February is Heart Health Month

The final session of our Dr. Me program was truly outstanding. Our guest physician, Dr. Clifford Eke—a board-certified general, thoracic, and breast surgeon at Kaiser Permanente Fontana and Ontario Medical Centers—brought energy, insight, and genuine connection to our scholars.

Dr. Eke shared his inspiring personal journey, from growing up in Nigeria to pursuing his dream of becoming a surgeon in the United States. He offered the students an inside look at “a day in the life of a doctor,” giving them a realistic and uplifting picture of the dedication and purpose that shape the medical profession.

He then led three hands-on medical demonstrations that our scholars absolutely loved:

• Heartbeat Hunt: Students used stethoscopes to listen to their own or a partner’s heartbeat and counted their beats per minute.
• Pulse Practice: Scholars located their pulse on their wrist or neck and measured their heart rate.
• Balloon Lung Power: Using individual balloons, each student tested how much air their lungs could hold in one full breath—learning that lung capacity is measured with a spirometer and that strong lungs are a key sign of good health.

The session continued with an engaging Q&A where the students asked thoughtful and curious questions such as:
• “What made you want to become a doctor?”
• “What’s the coolest thing you’ve learned?”
• “What do you like most about helping people?”

These questions sparked honest conversation, meaningful insight, and plenty of inspiration as the students learned what drives a doctor’s passion and commitment to service.

To close out the day, Dr. Eke was joined by our Connecting Link, Dr. Keith Wilson, for a special moment of recognition. Together, they presented each student with their Future Healthcare Hero certificate. The room lit up with excitement as scholars also received a hands-on learning gift to continue their scientific exploration at home—a human skeleton model, a microscope, or a bionic hand. Each student walked away celebrated, encouraged, and one step closer to imagining themselves in a future healthcare career.
#drme #steamm #claremontarealinks #walinks #hhs #sty #nts #its #thearts