Newswise — SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — Sanford Health is creating one of the world’s most lucrative awards to recognize innovations in health care.

The $1 million prize, which will be known as the Sanford Lorraine Cross Award, will award excellence in life-changing treatments, medical innovations and research conducted by scientists around the world.
 
The prize, which will be awarded every other year, is among the top five most lucrative prizes celebrating transformative breakthroughs in medical care and the scientists who dedicate their lives to the work of health and healing.

“A decade ago, Sanford Health was given a gift from philanthropist Denny Sanford,” said Kelby Krabbenhoft, Sanford Health president and CEO.  “We’ve spent those 10 years growing and establishing ourselves. Now, it’s time for us to give to the next generation, and we’re specifically looking for those experts who are at the finish line of innovation. We want to reward those scientists or doctors who take an idea and see it through.”

The award is named after the Lorraine Cross, a symbol recognized around the world synonymous for those who take action for their passions.  In recent history, Sanford Health has used it to symbolize innovation in health care.

“Sanford Research is proud of its cutting-edge work and the recognition it has received on the global stage,” said David Pearce, Ph.D., executive vice president of Sanford Research. “This award will inspire important conversations and bring forward life-changing treatments and medical innovations to change healthcare as we know it.” 

Nominations for the award open on Jan. 1, 2018, and close Feb. 28, 2018.

The final three nominees will be honored, and the award recipient will be announced live at an event on Dec. 5, 2018. For information, visit the website here.

About Sanford Health
Sanford Health is one of the largest health care systems in the nation, with 44 hospitals and nearly 300 clinics in nine states and four countries. Headquartered in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and serving the Upper Midwest, with nearly 1,400 physicians, Sanford Health is dedicated to several initiatives, including global clinics, genomic medicine and specialized centers researching cures for type 1 diabetes, breast cancer and other diseases. Sanford Health has 28,000 employees, making it the largest employer in the Dakotas. Nearly $1 billion in gifts from philanthropist Denny Sanford over the past decade have transformed how Sanford Health can improve the human condition. For information, visit sanfordhealth.org.