Blue, green, yellow—a few of the hues we see,The sky, the grass, the sun—the things they ought to be.Blue, green, yellow—a few of the hues we see.Bruises, fungus, jaundice—the things that they can be. Red, pink, white—a few of the hues we see. sunsets, flowers, clouds—the things they ought to be. Red, pink, white—a few of the hues we see. Infections, zoster, tinea—the things that they can be. The ways these hues unfold Tell stories bright and bold. What appears as beauty, clear and bright, May hint at illness out of sight. Author Bio: Aaron Davidson is a medical student at Florida International University’s Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine with … Continue reading →

Jean Rice, 1939 – 2025 by Trip GabrielNYT, March 28, 2025 This is the NY Times article. We don’t think the Times would object to publishing it here. If they do, we’ll delete it from OJCPCHC. Jean Rice, who for decades scratched out a living, nickel by nickel, picking up deposit cans in New York while becoming a well-respected advocate for the homeless, died on March 12 in Queens. He was 85. The cause of his death, in a hospital, was heart disease, said Lillie Mae John, his cousin. Since 2020, after surviving Covid, Mr. Rice had lived in a veterans’ residence on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Mr. … Continue reading →

Katherine Benandi,* BBA, Madelyn Schmidt, BS, Frank Winsett MD This preprint version of the manuscript is posted prior to peer review or formal publication in a scholarly journal. Abstract: The Block the Blaze program, a skin cancer awareness initiative created by the John Wayne Cancer Foundation, was implemented across seven schools in Galveston, Texas, delivering 27 interactive presentations and reaching 1,864 students over two years. By fostering awareness and promoting proactive sun-safe behaviors, the program aims to instill lifelong habits, reduce skin cancer prevalence, and empower individuals to prioritize early detection and prevention. Key Words: Skin cancer prevention, health education programs, early detection, sun-safe behaviors Introduction: Block the Blaze, a … Continue reading →

Rearranged An Opera Singer’s Facial Cancer and Life Transposed By Kathleen Watt,Heliotrope Books, New York 2023 by David J. Elpern, M.D. Full many a gem of purest ray serene The dark unfathomed caves of ocean bear; Full many a flower is born to blush unseen And waste its sweetness on the desert air. T. Gray, Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard Would this not be the fate of Kathleen Watt’s riveting and important pathography. The topic is her decade-long odyssey of treatment for, and recovery from, osteogenic sarcoma of the jaw. As a physician, I have found that textbooks are of limited value. They are essential, but take one just … Continue reading →

By Krista Elizabeth Hammaker* Encounter #1: An emaciated 30-year-old Black man, Cracks “Is this assisted living, or jail?” Post wide gluteal excision, anemic. A nursing home crisis, a pandemic. Diagnosis: Hidradenitis suppurativa.  En route to doctor, he asks for sativa. Pain found in hell’s conditions and terms. He said, “At least I’m finally headed to Derm.” His facility – the biggest dump in town. Government funded. No justice around. He’s all clean and ready for big medicine’s foolishness. No option for comfort but right lateral decubitus.   Reason for visit: Humira and wound inspection Care delivered: None (and little affection) “No Humira insurance, after a 7 month wait?” Care delivered: … Continue reading →