Scott Thorpe, founder of the Southern Alliance for Public Health Leadership, explains why vaccination gaps in places like Hamilton County are often less about politics and more about access, coordination and funding. His work connects schools, health departments and community partners to make public health easier to reach across Tennessee and the South.

An immigrant mother’s pursuit of a better life is shaped by years of limited healthcare access, language barriers, and ongoing uncertainty.

When the music industry shifted, Larry Repasky lost more than business—he lost his health coverage and, soon after, nearly his life. Now surviving without insurance, he lives with the constant risk that one more crisis could change everything.

A statewide needs assessment reveals that while many Tennesseans with disabilities know where to find resources, far fewer can access the help they need. Researcher Emily Lanchak discusses healthcare transitions, service shortages, and the growing importance of self-advocacy.

Bolivar Mayor Julian McTizic—both the city’s youngest and first Black mayor—shares how small towns can strengthen health through community programs, partnerships, and advocacy for expanded access to care.

OB-GYN Dr. Howard Herrell shares how hospital closures and rising maternity deserts threaten rural communities like Greeneville, Tenn., and why continuity of care is vital to sustaining them.

When doctors thought Greg would never walk again, Yvonne Bice became his full-time caregiver, guiding him from coma to independence while navigating the challenges of lifelong TBI care.

From a small-town Facebook group to a global network in 70+ countries, the founder of Stand In Pride advocates for LGBTQ+ visibility, healthcare access, and chosen family support in rural communities.

After the OB unit in Jellico closed, a local pregnancy services coordinator and mother describes the long travel, stress, and mental health strain expectant mothers face just to deliver safely, highlighting urgent gaps in maternal care.

Alyssa Clements knows firsthand how deeply farming, food access and healthcare are connected. From her family’s cattle farm in Clay County to advocacy trips in Washington, D.C., she is working to bring attention to the challenges rural Tennesseans face when hospitals close and essential care moves farther from home.

Adoptive families often face unexpected barriers to healthcare, navigating complex systems with little guidance or support.

After facing homelessness and crushing medical debt, Jerry and Karen Andreasen fought their way back by building a business that lifted others along with them. But just as stability seemed within reach, failing health and rising costs threaten to pull them back to the brink once again.

Dr. Beth Baxter shares her journey through mental illness, recovery, and medical training—and how lived experience shapes her work as a psychiatrist and advocate for better mental-health care in Tennessee.

Former McKenzie Mayor Jill Holland highlights how rural hospital closures leave Tennessee seniors without basic care, forcing many to travel long distances—or go without the healthcare they need.

Knoxville’s Cindy Strike turns her fight with cancer and diabetes into advocacy for better obesity care and a healthier future.

Nurse and researcher Amanda Matthaei uses her own Medicaid story to advocate for access, equity, and the value of nursing in community health.

Writer and artist Luke Quarto shares how his late autism diagnosis reshaped his career, his approach to self-care, and his struggle to find affordable, consistent healthcare as a self-employed creative.

After losing her mother, Lisa, to long-delayed care in rural Tennessee, Ashley Davis shares her family’s struggles with access, cost, and hospital closures to call for stronger, community-based healthcare.