DUBLIN, Ireland, April 24, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --

International awards program honors non-professional caregivers

The BRAVE Awards, an international awards initiative that recognizes the courage and dedication of non-professional caregivers, is accepting nominations for its 2013 program. Now in its third year, the BRAVE Awards honors those unsung everyday heroes - unpaid, non-professional caregivers - who give of themselves every day in a meaningful, dedicated and selfless manner.  

Developed and implemented by Shire plc, the global biopharmaceutical company, the BRAVE Awards is taking nominations now through June 30, 2013. Up to 20 nominees from around the world will be selected as BRAVE Awards recipients and each will be awarded $10,000 USD or the equivalent in local currency.

The nomination process is straightforward: consider a non-professional caregiver you believe deserves recognition; review the official website at http://www.ShireBRAVEAwards.com to learn more; and complete the online nomination form. recipients will be announced in November 2013. A Selection Committee consisting of Shire employees and non-Shire representatives who are experts and advocates in the caregiving field choose the recipients.

"Those nominated for the BRAVE Awards represent the invisible army of millions of family caregivers," said Flemming Ornskov, MD, Chief Executive Designate, Shire. "Their consistent care of others is an enormously generous and selfless commitment.  We are privileged to raise awareness about the significant impact non-professional carers play in our society and to recognize individuals who work tirelessly to give their loved ones as normal and healthy a life as possible."

A caregiver is defined by the Shire BRAVE Awards as an individual who is providing regular, consistent care for another person in a volunteer capacity. The caregiver can be a relative, neighbor, or friend who gives their time, support, and compassion regularly, helping another person who is not able to care for himself or herself. The caregiver cannot be a professional healthcare provider and cannot be compensated in any formal way through their activities as a caregiver.  Doctors, nurses, hospital staff and other healthcare workers are not eligible for consideration; however, they can nominate non-professional caregivers. Nominees must be age 18 or older at the time of nomination. In 2013, the Shire BRAVE Awards are open to eligible nominees in 19 countries - Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxemburg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States.

There are no restrictions on the type of care being provided, no correlation with any health condition or therapeutic area, and the care recipient need not be prescribed a Shire medicine or treatment. The program has been developed to ensure confidentiality and privacy, and adheres to Shire's Privacy Policy. The BRAVE Awards are presented in the spirit of Shire's BRAVE culture.  

NOTES TO EDITORS

About the Shire BRAVE Awards

The Shire BRAVE Awards is an international program created by Shire to honor the courage and dedication of individual voluntary caregivers.  For the Shire BRAVE Awards, a caregiver is defined as an individual who is providing regular, consistent care for another person(s).  The caregiver cannot be a professional healthcare provider and cannot be compensated in any formal way through their efforts as a caregiver.  The caregiver can be a relative, neighbor, or friend who gives their time, support, and compassion regularly, helping another person(s) who is (partly or wholly) unable to care for themselves due to health and wellness issues, injury, or other extenuating circumstance.  Nominations for the 2013 BRAVE Awards will be accepted through June 30, 2013 and award recipients will be announced in November 2013.  For further information on the Shire BRAVE Awards, including official rules, legal disclosures, and Privacy Policy please visit http://www.ShireBRAVEAwards.com.

Shire enables people with life-altering conditions to lead better lives.

Through our deep understanding of patients' needs, we develop and provide healthcare in the areas of:

• Behavioral Health and Gastro Intestinal conditions
• Rare Diseases
• Regenerative Medicine

as well as other symptomatic conditions treated by specialist physicians.

We aspire to imagine and lead the future of healthcare, creating value for patients, physicians, policymakers, payors and our shareholders.

http://www.shire.com

For further information please contact:

Matthew Cabrey, mcabrey@shire.com , +1-484-595-8248
Bev Volpe, bvolpe@simonpr.com , +1-484-595-9836

SOURCE Shire plc