The Award for Lifetime Achievement for health workers was presented by the Minister of Health to Prof. Leonard ‘Lennie’ Blieden in appreciation of his being among the founders of modern pediatric medicine in Israel, a teacher and educator, and an example to all those working in this field

Prof. Leonard Blieden was born in 1938 and immigrated to Israel from South Africa after graduating from medical school. He was among the first pediatric cardiologists in Israel, and was the first director of the Pediatric Cardiology Unit that became the Cardiology Institute at the Schneider Children's Medical Center. His outstanding contribution to this field of medicine established pediatric cardiology in Israel as a worldwide leader in the profession, to the great benefit of thousands of children suffering from congenital heart conditions or other heart diseases.

Prof. Blieden has also educated generations of pediatric cardiologists. He has worked to have pediatric cardiology accepted as an independent specialization and established the Union of Pediatric Cardiologists. Most important of all, his great contribution has been felt in his treatment of thousands of children with congenital heart conditions, saving their lives and improving their quality of life.

Prof. Blieden continues, even after retiring, to offer his vast experience voluntarily in the Cardiology Department at the Rabin Medical Center, as well as in coaching doctors and students.

Many children  with  heart defects remained on at  Schneider into adulthood. When Prof. Blieden retired from Schneider in 2006 he transferred to Beilinson Hospital where he now  follows the development of hundreds  of  these patients. He  says that this  is probably the most  satisfying period in his  career. Patients  with  heart  defects of all severities, many  of  whom have  had  several  operations, have now been monitored by him consecutively for between 20-40  years. "Nothing  can  be  more  gratifying  than to  see these once  desperately  ill children  grow  up  and  have  their only  families and live normal  lives. For me it is a dream come true!"