Healthcare Without Harm and the Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments annually present the Charlotte Brody award to a nurse who promotes and protects environmental health.
The 2019 honoree Adelita Cantu, PhD, RN, has made significant impacts in her community and as a nursing educator. Each semester, she teaches UT Health San Antonio nursing students about climate change as a public health issue, using real-life examples from the area.
Cantu co-developed the innovative EcoCamp to raise awareness with youth about climate change and sources of pollution. She also developed the Youth Air Quality Academy in San Antonio, collaborating with service organizations focusing on Hispanic youth to educate and engage young people in protecting air quality for a healthier community, including each student conducting an “act of leadership.”
She has consistently demonstrated the strength of nursing in environmental health education and activism.
“Thank you for this very notable award. I plan to use it to demonstrate the difference that all nurses can make in advocating for social change and health equity, particularly as it relates to climate change,” Cantu said.
Named after nurse Charlotte Brody, co-founder of Healthcare Without Harm, the award exemplifies commitment to health, environment, and the profession of nursing. It is presented at CleanMed, the premier conference for leaders in health care sustainability.