American Public Health Association According to its site, the American Public Health Association is the oldest and largest organization of public health professionals in the world. The APHA has therefore long been involved in the personal and environmental health issues that confront us all; offering scientific and practice programs, learning and professional development programs, publishing the American Journal of Public Health and generally advocating for the means to create a healthier society.

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Global Health Along his wife Melinda, the famous software tycoon Bill Gates has undertaken a project that is amazingly ambitious in scope: tackling inequities in global health, education, and technology. Based on the guiding principle that every human life has equal value, the Gates personally manage their $28 billion dollar foundation which acts as catalyst by giving grants to organizations (governments, private sector and non-profits) that aim to create positive long term change. The Foundation’s Global Health initiative not only offers grants, it identifies and prioritizes chronic health situations around the world, targets its aid to medical research and then supports the delivery and follow-up of the health aid. It’s hard to believe the scale and vision of this enterprise, but the modest-yet-focused tone of the Foundation’s web site helps us believe that this work could be as profoundly influential as Microsoft has been.

Global Health Council The Global Health Council’s busy website gives a sense of the scope of their operations and of the desperate need for information and action on the global health scene. Dig around a little in the information-rich pages of this site and you’ll find news of health situations all over the world as well as what is being done to address them. The Council’s advocacy programs are as comprehensive as its resources, with a well designed “advocacy center” that offers tools for those seeking to make a difference in global health.

John E. Fogarty International Center (FJC) The Fogarty International Center, the international arm of the NIH, spearheads numerous programs to address global health challenges, including more than 200 specific diseases. The center takes a multi-pronged approach, offering research and training grants, fellowships, research support, and international awards. Scientists who visit the site can peruse synopses of available research and training grants, which include opportunities in the U.S. and abroad. The site also offers videocasts and podcasts of special NIH events, seminars, and lectures.

Medecins sans Frontières (Doctors without Borders) The actions of this group of concerned doctors, volunteering their services to bring emergency care to those in need around the word, has given Medecins sans Frontières (Doctors without Borders) well deserved international recognition. The group’s commitment is to serving those struck by famine war and disease, whoever and wherever they may be. The site’s international updates on humanitarian health crises often expose situations that are not covered by the mainstream media and reflect the MSF’s other mission: to help draw attention to the plight of the people they serve.

National Institute for Health (NIH) The NIH has a daunting job - it is the main federal agency that is responsible for improving the nation’s health. Over the years, the Institute has conducted and funded important medical research, leading to better disease prevention, treatment, and even cures. Consumers will find a vast library of health and medical information on the NIH Web site, organized by general category. The site is information-rich, but as users dig down into subcategories, patience is key as the search can become a bit unfriendly. (Subcategory links are sometimes listed in alpha order, with English and Spanish entries interspersed, for example.) Besides health content, the NIH site includes a list of toll-free information lines by health condition and a link to a database of current clinical trials that are accepting volunteers. Anyone interested in staying current—patients, doctors, or researchers—can subscribe to any of numerous e-newsletters are available on various topics.

Open Society Institute - Public Health Program Financier-philanthropist George Soros’ socially engaged grantmaking foundation, Open Society Institute, has noble and ambitious aims: to shape public policy to promote democratic governance, human rights, and economic, legal, and social reform. On a local level, OSI also implements a range of initiatives to support public health. As the Institute’s site specifies, they are looking to “promote health policies grounded in scientific evidence, social inclusion, human rights and justice,” paying particular attention to the factors that can be both the cause and effect of poor health. The Public Health Program pages of the site spell out exactly how OSI goes about achieving their goals.

University of Illinois at Chicago; School of Public Health When we think of hazardous jobs, most of us probably don’t picture arts-related work, but artists face various health risks, from toxic chemical exposure to carpal tunnel syndrome. Enter the Health in the Arts Program, which helps people working in the arts stay in the pink. The program’s medical specialists offer safety education, workplace safety consultations, and clinical diagnosis and treatment in Chicago, and also conduct research on arts-related illness and injury. Visitors to the Web site can use the health library to find information on numerous work-related hazards, including prevention and safety tips.

National Multiple Sclerosis Society Every hour, someone is diagnosed with MS, a neurological disorder that causes symptoms such as loss of balance, difficulty walking, and memory problems. The National Multiple Sclerosis Society, with chapters throughout the US, is working to defeat MS by funding important scientific research. People with MS can visit the Web site to find the latest information on treatments and research, healthy living tips, or a self-help group. The site also offers advice for families members, clinical bulletins for health care professionals, and a list of fundraising events—such as walks and bike rides—for anyone who wants to help defeat the disease. The Living With MS section is especially engaging, featuring podcasts on various topics, personal stories, and an Express Yourself corner, where people with MS share their art, whether painting, music, or photography.

Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Society Named for a courageous woman who lost her battle with breast cancer at age 36, the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Society has become a leading voice in the fight against the disease. The organization supports research, education, and community-based programs, and spearheads fundraising events such as Komen Race for the Cure. The Web site—available in English or Spanish—offers reliable medical and other information for patients and survivors, as well as those who care about them. Visitors can also subscribe to the national organization’s e-newsletter, KomenLink, to get the latest medical news. The message boards are incredibly active on this site, with women reaching out to one another to share information and experiences, offer advice, and lend heartfelt support. To get a more local perspective, visitors can enter their ZIP code on the Home Page to link to a Komen affiliate in their area, where they can learn about nearby initiatives and events.

The Breast Cancer Fund A call for action, the Breast Cancer Fund site strongly makes the point that breast cancer is now a public health crisis. Their well designed site succinctly delivers up to date information on current breast cancer research and outlines the actions that can taken to address the known preventable causes of the disease. An excellent resource for anybody concerned with breast cancer, the site links to events, articles, press coverage, reports, brochures and newsletters, to name a few. Knowledge is power.

Zero Breast Cancer Wanting answers as to why so many friends and family members are afflicted with breast cancer, the founders of Zero Breast Cancer created an organization dedicated to helping to identify the environmental factors that play a role in the development of breast cancer, and this by way of community participation in the research process. The site outlines Zero Breast Cancer’s many projects and achievements in community-based breast cancer research.

Doctors of the World Doctors of the World brings much-needed medical care to people in the U.S. and abroad who can’t get the care they need due to human rights and civil liberties violations. Working in more than 25 countries, the organization has fought the spread of tuberculosis and HIV, set up health clinics in El Salvador, and provided mental health care for women and children in the West Bank, to name just a few projects. In addition to bringing health care to local communities, Doctors of the World trains locals to take over after they leave. This well-crafted Web site allows visitors to learn about recent projects by country, and find medical jobs and volunteer opportunities, and donate or purchase handcrafted items to benefit those in need.

Friends Without A Border Friends Without a Border is an international aid organization dedicated to improving the health of Cambodia’s children through support for the Angkor Hospital for Children. As this well-designed site emphasizes, the Angkor Hospital serves several important functions; beyond being the only children’s hospital in the region with a large population of very poor children, it is also a teaching hospital and the home of many health, nutrition and hygiene programs for local communities. A look at the appalling health statistics for Cambodia provided on the site is enough to underscore the vital need for this institution.

Mental Health America Mental Health American (formerly the National Mental Health Association) believes that mental health is key to overall health and well being. This site offers information about dozens of mental health disorders, and even provides information relevant to specific groups, such as women, African Americans, or military personnel and their families. The site is broad in scope, including issues that similar sites may not cover such as bullying, and includes helpful tools such as a depression screening quiz. Visitors can view profiles for hundreds of mental health professionals (searchable by city), learn about medications, and get information about paying for treatment. They can also visit the Action page to weigh in on legislation related to mental health care.

St Jude Children's Research Hospital A pediatric hospital that was founded by entertainer Danny Thomas—and is now actively promoted by his daughter, actress Marlo Thomas—St. Jude’s gives new hope to children who have the toughest cases of cancer and other serious illnesses. A top research institute that also claims to be the nation’s third largest healthcare charity, St. Jude’s uses the most advanced treatments and has a history of helping children who have been deemed incurable by other institutions. Patients are accepted regardless of ability to pay, and St. Jude is the only pediatric research center that fully pays for lodging, food, and travel for patients and their families. This dynamic site offers guidance for referring physicians, information for patients and parents—including impressive multimedia presentations on various medical topics—and a directory of volunteer events.