Every day, for the three years since her beautiful and vibrant daughter Danielle died after suffering a brain hemorrhage, Cynthia Camel of Pearl has been able to smile.

It would seem the University of Mississippi Medical Center, St. Dominic Hospital and Baptist Medical Center are more competitors than collaborators when it comes to patient care.

But a first-time effort between the three Thursday at the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum, however, could be a game-changer.

Led by UMMC, continuing medical education leaders at the hospitals spent months planning a joint CME event open to their combined health-care practitioners. Veteran physicians trained in geriatrics, neurology and psychiatry shared decades of knowledge with about 100 people in presenting the three-hour program “Elderly Patients: Keeping their Minds in the Game.”

“I've been practicing for 35 years, and there's never been a collaborative effort between these institutions that I know of. Nothing,” said Dr. Mac Addison, a board-certified geriatrician at Baptist Medical Center who gave an overview of the major diagnostic criteria for various forms of dementia.

With the impending retirements of Dr. Julius Cruse, Dr. Robert Lewis and Dr. James Corbett, the Medical Center will lose approximately 115 years of institutional knowledge, but timeless friendships remain behind.

On Thursday, the three men were honored in two separate receptions that drew more than 100 colleagues, faculty, former students and other well-wishers to their side.

Corbett, professor of neurology and professor ophthalmology, has distinguished himself as a physician, researcher and teacher during his 25 years at the Medical Center.

A prolific author and pillar in the specialty of immunopathology, Cruse has served the Medical Center for 49 years and is a Guyton Distinguished Professor of Pathology, Medicine and Microbiology. During his four decades in Jackson, Lewis, a professor of pathology who earned his Ph.D. in pathology/immunology at UMMC, has co-authored numerous articles and books with Cruse, his cohort and friend.

“It's really rare that an institution has the opportunity to honor an institution,” said Dr. Ralph Didlake, professor of surgery, associate vice chancellor for academic affairs and chief academic officer, during a simultaneous send-off for Cruse and Lewis at the Rowland Medical Library.

“We're honoring two institutions.”

The Medical Center is proud to acknowledge those employees who will celebrate service anniversaries this week:

25 Years

Deborah Cole, ambulatory nurse, School of Medicine (Pediatric Cardiology)

15 Years

Jennifer Curtis, CAY Center therapist/manager, School of Medicine (Pediatric Child Development)

Shawn Lawrence, nurse, Batson Children's Hospital (Newborn Nursery)

Nina Lynch, inpatient nurse, University Hospital (7 West)

Robert Triplett, courier, School of Medicine (Family Medicine)

10 Years

Mary Andrews, nurse, School of Medicine (Graduate Studies in the Health Sciences)

Dr. Frank A. Brown, physician, Emergency Department

Thomas Ezell, associate director of creative services, Marketing

Rebecca Potter, electron microscopy technician, Surgical Pathology

5 Years

Willadean Cole, professional fee coder, University Physicians (Charge Entry)

Veronica Crawford, education administrator, School of Dentistry (Academic Affairs)

Dr. Rui He, instructor in radiation oncology, School of Medicine

Vanesa Hubbard, medical office assistant, Jackson Medical Mall (Ob-Gyn Clinic)

Gina Ladner, administrative assistant, School of Medicine (Obstetrics and Gynecology)

Balencia Langston, diet clerk, Food and Nutrition Services

Lottie Malone, patient representative, University Physicians (Lakeland Otolaryngology)

Dr. Jose M. Urencio Marcue, house officer in surgery, School of Medicine

Tammar Melvin, physician scheduler, University Physicians (Women's Reproductive Ob-Gyn)

Jeronda Snell, CST, Sterile Processing

David Villarubia, medical technologist, Chemistry Clinical Lab

Lakeida Yates, physician scheduler, University Physicians

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