Selected Awards and Honors
Individual and Organization Awards
Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Partners Award
Presented By: Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition & Partners in Perinatal Health
Presented To: Ayesha Chatterjee and Sally Whelan
Year: 2018
Honoring the lifetime work of the OBOS founders
Presented By: Midwives Alliance of Northern America (MANA)
Presented To: Judy Norsigian and Norma Swensen
Year: 2018
Sackler Center “First” Award
Presented By: Sackler Center for Feminist Art
Presented To: Founders of Our Bodies Ourselves
Year: 2017
Knee-Whittman Lifetime Achievement Award
Presented By: National Association of Social Workers Foundation
Presented To: Joan Ditzion, OBOS co-founder
Year: 2016
Making Menstruation Matter Award
Presented By: The Society for Menstrual Cycle Research
Presented To: Judy Norsigian, OBOS co-founder
Year: 2015
Irvin M. Cushner Lectureship Honoree
Presented By: The Association of Reproductive Health Professionals
Presented To: Judy Norsigian, OBOS co-founder and executive director
Year: 2013
Lifetime Achievement Award
Presented By: National Association of Social Work, Massachusetts Chapter
Presented To: Joan Ditzion, OBOS co-founder
Year: 2013
Alumni Special Recognition Awards for Written Work
Presented By: Simmons School of Social Work
Presented To: Joan Ditzion, OBOS co-founder
Year: 2012
AHA “Humanist Heroine” Award
Presented By: American Humanist Association
Presented To: Judy Norsigian, OBOS co-founder and executive director
Year: 2011
Victoria J. Mastrobuono Women’s Health Award
Presented By: National Organization for Women
Presented To: Founders of the Boston Women’s Health Book Collective
Year: 2010
ORWH award for Advocacy for Research on Women’s Health
Presented By: Office of Research on Women’s Health, National Institutes of Health
Presented To: Judy Norsigian, OBOS co-founder, and Our Bodies Ourselves
Year: 2010
Health Mothers Healthy Babies Partners Award
Presented By: Health Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition of Massachusetts and Partners in Perinatal Health
Presented To: Judy Norsigian, OBOS co-founder and executive director
Year: 2009
Honorary Doctorate Degree
Presented By: Boston University
Presented To: Judy Norsigian, OBOS co-founder and executive director
Year: 2007
A Public Acknowledgment of Advocacy and Support of Midwives
Presented By: Massachusetts Chapter of American College of Nurse-Midwives
Presented To: Judy Norsigian, OBOS co-founder and executive director
Year: 2007
Normal Birth Media Award
Presented By: Lamaze International
Presented To: Boston Women’s Health Book Collective
Year: 2006
Books That Have Changed Health Care: Normal Birth Media Award
Presented By: Journal of Health Services Research and Policy
Presented To: Boston Women’s Health Book Collective
Year: 2006
Community Recognition Award
Presented By: Massachusetts Partners in Transportation
Presented To: Our Bodies Ourselves
Year: 2005
Health Advocacy Award
Presented By: Council on Anthropology and Reproduction
Presented To: “Our Bodies, Ourselves” and the Boston Women’s Health Book Collective
Year: 2005
Excellence in Women’s Health Award
Presented By: Jacobs Institute of Women’s Health
Presented To: Our Bodies Ourselves
Year: 2005
Honor 30 for the 30th
Presented By: National Women’s Health Network
Presented To: Our Bodies Ourselves
Year: 2005
Phyllis McCarthy Public Interest Award
Presented By: Public Citizen
Presented To: Sally Whelan, OBOS co-founder and program director for the Our Bodies Ourselves Global Initiative
Year: 2004
21 Leaders for the 21st Century
Presented By: WomensEnews
Presented To: Judy Norsigian, OBOS co-founder and executive director
Year: 2003
Against the Tide Award Community Award
Presented By: Health Care for All
Presented To: Norma Meras Swenson, OBOS co-founder
Year: 2003
Outstanding contribution in protecting health
Presented By: Massachusetts Health Council Award
Presented To: Judy Norsigian, OBOS co-founder and executive director
Year: 2002
Leilani Doty Community Health Award
Presented By: Center for Research on Women’s Health
Presented To: Judy Norsigian, OBOS co-founder and executive director
Year: 2001
Freedom of Choice Award Vermont
Presented By: Vermont NARAL
Presented To: Jane Pincus
Year: 2001
For your unique contribution to the historic struggle for women’s equality and human rights
Presented By: Feminist Majority Foundation
Presented To: Boston Women’s Health Book Collective
Year: 2000
Special Appreciation award
Presented By: Teen Voices Magazine
Presented To: Judy Norsigian, OBOS co-founder and executive director
Year: 2000
Proclamations of Appreciation for the pursuit of literary excellence, for “Our Bodies, Ourselves for the New Century” and “The New Ourselves, Growing Older”
Presented By: City of Newton
Presented To: Norma Meras Swenson and Paula Doress-Worters, OBOS co-founders
Year: 1999
John Simmons Award
Presented By: Simmons College
Presented To: Boston Women’s Health Book Collective
Year: 1996
Lucretia Mott Award
Presented By: Women’s Way, Philadelphia
Presented To: Boston Women’s Health Book Collective
Year: 1996
In recognition of 25 years of commitment to the health and well being of all women
Presented By: American Orthopsychiatric Association and its group on women’s issues
Presented To: Boston Women’s Health Book Collective
Year: 1996
Induction into the Academy of Women Achievers
Presented By: Boston YWCA
Presented To: Judy Norsigian, OBOS co-founder and executive director
Year: 1996
Annual Recognition Award
Presented By: Radcliffe College Alumnae Association
Presented To: Judy Norsigian, OBOS co-founder and executive director
Year: 1995
Doctor of Humane Letters, Honoris Causa
Presented By: Worcester State College
Presented To: Judy Norsigian, OBOS co-founder and executive director
Year: 1994
Dedication in working for People, Justice, and Social Change with Boston Women’s Health Book Collective
Presented By: Community Works
Presented To: Paula Doress-Worters, OBOS co-founder
Year: 1994
Dr. Susan M. Love Award for Outstanding Achievement in the field of Women’s Health
Presented By: Fenway Community Health Center
Presented To: Boston Women’s Health Book Collective
Year: 1993
Health Leadership Award
Presented By: Mobilization for Survival
Presented To: Judy Norsigian, OBOS co-founder and executive director
Year: 1993
Special Achievement Award
Presented By: National Association of Social Workers (NASW)
Presented To: Boston Women’s Health Book Collective
Year: 1993
Groundbreaker Award
Presented By: Educational Equity Concepts
Presented To: Boston Women’s Health Book Collective
Year: 1993
In recognition of 20 years of inspirational leadership empowering women to improve our healthcare
Presented By: National Council on Women’s Health
Presented To: Boston Women’s Health Book Collective
Year: 1992
Health Care Access Award
Presented By: The Boston Chapter of the National Organization for Women, Boston NOW
Presented To: Boston Women’s Health Book Collective
Year: 1991
Citizen Leadership Award
Presented By: Champaign County Health Care Consumers
Presented To: Boston Women’s Health Book Collective
Year: 1991
Public Service Award
Presented By: Massachusetts Public Health Association
Presented To: Judy Norsigian, OBOS co-founder and executive director
Year: 1989
Major contributions in publications toward freedom of choice in health care, “A decade of service” 1973-1983
Presented By: PRETERM
Presented To: Boston Women’s Health Book Collective
Year: 1983
Dr. Mary Walker Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Health, Empowerment, and awareness of lesbians and all women
Presented By: The Boston Lesbian and Gay Political Alliance
Presented To: Boston Women’s Health Book Collective
Year: 1983
75 most distinguished graduates (for work on “Our Bodies, Ourselves”)
Presented By: Suffolk University
Presented To: Paula Doress, OBOS co-founder
Year: 1982
Mademoiselle Award
Presented By: Mademoiselle Magazine
Presented To: Boston Women’s Health Book Collective
Year: 1973
Book & Website Awards
One of 88 titles selected for Books That Shaped America exhibit
Presented By: Library of Congress
Presented To: “Our Bodies, Ourselves”
Year: 2012
Top 10 Pregnancy Guidebooks
Presented By: Preeclampsia Foundation
Presented To: “Our Bodies, Ourselves: Pregnancy and Birth”
Year: 2012
Best Books 2011: Consumer Health
Presented By: Library Journal
Presented To: “Our Bodies, Ourselves”
Year: 2011
Ms. Readers’ 100 Best Non-Fiction Books of All Time
Presented By: Ms. Magazine
Presented To: “Our Bodies, Ourselves”
Year: 2011
100 Best and Most Influential Nonfiction Books
Presented By: Time Magazine
Presented To: “Our Bodies, Ourselves”
Year: 2011
Top 100 websites for women
Presented By: Forbes Magazine
Presented To: Our Bodies Ourselves website
Year: 2010
Books for a Better Life finalist
Presented By: New York Chapter of the Multiple Sclerosis Society
Presented To: “Our Bodies, Ourselves: Pregnancy & Birth”
Year: 2009
Best Books 2008: Consumer Health
Presented By: Library Journal
Presented To: “Our Bodies, Ourselves: Pregnancy and Birth”
Year: 2008
Best Books of the Decade, Young Adult Service Division
Presented By: American Library Association
Presented To: “Our Bodies, Ourselves”
Year: 1976