Pitt Pediatrics congratulates Diego Chaves-Gnecco, MD, MPH, FAAP, for receiving the 2022 Herbert L. Needleman, MD Lead Champion Award at the Life Without Lead summit on October 27, 2022.
This award was created to recognize community champions who are making a difference in the lives of children across the region by raising awareness, advocating for change, and reducing exposure to lead.
Herbert L. Needleman was instrumental in both identifying the impacts of lead on cognitive development at low dose exposure, as well as the disproportionate impact that lead exposure has in children in communities of color. He pushed for stronger regulations to lower the action level for elevated blood lead levels, knowing that consistent and low levels of lead exposure had devastating health impacts.