ALPHARETTA, Ga. (BP)–Nancy Johnson’s first pregnancy was normal. Then came her second pregnancy.
At four months, she discovered her baby would be born without a brain.
“Dr. Tom Coburn would pray with me, and he would hug me and let me cry. He always gave me an uplifting verse out of the Bible to carry with me for the next month,” said Johnson. “A lot of doctors would have encouraged abortion, but he never did because he knew that was not an option for me and I knew that was not an option for him.”
Tom Coburn of Muskogee is one of seven Oklahoma Southern Baptist doctors and nurses who will star in “Love & Medicine,” a 60-minute television special produced by the North American Mission Board’s media technology group.
The documentary, produced for NBC, will be aired by NBC affiliates beginning Aug. 24 through the next six months. The special may be aired as stations have time available. Local listings will carry times and stations.
The stories in the program show the love and care of these medical professionals who are strong Christians who let God guide them, said producer Rosser McDonald. “Our purpose in doing these network specials is to show stories that will be interesting and attract viewers who then will see evidence of the Lord at work in people’s lives.”
In addition to Coburn’s story, other highlights include:
— Mike Pontious, director of the Oklahoma University College of Medicine Clinic in Enid, who also operates a rural clinic in nearby Garber. His wife, Myrna, is an emergency room physician at St. Mary’s Hospital, also in Enid. They and their three children are active members of First Baptist Church, Enid.
— Bob Bacon, a physician’s assistant in Tahlequah and member of Swimmer Baptist Church who takes care of adult patients at W.W. Hastings Indian Health Care Hospital. He sees between 300 and 400 patients each month and, once a month, Bacon and a nurse visit Native American patients in nursing homes in the Tahlequah area.
— Patti Driskell, a hospice nurse and member of Heritage Baptist Church in Shawnee, who sees her job as a ministry: While there is sadness in the death of patients, most of her job is caring for them and helping them and their families through very stressful times. Frequently, she has the opportunity to share Christ with her terminally ill patients.
— Sunday Fadulu, a microbiologist, who has found a cure for Sickle Cell Anemia. The final tests, required by the government, are under way. He teaches and directs the Sickle Cell Research at Texas Southern University. Fadulu, born in Nigeria, and his wife, a native of Oklahoma, credit the Lord with directing the work which is expected to benefit millions around the world.
— Mike Rader, a dermatologist in McAlester who gives clear testimony to the priority of making Jesus Christ the Lord of one’s life. His story shows his Christian commitment through caring for patients by practicing in a town where he can have more time with his wife and four children. The Raders are actively involved in the ministries of First Baptist Church, McAlester.
