Dean's Update
August 22, 2025 - Aron Sousa, MD
Dean’s Wife’s Bear, Reporting from Flint
Yes, it’s me again, Hope Bear, also known as Aron’s wife’s bear, helping out with the dean’s weekly update. I have informed Aron if this writing-for-him is going to become a thing, I’m going to be looking for a named couch from the college.
But in the meantime, I’m pleased to report back to you from last Saturday’s Teddy Bear Health Fair in Flint because – like the event in East Lansing – it was a real treat. Even for the humans.
Above: Lauren Holaly-Zembo, CEO of Crim Fitness Foundation, and Aron.
If you don’t know Flint, let me start by explaining it is an epicenter of health enthusiasm, particularly where kids are concerned. The health fair was consequently held in conjunction with the Crim Fitness Foundation Marti Austin Kids Classic.
This included lots of races of varying distances for small humans, the youngest of whom participated in an event called the Diaper Dash. This was not, as you might think, a race to see who could fill a diaper fastest, but rather a challenge for crawlers to see if they could figure out which way the course ran.
The humans ready for two-legged mobility had their own dashes, with lots of nice medals passed out for participation.
If there had been a Diaper Dash for teddy bears, I myself might have filled a Huggies from the experience of Sparty grabbing me for a photo with Aron.
Honestly, if ever there was proof you people really want to be us, Sparty is that. Face it: He is basically a stuffed animal with a bony human center.
The health fair part of this great day was co-sponsored by Crim, Genesee Health System, the Genesee Intermediate School District Early Childhood program, MSU’s Charles Stewart Mott Department of Public Health, the Greater Flint Health Coalition, MDHHS, and Mott Community College.
Above: (l-r) Tae Blair and Twynette Mixon from the College of Human Medicine
Charles Stewart Mott Department of Public Health.
Many of these folks had booths providing helpful information for caregivers of small humans, including on nutrition, vaccinations, emergency care, and more.
Above: (l-r) Aron, Adel Bakleh (M2), and Annie Hoang-Pham (M2).
But the main event from my point of view was the mass placement of lots of my furry friends who were needing good homes. It was a warm and humid day, but that didn’t stop sensible children attending the fair from adopting over one hundred of my brethren, even though – as Alice will tell you – a bear makes for a hot companion in the summer of climate change.
This photo (below) of Zeke the Wonder Dog will give you a sense of just how warm it was that morning. (We made Aron pull his tongue in for the shot.)
As with East Lansing, the Flint stuffed animal clinic run by Hurley Children’s Hospital and College of Human Medicine students accepted all comers, including stuffed animal cats, dogs, bears, and some fur-covered, foam-filled manifestations whose inspirations eluded my comprehension. (No judgement.)
Above: (l-r) Lindsay Dyas (M3), a Hurley Children’s Hospital resident, and Julie Ly (M3).
The charting appeared to be much more sophisticated than that used in East Lansing. I have to say I like this whole system of illustrations to indicate how a bear is feeling. (Alice insists on asking me to verbally articulate my complaints, which I’m frankly reluctant to do without a cup of tea and some scones.)
You have to love the “beary unwell” to “beary good” scale on this intake form! I also appreciate the simple binary of “good/need help” for one’s paws, eyes, ears, fur, and mouth. After all, when you are a stuffed animal, your eyes really are basically either good or in need of help. I am unclear, though, why there is not a permanent circle around the prescription for hugs and rest, because we tend to live on those.
Above: Nevaeh, owned by College of Human Medicine staff member
Sherrie Lenneman, with Capital Area Therapy Pets.
I definitely enjoyed my time talking shop with the therapy dogs. They do good work, although I’ll just gently point out here that my upkeep is less expensive and simpler. Alice has been known to leave me home for a week with nary a complaint by me or those concerned with animal rights. Aron is also not allergic to me, which he is – sadly – to the therapy dogs.
I was a little startled to realize how much local fame I had accrued through my last post, with one excited fan even approaching me with a cry of my rap moniker, “Hope Tha Bear!” (Yes, I am working on an album.) She even wanted to have her photo taken with me. You’re welcome, Melissa.
After the fair, Aron took Alice over to the Flint Farmers Market so she could buy way too many cherry tomatoes and onions and he could buy enough peaches to keep him for two days. (For the record, that’s a peck.)
Aron also showed Alice the outside of the new Charles Stewart Mott Department of Public Health's expansion at the College of Human Medicine Flint Campus which, from my vantage point in the car, looked swell. Really nice architecture and a great location. Just needs some bears inside so far as I’m concerned.
All in all, another fine day out for yours truly, and I remain impressed with the connections between Spartan care providers and our community members. Any college that arranges its major pediatric events around teddy bears is one I can get behind. Now, I’m headed for a hug and a rest.
Serving the stuffed animals with you,
Hope Bear
Dean's Wife's Bear