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Young Warriors

Twins Don’t Let Type 1 Diabetes Stifle Their Dreams by TIM CRAIG photos by CELESTE JO WALLS When 8-year-old Amelia Walls was hospitalized in 2016, Cecilia, her older sister by a whole 10 minutes, was worried. When Cecilia found out that her identical twin sister was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes, she went from worried…
The 12 Days of Temptation

Simple Advice to Help You Control Your Blood Sugar Through the Holidays The holidays are right around the corner! That means you’re probably starting to think about all the delicious food that comes with Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s, and probably a few family get-togethers in between. Usually, after fantasizing about all the tasty meals on…
Health Hero

Waiting on a Miracle Young Mother Remains Hopeful Through Battle WIth Chondrosarcoma by MARY TOOTHMAN Cliche or no, the truth is that the lovely Jessica Burton had it all — a loving husband who’s a partner in every sense of the word, work she loved as a registered nurse, and two little girls who fill…

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.…