a program that has helped hundreds of sexual assault and domestic violence victims in the Louisville area.

Corzine, coordinator of SAFE Services, was instrumental in implementing an evidence-based domestic violence screening tool in the UofL Hospital Emergency Department that connects victims to immediate advocacy services. She has expanded the office to provide 24-hour availability and new services, including domestic violence forensic exams, the first in Kentucky. Yazel, assistant coordinator of SAFE Services, has strengthened the hospital’s relationships with law enforcement agencies and is improving human trafficking screening in the emergency department.

The fourth UofL recipient is Joseph D’Ambrosio, Ph.D.,Director of Health Innovation and Sustainability at the UofL Trager Institute. He is a licensed marriage and family therapist, and a professor at the UofL School of Medicine. He also teaches couples and family therapy courses for students at the Kent School of Social Work.

D’Ambrosio also is developing a Compassionate Cities Index – a validated measurement of a city’s compassion. The index will be a reliable and accurate tool for measuring the prevalence of compassion in cities.

These honorees will receive an award during the 4th Annual Commitment to Compassion Luncheon at the Muhammad Ali Center on Wednesday, Feb. 27. The event is hosted by Passport Health Plan, Insider Louisville and the Compassionate Louisville Healthcare Constellation. Read more on the Insider Louisville website.