Guest Blogger Dr. Freda Bush: Making a Difference at the Medical Institute

My very wonderful friend, Dr. Freda Bush, is our guest blogger today. She has a busy medical practice. I don't know how she's managed one more thing, but she's been involved with the Medical Institute for Sexual Health for years. It's an organization every parent and grandparent should know about, as should every health care provider. I asked her to write a blog post about her involvement with MI. I think you'll love her sweet spirit and her servant heart. (I've included links to the resources she mentions. Had the Talk? is a free resource of MI)
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“Why am I involved with the Medical Institute?”

It's simple.  I have four children, nine grandchildren and one great-grandchild. My husband, Lee, and I determined years ago, “It is not enough for us to be concerned about ‘our four and no more’ as they will be living in this world with others”.

I'm a PK (Preacher’s Kid) and that upbringing provided a healthy moral compass for me and my eight siblings. We were raised to view life from a spiritual nature and use scriptures as a guide. Additionally, we were taught the Golden Rule. “Do unto others as you would have them do to you”.  

In 1995, Lee, my husband, began working with the Junior League of Jackson, MS teaching an abstinence education program to inner city middle school boys and girls. When Lee began teaching young boys, he wanted to teach them what he was teaching our son - how to be a good husband to his wife and a good father to their children. He also said, "Who knows if one of those boys might become a husband to one of our daughters?"

The educational resources available from the Medical Institute (MI) were introduced to me when I attended a conference titled, “Abstinence and the African American Youth. Dr Doug Eaton, a member of the MI National Advisory Board, presented medically accurate scientific information on sexual activity and sexually transmitted diseases that encompassed ethics and values.

He explained from a medical perspective the physical, psychological and emotional risk of early sexual debut as well as the long term psychological baggage inherent in having multiple sexual relationships. Listening to his presentation was as refreshing as drinking “a glass of cold water in the desert”.

Armed with this scientific information, I knew I would not be “imposing my values” as I discussed abstinence with the students, their parents, and the educators. The science supported scripture.

Waiting for sex until marriage (a committed long term mutually monogamous relationship) was the healthiest behavior and it was achievable.  The scientific research supported it was never too late for a behavior change even if they had already initiated sex.

I was reminded of what my grandmother used to say, “When you know better, you do better.”

Several months after attending the abstinence conference, I met Dr. Joe McIlhaney, founder of the MI.  I told him how much his material had meant to me, gave him my business card and said, “If I can ever do anything for you, please let me know.”  

A few weeks following our meeting, he invited me to join the MI National Advisory Board.

When asked to become the Medical Director of the program several years later, I accepted because I knew our nation's children needed health information with character and values that would help them navigate through life.

During my time with Medical Institute, I've had the privilege of co-authoring two books with Dr McIlhaney.

The first published in 2008, titled Hooked, New Science on How Casual Sex is Affecting Our Children presented breakthroughs in the field of neuroscience explaining the impact sex has on the developing brain of adolescents and young adults.   

Girl’s Uncovered, New Research on What America’s Sexual Culture Does to Young Women was published in 2010 and gives practical steps that can be taken as parents, as leaders, as a society and as young women in general to dramatically improve young people’s chances at rising above the perils of this culture. These books were written in everyday language so the parents would not feel intimidated by the scientific information.

This year, MI launched a free on-line resource for parents titled, “Had the Talk?”  It turned scientific information into active and engaging dialogue for sexual health topics. This resource provides the tools to increase parenting adults-youth communication and connectedness. Hopefully, it improves the health of youth by emphasizing healthy relationships, postponing the age of sexual debut and avoiding the consequences of casual sex.  

Fast forward to 2016. I'm still working with the Medical Institute. I believe we're still making a difference in the lives of young men and women. I'm still involved because, since its founding in 1992, MI has been fighting for our children to combat the lie of victimless casual sex with medical scientific research, coupled with behavioral and cultural science.  

I, like Frederick Douglas, an African American statesman, believe, “It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.”

For more information, please contact: www.medinstitute.org.

"How can a young man keep his way pure? 

By guarding it according to Your word. 

Psalm 119:9 esv

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Freda McKissic Bush, M.D is a Fellow in the ACOG and a practicing OB-GYN. She is CEO of The Medical Institute for Sexual Health and has co-authored two books with Founder Joe S. McIlhaney, MD, HOOKED, and Girls UNCOVERED. Dr. Bush is a Clinical Instructor in the Departments of OB-GYN and Family Medicine at the University of Mississippi Medical Center and served on the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS. Married to Lee Bush they have 4 adult children and 8 grandchildren.
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In case you missed it here is the link to yesterday's post: The Reciprocal Blessing That Took My Breath Away

Here's the link to the worldwide prayer guide: The Prayer List

#medicalinstitute #drfredabush #sexualhealth