Carol Hendrix, WIC breastfeeding coordinator for North Georgia Health District 1-2, is the 2012 Carolyn Wetzel Continuum Award Winner. From left, nominator Karen Rutledge, winner Carol Hendrix and Pat Swan, Healthy Mothers, Health Babies Coalition

Carol Hendrix, WIC breastfeeding coordinator for North Georgia Health District 1-2, was recently announced as the Carolyn Wetzel Continuum Award Winner for 2012 by the Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition of Georgia. This award recognizes volunteers and health professionals who contribute to the health and well being of Georgia's families.

Hendrix truly embodies the spirit of the award as both a volunteer and a health professional. In addition to serving as the Breastfeeding Coordinator for North Georgia Women, Infants and Children (WIC), Hendrix volunteers for the Northwest Georgia Breastfeeding Coalition, the Georgia Breastfeeding Coalition and the Southeastern Lactation Consultant Association.

Hendrix played an integral part in the production of the highly successful Northwest Georgia Breastfeeding Coalition's DVD titled "Breastfeeding: A Guide for Success."

Additionally, Hendrix manages 14 peer counselors, all of whom are mothers who have personal experience with breastfeeding and are trained to help women initiate and continue breastfeeding.

Through Hendrix's collaboration with Theresa Brown, lactation consultant at Hamilton Medical Center of Dalton, the peer counselors are able to spend time at the hospital providing breastfeeding support to new mothers.

Hendrix and Brown presented their unique collaboration at recent International Lactation Consultant Association and Atlanta Emory conferences and also gave a presentation of their Northwest Georgia Breastfeeding Coalition collaborations at the National Breastfeeding Coalition Conference in Washington, D.C.

Hendrix is passionate about the Business Case for Breastfeeding, a comprehensive program designed to educate employers about the value of supporting breastfeeding employees in the workplace. She has been instrumental in placing lactation rooms in three carpet manufacturers in north Georgia, in a healthcare provider's office in Dalton and in an A.M.E. church in Woodstock.

Karen Rutledge, program manager for North Georgia WIC of North Georgia Health District 1-2, nominated Hendrix for the award.

"Carol goes above and beyond in every aspect of both her paid position and volunteer activities," said Rutledge. "She is always thinking of others first. The success of mothers and babies is paramount in her thoughts. She is known to talk to moms late at night, meet them on the weekends and call on their behalf to schools and human resources representatives. Carol is a true mentor to the Peer Counselors and is someone to look up to. She is truly deserving of this award."

For more information about the Carolyn Wetzel Continuum Award and/or the Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition of Georgia, visit  www.hmhbga.org.

-Story by Jennifer King, Public Information Officer/Risk Communicator, North Georgia Health District 1-2