SUBMITTED NEWS RELEASE
William Dawson, M.D., co-founder of Sierra Neurosurgery Group, will be honored by Renown Health at Magic 2010, this year’s inaugural Renown Health Foundation gala benefiting Renown Children’s Hospital. Dr. Dawson, along with fellow neurosurgeon Joseph Walker, founded Sierra Neurosurgery Group in 1980. He retired in April 2010 after more than 30 years of practice. His legacy includes the oldest and one of the largest continuously operating neurosurgery groups in the region benefitting hundreds of patients.
The gala is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 23, and will be an evening filled with music, magic and stories of miracles that occur daily at Renown Children’s Hospital. The program also includes the presentation of the Arthur J. Lurie Distinguished Physician Award, honoring Dr. Dawson and the genuine difference his work has made in the community.
“It is a great honor to present the Arthur J. Lurie Distinguished Physician Award to Dr. Dawson,” said Jim Miller, president and CEO of Renown Health. “His skilled hands and expert patient care will be missed throughout the northern Nevada medical community.
With a medical degree from the University of Tennessee College of Medicine, Dr. Dawson completed his surgical internship at Emory University and Grady Hospital in Atlanta, Ga. Over the last 30 years Dr. Dawson has made a considerable impact on the northern Nevada medical community. In addition to helping bring a variety of skilled physicians to the area, he has worked tirelessly with hospital staff to ensure each one of his patients received the best care possible.
“Dr. Dawson was always very generous with his time and would do everything he could for his patients,” said Tim Blakely, director of X-ray and imaging services at Renown Regional Medical Center. “He was directly involved, no matter what time of day or night. As one of the first neurosurgeons in the community, Dr. Dawson offered a tremendous level of skill and compassion to those patients who needed his help.”
Dr. Dawson has helped patients of all ages, including pediatric patients at Renown Children’s Hospital. As part of his work bringing physicians to the area, Dr. Dawson helped bring Michael Edwards, M.D., pediatric neurosurgeon to Reno. With this year’s gala focused on Renown Children’s Hospital, Dr. Dawson said he has much praise for the staff in Renown’s Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).
People interested in attending Magic 2010 can contact the Renown Health Foundation at 775-982-5545. All proceeds from the event will benefit Renown Children’s Hospital.
The Arthur J. Lurie Distinguished Physician Award is given in memory of Arthur J. Lurie, MD, a respected pioneer in cardiovascular surgery in the area. Dr. Lurie performed the first open heart surgery in northern Nevada at Renown Health in 1977.
