Dr. Regina Benjamin Receives Stars

She's been on the job for a couple of months now, but, today, Doctor Regina Benjamin officially received her stars as U.S. Surgeon General.

Before the swearing in, Dctor Benjamin wore a big smile, and appeared to be a bit nervous. "It's really hard to stand here and keep smiling when I wanna cry", said Benjamin.

Nearly a thousand miles from her clinic in South Mobile County's Bayou La Batre, a rural doctor stands before family, colleagues, and patients in the nation's capital.
Her nurse for twenty years, Granny Nell helped pin her stars.

"It is such a great feeling to see so many faces, so many people..that are so close to me", said Benjamin.

So many people showed up to attend the ceremony, it had to be moved to another location.
Loved ones wouldn't miss the opportunity to see Benjamin take her place as the country's top doctor, the 18th Surgeon General of the United States.

"This is a doctor's dream job, but, for me it was more important and more personal because many of my family members are not sitting here today because of preventable diseases", Benjamin told the crowd.

She lost her mother to lung cancer, her father to high blood pressure and diabetes, her brother died from HIV. But, Regina Benjamin is a survivor. She's overcome fire and hurricanes to treat the people of the bayou. Now, the rest of the country may benefit from what folks in these parts already have, a doctor with great skills and a lot of heart.

Benjamin wrapped up the ceremony saying,
"Thank you all for coming..I am so honored to have you here..thank you".