Our challenge is to get out the message that health care can be affordable but it has to by its very nature be limited.

I totally wanted to fix up my health and to challenge myself. I've never attempted to keep fit or do any sports at all.

We had a tremendous challenge, not just an economic challenge but a health challenge. We looked beyond solving the immediate problem and thought of it as a great opportunity.

There is a challenge in North Carolina ... to some of the most rural areas trying to piece together a health care network,

The challenge is exacerbated by the aging of both the population, in general, and of the public health workforce. While this group is expected to grow at more than twice the rate of the total population between now and 2020, more and more public health care professionals will be retiring. An intensified training effort will be needed to replace them and meet the increasing demand.

On behalf of the crew on Alpha, I'd like to commend Endeavour and its crew for the tremendous technical challenge and the great achievements ... I can't think of a mission that we've flown in a long time that's been a bigger challenge.