Dr. Srinivasan Vijayakumar, professor and chair of the Department of Radiation Oncology, was at University of California-Davis when he was approached about joining the University of Mississippi Medical Center.

He was impressed to find that what had taken four years for him to implement at UC-Davis was already in place at the UMMC Cancer Institute at the Jackson Medical Mall Thad Cochran Center. The best of technology and equipment was there, but a full staff to support the department wasn抰.

That wasn抰 a detriment; it was a challenge, said 揇r. Vijay,?as he抯 more commonly known.

The Barksdale family will continue to fund full-ticket scholarships to medical students at the University of Mississippi Medical Center indefinitely.

The Bryan Barksdale, MD, Scholarship, the Fred McDonnell, MD, Scholarship and the Don Mitchell, MD, Scholarship will be extended to attract more students to the Medical Center, according to David Barksdale, director of the Barksdale Foundation.

揗r. (James) Barksdale has again made a commitment to funding scholarships that will change the lives of individuals, strengthen our School of Medicine by allowing us to recruit the brightest and by allowing us to continue to improve our diversity, and change the lives of many Mississippians when these health professionals complete their training and begin their practices in Mississippi communities,?said Dr. Dan Jones, vice chancellor for health affairs.

Dr. Helen Barnes remembers crying alongside one of the first patients she treated when she began practicing medicine in Greenwood in 1960.

But physician and patient were emotional for very different reasons.

When the Caucasian female initially arrived at the health care facility where Barnes worked, Barnes said she let it be known that 搒he didn抰 want to be treated by a black doctor.?The patient quickly was informed that Barnes was the only physician available.

揥e treated anybody who showed up from the community,?Barnes said. 揝he was really sick, so she finally agreed to be treated. Both of us were crying: I was mad, and she didn抰 want me to treat her.

Dr. Jeanette Pullen, former chief of the Division of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, was honored for her instrumental role in the fight against pediatric cancer at a Children抯 Miracle Network (CMN) meeting in Orlando, Fla.

Hundreds of on-air personalities from TV and radio stations in the United States, Canada, Ireland, and the United Kingdom joined with celebrities from stage, screen and gridiron at Walt Disney World Resort to honor Pullen and three others with the Children抯 Miracle Achievement Award.

The award is given annually to four caregivers from CMN hospitals throughout North America for their lifetime of service to children.

Dr. Owen B. Evans, chairman of pediatrics, and Hall of Fame quarterback Steve Young presented the award to Pullen as hospital representatives, journalists and entertainers looked on.