For Pearl Thomas, it all started with an achy mosquito bite that left her itchy from her waist to her toes.

Next came cold symptoms, followed by fever, sweatiness and a searing pelvic pain that sent the Cleveland resident to the ER on Oct. 4.

When her legs gave way the next day and she fell flat on the floor, the 59-year-old thought it might be complications from a pain shot she’d received at the hospital.

When he ran hurdles for Kilmichael’s Montgomery High School, Stevelyn Robinson never took practice jumps at a track meet.

He wanted to see the flabbergasted faces as his 5-foot frame flew over chest-high barriers and past taller opponents.

“I was always the smallest and nobody thought I could do anything,” said the award-winning, three-sport athlete from Winona. “Even my mom was scared for me to play football.”

“Then I watched him take down kids twice his size, and he proved he could hang with the big guys,” said Sheila Robinson. “He doesn’t give up on anything.”

For many patients who have suffered a disabling injury or illness, just getting to a doctor’s appointment can be an undertaking.

And for those that need to see several clinicians for a variety of needs, having to make multiple appointments can make their lives needlessly difficult. 

“There are patients with stroke, spinal cord injury and other disabilities who live in the community and need to have access to a setting where they can see different skilled professional providers under one roof,” said Dr. Philip Blount of Methodist Pain & Spine Center.

Volunteering can be habit-forming—just ask Shae White.

White started her new career as volunteer services coordinator for Methodist Rehabilitation Center in August, but volunteering has been part of her life for some time.

She first got into the habit of volunteering with her high school honor society. Then, while a student at Millsaps College, she began volunteering at Methodist Specialty Care Center like many of her teammates on Millsaps’ women’s basketball team.