Hackensack, N.J., May 24, 2007 – Pace University awarded an honorary doctorate of Humane Letters to children’s environmental health advocate Deirdre Imus Monday at commencement ceremonies held at its New York campus. Ms. Imus is President and founder of The Deirdre Imus Environmental Health Center™.
Ms. Imus received the award as an advocate for children’s health and a significant campaigner against the negative impact of environmental toxins.
The mission of the Environmental Health Center is to identify, control and ultimately prevent toxic exposures in the environment that threaten our children's health.
Ms. Imus has made numerous national appearances in recent weeks to talk about her new book, now a New York Times bestseller. Green This! Volume 1: Greening Your Cleaning (Simon & Schuster) offers a wealth of insights and expertise for protecting families from harmful chemicals. One hundred percent of all profits go to the Imus Cattle Ranch for Kids with Cancer.
"Just Begin with One Change"
Ms. Imus said that one of the many reasons for the increases in childhood cancers, asthma, diabetes, obesity, autism and autism and learning disorders, is the increase in toxins in our air, food, water, soil and products. "But you can change this. You just need to begin with one change, a healthy change, a green change. Begin by addressing what impact you are having on the environment or the life of a child."
Ms. Imus said she began her quest by deciding to help a child with cancer. She closed her remarks to the graduates with a story: "Mother Teresa was walking the streets of Calcutta, and a journalist had asked her how she was going to care for all the lepers and sick people. And she replied, 'I'm going to help the leper in front of me."
Numerous organizations have recognized Ms. Imus’ impact. Also this month, she was honored with the Rachel Carson Award by the National Audubon Society. She was also named to the board of directors of The National Autism Association, and Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University. In 2005, she was named was named a “Champion for Autism” by The Autism Education Foundation of the Morris-Union Jointure Commission. Earlier this year, Spectrum magazine named her "Person of the Year." In 2006, she was honored with the prestigious Lizette H. Sarnoff Award for Volunteer Service by the National Women’s Division of the honored with the Excellence in Cancer Awareness Award by the Cancer Research and Prevention Foundation.
Last fall, Ms. Imus addressed students at Pace University’s Lienhard School of Nursing, and noted the important role that nurses can play in educating patients and families about healthy choices in diet, lifestyle, and products that can minimize risks for cancer and other diseases.
The Deirdre Imus Environmental Health Center™ developed the award-winning Greening the Cleaning® program. Greening the Cleaning means eliminating to the greatest extent possible all cleaning agents containing hazardous ingredients and replacing them with environmentally responsible ingredients with the least level of toxicity. One hundred percent of all profits from the institutional products go to the Center for education and research to identify, control and ultimately prevent exposures to environmental factors that may cause adult, and especially pediatric cancer, as well as other health problems with our children. On the retail line, 100 percent of all profits go to the Imus Cattle Ranch for Kids with Cancer. The household products are available in stores nationwide and online from www.imusranchfoods.com.
Deirdre is also co-founder and co-director with husband, Don Imus, of The Imus Cattle Ranch for Kids with Cancer, a 501(C) (3) not-for-profit authentic 4,000 acre working cattle ranch in northern New Mexico, which provides the experience of the American cowboy to children suffering from cancer and various blood diseases, as well as to children who have lost a brother or sister to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).