The Neighborhood Cooperative Ministries (NCM) will host a Love Your Neighbor Corporate Generosity Luncheon, taking place on Thursday, February 29, at 11:30 a.m. at the NCM office located at 500 Pinnacle Court in Norcross.
Jennings
At the heart of this luncheon is a commitment to the spirit of generosity, not just in our personal lives, but also in the workplace. With the aim of encouraging local businesses to make a meaningful impact within their communities, NCM has asked Keith Jennings, vice president of Community Impact of Jackson Healthcare of Alpharetta, to be the speaker.
Before joining Jackson Healthcare, Jennings served for nine years as head of planning and marketing for a two-hospital health system. Keith is a graduate of Florida State University.
Ryan Jones, executive director at NCM, says: “Our mission at NCM is to cultivate a culture of compassion and generosity within our community. We believe that by bringing together leaders like Keith Jennings and companies invested in making a difference, we can catalyze a ripple effect of positive change that extends far beyond the confines of our luncheon.” By harnessing the collective power of these forward-thinking companies, NCM aims to create a stronger, more resilient community where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.
Seating for this exclusive event is limited, and RSVPs are required. To secure a spot, visit this link.
PCOM co-ed from Lawrenceville to conduct research
One PCOM South Georgia first-year medical student from Lawrenceville will spend the next few months conducting research as part of the Medical Student Scholars for Health Equity in Myeloma program.
Araya
Saron Araya was recently selected from the competition to be one of the program’s scholars. The program is a partnership between the International Myeloma Foundation (IMF) and the W. Montague Cobb/NMA Health Institute’s Cobb Scholars Program. This program pairs minority medical students with myeloma experts for six months to conduct research on health disparities. Scholars and mentors then present their work at the 2024 National Medical Association Annual Conference in New York City in early August.
For Araya, this opportunity combines her passion for working with minority groups and her interest in blood disorders. She says: “I really hope to gain more knowledge about multiple myeloma. This program focuses on not only raising awareness for multiple myeloma, but also targeting health equity because there’s a higher prevalence of multiple myeloma for people of color. Being a woman of color, I’m interested in researching that aspect.”
As a first-generation American, Araya understands the challenges facing marginalized communities.
Araya’s parents, Hintsa and Freweini Araya of Lawrenceville, left their home in the East African nation of Eritrea. They settled in the Atlanta area, where their five children were born and raised.
“My parents immigrated here to provide me with the education opportunities they did not have,” Araya said. “That’s part of the reason why I want to go into medicine as well because they uprooted their lives, so that being underserved was not my reality. Because of that, I want to serve these populations. With this research, I hope to also learn about different ways I can cater to these types of communities.”
After graduating from Berkmar High School in Lilburn in 2017, Araya went on to graduate from Oglethorpe University in 2021 with a Bachelor of Science degree in biology and a minor in public health. Then she worked for two years, first in a pathology lab as a histotechnologist and then as a bone marrow technologist for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.
Araya will be a member of the second cohort of the Medical Student Scholars for Health Equity in Myeloma program. Last year, PCOM student Irene Ammie Cooper, also of Lawrenceville, was selected to participate in the inaugural cohort of the program.
Another raccoon tests positive for rabies in Gwinnett
Another raccoon in Gwinnett County has tested positive for the rabies virus. County Animal Welfare and Enforcement and the Gwinnett County Health Department advise residents to use caution and avoid animals behaving in unusual ways.
On February 8, a rabid raccoon bit a dog near the 1900 block of Stone Forest Drive in Lawrenceville. The raccoon later tested positive for rabies. Diseases like rabies can be transmitted to humans and pets through bites or scratches from wild animals such as foxes and raccoons.
Pet owners should ensure that their pets are current on their rabies vaccination. Unvaccinated dogs and cats exposed to a rabid animal must be strictly quarantined for four months and vaccinated one month prior to being released.
If you or your child have been bitten or scratched by any stray animals or suspected rabid animal, immediate preventive treatment is necessary. Seek medical care immediately and inform the healthcare provider of the exposure. Then, contact the Gwinnett County Health Department at 770-339-4260 and ask for the on-call epidemiologist.
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