WebMD Announces 2014 Health Hero Award Winners and Star-Studded Lineup for Inaugural Awards Event

NEW YORK, Oct. 21, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- WebMD Health Corp. (NASDAQ: WBMD), the leading source of health information, today announced the winners of its 2014 WebMD Health Heroes Awards, recognizing individuals who are changing the healthcare landscape by meeting a health challenge and giving back to others.

Hosted by Good Morning America co-anchor Robin Roberts, the first annual WebMD Health Heroes Awards will feature a star-studded lineup of presenters and performers, including Gavin DeGraw, Rocco DiSpirito, Susie Essman, Jordin Sparks, Beth Stern, and more. Special invited guests will join WebMD to honor and celebrate the following inspiring individuals on November 6, 2014 at the Times Center in New York City:

Michael J. Fox, Hall of Fame
In 2000, Fox, an Emmy and Golden Globe award-winning actor, founded The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research.  Since that time, Fox has helped raise awareness, develop treatment options, and advocate for patients in his tireless quest to find a cure for Parkinson's disease, raising more than $450 million toward a cure in the process.

Carson Daly, Philanthropist
As part of the Today show's Shine a Light program, Daly partnered with KidsGardening.org to plant a garden for schoolchildren in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. He raised nearly $35,000 for the project, and the garden he helped create is now an outdoor classroom where kids learn the importance of healthy eating.

Harold S. Koplewicz, MD, Activist
Children and adolescent psychiatrist Harold S. Koplewicz, MD, co-founded the Child Mind Institute to provide accessible mental health care services to children. Since opening in 2009, the Institute has treated about 4,000 kids for conditions ranging from ADHD and autism to depression, and fostered international collaboration to improve understanding of children's brain development and accelerate the pace of mental health treatment breakthroughs.

Frank Papay, MD, Scientist
A Cleveland Clinic plastic surgeon, Frank Papay, MD, helped pioneer a new surgical approach to treat painful cluster and migraine headaches. The approach includes the implantation of an electrode attached to a stimulator to modify transmission of headache pain signals to the brain. The device has proven effective for cluster headaches in studies conducted in Europe, and U.S. trials are underway.

Zarin Ibnat Rahman, Prodigy
In 2012, then high school junior Zarin Ibnat Rahman launched a research study to investigate the effects of computer and cellphone use on teens' sleep, mood, and academic performance.  Now a freshman at Harvard University, Rahman plans to continue her studies of sleep deprivation and mental health in adolescents, and to ultimately attend medical school and become a neurologist.

Martha Stewart, People's Choice
Martha Stewart, founder of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Emmy Award-winning television show host, entrepreneur and best-selling author, opened the Martha Stewart Center for Living at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City in 2007 to provide quality health care to seniors. The Center combines traditional medical care with alternative therapies like tai chi and stress reduction. With more than 10,000 annual patient visits, the Martha Stewart Center for Living has become one of the largest outpatient facilities in the country for older adults.

"This year's WebMD Health Heroes are helping to improve health, wellness and the overall healthcare landscape through their advocacy, fundraising, research and passionate commitment to a range of important causes," said Kristin Hammam, SVP of Content and Programming and Editor-in-Chief, WebMD.  "We look forward to celebrating these inspiring individuals for all that they have accomplished to date, and raising awareness for the important work they continue to do." 

WebMD's Health Heroes will each receive a donation from WebMD to his or her cause and be featured in the November/December issue of WebMD Magazine, which will be available in print and online on November 7, 2014.  To read more about WebMD's Health Heroes, or to sign up to receive the latest news about this year's winners, presenters and our first Awards event, visit www.webmd.com/healthheroes.

About WebMD
WebMD Health Corp. (NASDAQ: WBMD) is the leading provider of health information services, serving consumers, physicians, healthcare professionals, employers, and health plans through our public and private online portals, mobile platforms and health-focused publications. The WebMD Health Network includes WebMD Health, Medscape, MedicineNet, emedicineHealth, RxList, theheart.org, Medscape Education and other owned WebMD sites.                                       

WebMD®, Medscape®, CME Circle®, Medpulse®, eMedicine®, MedicineNet®, theheart.org® and RxList® are among the trademarks of WebMD Health Corp. or its subsidiaries.

All statements contained in this press release, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements, including those regarding: our expectations concerning market opportunities and our ability to capitalize on them; and the benefits expected from new or updated products or services. These statements speak only as of the date of this press release and are based on our current plans and expectations, and they involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual future events or results to be different than those described in or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include those relating to: market acceptance of our products and services; relationships with customers and strategic partners; and changes in economic, political or regulatory conditions or other trends affecting the healthcare, Internet and information technology industries. Further information about these matters can be found in our Securities and Exchange Commission filings.

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/webmd-announces-2014-health-hero-award-winners-and-star-studded-lineup-for-inaugural-awards-event-487062957.html

SOURCE WebMD Health Corp.