Lisa Rosenbaum, "The Downside of Doctors Who Feel Your Pain"

Around the U.S. a revolution of new ideas in the world of health care is revolving around a simple idea - sympathy.
Lisa Rosenbaum, the author of this article, is a doctor who is one of these sympathetic doctors.

Despite that Rosenbaum thinks too much sympathy can take away from skill. The audience is directed towards the medical schools who are turning the tables and looking for students with a compassionate heart, not a cold, reserved one.

However, a cold, reserved doctor could know what they're doing, maybe even better than the other doctor who pays full attention to the patient and immerses themselves into that patient's problems.

The time and place the world is at now is more of a humanitarian view, rather than the "old-fashioned" hard worker.

Rosenburg speaks in a worried tone, which is directed towards the futures of the new, young doctors.

Although my own personal view of this is to have a compassionate doctor, I believe that they should be equally skilled and confident in their abilities.

A doctor shouldn't feel so much sorrow, however, over one lost patient. What matters is the 1,000 lives saved versus the 1 life lost.

So, to a degree, a doctor shouldn't lose their nerve, but attend to all their patients in a comforting but not too intrusive way.

Balance is the key. Too much of one ability weakens the other's capabilities.

------------

Link to Article:  click for article
Link to Author: click for Rosenbaum

Carolyn Sayre, "Making Sickle Cell Disease a Manageable Illness"

This article by Carolyn Sayre is about children coping with sickle cell disease.

Originally, the life expectancy of a child born with sickle cell disease was up to 14 years of age. However now, life expectancy rose up to 40.

What happened exactly?

Besides the advancment of medecine and research on the human body, health experts opt to coping with this disease while a cure is being found.

There is knowledge of the cure of sickle cell, but there's not enough to cover the amount of people with the disease.

However, it turns out that newborn babies with the disease that are given penicillen can get better faster than the newborns not given penicillen.

This means that starting children off on medication early can decrease the harmful effects of sickle cell.

The article puts a sort of relief throughout the article, reaching out to those who suffer under the disease.

Throughout, Sayre talks about the excited parents that will be able to see their kids grow beyond whats expected.

Cures currently are under research, and scientists are looking into stem-cell research as one of the possible cures for sickle cell.

Hopes are up for the advancement of this cure, and happiness is all around, along with a lot of patience and coping.

-------------

Link to Author: click for Sayre
Link to Article: click for article

Tom Sims, "You're Only as Old as You Run"

This article was written by a devoted runner, whom also in the racing world is considered "aged', happens to be Tom Sims.

He begins as he announces the slightly older competitors he will be running with in the Berlin Marathon, Paula Radcliffe and Haile Gebrselassie, ages 37 and 38.

Ironically, both Radcliffe and Gebrselassie hold world records of the fastest times in the Berlin Marathon, and so they're now defendong their titles against all the "youngsters".

The key to running as you age is to keep up a healthy diet, discipline, and a good mindset.

What also helps is the shoes. The wrong kind of shoes will cause some serious damage later on, like shin splints and Achille's heel.

 Every runner has a method, whether 20 or 70 years old, which keeps them in the game.

Passion for such a good thing, making races and fitnesses neaerly an addiction, and how racing keeps you feeling young is the fuel for the aging fitness population.

Despite many risks, seasoned runners learn from errors they made when they were amateurs, which gives them an advantage over the rookies.

The fact someone had the passion to keep running even into their 80's is amazing.

Healthy living really turns back the clock, even for Sims who is now 41-- still running and now in the Berlin Marathon.

-------


Link to Article: click for article
Video of Author: click for Sims

Richard Weissbourd, "The Vanity of False Distinctions"

This has to do with how many associate parenting by financial status. To be blunt, the research says people with less money are not as good at parenting as those people with a lot of money.

I completely disagree with this idea. Although the article clearly states how both sides of the spectrum have things to offer, the rich gaining more opportunity and the poor recieving more attention, I still feel the need to make my point clear.

Even imagining that the competence of parents relies on their annual salaries is foolish.

Weissbourd, the auhor of this article, does a fine job of explaining this statement. To enhance this further, I feel the need the protect the less fortunate from the back-lashing of a hypocritical society.

The poor , nowadays more common than before, don't deserve this kind of criticism. The poor have enough to suffer from, and now they get it socially too.

What matters in parenting is how much time, how much attention, and how much love that those parents provide for their children.

Those poor families in Mexico, threatened by the drug cartel, living on barely anything, stay family orrientated and loving throughout the difficulties.

Go tell those families that they're bad at parenting, keeping a family alive, and providing to a suffering community. They'll laugh.

Know why? Because the ignorance of that statement is hilarious. So if anyone thinks that finances predetermines the abilities of the parents, than that person is dead wrong.

---

If you have a comment, state your argument below.

Link to the Article: click for article
Bio of the Author: click for Weissbourd

Nicholas D. Kristof, "Just Look at What You Did!"

In this article, Nicholas D. Kristof talks about his feelings regarding the efforts in aiding the people in Nairobi, Kenya. He regards a couple who together created the Kibera School for Girls in efforts for the cause of education, women's rights, and a chance for every child to have a future.

The couple, Kennedy Odede and Jessica Posner, met in the slums of Kibera, where Kennedy was raised and Posner's determination to put a stop to sexual abuse.

Both of these characters come into play when Kennedy forms a soccer group, originally to sort out social issues among troubled children, began acting out performances to denounce sexual abuse.

Posner, being attracted to the idea of these theatrical performances, met up with Kennedy, and even stayed in the slums while aiding the group.

Together,they made the Kibera Schools for Girls, which continues to grow due to donations to the foundation Shining Hope for Communities.

A student at the Kibera School for Girls cools off after lunch. The school is expanding, thanks in part to donations from Times readers. :)

Overall, this effort against poverty is something to be admired. Posner's willingness to live in the same conditions as the Kenyans in the Kibera slums despite the fact she could've lived elsewhere is what should be admired.

And Kennedy, who suffered through these conditions, but still felt so strongly of giving back to this community to see the next generation have a better life, is what makes the difference.

These two things combined, willingness and compassion, taken up by the right people can truly make a difference. Kennedy and Posner felt so strong and passionate to help those Kenyan girls in  need, that it even gave them a gift too- a loving and caring relationship.

If you give love, you'll eventually get it.

---

So what do you think of the efforts of Kennedy and Posner? And what attributes do you think truly makes a great activist?

Comment if interested. ;)

-Bio of Author + more articles: click for Kristof
-Link to Article: click for article