My favorite stories were the ones about inspirational people in our community.

As the Star's health reporter, I wrote stories in 2014 about tragic deaths from suicide and overdose, plummeting hospital finances, local mergers and acquisitions, declining vaccination rates among local schoolchildren, and the Affordable Care Act.

But my favorite stories, and the ones that got the most response from readers, were the ones about inspirational people in our community. I wrote several stories about people who showed exceptional courage and tenacity in the face of significant health challenges, and about medical professionals going the extra mile (in one case, 200 miles!) to make Southern Arizona a healthier place to live. Included are nine of my favorites.