UNMC’s Ira Combs appears in national insurance magazine

Ira Combs and Dr. Jesse interact with children from the Educare Child Development Center in north Omaha in a photo that will appear in a commemorative edition of Aetna’s Affircan American History Calendar. The photo originally appeared in Aetna’s 2008 calendar. (Photo by Lou Jones)

Ira Combs, community nurse liaison in UNMC’s Center for Reducing Health Disparities in the College of Public Health, was selected to appear in a commemorative edition of Aetna’s African-American History Calendar.

Breaking Barriers is a compilation of nearly 30 years of photos taken for the insurance company’s annual calendar.

Combs was featured in July of the 2008 calendar. It focused on health literacy and highlighted efforts being made across the country to improve public understanding of medical topics.

“It was already such an honor to be selected for the annual calendar. But to be included among greats such as artist Jacob Lawrence, businessman Earl Graves Sr., and educator Johnnetta Cole is amazing.” Ira Combs

The selection committee praised Combs for his innovative development of a method to talk to children about health topics. Combs created Dr. Jesse, a puppet, who sings and discusses health information. Several times a year, Combs and Dr. Jesse visit children who attend the Educare Child Development Center in north Omaha. A photographer chose that location for the calendar’s photo shoot.

The editors loved the picture and were so impressed with Combs’ contributions to health literacy they decided to use it for the magazine edition. It displays activists, athletes, business leaders, scientists and educators. Combs is the first expert featured in the “Educators and Mentors” section.

“It was already such an honor to be selected for the annual calendar,” Combs said. “But to be included among greats such as artist Jacob Lawrence, businessman Earl Graves Sr., and educator Johnnetta Cole is amazing.”