JACKSON, Miss.—Southerners—and Mississippians in particular—love to eat. But if not controlled or prevented, obesity can lead to cardiovascular disease, diabetes and even death.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Mississippians have the highest occurrence of obesity in the U.S.
WASHINGTON, DC—The dedication and compassion of volunteers at Methodist Rehabilitation Center will be recognized by the Points of Light Foundation on Feb. 14.
The national organization, founded in 1990 to promote volunteerism, has chosen the volunteers to receive its Daily Points of Light Award on Valentine’s Day.
“I can’t think of a better day for our volunteers to receive such an honor,” said volunteer director Sandra Walker. “Every day of the year they love and care for our patients. On Valentine’s Day the rest of the nation will know how truly fortunate we are.”
JACKSON, Miss.—A Mississippi physician wants parents and caregivers to make sure they know how to properly use child safety seats and safety belts.
As a part of National Child Passenger Awareness Week, Feb. 10-15, Dr. Rahul Vohra, medical director at Methodist Rehabilitation Center, wants parents to know that children need special protection when traveling in motor vehicles because their bodies are different than adults.
JACKSON, Miss.—Conversations, a newly released compact disc featuring the chamber music of Angela Willoughby and James Sclater is now on sale in the Methodist Rehabilitation Center gift shop and at other stores in the Jackson area.
“We are really pleased with the response we’ve gotten from the CD,” said Sclater, professor of theory and composition at Mississippi College.
Every other Friday at noon Sclater and Willoughby, an assistant professor of piano at MC, play the piano and clarinet for patients, staff and visitors in Methodist Rehab’s Atrium Mall.
JACKSON, Miss.—Volunteers at Methodist Rehabilitation Center assist staff, comfort patients and even help fund neuroscience research at the Jackson hospital. Each year the profits from the hospital’s volunteer-run gift shop are donated to the Wilson Research Foundation.
This year, the volunteers raised $13,000 that will be used by the Foundation to fund research into ways to improve recovery from spinal cord and brain injuries, stroke and other neurological diseases and disorders.
JACKSON, Miss.—Mississippi school children are encouraged to participate in a statewide poster contest designed to teach them to think first about safety and injury prevention. The contest, with the theme "Safety is Cool," is sponsored by Think First, Methodist Rehabilitation Center’s statewide injury prevention program.
Fourth and fifth grade students in all Mississippi schools may enter the contest which encourages them to wear seat belts, safety helmets and other protective gear.
JACKSON, Miss.—Heather Turner doesn’t back down from challenges in her life.
But when the 22 year-old student’s car broke down leaving her with no way to commute between school, home and Methodist Rehabilitation Center where she has been receiving treatment for an allergic reaction to latex, she didn’t know what she would do.
That’s when a group of Cleveland businessmen entered the picture.
JACKSON, Miss.—Researchers at Methodist Rehabilitation Center in Jackson are looking for new ways to provide information and health care to discharged patients.
One solution may involve telemedicine—an online application that provides access to information and allows patients and health care providers to communicate via the Internet.
Methodist Rehab has received a $25,000 grant from the Mississippi Paralysis Association for a preliminary study to determine if the system will work and benefit patients.
JACKSON, Miss.—Nearly 43 millions Americans—young and old—suffer from arthritis or a related condition. A Methodist Rehabilitation Center physician says that with early diagnosis and proper treatment, the signs and symptoms of arthritis can be controlled and the risk of disability decreased.
Dr. David Collipp, Methodist Rehabilitation Center’s director of rehab surgery, encourages Mississippians to pay attention to symptoms and seek medical attention if they have pain, swelling or stiffness in or around a joint for more than two weeks.
JACKSON, Miss.—When North Wright enters the therapy gym at Methodist Rehabilitation Center, he looks in the direction he wants to go, gently leans his head toward a pneumatic trigger in the headrest of his wheelchair and rolls away.
Wright, a Wiggins resident who injured his spinal cord in a car accident in 2000, is paralyzed from his shoulders down. Physical therapists at Methodist Rehab worked with him to find a wheelchair that allows him to be more mobile and independent.