A common symptom found in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) - and one long believed to be a main hindrance to a child's development - actually could be a learning trigger. 

It's not unusual - sometimes, the norm - for a patient's medical problem to be caused by factors that are entirely non-medical. 

A person's asthma, for example, could be triggered by animal dander, mold, cockroaches, dust mites or other airborne allergens at his home. A child could suffer a deep, jagged cut because she played in a dangerous area, because she had no safe parks, because her parents couldn't afford to live in a better neighborhood. 

A new program to be offered at the Jackson Medical Mall through the Myrlie Evers-Williams Institute for the Elimination of Health Disparities will connect families and individuals to community resources that will help them address root environmental factors that are affecting their health. Set to open this fall, it's called EversCare, named after Evers-Williams for her concern that those in need get help. 

"We recently conducted the RICE Bowl, and Dr. Evers-Williams was in the audience," said Dr. Bettina Beech, UMMC's associate vice chancellor of population health and professor of family medicine and pediatrics. The Rural Interdisciplinary Case Experience (RICE) Bowl is an interdisciplinary health-care competition in which UMMC students from academic disciplines ranging from law to social work collaborate in teams to address complex rural health issues.

Batson Children's Hospital patient Jacob Partlow just caught a pass that traveled more than 300 miles to land in his hands.

The pass was thrown after Jeanne Stanford, manager of Fred's Super Dollar in Pulaski, Tenn., watched a video of Jacob's battle with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in preparation for her store's annual Children's Miracle Network Hospitals (CMNH) fundraising campaign.

In the video, 14-year-old Jacob mentions being a big fan of Ole Miss quarterback Bo Wallace, who is a Pulaski native. Stanford asked Wallace's parents, whom she sees regularly, for a signed football to send to Jacob. But when Wallace discovered the circumstances, he wanted to do more and arranged to present the football in person.

Friday at Fred's Super Dollar in Canton, a surprised and speechless Jacob received the football from his hero.

"I'm trying not to faint," Jacob joked.

Jacob's mother, Olevia Williams, kept the whole thing a secret from Jacob. She told her son that he would be receiving an autographed football from Wallace, but she didn't tell him that he'd also get to meet him.

 "This is pretty special for me," Jacob said, admiring his new football, which he called his most-prized possession.

A number of interesting events is scheduled for the upcoming week at the Medical Center.