You probably have at least one person in your life who openly identifies as LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer). And while acceptance has increased in recent years, LGBTQ people still face many challenges, including hate crimes, discrimination and barriers…
Experts say that practicing social distancing and wearing a mask are the best ways to prevent COVID-19. Memorial Health System has taken important steps to make sure both of these practices are easy to follow within their facilities. At Memorial…
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, restaurants across Illinois have adapted to keep customers safe. Hospital cafeterias have had to make similar changes to ensure they’re able to continue serving hungry front-line workers and visitors without risking the spread of the virus.…
Four years ago, Marcia “Diann” Beimfohr, 75, was diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic lung cancer. Fast-forward to January 2019. Diann was again diagnosed with cancer; this time she had surgery to remove her left adrenal gland and kidney. A few…
A 56-year-old Jacksonville woman says her life was forever changed by a kidney transplant at Springfield Memorial Hospital. The March 23 procedure, which involved a kidney from a deceased donor, freed Denise Hickox from exhausting dialysis sessions to stay alive…
Memorial Health System has launched a major expansion of telehealth to provide safe and convenient outpatient services when an in-person visit isn’t required. Two-way, real-time video visits, which began on a limited basis in April, are available for patients of…
With a combined 37 years of service in law enforcement, Illinois State Police Master Sgt. Tom Lillard and Sgt. Tracy Lillard know something about close-knit work environments, where colleagues feel more like family with each passing year. When Tom Lillard…
Larry Mariage was in a hurry to make his appointment to undergo an MRI at Passavant Area Hospital. In his rush, Mariage, 71, a Type 2 diabetic who had been fasting for nearly 10 hours in preparation for his test,…
Medical emergencies happen, even in a pandemic. So it was for 9-year-old Jack Crews, who woke up on the morning of April 30 with a stomachache that became progressively worse as the day went on. After a telephone call with…
Amazing. That’s how Nicole Loehr describes her experience at Decatur Memorial Hospital where she and her husband, Zachary, recently welcomed their first child. “With COVID-19, I honestly was really scared,” said Nicole, a 25-year old nursing student who has worked…