Springfield resident Al Riddley and his wife Lynn won’t soon forget the events of Dec. 22, 2019—a day when a routine workout suddenly became not-so-routine. Al, 67, was riding a stationary bike at the Gus & Flora Kerasotes YMCA that…
Nearly everyone has a family member who has had cancer—it is a common disease affecting 1 in 3 Americans. A common myth is that all cancers are genetic, but that’s not always the case. Sometimes family members have the same…
Approximately 38 million Americans use marijuana, and you may be surprised to learn that thousands of marijuana-related emergency visits occur in the United States each year. Although a fatal overdose is unlikely, over-ingestion of marijuana is possible, especially if you’re…
‘Tis the season to get engaged! Eight of the most popular days to pop the question happen between the Christmas holiday season and Valentine’s Day. But if you are not careful, the big reveal may result in a trip to…
The Poison Control Center now offers the public an online option – webPOISONCONTROL – a web-based triage tool to guide people who may have been exposed to a poisonous substance through a series of questions to determine toxicity and recommended…
Born with spina bifida, Glenn Gill has gone through between 20 and 30 surgeries throughout his 37 years of life. In adulthood, he developed diabetes. An infection earlier in 2019 led to the discovery of Fournier’s gangrene – a serious…
Due to an old smoking habit and new screening guidelines, Kaye Beals’ primary care doctor suggested she undergo a lung cancer screening at a routine physical last December. The 80-year-old from Mt. Zion agreed to the screening, and it showed…
In 1998, Marsha McFall’s kidney failure basically came out of the blue. At the time, she considered herself a pretty healthy, middle-aged woman. She attended graduate school, worked full time as a nursing professor at St. John’s College of Nursing.…
As a young woman, Irene Sullivan found non-cancerous lumps in both breasts – which started annual mammogram appointments beginning at age 25. She raves about the vast improvements in mammography technology over the past four decades. “The process has improved…
You might exercise to lose weight or prevent heart disease, but did you know that exercise can also help to reduce your risk of certain types of cancer? “Regular exercise is beneficial to your overall health. It reduces inflammation and…