The Corporate Communications department of FirstHealth of the Carolinas received three awards in the 23rd annual Healthcare Advertising Awards competition sponsored by Healthcare Marketing Report, a national health-care marketing newspaper.

More than 3,850 entries were submitted for the competition, which recognizes excellence in health care marketing.

Competing in the health care system category, FirstHealth received the following awards:

-- Silver Award for Magazine Advertising for a full-page, full-color advertisement for FirstHealth's new Esophageal Center.

-- Bronze Award for External Publication, Magazine, for the summer 2005 "Aging Well" issue of FirstHealth of the Carolinas, FirstHealth's corporate magazine.

-- Merit Award for Direct Mail Advertising for a direct-mail postcard promoting Breast Cancer Awareness.