Roban Johnson

We have seen the headlines alerting us to E-coli bacteria. We have read or heard news accounts of people falling ill and dying from contaminated food. Picnics in the park, restaurants and even our own homes are now suspect in how some food-borne illnesses are spread.

In the past, Macon resident Shirley Robinson had no problem finding health care. She was covered under a health insurance policy and was able to see a doctor whenever she needed. That changed about five years ago. No longer married, the self-employed beautician soon realized that she would need other resources to pay for health care. "It was really hard," she said. "Although I worked, I didn't have health insurance. It was expensive to buy it on my own, so whenever I went to the doctor, I had to use money out of my pocket that I really didn't have." (Click for full article)

It is not uncommon for young children to idolize professional athletes, and Mercer medical student Oliver Horne was no exception. At a young age, he began to follow the career of Jim Abbott, a former Yankees pitcher and Olympic gold medalist. The famous athlete, whom Horne met at spring training as a child, was not just someone he looked up to but was a role model with whom he shared something more than a love of baseball. "Abbott was born without his right hand," explained Horne, "and I was born without my left hand."