The 23rd Annual Lamb Hall Lecture, “Forty Days” was a success Thursday as seats were filled with public health students, faculty and staff. The lecture held in the Martha Street Culp Auditorium was in honor of John P. Lamb, Jr. for his service to ETSU.
Joanne Flowers, chairwoman of the Department of Health welcomed students, faculty and the Barter Roadside actors. “Because we are public health officials we feel it our duty to spread public awareness about colon cancer,” she said.
Everyone listened as Barter Roadside actors, Kimberly Mays, Gill Braswell and Ben Mays performed songs and acted out the stories of colon cancer survivors. The program was dedicated to colon cancer survivors of Wise County, Va., and surrounding areas.
“Forty Days” was a lecture performed as a continuum from Kimberly Mays’ book Life’s Story. Three stories of survivors were acted out in which all said that they had no symptoms and ate healthy foods.
In testimonials that were performed the survivors complained of the procedures being expensive and that before age 50, insurance companies do not pay. One survivor said, “Think about your life, it is worth more than a vehicle.”
“I thoroughly enjoyed the presentation. I hope you listened carefully. I been there and done that,” Dr. Jay Allen said, professor emeritus of the Department of Public Health.
The lecture ended with a song encouraging people to get tested often. After the lecture it was time for the scholarship given in honor of John P. Lamb, the Lecture Award.
Dr. Jay Allen presented the award to Wyeth Lawson, an ETSU student who has shown academic excellence and commitment in public health.
The lecture ended with Michael I. McKamey. “This was a very moving event that we have seen tonight. Someday when we finally have found the cure for cancer and you have a diagnosis you can say ‘its not that serious’,” he said.

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