August 21, 2006
Medical City’s Medical Family Therapist Dr. Elizabeth Purcell-Keith Awarded George Washington Honor Medal from the Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge

Medical City’s Medical Family Therapist Dr. Elizabeth Purcell-Keith Awarded George Washington Honor Medal from the Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge


Medical City Children’s Hospital is proud to announce that Medical Family Therapist Elizabeth Purcell-Keith, Ph.D., has been named a recipient of the 2006 George Washington Honor Medal from the Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge. The honor acknowledges her work in helping families of extremely sick children. This exemplifies the essence of the Foundation’s prestigious National Awards that seek to recognize exceptional individuals and organizations that epitomize the best of American Spirit and stand out as good citizens, role models and modern day heroes to the nation’s youth.

Dr. Elizabeth, as she is referred to by patients and colleagues, has served as the full-time medical family therapist at Medical City Children’s Hospital since 1984. As a registered nurse with a doctorate in family therapy, she is one of just a handful of such therapists working in hospitals across the country.

“Dr. Elizabeth has a true gift for supporting, educating and comforting families,” said Britt Berrett, president and chief executive officer of Medical City and Medical City Children’s Hospital. “She also supports our physicians and staff and is able to facilitate communications with patients and their families. She is a valuable asset to our hospital and patients.”

Rather than hold traditional one-on-one therapy sessions, Dr. Elizabeth finds unconventional ways to connect with families – and to connect families with each other – to offer them support and guidance in a calming way. Whether in a hospital room, hallway or in a ‘Yarn Yoga’ knitting session, she helps families learn to cope with the emotional upheaval and medical ‘information overload’ associated with caring for a sick child. She also serves on Medical City’s ethics committee and conducts educational sessions for nurses and hospital staff.

“The National Awards program is among the nation’s most comprehensive of its kind, where all age groups are asked to participate and where the variety of entries received is a testimony to the different viewpoints and ideas that make our nation so great,” said Aaron Siegel, president of Freedoms Foundation. “Judged by an esteem group of civic and socially minded individuals, recipients of these awards should be proud of their work, for themselves and the community.”

Dr. Elizabeth was featured in an April 9, 2006, The Dallas Morning News article by Karen Thomas titled, “Life Support; Dr. Elizabeth is on call for the family when a child gets sick.” It was this article that led to her nomination for a Freedoms Foundation award – a member of the organization’s local chapter submitted this article and a nomination form on her behalf. She was surprised by a letter in the mail last week announcing the honor.

Dr. Elizabeth will receive her medal during an awards ceremony hosted by the Dallas Chapter of Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge in November. Past recipients of the George Washington Honor Medal include Chief Justices Warren Burger and William Rehnquist, the Honorable John Glenn, Jr. and Walt Disney.

Established in 1949 by the founders of Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge, including Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, the National Awards program recognizes efforts of individuals, schools, corporations and organizations that promote, through words or deeds, an understanding and appreciation of responsible citizenship and the benefits of a free society.

Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge is among the nation’s premier organizations devoted to citizenship-based education and the promotion of responsible citizenship. With headquarters on a historic 85-acre campus adjacent to Valley Forge (Penn.) National Historical Park, it conducts educational programs for elementary, intermediate and high school students that focus on the balance of rights and responsibilities associated with citizenship in 21st Century America. Freedoms Foundation also conducts graduate seminars and workshops for educators that study issues relating history to today’s problems, responsible citizenship, and the benefits of the free enterprise system. Graduate programs are fully accredited by many of the nation’s major colleges and universities.

For more information on Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge, visit the Web site at www.freedomsfoundation.com, or contact the Foundation at 610-933-8825.

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