“She has another surgery and one more chemotherapy to go, but she has continued to work throughout her breast cancer journey,” she continued.
I nodded.
Emily is a super judge of character, and if she admires someone a great deal, I know that person is special.
“Now, on top of having the Juan De Dios Mora Exhibit, Jennifer has to get everything selected and organized at the new building.”
I asked about how she was feeling.
“Jennifer’s great,” Emily said, “and she doesn’t have time to feel bad because she says she’s got too much to do.”
PUBLISHER’S
LETTER THE WAY I SEE IT ...
Robin Rogers, Ed.D.
arlier this year, I suffered from some pretty severe depression. My family and coworkers knew I wasn’t feeling great, and they kept the ship afloat, but there were days and even weeks when I stayed in my nightgown and close to the bed. My daughter Emily survived on peanut butter and banana sandwiches and DoorDash for dinner. I did not want to do the things that normally make me happy. See friends or family? No. Shop or go to dinner? No. Play cards? No. Vacation? No. Work in the yard or ride the mower? No. No. No. I slept way too much, felt bad about every part of my life, and didn’t want to do anything. I finally went to see my doctor. It wasn’t like he just put me on a new medicine and I felt better overnight. It took a few months to come out the other side of the miserable tunnel. If you’ve never experienced depression, count yourself blessed. And if you have, keep taking care of yourself, and stay on top of your mental health like you would any other physical ailment.
Being healthy (physically and mentally) is something we all take for granted. But we owe it to the people who love us to get regular checkups and seek help when we need it.
My friend Jennifer Unger, the beautiful woman on the cover this month, has been living through a physical battle that I cannot even imagine. Jennifer is the executive director of Texarkana Regional Arts and Humanities Council (TRAHC), a wonderful nonprofit and cornerstone of the local art community. Jennifer is also a wonderful mom, wife, leader, and volunteer on top of being the “boss” at her job. I have followed Jennifer’s breast cancer journey on social media and through my daughter. Emily volunteers on Friday afternoons at the Regional Arts Center, and she keeps me up-to-date on Jennifer’s health, as well as all-things TRAHC. This past Friday, Emily came home from TRAHC and gave me the new lowdown; so much has been going on at TRAHC since they received the generous donation of the Offenhauser Insurance building at 518 Pine Street.
“You know, Mom,” Emily said, “Jennifer has a lot to do, and people depend on her.”
INSPIRE THE PESSIMIST
ELEVATE THE OPTIMIST
STIR THE MIND
ENTERTAIN THE SOUL
My conversation with Emily about Jennifer was so positive and hopeful about family, the future of TRAHC, and life in general. Emily told me that Jennifer decided to share her story with Four States Living to help raise awareness.
I think back over the last year and a half and how much has changed for Jennifer. I remember seeing the social media post when she announced that she had breast cancer and was going to have to have a double mastectomy. I remember when she shaved her head because the chemotherapy caused her hair to fall out in clumps. I remember seeing her last November at a function at the fairgrounds, and she was using a walker because her body was so sick. The following month, when Texarkana celebrated its sesquicentennial, I watched in awe as Jennifer, standing on stage at the Perot Theatre, rocked her announcements to a crowd of people. And, I remember when she was rushed to the emergency room after a surgical procedure, and how hard Emily and I prayed for her recovery.
Jennifer just kept going. And, in spite of cancer, life kept rolling for the Ungers.
Today, as Emily has told me now several times, “Jennifer is just so glad she feels better because she’s got stuff to do.”
I’ve been thinking about how, when going through any health challenge, it is critical to have purpose—people, places, animals, causes, or passions that provide the much-needed energy required to persevere, recover, and heal. It is clear that Jennifer has a lot to live for—her family, friends, community, job, interests, joys. I do, too.
We never know when life will throw us a curveball, but it will. In the meantime, get your checkups, your mammograms, your screenings. And don’t be afraid to get out from under the covers to seek help if you need it. Being mentally well is important, too. There are people who need you and care about you, so if you don’t want to do it for yourself, do it for them. Trust me; I speak from experience.
I hope you read all of the stories we feature this month—which is Breast Cancer Awareness Month—about women, women’s health, and healthcare in general. Strong, healthy women make strong, healthy societies. I hope these stories inspire you to take care not only of yourself but also of the people around you. As always, thanks for reading FSLM.
We welcome information regarding topics of interest for future publications. If you have a story or photos that in some way depicts living or visiting in the Four States area and would be of interest to our readers, we want to hear from you. Call 903-792 -2262 or write: Editorial Department, Four States Living Magazine, 4104 Summerhill Square, Texarkana, Texas 75503. Comments are also welcome at our e-mail address: info@fourstatesliving.com
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ON THE COVER OCTOBER 2024
Jennifer Unger is a person who loves serving others, but when a cancer diagnosis caught her off-guard, she was forced to adjust to a season of receiving help rather than giving it. This experience, she said, provided many lessons and broadened her perspective.
Read Jennifer’s story on page 12.
Suzy Osburn’s home birth, two years to the day after the tragic loss of her brother, represents redemption and hope for the entire family.
Read about Suzy’s journey on page 18.
SCENE ABOUT TOWN
TRAHC HELD A BEHIND-THE-SCENES TOUR OF THEIR SECOND LOCATION AND NEW ART SPACE AT 518 PINE STREET ON THURSDAY, AUGUST 22ND.
Lydia Wommack, Gary Gathright, Bob Bruggeman, and Phyllis Deese
Debbie Alkire, Melanie Cockerell, and Gail Eichler
Jacob Hill and Haley Rushing-Hill, Madeleine Russell, and Jennifer Unger Chris Thomas and Darlene Taylor
Tammie Duncan and Andrea Williams-McCoy
Marcus Zwiebel and Alisha Tarbill
Mark and Cathy Van Herpen
Lacy McMillen and Jane Bruner
Kay Thomas and Rhonda Dolberry
Sara Vaughn and Tiffany Runion Dean and LaCrecia Barry
Deborah and George Nuckolls
Phyllis Deese and Louise Tausch
Lydia Wommack and Kim Fowler
A SHIFT IN PERSPECTIVE
Cancer taught Jennifer Unger how to accept help from her community
by DR. JENNY M C CORMACK WALKER
Jennifer Unger has always been a planner who likes to dive into the details. Multitasking is her superpower, and her visionary approach to leadership pushes her to think many steps ahead. A self-proclaimed type-A personality, Jennifer excels in her career as the executive director of the Texarkana Regional Arts and Humanities Council (TRAHC). However, a breast cancer diagnosis forced her to travel down a path filled with variables she could not control, and it often limited her from planning anything past her next chemotherapy treatment. She described her experience as a “complete paradigm shift” in the way she approaches life and service to others.
“I was a fairly healthy person,” Jennifer said. “This was a really big shock to me, especially considering I’d had a clear mammogram just a few months before I found the lump. I went from nothing in November to a seven-centimeter tumor in April. That just shows you how quickly this was growing.”
The days that followed included a visit with her doctor and subsequent mammogram, sonogram, and biopsy of the lump. A late-afternoon call from her doctor confirmed her fears: the type of cancer she had, HER2+, was aggressive, and she had already progressed to stage II. She called her husband, Mike, and when they made it home that evening, they sat down to share the news with their teenage children, Tyler and Rebecca.
I was glad my mom taught my sisters and me how to cook, so that was never an issue. The idea of ‘that’s not my job’ did not exist with us.”
It wasn’t only the immediate family that stepped up to support Jennifer. Mike’s sisters helped with the kids, especially during surgeries. Fellow members of Fellowship Bible Church as well as Jennifer’s TRAHC colleagues rallied to support the Ungers. They also received local assistance from the Tough Kookie Foundation, Friends for a Cause, and cancer support groups. Taking advantage of such services was a new experience for Jennifer.
“All of our lives changed from that one phone call,” Jennifer said. “When I told them, it became real. Everyone has a path in life, and this became our path. I knew it was going to change everything. We decided to hold on tight to each other and make it over this bump in the road.”
“We knew that whatever needed to be done just needed to be done,” Mike added. “During chemo days, Tyler took Becca to school.
“It was a complete paradigm shift for me,” she said. “To go from being someone who loves to be in service of others to being on the receiving end was really hard. It broadened my perspective and was a good lesson for me.”
Jennifer underwent a double mastectomy and reconstructive surgery. Each procedure was accompanied by major complications.
“As we were leaving for one of my surgeries, Mike grabbed his firstaid backpack on a whim,” Jennifer recalled. “He’s such a good Boy Scout: always prepared. It was a good thing, because after they released me from the hospital, I started having issues before we made it home. He took care of me until we could get back to the hospital.”
The complications she faced after her reconstructive surgery were much larger than a first-aid kit.
“For my reconstruction, I was in surgery for 7.5 hours and had two surgeons,” Jennifer said. “I was in the hospital for a full week, and they sent me home to recover with the help of home-health visits. I knew that I was in a lot of pain and having trouble breathing, but after you’ve had a surgery like that, you think it must be normal. When the home-health nurse checked my
Tyler, Jennifer, Rebecca, and Mike Unger
oxygen, she found that my oxygen levels were very low, and there were no breath sounds in one lung.”
Jennifer immediately went to the emergency room, where she discovered that her lung had collapsed and was filled with fluid and blood. They airlifted her to Dallas where she would spend the next eight days.
“I was really afraid,” Jennifer said. “We all were, but Becca tried to find the positive. She said, ‘Well, looks like you got to check “riding in a helicopter” off of your bucket list!’”
While it sometimes hurt for her to laugh, Jennifer said laughter was the best medicine, and her family offered it freely.
“Mike is so funny,” Jennifer said. “Humor is his love language, and he kept me smiling even in serious times.”
Although Jennifer and her family faced some of their toughest days over the last two years, they also saw many blessings unfold.
“I’ve always been a woman of faith,” Jennifer said. “I have prayed more than I ever have through this. My children have seen the true impact it makes when people in our community step in to help. Little things that people did along the way showed us so much love and kindness. A friend from our church took Becca shopping when I couldn’t. People came over and mowed our yard. They sent DoorDash. They put together meal sign-ups and would call while they were at the grocery store and ask if they could pick up things for us while they were there. It’s hard to ask for help, but sometimes people just did things that they knew needed to be done. It made me look at giving with a completely different perspective.”
Jennifer’s cancer journey changed Mike, too: it deepened his admiration of his wife.
submitted
photo | all other photos by SHANE
DARBY
Jennifer during one of her chemo treatments.
“
Early detection is the key. If this helps even one person, I know I will have made a difference.
”
“I knew she was a very determined and strong-willed person before this,” he said. “But seeing her cry and wipe her face and then say, ‘Okay, we are going to get through this,’ just makes me so proud of her. This amount of strength and resilience is something I haven’t seen in 24 years. I love her more than I ever have.”
Jennifer recently completed her final round of chemotherapy, and she will need one more surgery before she can focus solely on her healing and recovery. She still feels the effects the disease and its treatments have had on her body—a metallic taste that does not go away, scar tissue, neuropathy, and exhaustion. The hair she lost has grown back with a different color and texture. For the rest of her life, she will face routine appointments, scans, and bloodwork to check for cancer—but she is grateful for preventative medicine. After all, early detection likely saved her life.
“Had I not paid attention to my body and immediately gone to the doctor, I would have had a very different prognosis,” she said. “Early detection is the key. If this helps even one person, I know I will have made a difference.”
A DAY RESTORED
The Osburns’ pregnancy and home birth represent redemption after loss
by DR. JENNY M c CORMACK WALKER
photos by KATELYN PEEK
In the midst of tragedy, priorities often shift. This happened for Suzy Osburn when, on July 23rd, 2022, her brother, Christopher Trumble, passed away unexpectedly. The family was shattered by the loss.
“I remember telling people that was the worst day of my life,” Suzy said. “I had never experienced loss quite like that. I have lost grandparents, but the loss of a younger sibling before their time . . . it’s just stabbing. It is devastating.”
A few weeks later, Suzy’s husband, Kyle, sat her down to discuss a serious matter—his desire to add a baby to their family.
“My jaw hit the ground,” Suzy said. “I was like, ‘Are you kidding me? I had been praying for another baby, and now you’re telling me that you secretly wanted another baby the whole time, too?’ I almost could not believe it.”
However, Suzy and Kyle knew that having a baby was not going to be an easy task. The parents already had three children, all stacked close in age. After their third child was born, the couple decided their family was complete, and Kyle had a vasectomy.
“We made that decision together,” Suzy said. “But, when all of the kids were 5 and up—it’s like you don’t have a baby anymore. No one is napping. Everyone’s out of diapers. Everyone can swim. You don’t have to have your eyes on them for every second. So that’s when I started to want another baby, and I started regretting our decision of the vasectomy.”
The couple researched vasectomy reversal, and they found a doctor in New Braunfels, Texas, Dr. Loddie Roeder, who performed vasectomy reversals as his “ministry.” This appealed to the Osburns, so they set up an appointment.
My other brother texted our family group and said, ‘Just like that, God restored the day, and now this day is good.’
”
“We called and found out that Dr. Roeder was retiring, and he had one more appointment available,” Suzy said. “And it was for the week of our wedding anniversary. What are the odds?”
Kyle underwent the procedure in October 2022, and the family prayed for a positive outcome.
“There were no promises that the reversal was going to work,” Suzy said. “Kyle had the vasectomy for seven years. We were trusting God and knew that if it was meant to be, it would happen.”
One year later, it did. In November 2023, Suzy found out she was expecting, and their family was elated. For years, she had dreamed of having a baby, and her kids dreamed of having a new sibling.
As they talked about the birth, Suzy and Kyle decided on a home birth, as it had always been Suzy’s dream. She had tried to convince Kyle to have a home birth with her previous babies, but he wasn’t sure. However, after having seen Suzy birth three children with ease, he felt more comfortable with a home birth this time around. They researched and interviewed different midwives in the area. They ultimately hired Gabrielle Thrailkill of Genesis Home Birth Services. Gabrielle has served as a midwife for 42 years and assisted with roughly 1,000 births.
“She had a lot of history and a lot of knowledge,” Suzy said. “She told us, ‘If for any moment I think that something’s wrong, we will go to the hospital.’ We just felt like we trusted her, and we trusted her judgment.”
When Suzy went into labor on July 22nd, 2024, at 10 p.m., her immediate family, extended family, and friends, as well
as a photographer, all made their way to the Osburns’ Douglasville home.
“When Gabrielle arrived, she said, ‘Are we having a party?’” Suzy recalled. “And I was like, ‘Yeah, pretty much.’ It felt like a party. Everyone was just hanging out on the back porch. My mom was baking cookies and making sandwiches for everyone. I was completely fine in between the contractions. When I had a contraction, I would just kind of walk away and let the contraction pass.”
Labor intensified around midnight, and Gabrielle realized that the baby had his hand up with his fist positioned on his chin. Because of this positioning, and because he was a larger baby than her other three, Suzy was in a lot of pain. She had to get in and out of the birthing pool and change positions a few times, but after a few hours, Arrow Joel Osburn made his debut into the family. His name was inspired by Psalm 127:4 (“Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are the children of one’s youth”). He was born on July 23rd, 2024—the second anniversary of his uncle’s death.
“My other brother texted our family group and said, ‘Just like that, God restored the day, and now this day is good,’” Suzy said. “There are no coincidences, only God. He gave us joy for mourning, beauty from ashes. And now, on that day, I’ll never forget just what God did. He knew the perfect time to bring this boy to our family and when we needed it.”
The Osburns chose Gabrielle Thrailkill as their midwife.
Arrow Osburn is one of around 1,000 babies she has helped deliver.
OPPORTUNITIES, INC., HELD ITS 35TH ANNUAL GOLF INVITATIONAL AT THE TEXARKANA COUNTRY CLUB ON MONDAY SEPTEMBER 16TH.
Char Crane, Mel Walsh, Stephanie James, and Morgan Pritchett
Danielle Patterson, Katie Andrus, Dan Boever, Lyndsey Craig, and Lisa Thompson
Ty Patterson, Vickers Fuqua, Thomas Fuqua, Corie Woodman, Tim Asimos, and Matt Wilson
Sonny Brainerd and Stephanie Wright
Jeff Maneth, Robee Carter, Reese Shuffield, and Andy Woodman
Bruce Hornbuckle, Garrett Gresham, Anthony Giamello, and Jeff McGuire
Russell Sparks, Mike Craven, Gavin Escamilla, and Randy King
Cary Patterson, Dr. Randy Schmidt, Dr. Mark Looney, and Royce James
Eric Cain, Brianna Baird, Daniel Nichols, Natalie McQueen, and Joe Nichols
Alana Morel, Nicole Wilson, Corie Woodman, and Susan Owens
THE RESILIENT MUSCADINE
by ROBIN PROCTOR
For an aspiring homesteader such as myself, successfully introducing a new crop into my garden offers a huge sense of accomplishment. Last summer, it was cucamelons. This summer, it was muscadines. Few fruits capture the essence of southern living like this bold grape. Although these grapes have been growing wild for hundreds of years, learning to tame and grow them in my garden was slightly intimidating. But because those beautiful little globes of sweetness offered so many possibilities with their versatility and distinct flavor, I had to try—and I had just the right spot to plant them.
Some people might be unfamiliar with the muscadine since it’s not available in local grocery stores. Historically, the muscadine is native to the southeastern United States. Harsh weather conditions and high humidity don’t phase this little treasure, and it has the added benefit of being diseaseresistant. In short, it laughs in the face of Mother Nature!
My own journey with the muscadine hasn’t been short. When I was a child, my dad, Bobby Choate, experimented with the fruit. If you were lucky enough to have met my dad, you know that, with him, there were very few dull moments. One evening, as we all sat watching one of the three channels available, we were startled by a very loud explosion resonating from our utility room. A week earlier, despite my mother’s disapproval, my dad had decided to build a homemade still to make muscadine wine. As we slid back the pocket door, we stood frozen in disbelief as mom’s utility room had been freshly redecorated with purple splotches. Apparently, the valve to let pressure off had stopped functioning, creating our own little “wine bomb.” Dad’s wine-making career came to an abrupt halt.
My own journey with cultivating these little morsels began a couple of years ago when my father passed away. We as a family were left with the task of cleaning up his shop area. In all fairness, he had warned us many times, “I am leaving y’all a mess!” As daunting as this task was, it was also an opportunity to reminisce with laughter and tears. Standing steadfast against the side of Daddy’s shop were two curved pieces of time-tested metal pipe— what was left of an arbor. At my request, many years earlier, Dad had rescued this arbor from my grandparents’ home, as it was being torn down. As a child, I had played under the rose-covered arbor, and I couldn’t bear to see it torn down and discarded. We untwisted the rusted bailing
wire, and my husband carefully loaded it onto the trailer. My treasure, now claimed. I must admit, it took a couple of months to land on the perfect location for my arbor. Once decided, I knew that it would someday make the perfect home for vibrant, deep-purple muscadines. This past spring, as I spied the tiniest of green grapes, I knew that “someday” was near. I was so encouraged that this would be the beginning of a beautiful friendship: me and my muscadines.
For the homesteader, muscadines offer a delightful challenge: what to do with them all. The possibilities are endless. Muscadines make delicious jellies, jams, syrups, juices, and teas—and we can’t forget the famous muscadine wine. I am sad to say that an abundance of fruit is not a problem for me quite yet, but the future is looking bright.
In my journey, and others’, of homesteading, true self-reliance comes from cultivating, growing, and harvesting plants that continue to give back each year. As the summer season comes to an end, my goal is to harvest and salvage seeds that will be planted the following year. Luckily, other than a bit of careful pruning, the resilient muscadine requires very little care and will produce crops that will keep us fed for years. As I stand among the vines, hands stained with juice and basket brimming with fruit, under my grandmother’s arbor that was rescued by my dad and replanted by my husband, I treasure this connection to those before me who recognized the value of the resilient muscadine.
Robin Choate Proctor was born and raised in Texarkana, Texas. After graduating from Texas High School, she pursued a music career which eventually led her to Nashville, Tennessee. Robin returned to Texarkana and completed her degree in education at Texas A&M–Texarkana. Robin is married to Danny Proctor and has one son, Chase Proctor, along with three beautiful grandchildren. As an amateur homesteader, Robin enjoys sharing her ideas and experiences about her time in her garden, greenhouse, chicken coop, and kitchen.
SCENE ABOUT TOWN
TEMPLE MEMORIAL PEDIATRIC CENTER HELD ITS ANNUAL DRAWDOWN & CASINO NIGHT AT THE HOLIDAY INN CONVENTION CENTER ON THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 12TH.
Sandy Varner, Gina Parish, and Billie Pritchett
Will and Traci Garvin
Glenn Henry and Debbie Ann Butler
Stacye Magness and Whitney Hall Gina Foster, Tammy Strickland, and LaRinda Harjo
Mike and Sylvia Ingram with Becky and Robert Bunch
Carol Pearcy, Jeaninne Walker, and Ariel Edwards Kasey Coggins and Lauren Pilgreen
Melinda Vammen, Tracy Jones, and Kimberly Davis
Summer Nelson, Shannon Rowe, and Kendal Howe
Pamela Beck and Dr. Cindy Porter
Benton and Mandy Cater
Heather and Ronnie Post
Jamie and Robbin Bass
DANCING WITH DIABETES
by TONY BASSO
According to the Mayo Clinic, type 1 diabetes affects over 1.25 million Americans. This condition requires constant attention and presents a plethora of challenges for those who live with it. Among those affected is 17-year old Emma Barr, who is a competitive dancer and senior at Texas High School. Emma is committed to living life to its fullest, not letting her diagnosis slow her down.
“I was first diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 2019, when I was 12 years old,” Emma said. “My mom noticed I was acting strange. She called her aunt, whose son is a type 1 diabetic. The next day, we went to the emergency room. There, they ran some tests and discovered that I had type 1 diabetes and sent us on to Dallas Children’s Hospital.”
Student and dancer Emma Barr manages her chronic illness with grace
photo by ERIN TREADWAY PHOTOGRAPHY
photo by SHANE DARBY
Emma uses a continuous glucose monitor on her arm to keep track of her glucose levels.
Emma and her family were shocked to learn of her diagnosis and feared the challenges of the road ahead.
“I had no clue what diabetes really was,” Emma said. “I didn’t know that there were different types; I was just not very educated. It was a huge shock, finding out that I would have to be dealing with this the rest of my life. I learned that I would have to take insulin [and] that I would be checking my blood sugar every single day, multiple times a day. I would have to watch my carb intake because how much insulin you take depends on your carb ratio.”
While still in the hospital after her initial diagnosis, Emma made a promise to herself that she would carry with her for a lifetime.
“It was really hard to take in that this would be something to deal with for the rest of my life,” Emma said. “Sitting in that hospital bed, I told myself that this isn’t going to make me stop doing things I love. This isn’t going to keep me from eating my favorite pasta and cookies. I try to keep in mind that I’m still going to be able to do everything I always have been, and I can still aim for the stars.”
Despite this vow, Emma was scared. At 12, she was already a serious dancer, but her diagnosis shook her confidence.
“When I was first diagnosed, the following season, I did not do competitive dance. I was just a little nervous, having this new autoimmune disease,” she shared. “The next year, I got back into [dance] and school cheer, and I made it through. At first, I was kind of scared of what I would have to do to keep dancing. However, I eventually overcame that fear and just figured it out.”
Emma is now in her third season as a member of her school’s drill team, the THS Highsteppers. As a Highstepper, Emma spends hours practicing after school multiple times a week and performs at home and away. Often, after performing out-of-town, the team bus will return to campus in the wee hours of the morning. The physical
Emma with Lauren Friday, captain of the Texas High Highsteppers.
submitted photo
exertion of training, performing, competing, and traveling means that Emma has to take even more care to manage her condition.
“When you exercise, you have to check your blood sugar before, during, after,” Emma explained. “The way I eat, how I eat, what I eat, when I exercise, how I exercise, how much I exercise—things like that all have to be monitored.”
I have not let diabetes stop me. I’ve just kept living life how I always have, with a few modifications. “ ”
After she graduates from high school this May, Emma will head to Fayetteville, Arkansas, where she will attend the University of Arkansas and study to become a lawyer. She is aware of the new challenges she will face, managing her condition away from home, but she is confident in her ability.
“I already manage [my diabetes] all by myself for the most part,” she said. “There are times when my mother will wake me up because my blood sugar is low, and she definitely helps pick up prescriptions. I will not have that in college. But I give myself shots, count my carbs, and put on my sensors on my own.”
Emma said that, over the last five years, she has learned an important lesson.
“I have not let diabetes stop me,” she said. “I’ve just kept living life how I always have, with a few modifications. I learned that you never know what is going to happen or when something can happen, but in the end, it will all be okay.”
by SHANE DARBY
photo
TAKING CANCER TO THE MAT
Breast cancer survivor Jessica Gray grieves, heals, and gives back through yoga
by SARAH VAMMEN
Practicing yoga gives Jessica Gray peace, healing, and balance. It also gave her the strength she needed to contend with two cancer journeys—her mother’s and her own.
In 2010, Jessica was one year into her career as an independent hairstylist when her mother was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Her flexible occupation allowed her to shift her schedule and take care of her mother as she underwent treatment for the aggressive disease.
“My mother was one of the few pancreatic cancer patients who lived more than one year,” Jessica said. She died in 2016.
While grappling with the tragic loss of her mother, Jessica turned to yoga and began practicing at Texarkana Yoga. She spent several years at the studio building community, grieving, and healing. “The place became so much more than a place to exercise for me,” she said. “It gave me a quiet space to connect with God.”
“
Cancer changes everything. I like to think I have slowed down, even when life’s pace quickens.
”
In October 2020, while Jessica was pursuing her yoga teacher training certification, the studio was put up for sale. Jessica bought it and became the new owner of Texarkana Yoga.
“I felt led to buy the studio so I could have a platform to love on people, give everyone a space to feel seen and heard, and give them a space to process and heal,” she said. “It’s my ministry.”
For the next three years, Jessica ran the studio, taught classes, worked as a hairstylist, and raised her two children, Luke and Everleigh. All the while, she feared a cancer diagnosis of her own. “My mom mentioned genetic testing before, but I told her no—that ignorance is bliss,” Jessica said. “And it is, until it’s not.”
In 2023, Jessica’s fears were realized.
“I found the lump by accident,” she said. She was holding a water cup against her chest. “The cup rolled over the knot as I was adjusting the cup to bend to grab some laundry.”
Jessica was diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma, a common type of breast cancer. Upon receiving her diagnosis, Jessica changed her mind about genetic testing. She learned she was positive for the BRCA 2 gene mutation, which increased her risk of developing breast cancer, ovarian cancer, melanoma, and pancreatic cancer.
“I ultimately chose to do [genetic testing] so I could be aware for my children’s future,” she said. Having this knowledge helped her develop a treatment plan, as well as a plan to manage her health and risk of developing further cancers.
Jessica underwent a double mastectomy. In addition, she was prescribed chemotherapy and radiation. However, she felt led to pursue other options.
“I believe no two cancer journeys look the same, and each person should find the right path for them—whether they take a holistic, integrative, or conventional approach to treatment,” she said. Jessica ultimately chose a completely holistic treatment protocol. “I was put in touch with Jill Rowe, a local breast cancer survivor and thriver. She pointed me in the direction of her holistic doctor,” she said. Jessica worked with Lindsay Kirkwood to find a regime of natural supplements that would target Jessica’s specific form of cancer.
other photos by SHANE
DARBY
Rocky, Everleigh, Luke, and Jessica Gray
Through her faith and family, Jessica was able to cope with the fear and anxiety that accompanied her diagnosis, treatment, surgeries, and recovery. “My husband was and is my biggest supporter, and my children went above and beyond, taking on many new responsibilities this year,” she said. Yoga also pulled Jessica through some of the hardest parts of her cancer treatment.
“I was advised not to practice yoga for six weeks after my mastectomy, which is basically an amputation, but my surgeon knew I wouldn’t be able to wait,” she said. “He told me he knew yogis have a great sense of body awareness and to listen to my body.” Within three weeks, Jessica began moving her body again—taking it slow and doing what she felt she could. “At four weeks post-surgery, I did a very slow, modified sun salutation. At six weeks, I went back to teaching yoga. I know without a doubt that yoga is the reason I bounced back so quickly.”
Today, Jessica’s cancer is in remission. She works hard daily to heal, process her experience, stay healthy, and find joy. “I try to be as healthy as I can and do all the things—daily supplements, a special diet catered to my body, grounding, cold plunges, therapy, and of course yoga. My doctors and I also keep a close watch on my hormones and tumor markers,” she said.
With her treatment behind her, Jessica is focusing her time on helping others live well with cancer. “I am working on a special yoga class for breast cancer thrivers and survivors that will focus on opening up the chest muscles to prepare for surgery and recovery, while also coping with the stress of it all,” she said. Her first class will be held on Sunday, October 13th at 5 p.m., free of charge.
Though Jessica remains busy as a wife, mother, hairstylist, yoga instructor, and business owner, her breast cancer journey shifted her perspective on life. “Cancer changes everything,” she said. “I like to think I have slowed down, even when life’s pace quickens.”
Jessica became the owner of Texarkana Yoga in October 2020.
SCENE ABOUT TOWN
NEWK’S HELD ITS ANNUAL “RUN TEAL THERE’S A CURE” 5K RACE BENEFITING THE OVARIAN CANCER RESEARCH ALLIANCE AT SPRING LAKE PARK ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 14TH.
Jonathan Coleson, Miles Black, and Aaron Alsup
Allison Sitzes and Will Sitzes
Stephanie Hawkins and Aaron Alsup
Blaine Sapaugh and Glenda Griffin
TRAINING AND RETAINING
The UAMS Southwest family medicine residency program has trained local practitioners for over three decades
article by ELLEN ORR photos by SHANE DARBY
Though we often think of health as an individual matter— concerning a person’s diet, movement, sleep, medication, and so forth— Dr. Matthew Nix is keenly aware that the pursuit of health is a community endeavor. In particular, he is passionate about the community value of family physicians.
“You can drop a family doctor in a community, and just by the fact that they’re there, practicing preventative medicine, mortality drops, hospitalizations drop, ER visits drop, insurances spend less money,” he said. “It’s vital—and the research proves this—for patients to have that personal physician whom they see over time.”
Matthew is the program director of the family medicine residency program at the UAMS Southwest Regional Campus, located on U of A Way in Texarkana. The residency began training doctors in 1993 and has, over the last 31 years, produced 203 family physicians, including Matthew himself, who completed his residency in 2006. Around 73% of those doctors have remained in Arkansas or Texas, with many in Texarkana and surrounding areas. This is by design.
“In the 1950s and ‘60s, all of the [Arkansas] residencies were in Little Rock, and it was very hard to get family physicians to practice outside of Little Rock,” Matthew explained. Studies conducted in that era showed that about 60% of residents stayed within 100 miles of their residencies, and 40% of those stayed within 25 miles.
“So the thinking at the time was, ‘Why don’t we start training doctors where we want them to practice?’” he continued. “And that has involved community-based programs.”
In 1971, Congress developed the Area Health Education Center (AHEC) model. These healthcare hubs continue to harness the resources of academic medicine to recruit, train, and retain healthcare professionals in underserved communities. Today, over 85% of US counties benefit from AHECs, but when Arkansas began establishing them in 1973, there were very few; in fact, Matthew said, Arkansas was the second state to adopt the AHEC system (after North Carolina). By 1976, Arkansas was home to six AHECs, including UAMS AHEC Southwest, located in Texarkana.
At its inception, the Texarkana AHEC was primarily a medical library, located within St. Michael Hospital. While the other five Arkansas AHECs had launched residencies by 1980, “the money ran out at Texarkana,” Matthew said.
Enter senator and Texarkana champion Wayne Dowd, who served as president of the Arkansas State Senate during Bill Clinton’s governorship and helped pass much of Clinton’s agenda.
Senator Dowd, whom Matthew helped care for over the years at the UAMS Southwest Family Medical Center, recalled to Matthew that, in 1991, before Clinton left the governor’s mansion to campaign for presidency, he asked Dowd what favor he could provide, as thanks for his legislative support. As the story goes, Dowd said he wanted a family medicine residency program in Texarkana. In 1992, funding was approved, and in 1993, the first class of residents was accepted.
Matthew, a native of Texarkana,
Dr. Matthew Nix (seated) reviews a case with residents Russell Gregory, M.D., Kaiyang Feng, D.O., Andrew LeGrand, D.O., and Raha Amini, M.D. (left to right)
The philosophy of training physicians in a local community really has worked out very well for this community.
Arkansas, never planned to return to Texarkana, or to practice family medicine, though he did know from a young age that he wanted to be a doctor. Matthew’s mother was a nurse, and he thus spent many childhood hours in hospitals and getting to know doctors and other medical professionals.
“I remember several cases when I needed to wear a tie for something, and it always seemed to happen when my dad was working, so my mom would say, ‘Just come to the hospital,’” Matthew recounted. “She’d find a doctor to tie my tie, and one that she frequently got was [the late] Dr. Donald Duncan. He would tie my tie and talk to me. Just saying some positive things can make a huge impression on a young child. He’s a big part of my ‘pipeline story.’”
Matthew is passionate about the “pipeline”—a constellation of programs for local young people that expose them to healthcare professions and support them through their medical education and career journeys. He cited HOSA—the Healthcare Occupations Students Association—as a major contributor to the long-term health of a community. UAMS and Arkansas HOSA have for many years worked together to execute programs for area K-12 students.
Dr. Nix examines a patient with two residents.
Matthew’s own brother, in fact, participated in these programs; he is now a pharmacist at a VA hospital in Florida.
After attending the University of Central Arkansas for undergraduate, Matthew pursued a medical degree from UAMS with the intent to practice as an oncologist in a metropolitan area. When, in his first year of med school, a medical-specialty selector test indicated that he was best suited for family medicine, he scoffed. When he was required to take the assessment again the following year, he received the same results.
During the summer after his second year, Matthew took advantage of a training opportunity that came with a stipend—money he desperately needed. The program sent medical students to small towns to shadow family practitioners. Matthew went to Sheridan, Arkansas. It was during that rotation, he said, that he accepted that family medicine was, in fact, where he belonged.
“I always tell medical students, ‘You have to find your people,’” Matthew said, “because personalities do gravitate to certain disciplines. When I was hanging around obstetricians, I found that I didn’t really think like an obstetrician. When I was hanging around surgeons, [I found that] I didn’t really think like them, either. Then I was hanging around family medicine and realized, ‘Oh, these are my people.’”
In his third year of medical school, Matthew chose to complete his month-long family medicine clerkship in Texarkana, primarily so his son could spend time with Matthew’s parents. Then, Matthew “fell in love with the faculty, with the program, with the other residents, with the staff,” he said. “I decided to try to match here [for residency]. And I was accepted.”
What Matthew loves about family medicine—and, in particular, practicing family medicine at the Texarkana AHEC—is working
with other professionals and the patients themselves to improve the lives of community members. Family doctors, he said, are trained to understand patients holistically.
Family medicine was not established as a medical specialty until 1969. The American public of the ‘60s was dissatisfied by the available medical care—namely because of the doctor shortage, the inaccessibility of healthcare in small towns and inner cities, and the increasing depersonalization of medical care.
“A famous physician said, ‘There are 57 different varieties of specialists to diagnose and treat 57 different varieties of diseases, but no physician to take care of the patient,’” Matthew recalled. “And that’s what family medicine is.”
Caring for patients and training new doctors have long been Matthew’s primarily occupational responsibilities. But, when he was named program director in 2023, his job duties expanded to include more big-picture tasks. He said that one of his primary goals as director is to raise community awareness of the residency program and the AHEC as a whole. The purpose, he explained, is to encourage even more community involvement in the development, recruitment, education, and retention of high-quality healthcare professionals.
“Texarkana is very fortunate,” he said. “The residency program could not exist without our two extremely supportive hospitals, CHRISTUS St. Michael and Wadley Regional.” He also referred to the many local specialists who volunteer their time to educate the residents, as well as the area corporate partners who sponsor pipeline programs such as MASH (Medical Applications of Science for Health) Camp. “The philosophy of training physicians in a local community really has worked out very well for this community.”
ZEPHANIAH BLACK
by BAYLOR M c LELLAND
In most high schools, it takes a lot for a student to be universally liked by their peers; it’s rare to find someone who everyone genuinely enjoys being around. But for Zephaniah Black, a junior student-athlete at Arkansas High School, popularity hasn’t been much of a challenge.
“His character and dedication set a standard for all to follow,” biology teacher Colette Reid said.
At 16, Zephaniah is not only a student on his high school campus but also part of the Arkansas High School Collegiate Academy at UAHT. This unique opportunity allows him to chase his dreams at a faster pace than if he had stayed solely at Arkansas High.
“If [collegiate] sports don’t work out, I plan to go to Fayetteville, get a degree in biology, and then go to medical school to become an anesthesiologist,” he explained. “The Collegiate Academy is helping me by knocking out two years of school already.”
This accelerated route gives Zephaniah more freedom than the traditional high school path, offering him a glimpse into adult responsibilities. “You have more freedom since they treat you like an adult,” he said. “Your priorities come first. If you’re a day behind, those grades aren’t going to be put in anytime soon.”
Despite the pressures of balancing college-level courses with high school life, extracurriculars, and sports, Zephaniah handles it all with remarkable ease. “I’m involved in student council, football, track, and Razorback TV, and I was in wrestling, but this year I couldn’t compete because I was too busy with school and track,” he shared, offering a glimpse into his packed schedule.
Zephaniah has made a name for himself in each of these activities, with classmates and loved ones always cheering him on. “My family, my teachers, my peers, and other students like Izaih Ivy and Isaiah Erwin— they help me keep my head up,” he said. Ivy and Erwin, fellow football players at Arkansas High, have become his close friends over the years, united by their love for the sport. “When I’m feeling down, they cheer me up and help me get through the day.”
Though football is important to him, Zephaniah’s true passion lies in track. “I feel most motivated by track,” he said. “I carried on with the school’s track team through May, and as soon as that ended, we started Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) track, which runs until August.” Over the summer, he worked with The Black Mambas, a local track team that travels across the country. “By the time we get to the Junior Olympics, we’ve already raced people from all over the US, so we have the confidence we need,” he said.
Despite battling a broken ankle for most of the 2023 summer track season, Zephaniah still managed to secure first place in the 100-meter dash and second place in the 200-meter dash at a meet in Las Vegas. This year, he pulled his hamstring at the first meet, but even injury didn’t stop him from supporting his team. “I’m looking forward to redeeming myself and taking Arkansas High’s 100- and 200-meter records,” he said, his determination unwavering.
It’s not just his athletic prowess that sets him apart. In the classroom, Zephaniah’s teachers recognize his strong work ethic. “He’s a student first and an athlete second,” said Hannah Hubrel, who was his freshman biology teacher.
Zephaniah balances his academic and athletic commitments with grace, showing his peers and teachers alike what it means to work hard. His ability to excel in multiple arenas is impressive, but it’s his attitude and humility that truly make him stand out.
Beyond school, Zephaniah is also passionate about giving back to his community.
“This winter, my dad and I are planning to go out and feed the homeless and give them free haircuts,” he shared. “We’re trying to get some local barbers involved to help out. It’s a big plan we both want to make happen.”
This isn’t the first time he’s stepped up to help others; he is a former member of The Omega Flames, a group that would “pack things and distribute them to the homeless, just like we do in student council,” he said.
Zephaniah said that the personal growth he experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic has enabled him to thrive. “I really had to mature,” he said. “I wouldn’t be ready to handle all this if it wasn’t for COVID.”
Though he still has two years of school left, Zephaniah Black has already proven himself to be a standout student, athlete, and community member. His unique blend of school spirit, determination, and kindness make him one of the most universally liked students on campus, and he continues to inspire those around him each day.
Baylor McLelland is a junior at Arkansas High School. He is a reporter for the RazorbackTV program and content creator on his YouTube channel, “BaylorWuzHere.” He plans to graduate in 2026 and pursue a college degree in film.
photos by KEVIN SUTTON AT TXK SPORTS
WHERE YOU LEAD
Emboldened by a friend’s example, Jessica Pickens confronted her BRCA 1 gene and saved her own life
by BRANDON SANDERS
In 2013, at age 25, Jessica Pickens discovered that she carried the BRCA 1 gene, which gave her a 65% chance of a fatal breast cancer diagnosis. A busy mother of two, she closed her eyes, hoping to forget about the threat. For the next few years, she concentrated on raising her children, Karson and Quinnleigh, all the while praying for a quiet, unannounced deliverance from a cancerous fate. Yet with each fond memory the Pickens family made, the latent terror of breast cancer crept into Jessica’s idle thoughts.
Jessica’s biggest supporters are her family. Pictured left to right are Karson, Jessica, Quinnleigh, and Dalton Pickens at Pike’s Peak in Colorado.
photo
photo by SHANE DARBY
After surgery, I felt very embarrassed of how I looked, but my husband made me feel confident in the decision I had made.
Things changed in 2021, when Jessica picked up Four States Living Magazine’s annual “Fabulous 40 and Under” issue. It showcased Jessica’s old friend Nikki Kitchens Morphew, who carried a similar gene. Jessica picked up her phone and reconnected with Nikki. They spoke at length of Nikki’s challenges and eventual victory over the CHEK 2 gene. Nikki laid out a road map for the journey that lay before Jessica, whether or not Jessica chose to pursue it proactively. All of her hesitancy faded as she stood at her stepfather’s graveside. Taken suddenly and far too early by an unexpected battle with cancer, he left behind a family reeling with his unanticipated loss. As Jessica wrestled with thoughts of her own mortality, the BRCA 1 gene, and the path in front of her, she looked up to see her two children and husband grieving the loss of their family member. How much worse would it be for them if she also descended into the ground?
At that moment, Jessica decided to meet the possibility of cancer head-on. Taking the advice of Nikki, she called Dr. Yara Robertson at the CARTI
Cancer Center in Little Rock. This quickly landed Jessica in Dr. Robertson’s office, where she underwent a vast array of tests and screens, which confirmed the threat to Jessica’s life and revealed a cyst already formed in her breast. Jessica chose to pursue a double mastectomy.
Many people feel that a double mastectomy is a sacrifice of more than just tissue. Understandably, it is a difficult choice to make for many people. For Jessica, however, the decision came easy: she valued her family more than the pain and sacrifice, she said. Still, when she saw her post-op body for the first time, the realization of what cancer stole from her became extremely real.
“After surgery, I felt very embarrassed of how I looked, but my husband made me feel confident in the decision I had made,” she said.
In the following weeks, Jessica dealt with the challenges of recovery and experienced the cost that comes with victory over cancer. Though in immense pain and unable to drive or lift heavy items (or children), she rejoiced in the light of the incredible support rendered by her employer, friends, and family. Throughout her six weeks of post-op recovery, Jessica realized that the decision to save her own life was a seed planted by Nikki’s example.
Desiring to pay it forward, Jessica stepped into a new identity and purpose. She now embraces her mission of raising awareness of the BRCA 1 gene and the proactive, preventative path.
Today, as Jessica looks at herself in the mirror, she no longer sees the fear of cancer or the loss of her breasts. Now, she sees her future, rich with family and friends, driven by purpose, and made possible by courage—both Nikki’s and her own.
EXQUISITE INTERIORS
TRANQUIL. BRIGHT. COZY.
by PHOEBE WARREN
Last year, Allie and Brandon Allbritton purchased a new “home” that was just a bare frame. With the help of local development company 2B Builders, they spent the next year transforming the property into their own personal paradise. In September 2023, the 4-bedroom, 3.5-bath masterpiece was completed and ready for the Allbrittons to move in. This luxurious home is situated in the rapidly expanding Myrtle Springs neighborhood of Texarkana.
family
photo by HANNAH WREN
| all other photos by SHANE DARBY
Allie enjoyed the opportunity to customize her new home, opting for tall ceilings, arched doorways, built-in shelving, expansive windows, and a bright, airy color scheme. “I just really like a clean look,” Allie explained. “I wanted warm, bright, and cozy.”
Having relocated from West Monroe, Louisiana, Allie and Brandon wanted to use the same lighting company they had worked with in their previous home: Ruston-based Hart Designs Lighting and Iron Work. The company outfitted their new home with fixtures, including a custom hanging lantern for the entryway.
Despite the grandeur of the tall ceilings, the living room feels cozy and inviting. Allie has skillfully blended a modern aesthetic with more traditional accent pieces. The living area is literally and figuratively warmed by a brick fireplace and Persian rug. The antique china hutch in the corner was painted by Allie’s grandmother in the 1950s.
The home’s dining room also maintains the delicate balance of crispness and coziness. The sleek, elongated table and chandelier evoke the charm of candlelit predecessors.
The Allbritton home has an open floor plan that seamlessly connects the living room, kitchen, and breakfast nook. The well-stocked, massive pantry beside the kitchen reveals Allie’s love of cooking. The kitchen’s focal point is the large, white-quartz island, accentuated by orbshaped pendant lights. A built-in bookshelf adds traditional charm, displaying antique decor and beloved cookbooks.
The breakfast nook features a beautiful, handcrafted wooden table and chairs from Oak Creek Amish Furniture, a local provider of highquality, artisanal pieces. A small gallery wall showcases a collection of paintings and pressedflower displays from Allie’s great-grandmother, as well as artwork collected during her travels.
The guest bedroom to the right of the living area features an antique black metal bed frame adorned with a colorful quilt, cat-shaped pillows from Allie’s great-grandmother’s home, and a snoozing gray tabby cat named Indy.
A hallway leads past a half bath to the primary bedroom suite. This hallway features a built-in shelf and shoe bench, painted in a beautiful sage green. Inside the half bath, a colorful green and gold theme complements the striking black hexagonal tile flooring. The primary bedroom is flooded with natural light. A plush, cream-colored upholstered bed frame is positioned against a white-slatted accent wall. The sleek, contemporary ensuite bathroom is befitted with quartz countertops, gleaming gold fixtures, and elegant gray tile floors.
A staircase of natural wood and black metal leads to the home’s second story. The upstairs bedroom belongs to Harper, Allie and Brandon’s daughter. Harper’s bedroom walls are painted soft pink. The space features a plush white bed frame adorned with faux trailing ivy vines, soft blankets, a couple of fuzzy moon chairs, and a built-in desk tucked into the right corner.
The home’s exterior is just as stunning as its interior, thanks to Cox Exterior Design & Development. Vibrant foliage provides pops of color against the building’s black-and-white facade. The expansive back patio offers a mix of covered and uncovered entertainment areas, with a paved walkway leading around the side to the front. An added highlight is Brandon’s immaculately organized workshop, a testament to his engineering background. “Brandon is an engineer, so he is meticulous and orderly,” Allie explained. The workshop’s crown jewel is a beautifully maintained 1969 Camaro; Brandon dedicates his free time to keeping it in pristine condition.
The Allbrittons have seamlessly settled into their new home, grateful for its perfect blend of comfort and style. Allie’s minimalist design is balanced by the family heirlooms throughout, which imbue the space with a warm, traditional charm.
SCENE ABOUT TOWN
THE TEXARKANA COMMUNITY BALLET RECENTLY HELD ITS AUDITIONS FOR THIS YEAR’S PRESENTATION OF “THE NUTCRACKER,” WHICH WILL BE PRESENTED IN THE HISTORIC PEROT THEATRE DECEMBER 6TH–8TH. TICKETS WILL BE SOLD THROUGH THE PEROT THEATRE BOX OFFICE BEGINNING IN NOVEMBER.
Peppermints
Angels
Flower Corp Russians Arabians
Bakers Junior One Snow Corp
Reed Flutes
Party Children Flowers Spanish
Flower Demi Soloists
Children
Mice Soldiers
Candy Canes
Natalie Robinson (Clara), William Porterfield (Nutcracker), and Lauren Friday (Sugar Plum Fairy)
Ballerina Doll and Harlequin Doll
Snow Queen, Dew Drop Fairy, and Mother Ginger
Snow
Christmas Trees
Snow Demi Soloists
Snow
Chinese
photo by KEVIN YATAROLA
NORM LEWIS
A LIFE ONSTAGE
Prolific stage, film, and television actor Norm Lewis reflects on his career and discusses his upcoming performance at the historic Perot Theatre
by PHOEBE WARREN
“We’re going to take you on a journey of my career, and I’ll tell stories. A lot of those stories will lead into a song that means a lot to me or relates to that story. And, yeah, it’s going to be a fun night, just because of the fact that I love to have fun on stage.”
Norm Lewis, an American actor and baritone singer, will take the stage alongside the Texarkana Symphony Orchestra at the Perot Theatre on Saturday, November 9th at 7 p.m. to present Blockbuster Broadway with Norm Lewis. The performance will feature musical numbers from Norm’s vast repertoire of beloved Broadway hits.
Norm Lewis is an acclaimed performer who has earned Emmy, Grammy, Tony, and SAG Award nominations for his work across stage, screen, and music. He is widely recognized for his recurring role on the hit TV series Scandal, as well as his film appearance in Spike Lee’s Da 5 Bloods. He recently starred in the national tour of the Tony Award–winning A Soldier’s Play, as well as Andrew Lloyd Webber’s West End Concert of Love Never Dies. In the fall of 2021, Lewis returned to Broadway, starring in Chicken and Biscuits at the Circle In The Square Theatre. His performance as Porgy in the Broadway production of The Gershwins’ Porgy & Bess also garnered him several award nominations.
In 2014, Norm made history as the first Black actor to portray the title role in a Broadway production of The Phantom of the Opera. “It was one of those things where I wanted to play the role for about 20 years,” Norm explained. “I saw it in 1994 up in Toronto, and I’d already heard the music before, but after seeing the show, I was like, ‘I have to be in this show. I want to be that guy.’” Though a renowned actor, Norm carries himself with quiet dignity and humility. “I have a lot of friends who happen to be African American, who happen to sing really well,” he said. “They could have been that guy, but I was lucky enough
to be the one. Now it’s bigger than me. It’s bigger than having that title. I’m representative of a group of people who wouldn’t necessarily see themselves in that role. So now I represent that, and I’m more proud of that than anything.”
Norm co-founded Black Theatre United, an organization dedicated to protecting “Black people, Black theatre, and Black lives of all shapes and orientations in communities across the country.” As Norm described, their mission centers on fostering diversity, equality, and inclusion.
While on-stage progress is evident, Norm acknowledged that there is still work to be done behind the scenes. “We don’t have enough Black producers,” he said. “We don’t have enough Black directors or choreographers. There are people who have the skill and the talent, but they just don’t get the chance to do [their work professionally]. So what Black Theatre United is doing is opening those doors.”
Norm, whose illustrious career has spanned decades, is thrilled to share his story at the Perot Theatre, where he will perform alongside the Texarkana Symphony Orchestra. “I encourage everyone to be supportive of the Texarkana Symphony,” Norm said enthusiastically. “Not only for this show but [also for] future shows that are coming down the pike. It’s a great area, with wonderful musicians, and there’s going to be more stuff happening. I feel like this could be a great opportunity for more people who are surrounding Texarkana to come in and support it.”
OCTOBER 2024
OCTOBER 5
Hospice of Texarkana’s Jeans & Bling
Save the date for the 15th annual Jeans & Bling event benefiting Hospice of Texarkana. This year’s event will feature a disco theme and include a celebrity lip sync contest, live music, a barbeque dinner, a silent auction, and prize raffles. The event will be held at the Texarkana Convention Center from 7 to 10:30 p.m. For information about sponsorships, donating auction items, and event or raffle tickets, please contact Leigh Davis at 903-794-4263.
Oktoberfest on Main St
Oktoberfest on Main St is coming to Downtown Texarkana from 12 to 5 p.m.! Enjoy food, beer, live music, and tons of fun and games for kids and adults. Enter the Bier Olympics as a two-person team, or compete in best costume, yodeling, beer belly, or brat-eating contests. For tickets and more information, check out the Main Street Texarkana Facebook page.
Women of UAHT Casino Night
Hosted by the Women of UAHT and sponsored by Farmers Bank & Trust, this event is one you won’t want to miss. Step back into the Roaring Twenties and dress in your best 1920s attire for an evening of casino games, food, and music by Robert St. John’s Psychedelic Radio Band. This event benefits Texarkana students by providing scholarships and supporting UAHT’s youth programs. For more information, call 870-722-8243, or email carol.milam@uaht.edu.
De Kalb Oktoberfest
The citizens of De Kalb invite you to their annual Oktoberfest celebration, designed to promote and support the local community. The festivities will kick off with a parade at 10 a.m. and continue until 10 p.m. For the full schedule of vendors, activities, entertainment, and event locations, please visit dekalbtexasoktoberfest.org.
Pink Out Sneaker Ball by Tough Kookie Foundation
The Tough Kookie Foundation is hosting a “sneaker ball” to support their ongoing cancer support group meetings. The event will be held at Silvermoon on Broad from 6 to 10 p.m. For more information, call 903- 293-7093.
4-States Invitational Marching Contest
TISD invites the community to support the students competing in the 4-States Invitational Marching Band Contest. Over 22 of the area’s local schools will be showcasing their talents. The event will be held at Grim Stadium. The festivities will begin at 10 a.m. with a performance by Texas High. Prelim awards will be presented at 5 p.m., followed by the finalists’ performances starting at 6:30 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for children.
OCTOBER 10
Fall Movies in the Park: Inside Out 2
The first of this season’s Movies in the Park lineup will be Inside Out 2. All movies are shown at Spring Lake Park at sundown, around 6:45 p.m.
OCTOBER 11
We Are Washington Golf and Pickleball Tournament
Calling all golf and pickleball enthusiasts! Get ready for the first-ever We Are Washington Golf and Pickleball Tournament at Northridge Country Club. Golfer registration starts at 10:30 a.m. The pickleball tournament kicks off at 6 p.m. Food will be provided. Entry fees are $600 per three-person golf team and $100 per pickleball team. All proceeds will benefit the We Are Washington Community
Development Center. For questions or to register your team, please email criddell@tmscares.com
OCTOBER 12
Big Dam Market
The Big Dam Waterpark invites the community to a familyfriendly event filled with fun, food, and fantastic local vendors. The event will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Big Dam Water Park. For more information, call 870-604-1055 or email info@ bigdamwaterpark.com.
Spurs and Cleats Season Showdown
Get ready for a bull-riding and freestyle bullfighting show at the Four States Fairgrounds, starting at 7 p.m. Tickets and more information can be found at fourstatesfair.com.
OCTOBER 16
Texarkana Special Needs Fall Festival
Texas Special Children’s Projects will be hosting its annual fall event for disabled people and caregivers of Texarkana and surrounding areas. The event will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Moose Lodge. There will be goody bags and music, and a meal will be served at 5:30 p.m. For more information, call 903-236-7300.
OCTOBER 17
Friends of the Texarkana Public Library Fundraising Luncheon
The Friends of the Texarkana Public Library will host a fundraising luncheon at the Cabe Center of the First United Methodist Church. The luncheon, catered by Jeff Loving of Chef on the Run, will begin at 11:30 a.m. The guest speaker for the event is Casey “C.E.” O’Banion, a Texarkana native known for his debut novel Chinese New Year and his short essays about growing up in the Ark-La-Tex. Tickets are $25 and can be reserved by emailing friendsofthelibrary68@gmail.com.
Spring Lake Park Fall Festival
Get ready for a day of fall fun at Spring Lake Park. The festival starts at 4:30 p.m. and promises a lively evening packed with activities for the whole family. For more information, check out the Texarkana, TX Parks & Recreation Facebook page.
Fall Movies in the Park: E.T.
Stick around after the fall festival for a screening of the classic film E.T. All movies are shown at Spring Lake Park at sundown, around 6:45 p.m.
OCTOBER 12
TSO Masterworks I: Happy Centennial, Perot Theatre! The Texarkana Symphony Orchestra invites all to experience their performance of Happy Centennial, Perot Theatre!, featuring violinist Grace Park. The concert will be held at the Perot Theatre, and the show starts at 7 p.m. For tickets and more information, go to perottheatre.org.
OCTOBER
19
Annual Katina R. Levingston Breast Cancer Race
Join the Tough Kookie Foundation once again for this annual 5K race, taking place at the Texas A&M University–Texarkana campus. You can register as an individual or create a team with your friends and coworkers. The race ceremony starts at 8 a.m., and the actual race starts at 8:30 a.m. All proceeds support local cancer survivors. Visit toughkookie.org for more information.
Battle on the Border
This beloved United Way of Greater Texarkana fundraiser is back! This year’s Battle on the Border event will be held at the Four States Fairgrounds at 6:30 p.m. with musical performances by the Jake Williams Band as well as an Elvis Presley tribute performer. This event benefits Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. For tickets and more information, visit fourstatesfair.com/events.
OCTOBER 21
Witches’ Night Out
Eternal Beauty Medical Aesthetics & Day Spa’s event will run from 6 to 8 p.m. at their Summerhill office. Everyone aged 18 and older is
Grace Park
invited to enjoy live music and hors d’oeuvres. All attendees will receive a $75 gift card to be used on any service. For more information, check out Eternal Beauty’s Facebook page.
OCTOBER 22
Taste of Texarkana
Get ready for a night of culinary delights at the 31st annual Taste of Texarkana. This year’s event will take place at the Four States Fairgrounds arena from 5 to 8 p.m. All proceeds benefit the hunger relief programs of Harvest Regional Food Bank. For tickets and more information, go to harvestregionalfoodbank.org/taste-of-texarkana or email development@hrfb.org.
OCTOBER 26
NAACP Freedom Fund Banquet
The local chapter of the NAACP is throwing its annual banquet in the Truman Center of Texarkana College. The meet and greet begins at 6 p.m., and the banquet is scheduled to start at 7 p.m. For more information, visit texarkananaacp.org.
OCTOBER
30
Otis Williams Mural Plaque Dedication
The dedication of the Otis Williams & The Temptations Mural bronze wall plaque will be held at 12 p.m. The mural is located on the wall of the Gold Star Finance building, at Main & 3rd St/Scott Joplin Way in the Historic Downtown Arts District. A food truck will be on-site during the event. For further information contact Carol Miles at 903-490-5471.
LNKTXK HELD ITS INAUGURAL GOLF TOURNAMENT AT NEW HAVEN GOLF CLUB ON FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 7TH.
Seth Hopkins, Tye Shelton, Darius Reed, Reece Dunlap, Braxton Langdon, and Brooks Langdon
Joe Hankins, Chris Lyles, Justin Swecker, Robin Traweek, Malachi Smith, and Craig McDuffie
Blake Watson, Justin Sutton, and Landon Stuart Jakob Martin, Andrew Cobb, and Sam Cannon
Austin Cree, Jason Cree, and Jeff Cowgill
Laken Stivers, Zayne Madden, and Joe Pennington
Daniel Mintun, John Bunch, and Ryan Wall
Zac Harrington, Cameron Flores, and Crystal Rose
Shelbie Palmore, Corey Durham, and Kyle DeLaughter
THE DAILY PLANET
by KLARK KENT
Cardiovascular disease is often viewed as a men’s health issue, but it is the leading cause of death among women worldwide. In fact, more women die from heart disease than from all forms of cancer combined. Despite these staggering statistics, cardiovascular health in women remains under-discussed, under-researched, and, in many cases, misunderstood. This imbalance in awareness and attention has placed millions of women at a higher risk of preventable heart disease, raising critical concerns about the broader landscape of women’s health.
For decades, heart disease was regarded as predominantly affecting men, which led to an overemphasis on male-centered research, treatment protocols, and diagnostic tools. As a result, women’s cardiovascular needs were overlooked. Studies have shown that heart disease manifests differently in women than in men, yet healthcare practices have not fully adjusted to account for these differences.
For example, while men often experience the classic heart attack symptom of chest pain, women may present more subtle symptoms such as shortness of breath, nausea, or fatigue. These “atypical” symptoms are frequently mistaken for less severe conditions, delaying critical diagnosis and treatment for women. This misperception is one of the key reasons that women are more likely to die from their first heart attack than men.
Additionally, hormonal fluctuations throughout a woman’s life can significantly affect her heart health. Conditions like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and pregnancy-related complications such as gestational diabetes and preeclampsia increase the risk of heart disease later in life. Despite this, the cardiovascular effects of these conditions are rarely emphasized during routine women’s health checkups.
While the underlying mechanisms of heart disease are similar in men and women, women often face unique risk factors that go unnoticed. Beyond hormonal influences, social factors such as caregiving responsibilities, stress, and limited access to health care disproportionately affect women’s heart health. Women tend to prioritize the health of their families over their own, delaying necessary checkups and ignoring early warning signs of cardiovascular problems. This self-sacrificial tendency can have dire consequences, especially in middle and later stages of life.
Preventing heart disease in women requires a holistic approach to healthcare—one that emphasizes awareness, early detection, and lifestyle interventions. Regular screenings for blood pressure, cholesterol, and glucose levels are crucial, especially for women over
the age of 40. Exercise, a heart-healthy diet, and stress management can also play significant roles in reducing the risk of heart disease. However, structural changes in healthcare delivery are needed to ensure women are receiving tailored advice and interventions that account for their specific needs.
There is an urgent need for more research focused on cardiovascular disease in women. Historically, women have been underrepresented in clinical trials, meaning that much of the data informing heart disease treatments is based on men’s experiences. This disparity has perpetuated gender biases in treatment approaches, leading to poorer outcomes for women.
Efforts to increase awareness of women’s cardiovascular health must also ramp up. Public health campaigns have made strides in raising awareness about breast cancer, but cardiovascular disease remains a silent killer among women. This needs to change. Women should be empowered with knowledge about their heart health, understanding the signs and symptoms to look for and how to advocate for their own well-being in clinical settings.
Cardiovascular health in women is not only a pressing medical issue but also a social one. By challenging the misconceptions that heart disease primarily affects men and by closing the gender gap in research and healthcare, we can ensure that women live longer, healthier lives. Patients and healthcare providers must work together to prioritize heart health as a critical aspect of women’s health, moving toward a future where fewer women fall victim to preventable cardiovascular diseases.
Originally from Tom, Oklahoma, Klark Kent earned his master’s of science in engineering at Louisiana Tech University and his PA at The University of Toledo Medical Center. He currently works as a physician assistant (PAC FM/D) at Texarkana Care Clinic. Husband to Alex and father to Keller and Kix, Klark cherishes his family and enjoys writing (often humorously) about his personal experiences, life, and medicine.
