News Release

Published on: September 14, 2005

Maine Pathologist Receives CAP Foundation Humanitarian Grant Award

Northfield, IL. — John R. Benziger, MD, FCAP, was the recipient of the 2005 College of American Pathologists (CAP) Foundation Humanitarian Grant Award at a ceremony held in Chicago at CAP ’05 – the annual meeting of the College of American Pathologists.

Dr. Benziger is chief of pathology and the laboratory director at MaineGeneral Medical Center in Waterville and Augusta, Maine. The grant award relates to his work with Partners In Health of Maine in Nicaragua.

The CAP Foundation Humanitarian Grant Award, which is co-sponsored by Olympus America, provides grants to members of the College to use to fund pathology and medical services to underserved patients in an underdeveloped area of the world.

The Humanitarian Grant Award will enable Dr. Benziger to establish pathology services at Hospital Neuvo Amanecer in Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua and significantly expand and improve patient care in this underserved and isolated North Atlantic region.

"I am very pleased to have received The Humanitarian Award from my peers at the College," said Dr. Benziger. "I am grateful that my colleagues appreciate and recognize my enthusiasm and dedication to establish pathology services in underserved regions."

Dr. Benziger earned his undergraduate degree at the University of New Mexico and completed his M.D. at the University of New Mexico Medical School. He completed his internship and his residency at the University of Vermont in Burlington, and he is board certified in both anatomic and clinical pathology.

Dr. Benziger's wife Mary, an artist, is also active in Partners In Health of Maine, and has planned and completed several beautiful murals for two hospitals in Nicaragua. They have four grown children.

The College of American Pathologists is a medical society that serves nearly 16,000 physician members and the laboratory community throughout the world. It is the world’s largest association composed exclusively of pathologist and is widely considered the leader in laboratory quality assurance. The CAP is an advocate for high-quality and cost-effective patient care.