February is the month we celebrate Black History. The 2022 Black History Month celebration theme is “Black Health and Wellness.” As we take the time to focus on our health and wellness, I would like to share a poem that I feel sums up this month.  It was written by my mother, the late Margaret Oliver:

There is stress and strife in our daily life,
And peace seems far away.
But with work and prayer we have hope,
To find health and wellness day by day.
Our minds and bodies are fragile things,
So we have to treat them well.
Diet, exercise, meditation and friends,
Are part of the magic spell.
We are all challenged all along our journey,
In our days on this earthly realm.
Just keep your head up and keep your spirit,
You are not alone at life’s helm.
I and the NNOA family are looking forward to celebrating the legacy of Black contributors, scholars, and practitioners in Western medicine. NNOA chapters, please share your events, photos, and links as we celebrate together.