October 16, 2018

Noted cardiologist Dr. Mike McMullan and author and evangelist Dr. Stan Buckley will present East Central Community College’s second annual Warrior Wellness Symposium at 7 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 29.

The free event is open to the public and will be held in Thrash Auditorium in Newton Hall on the campus in Decatur. McMullan and Buckley will talk about opportunities in medical missions.

There will be a free screening for risk of heart disease for those ages 40-75 without known coronary artery disease. The screening will be conducted by nurses and involves cholesterol, glucose, blood pressure, and body mass index measurements.

The symposium is part of the college’s Warrior Wellness Week which will be held Oct. 29-Nov. 2 on campus. Warrior Wellness is an initiative designed to create and sustain a culture of wellness on the college’s campuses and in the local communities. It is supported by two grants from the Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation.

A native of Decatur, McMullan is professor of medicine and chief of cardiology at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson and director of the Adult Congenital Heart Program, the only program of its kind in the state.

He attended ECCC and graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi and the University of Mississippi School of Medicine. He also completed his internal medicine residency, chief residency, and cardiology fellowship training at UMMC. He later went to Duke University Medical Center in Durham, N.C., for advanced fellowship training in adult congenital and valvular heart disease and interventional cardiology.

Buckley is the founder and executive director of But God Ministries in Ridgeland and formerly served as senior pastor of three churches over a 16-year period, including Clarke-Venable Baptist Church in Decatur. In addition, he practiced law in Hattiesburg for four years before becoming a pastor in 1995. His received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Southern Mississippi, his law degree from Mississippi College School of Law, and his master of divinity and doctor of divinity from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.

But God Ministries is an organization that shares the love of Jesus Christ through building sustainable communities around the world. The non-profit is currently building two sustainable communities in Haiti and one in the Mississippi Delta.

Prior to the public symposium at 7 p.m., McMullan will speak to a student audience beginning at 6 p.m. on the core requirements and process to become a physician or medical professional. There will also be breakout sessions for students interested in various medical fields. ECCC alumni in occupations such as pharmacy, occupational/physical therapy, nursing, physician, healthcare administration, and dentistry will speak with students.

In addition to the Warrior Wellness Symposium, there are several fun and educational events and activities scheduled during Warrior Wellness Week, including:

  • Wesley Foundation Wellness Lunch, Tuesday, Oct. 30, at 12:10 p.m. in the Wesley House. There will be a healthy meal and trail mix bar. The speaker will be Scott Hill, ECCC physical education instructor. Students are encouraged to bring a canned or other shelf-stable food item for the Wesley House in Meridian.
  • Baptist Student Union Spiritual Fitness Luncheon, Wednesday, Oct. 31, 12:15 p.m., BSU House. Speaker to be announced.
  • Color, glow, electric, mud, and other “fun” runs, Wednesday, Oct. 31, at dark, ECCC Walking Trail.
  • Culinary Creations and Cooking Contest, Thursday, Nov. 1, 1 p.m., outside behind the Culinary Lab in Rives Hall. This event is designed to demonstrate nutritional dishes and will feature culinary instructor Barry Karrh.
  • Health Food and Snack Options, Friday, Nov. 2, 11 a.m., 112 Cross Hall. Wellness Coordinator Crystal Fitzgerald will present a professional development session on healthy food and snack options.

For more information on Warrior Wellness Week and the symposium, contact Fitzgerald at cfitzgerald@eccc.edu or 601-635-6126.

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