Spending time with sickle cell disease patient Terrell Starks, 23, has given me a whole new perspective on life. Juggling home life, work and obligations to friends and family can be a hassle at times, but the soft spoken words from a young man who has been forced to reach a level of maturity before his peers compels me to rethink my trivial concerns.
Terrell is dying from sickle cell disease and he appreciates life in a way that most of us tend to take for granted. He has also watched his younger sister, who was very dear to him, succumb to the same disease as a teenager. He laments that he is unable to convince other young adults to take full advantage of opportunities before them. He hates to see others waste time.
It's almost inconceivable to imagine that someone his age can be so full of strength and wisdom, but at the same time it is unfortunate that his illness is the source of that gift.
He is a special young man.
Laura Ungar has been the Courier-Journal's medical writer since 2004. Major projects have examined Kentucky's poor health, black lung disease, cervical cancer in India and the health insurance crisis among America's middle class. You can follow her series on 
Sam Upshaw, 46, of Louisville, has been a photographer with The Courier-Journal for 22 years. In addition to covering the community on a daily basis, he has visually documented Muhammad Ali, Kentucky's poor health, the University of Louisville's win at the Orange Bowl in Miami and Hurricane Ivan in Florida. Spending time with Terrell, he is inspired by the young man's strength and wisdom, which helps put life's little inconveniences in perspective.
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