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Bartow Regional Plans $110 Million Expansion

Hospital President Sites Booming Population as Driving Force by PAUL CATALA On June 4, the BayCare Board of Trustees approved a $110 million plan to expand the hospital from 72 to 90 beds and enhance its emergency, catheterization lab and surgical services departments. “I think that’s amazing,” says Bailey Caustic, a Bartow native who was…
Targeting T1D

AdventHealth Initiates Study to Expand Screening in Underserved Populations by RYAN MILEJCZAK Type 1 diabetes, or T1D, is a condition in which the pancreas makes little to no insulin, leading to high levels of blood sugar. If not properly treated, it can have serious implications for a patient’s health. Over the past several years, there…
Sun Smart & Cancer Cautious

Tips for Protecting Yourself and Vulnerable Populations From Skin Cancer by REBEKAH PIERCE Living in the Sunshine State certainly has its perks — beautiful beaches, warm weather, and plenty of outdoor activities to enjoy year-round. But with great sunshine comes great responsibility. Not only is it important to think about skin protection for yourself, but…

Editor’s Dose: Tips for minimizing back-to-school stress

IF YOU ARE LIKE ME, then come early July you were already thinking about preparations for the new school year. Parents and children in the community this year are getting ready extra early because Polk County public schools moved up their calendar by one week — day one of school is August 15.
Making the choice to breastfeed

THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH in Polk County (DOH-Polk) and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) recognize August as Breastfeeding Awareness Month. This is a wonderful time of year to promote breastfeeding as a vital health activity and discuss the health benefits breastfeeding provides. Although every woman has their own…
Editor’s Dose: Keeping kids’ bodies and minds active this summer

WHEN I FIRST had the twins, my mom would say, “Have a schedule for them, or they’ll have a schedule for you.” Basically, she was cautioning that I’d better keep those little minds and bodies active, or chaos would inevitably ensue. Being a mother of eight children, I think she was speaking from personal experience.…