Elmer Gantry Essay Research Paper The majority free essay sample

Elmer Gantry Essay, Research Paper The bulk of all books are trash. Sinclair Lewis? Elmer Gantry is a great book because it has credibleness, a dateless subject, and it has the necessary action. Any book that can make that is a great book. The credibleness of Elmer Gantry is something that will maintain this book everlastingly great. Although the existent clip period is dated, the secret plan is non dated. Most people can associate to the different characters in the book. Elmer is a grandiloquent football participant who thinks that he is higher than any faith. However, people try, and successfully change over him. He attempts to delight two Masterss at first: his frailties and God. He finally makes the determination to populate by God, but of class he will on occasion gull around with his old frailties, particularly adultery. Most people know person who is like this and still someway succeeds although he shouldn? Ts have. We will write a custom essay sample on Elmer Gantry Essay Research Paper The majority or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Although Elmer is more utmost than the people the reader is likely to cognize, he is still a really believable characters. Another thing that makes this a timeless novel is that it has the needed action to pull the reader who merely wants amusement. Elmer frequently gets into battles that will maintain the reader in the border of their place. He will confront odds that most would run off from, but besides has times when he backs down from a battle, such as when Brother Naylor and Brother Bains confront him about? gulling about? with Lulu. It besides has adequate chances for the modern individual to believe about sex although it doesn? t diagrammatically say what happens. This makes all the sex scenes up to the reader which may disregard them or enjoy on them. A book with this combination of sex and force makes it a book that it is even suited for easy reading for the individual who does non desire to larn anything. Finally, Elmer Gantry is a dateless book because it has a cosmopolitan subject: worlds will ever transgress. It is most evidently seen through Elmer, although it is seen in other characters as good. Elmer has had a history of raising snake pit and being an agnostic. He converts, but still suffers the same jobs. He still drinks, fumes, and has insouciant sex. He gets accused of messing around with one of the parishioners of his first church, and when he is able to get away that ordeal, he so gets kicked out of seminary for imbibing. He takes some clip off as a concern adult male, but ends back in the ministry, this clip in a going evangelism show, kind of the predecessor of televangelists. He gets off of smoke and imbibing, but is still an fornicator, which is his major character defect. He finally gets married, and takes his sermon earnestly. But he still commits criminal conversation with at least two adult females. And merely when the reader thinks that he is traveling to clean his act, he gets back into the rhythm at the terminal of the novel. Although he is the most fecund evildoer in the novel, he has company. Jim, his first true friend, has all the same frailties as Elmer. Sharon is an fornicatress and Frank is an agnostic. Everyone in this narrative has frailties that they will non, or can non, give up. That is true with all worlds, which is what makes the subject universal. Everyone should read a book like this because he can larn something from it. However, many right flying conservative Christians want to ban this book because they say it attacks the Christian faith and is in hapless gustatory sensation. They are wholly incorrect, nevertheless. They should encompass this book as a warning on what non to make.

None Provided15 Argumentative Essay Example For Students

None Provided15 Argumentative Essay Electronic commerce industries that make â€Å"e-commerce† possible are growing at breakneck speed, altering not only how Americans, but also the global marketplace produces, markets, and acquires goods and services. In the e-commerce industry, it is generally agreed that Amazon.com provides one of the best business model â€Å"benchmarks† today. Amazon.com came online in the summer of 1995 with a mission to use the Internet to transform book buying into the fastest, easiest and most enjoyable shopping experience possible. According to their home page Amazon.com â€Å"since the summary of 1995 our customer base and product offerings have grown considerably, millions of people in more than 220 countries have made Amazon.com the leading online shopping site.† When you visit Amazon.com, you can buy books, music, videos, and moreby a click of the mouse. While the company has yet to turn a profit, they have revolutionized e-commerce by making customer interaction and feedback part of their brand image. Amazon’s method is to create a â€Å"community† of consumers. Much of their products speaks for themselves, so the customer feedback provides an objective measuring stick for the integrity of Amazon’s services. Individuals may express their opinions on all available products. Promoting such favorable business environment Amazon hopes to reinforce awareness and confidence in e-commerce customer population, as well as encouraging best practice among competitors. Amazon’s competitive threats come from other e-commerce, Web sites like: Walmart.com, Barnes Noble.com, Ebay.com, etc. Amazon knows that customers are sensitive to product quality and price, and personal information security so at Amazon.com they can expect to benefit from all three offerings. Amazon.com has a world-class management team led by Mr. Jeffrey P. Bezos founder and company’s Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer. He has exceptional knowledge of the industry. As stated in the home page new release â€Å"On a single Saturday in July, 100 airplanes and 9,000 trucks delivered more than 250,000 copies of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire to customers,† providing the hottest kid’s book faster than local bookstores. This action clearly shows the powers of our suppliers and buyers. Amazon.com is committed to customer satisfaction despite our accumulated deficit of $2.3 billion and a deficit of $967 million in stockholders equity in FY 00. Amazon lost $720 million in fiscal year 99, which ranked us in the top five of Fortune 500’s top losses for that year. Amazon.com fits into the monopolistic competition category. Consumers can purchase nonperishable products online such as: literature, music, videos, coins, stamps, tools, etc. With e-commerce sales estimated to hit $200 billion by 2004, its imperative that we look at environmental impact. On the surface, e-commerce industries such as Amazon.com appear to offer a big environmental bonus by eliminating millions of trips to malls. However, after closer examination, one can see a net environmental impact that is decidedly murky. According to Scott Matthews, a research scientist involved in assessing environmental impacts of technology at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, â€Å"On-line shopping does reduce commuting in gas-guzzlers and the need to build more retail stores. But every book ordered on the Web, is heavily packaged and moves on a transportation network that taps many resources.† So instead of shipping, 10 books in one box, now its 10 books heavily packaged in 10 boxes to e-commerce customers. Governmental regulatory initiatives include the establishment of an Expert Group to advise the Minister for Financial Services and Regulation on consumer protection aspects of e-commerce, and business on consumer protection issues and negotiating a range of multi-lateral and bilateral international agreements. The key international policy initiative for e-commerce is the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Guidelines for Consumer Protection in the Context of Electronic Commerce. The OECD is made up of 29 member countries and is one of the worlds peak bodies for the development of economic and social policy. The Guidelines were released in December 1999 and are now being used by most member countries as the chief policy tool for the regulation of e-commerce. .ua8320f7a4b3129b2352d96bc26570d8f , .ua8320f7a4b3129b2352d96bc26570d8f .postImageUrl , .ua8320f7a4b3129b2352d96bc26570d8f .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ua8320f7a4b3129b2352d96bc26570d8f , .ua8320f7a4b3129b2352d96bc26570d8f:hover , .ua8320f7a4b3129b2352d96bc26570d8f:visited , .ua8320f7a4b3129b2352d96bc26570d8f:active { border:0!important; } .ua8320f7a4b3129b2352d96bc26570d8f .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ua8320f7a4b3129b2352d96bc26570d8f { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ua8320f7a4b3129b2352d96bc26570d8f:active , .ua8320f7a4b3129b2352d96bc26570d8f:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ua8320f7a4b3129b2352d96bc26570d8f .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ua8320f7a4b3129b2352d96bc26570d8f .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ua8320f7a4b3129b2352d96bc26570d8f .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ua8320f7a4b3129b2352d96bc26570d8f .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ua8320f7a4b3129b2352d96bc26570d8f:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ua8320f7a4b3129b2352d96bc26570d8f .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ua8320f7a4b3129b2352d96bc26570d8f .ua8320f7a4b3129b2352d96bc26570d8f-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ua8320f7a4b3129b2352d96bc26570d8f:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: The miseducation of the negro EssayA major concern for most consumers is online security. A Web sites privacy policy is deceptively helpful because lengthy tracts of legalese only exacerbate consumer fear. Winning over the reluctant consumer is probably the biggest challenge to e-commerce industry. Amazon.com framework

The efficency of suppliers prequaification Essay Example

The efficency of suppliers prequaification Essay The public owners for instance award contracts o the lowest responsible bidder in order to fulfill the requirements of the law that protect public interest and funds, prevent fraud, collusion, and favoritism, and obtain quality construction at reasonable and fair prices. Determination of the lowest bidder is easy and direct, while on the other hand determining whether the contractor is responsible or not is not as easy. Selection of contractors based on the lowest bid price has been criticized by a section of the construction industry itself. It has long been a source of frustration to those involved with competitive-bid construction projects that owners often treat low- laity construction work no differently from high-quality construction work. Both owners and contractors have acknowledged this problem. In a study carried out for SHASTA by Minch Jar. And Smith, 2001 , it was observed that contractors who were confident in their ability to produce high-quality work expressed their perceptions that public owners actually reward poor workmanship, at least indirectly. According to the contractors, they do this by not penalizing poor workmanship, thus giving a bidding edge to those contractors who take advantage of the owners reluctance to penalize them. The contractors performing high quality work are discouraged about the prospect of continuing to bid for construction work against contractors who consistently submit low bids and produce low quality products. In many cases, it was expressed that these same low bidding contractors consistently submit change orders for extras even when the claimed work was part of the original design. We will write a custom essay sample on The efficency of suppliers prequaification specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The efficency of suppliers prequaification specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The efficency of suppliers prequaification specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer No evidence was provided, however, to support these claims. Contractor prettification is one of the processes among many others that are used to ensure that the right contractor is chosen for the right Job. Briefly, contractor prettification can be defined as a decision making process by which an owner evaluates the competence of a candidate contractor to perform the requirements associated with a given project even before the final bidding process is set in motion. Contractor prettification will be described in greater detail in the subsequent chapter. One or any combination of the following may be considered for prettification: Contractors. Subcontractors. Suppliers. Products. Services, including professional services. Prettification of contractors, subcontractors, suppliers, products and services for publicly funded projects is problematic and the potential for criticism by the private sector, particularly by those parties who are not qualified, is always present. Thus making it obvious for everyone that the prettification process is not be taken lightly and also that its application is a function of a projects complexity and magnitude. Several multi criteria decision making models for contractor prettification are available for use in the industry and research field. These decision making models encompass a wide range of methodologies beginning with the simple Point Allocation PA) methodology and ending up with complex models such as models based on genetic algorithms, neural networks and stochastic probabilities. Each method has its own unique group of users. Users have based their choice of prettification models on varying factors such as user sophistication, cost of application of method, appropriateness of application of method to the particular project etc. This proliferation of prettification models is both a boon and a bane for an educated owner since it gives the owner a wide range of models to choose from while at the AMA time it creates doubt in the owners mind regarding the best possible method or model for prevailing contractors for a particular project. The models that are on the high end level of the methodology ladder are too sophisticated to be easily understood and appreciated by an average owner thus leaving the owner with no choice but to choose a model from the existing simpler ones being used in the industry. The advantage of using models implemented in industry is that they are simpler and easily understandable by everyone in the construction industry. This type of models can be labeled as Practical prettification models. Within the Practical models the level of sophistication varies from the simple to the highly complex. The issue of concern is to determine how efficient these contractor prettification models really are. Which contractor prettification model gives the best result when each prettification model is supplied with the same set of contractor information? This issue can be best addressed by a comparative analysis of prettification models. This analysis would include both quantitative as well as qualitative analysis in order to arrive at a proper conclusion regarding the efficacy of he prettification models.

Free Essays on Chiropractors

Using basic herbs for medicinal purposes? Never! Most general practitioners would balk. Dating back to the times of the Neanderthal man, living off the land also meant healing off of it. â€Å"Chiropractors use natural medicines to promote general well being and to increase immunities† (Klein). Through the neurological system, parts of the body are connected that wouldn’t be expected. By using this information, Chiropractors can heal a multitude of problems and illnesses. Once very rare in the United States, there are now over 50,000 practicing Chiropractors. Despite being considered an alternative approach to health care, a license is still required to practice in the United States, or anywhere else for that matter. To achieve this, at least two years of college classes (an associates degree) is a prerequisite, but a full four years (a bachelor’s degree) allows a head start. After the undergraduate work is completed, the prospective Chiropractor would apply to and attend Chiropractic school, which can last anywhere from three to six years. During Chiropractic school, anatomy is studied intensely, along with other pertinent subjects. Once licensed and thrown into the working field, Chiropractors can earn anywhere from $20,000 to $200,000, depending on location and clientele base (Workers, 442-443). Chiropractic care, as we know it today, wasn’t established until 1895 by Daniel D. Palmer. He was said to believe that â€Å"deviations of the spinal column, or subluxations, were the cause of practically all diseases and that Chiropractic adjustments was the cure† (Workers, 441). He wasn’t the first to think this way. Dating as far back as 2700 BC, Chinese healers used a method very similar to the ones used to day. Hippocrates, known as the father of medicine, is recorded around 400 BC having used spinal manipulation to heal ailments in other areas of the body. Some other lesser known people are Galen, a renowned G... Free Essays on Chiropractors Free Essays on Chiropractors Using basic herbs for medicinal purposes? Never! Most general practitioners would balk. Dating back to the times of the Neanderthal man, living off the land also meant healing off of it. â€Å"Chiropractors use natural medicines to promote general well being and to increase immunities† (Klein). Through the neurological system, parts of the body are connected that wouldn’t be expected. By using this information, Chiropractors can heal a multitude of problems and illnesses. Once very rare in the United States, there are now over 50,000 practicing Chiropractors. Despite being considered an alternative approach to health care, a license is still required to practice in the United States, or anywhere else for that matter. To achieve this, at least two years of college classes (an associates degree) is a prerequisite, but a full four years (a bachelor’s degree) allows a head start. After the undergraduate work is completed, the prospective Chiropractor would apply to and attend Chiropractic school, which can last anywhere from three to six years. During Chiropractic school, anatomy is studied intensely, along with other pertinent subjects. Once licensed and thrown into the working field, Chiropractors can earn anywhere from $20,000 to $200,000, depending on location and clientele base (Workers, 442-443). Chiropractic care, as we know it today, wasn’t established until 1895 by Daniel D. Palmer. He was said to believe that â€Å"deviations of the spinal column, or subluxations, were the cause of practically all diseases and that Chiropractic adjustments was the cure† (Workers, 441). He wasn’t the first to think this way. Dating as far back as 2700 BC, Chinese healers used a method very similar to the ones used to day. Hippocrates, known as the father of medicine, is recorded around 400 BC having used spinal manipulation to heal ailments in other areas of the body. Some other lesser known people are Galen, a renowned G...

Organizational Communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Organizational Communication - Essay Example Collaboratively, the political aspect contribute as to whether social safety and stability will be maintained. In the scenario political discussions between two region create sparks of arguments that provoke social threats like war and verbal clash. In the end, economic status run as how politics affects the society or the socio-political factor. The economy follows the ups and down of the current socio-political order, and once social security is at risk, in the same manner that economic stability is in danger because they are relative. It is evident that many big corporations are established in that particular region. The mere realization that they would loose investors may alarm their position or stand. Professor Rao feeling is because he realizes how corporations greatly influences the decisions of the government. It signifies the loose of government morale since they are looking forward to corporations’ withdrawal of investments and not mainly of a rational socio-political decision. Rao might be thinking that it is better that the dispute has been solve by political agreement or reconciliation which is reasonable for the sake of the state, instead of being motivated because of global trade with the Americans. Since it is evident that government favors the American investors, it will be just a snap to make it appear that the government gave-up their position for the sake of the investors. It gives credibility to what an American journalist said that â€Å"The cease-fire is brought to you be GE and all it s friends here in Bangalore† (Friedman, 2002, p. 8A). Globalization is a broad term that encompass economic aspect intertwined with socio-political aspects. Both aspects can be found in this particular scenario. Globalization establishes interdependence between trade through trade and political agreement. What happened here is that political agreement has been established (resulting to cease-fire) which is socially and economically beneficial. In

Biologic Manufacturing and the FDA Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Biologic Manufacturing and the FDA - Essay Example Biologics combined with radioactive components are considered biologics, while biologics combined with non-radioactive components are drugs. While most analyses of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) focus on the agency's authority to decide which new treatments reach the American marketplace, the FDA plays a regulatory gatekeeper role at another key point in the biological development process. In reviewing investigational new drug applications (INDs), the FDA determines which experimental therapies, vaccines, and other biological products advance from preclinical through clinical development to the licensing phase (Mark). Biopharmaceuticals are licensed under Section 351 of the Public Health Service Act (Mark)and in specific sections of the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. To obtain marketing approval for a new biologic, an applicant submits a biologics license application (BLA) (Koan and Ellis). The BLA must permit agency reviewers to make four principal determinations: The growth media falls under Federal food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (the act) and hence, controlled by the same, specifically, if the media is derived from any protein, a label stating the possibility of the media as an allergen should be stated.

Reflective Assessment of Holistic Wellbeing

Reflective Assessment of Holistic Wellbeing Introduction Health, like beauty, lies in the eyes of the beholder and a single definition cannot capture its complexity. To this end, this essay aims to explore what health means to me and how it has been influenced by the experience of coping with my mothers chronic illness. To me, health transcends the absence of disease to include the physical, psychological and social well-being of a person; it means the empowerment of the individual, and is the foundation of a fulfilling life; it also means caring about the people who care about you and whom you care about. Describe For a period of time, my mother has been complaining of pain in her joints, hips and more recently, her back. I always had a bad feeling that there was something sinister about her pain even though our general practitioner could not pinpoint anything serious after several differential diagnoses. However, as she has a family history of joint pains, I chose to be in a state of denial to her pain and attributed it to a genetic condition she had that would go away with time. However, that was not the case. My family observed that my mother was getting more emotionally irritable as time went by, and the nagging pain meant that she often found reasons not to take part in social activities that we organized. It got to the extent that she was constantly lying in bed and could not do her favourite activities, such as going to the market, without considering the amount of movements she would have to go through. The radiating pain also gave her sleepless nights and all these were taking a toll on her quality of life, among many other factors. It was debilitating. And as her daughter, I felt helpless. More so because I was studying medicine, and was plagued with the guilt of not being able to relieve the suffering of the person I loved the most. The persistent pain worsened and my family decided to consult a specialist for a second opinion. A tumour was suspected. While the specialist made his diagnosis, I was very worried for my mother. I tried to prepare myself mentally to cope with the worst case scenarios, and this affected me emotionally and psychologically. I had no one to turn to as I did not want to worry others, and was at a loss of what to do. The results later revealed that my mother was diagnosed with a benign tumour (spine haemangioma). The specialist said that it was the lesser evil because it was not malignant, but that she would feel chronic pain throughout her life. What provided comfort to my family was the knowledge that there were treatments available to contain the tumour through methods such as radiotherapy and physiotherapy. Reflect It pains me to know that the person I love would be put through suffering both from the disease and its treatment, and I wished I could be the one going through it instead. Upon reflection, I realize that I had not been dealing with my emotions effectively. The fear of finding out more and my escapist mentality had prompted me to create an internal barrier, such that I could not provide the care and support for my mother as I would have liked her to have felt. Health means the holistic wellbeing of a person Witnessing her chronic suffering has made me realise that health does not merely mean the absence of disease but it requires a more holistic view which encompasses the physical, psychological and social well-being of a person. I used to think of health as merely the absence of physical pain that arose from diseases, and to this extent, the physicians task of relieving suffering was merely to alleviate the immediate physical pain and discomfort. However the literature I was exposed to on the nature of suffering in ill persons made me come to the realisation of my limited understanding of the term suffering. Through my research to understand the multi-faceted dimension of a person, and what suffering entails, I hope to be able to better understand what my mother is going through (albeit only the tip of the ice berg). Health means the empowerment of the individual, and is the foundation for a fulfilling life As the Catalan proverb goes, from the bitterness of disease, man learns the sweetness of health. I have too often taken for granted the gift of health that empowers a healthy individual to pursue things that matter in life not only ones aspirations or happiness, but down to the little things that affects our everyday living. For instance, I have seen how the chronic pain influenced my mothers daily routine, and brought much discomfort when travelling or doing household chores. I have come to appreciate that health enables individuals to use their body as a vessel to fulfil their dreams and satisfy their needs without being tied down or be restricted by suffering. Health is thus the basis which enables people to pursue happiness and wealth, aptly worded by Elbert Hubbard, who said, If you have health, you probably will be happy, and if you have health and happiness, you have all the wealth you need, even if it is not all you want. It takes a loss of health to appreciate these words o f wisdom. Health means caring about the people who care about you and whom you care about I always thought of Health as merely a personal responsibility and a duty that an individual owed only to himself. However, this experience has prompted me to comprehend how the absence of health in individuals will affect the mental, social and physical health of their loved ones as well. Research, analyse and connect The academic literature available allows me to gain a deeper insight on what health means to me and allows me to make sense of my experience in a broader context through considering the perspectives of others. Through examining the concept of human suffering brought about by the absence of good health, I learnt about the distinction between suffering and pain. A person who is in pain may not feel a proportional sense of suffering it is similarly possible for one to suffer even in the absence of pain. (Sanders 2009) In light of my mothers chronic illness, I was prompted to examine the literature on human suffering which made me realised that my understanding of the word suffering was limited at best. While I had always aspired to be a doctor to relieve the pain and suffering of people, I was of the view that human suffering was synonymous with physical pain brought upon an ill person due to diseases. However, literature has shown that suffering goes beyond the physical pain, and suffering defined merely as pain, disregards the broader significance of the suffering experienced by the ill. (Charmaz 2008) Suffering includes physical pain, but it is not limited to it. It can be understood by examining the many aspects of a holistic person and when any of these aspects is threatened, suffering ensues. These aspects may include a persons past, his or her role in society, relationships with others, day-to-day behaviour, and perception of the future. (Cassell 2004) The persistent pain my mother experienced affected her ability to do things that she had long associated herself with, such as playing tennis or climbing the stairs. In addition, my mother may have seen herself as being defined by several societal roles, such as being a wife, mother, caregiver to her parents, and a useful member of society. If the pain overwhelms her and restricts her from fulfilling these roles, she may see herself as being less than whole, and this may contribute to her perpetual suffering. In considering the holistic person and the suffering which impacts upon the many aspects of a person other than physical afflictions, it confirmed my understanding that health should also mean the physical, psychological and social well-being of a person. By understanding the multiple aspects of a personhood, I now better appreciate why medical education is shifting its emphasis from the traditional reductionist biomedical model of medicine to the biopsychosocial model of health. The limitations of the biomedical model is that it treats diseases in terms of abnormal physical mechanisms (Engel 2002) and this is inadequate in relieving sufferings in patients, as we now understand it to transcend the physical mechanisms to also encompass the holistic well-being of a person. The implications of the failure of physicians to understand the nature of sufferings can lead to medical interventions that (though technically adequate) not only fails to relieve suffering but becomes a source of su ffering itself. (Cassell 2004) This reflective practice also gives me a timely opportunity to evaluate my emotions and thoughts against that of the wider community. Relevant academic studies have shown that chronic illnesses also has an impact of the lives of caregivers. (Jung-Won Zebrack 2004) The emotions and thoughts that I felt were validated by researchers that show that receiving news of the chronic illness of a loved one can provoke emotions such as sadness, denial, grief and guilt. This may be due to guilty feelings of not giving adequate support to the ill person or it could be due to the emotional pain of feeling the loss of a loved ones health. (McIntyre 2005) It is important to attend to the impact of chronic illness on caregivers as research has shown that the holistic health of a caregiver has the potential to influence the health outcomes of persons with chronic illness. (WE 1999) Suggested methods of coping with these emotions include talking to someone; being informed about the disease as it give s the caregiver a sense of control; and accepting that there is a limit to the relief that a caregiver can provide. (familydoctor.org 2010) Decide, act and evaluate In light of the reflective writing and the academic literature reviewed, I hope that this will help me to come to terms and cope with the negative emotions I felt since receiving news of my mothers tumour. I can approach this by confiding in someone I am comfortable with, confronting my escapist mentality by finding out more about my mothers spinal haemangioma, and being aware of the treatments that she is going through. Her treatment is likely to expand over a long period of time, and she would need much emotional support and love from me. I have to be open to discussions about her illness and not evade any conversation on the topic as I did before. This reflective practice has also helped me to be more understanding and sensitive to the suffering of patients and their families. As a medical student, I have been made aware that the suffering of patients extends beyond physical pain, and that it is necessary for physicians to focus on patient-centred medicine and attend to the biopsychosocial model of health. It is also important to be aware of the impact that caring for a chronic ill patient has on the caregiver. To this end, I can be proactive as a future practitioner in asking caregivers how they are coping, and provide them with support services that they can turn to. I have also realised the important roles that practitioners play in preparing caregivers for the transition of roles to care for the ill, and in helping them anticipate changes that may occur in their lives. This gives caregivers a better sense of control over the situation, and increases their confidence in caring for the patient. A major takeaway from reflecting on what health means to me has been my understanding of the importance of medical practitioner to focus not only on curing diseases but also to relieve the sufferings of patients, understood holistically. To me, health transcends the absence of disease to include the physical, psychological and social well-being of a person; it means the empowerment of the individual, and is the foundation of a fulfilling life; it also means caring about the people who care about you and whom you care about.