Dr. C. Paul Perry was one of the founders of the International Pelvic Pain Society. He was born in Mobile Alabama on August 13, 1945. He graduated from the University of Alabama with Honors, and from University of Alabama School of medicine in 1971. He served in the Air Force, and then began his medical practice in Birmingham, Alabama in 1978. For over 30 years, he dedicated his practice to the education, diagnosis and treatment of chronic pelvic pain. In 1996 he co-founded the International Pelvic Pain Society, where he served as President and Chairman of the Board. His contributions to this specialized medical field include numerous articles, publications, and textbook chapters, an international lecturer on pelvic pain and the design of an instrument used in the diagnosis of chronic pelvic pain. Dr. Perry died in 2008, but he left behind a legacy of pelvic pain education.

The Paul Perry Memorial Award is awarded once a year to recognize individuals who demonstrate lifetime achievement in pain research and education. It honors researchers and clinicians with significant contributions to pain research, education, that have the potential to significantly impact clinical care.