Smoking kills more than 480,000 Americans each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For many, the “why” to quit is clear, but the “how” is more challenging. If you live in central Illinois, Memorial Health System…
Tony Shuff is a busy man, and his Oct. 5 heart attack was not on the fall “to-do” list. His warning signs? • Tired and easily winded • Shortness of breath • Minimal feelings of discomfort around the heart The…
Cold and flu season is upon us. And as moms, dads and anyone who wants to avoid seasonal viruses prepare for the germ battle, they often reach for the same weapon of choice: the trusty ole’ hand sanitizer. The small…
Pete Rafferty, 72, knew from early childhood that he wanted to serve his country. A Springfield native who attended Feishan’s High School, he achieved that dream quickly upon graduation when he enlisted in the U.S. Marines in 1963. He was…
We all want our kids to grow into healthy adults. Virginia Dolan, MD, a pediatrician with Memorial Physician Services-Koke Mill and Memorial Center for Healthy Families, spoke recently on radio station WTAX about four areas to target for optimal health…
Children are developing an unhealthy body image at younger and younger ages, said Cheri Harrison, MS, LCPC, pediatric program coordinator for the Memorial Center for Healthy Families at Memorial Medical Center. They feel there’s something wrong with the way they…
When Carol Harms went in for her annual mammogram this February and a suspicious spot was found, she didn’t give it too much thought. There’s very little presence of cancer in her family. And she had been feeling intermittently unwell…
It’s a killer many of us know little about. It affects more than 1 million people each year, and half don’t survive. It could begin with something as small as a cut in gym class, and warning signs and red…
Radio disc jockey Kellie Michaels wasn’t expecting an emotional roller coaster after coming out of surgery, but there it was—anxiety, discomfort and an intense desire to go home—all culminating in what she described as “a mini-meltdown.” “I asked the nurse…
You could say Brad Knapp had it all: a beautiful family with the recent addition of a sweet baby girl, a successful career as a chemical engineer at Archer Daniels Midland (ADM), and a healthy workout regimen including hitting the…