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Local Medical Team Visits Kenya to Treat Patients with Heart Disease

by MARY TOOTHMAN A group of local medical professionals traveled to Kenya earlier this year to provide instruction and medical care, and it seems likely there will be a return trip at some point in the future. Dr. David Evans, a BayCare Medical Group cardiovascular surgeon, physician assistant Dave Reid, and Winter Haven Hospital Cardiovascular…
Unsung Heroes

Athletic Trainers Instrumental in Keeping Athletes Ready for Competition Year after year and season after season, sports and athletic competitions remain popular, both for participants and spectators. We root for our favorite teams and cheer athletes on to great victories. Playing a sport is an excellent way to stay in shape physically and mentally, and…
Strength in Numbers

Breast Cancer Survivors Strong Support System Helps on the Journey Friends who have been there, family and, most of all God, help breast cancer survivors on their road to health. Michelle Faught, a self-employed household manager, didn’t let breast cancer keep her down. Two weeks after having a single lumpectomy, with her surgeon’s approval, she…

Signs & symptoms: When your skin needs medical attention

As a surgeon who often treats and cares for patients whose ailments of the skin have gone too long without medical attention, I’d like to talk about the importance of seeing a doctor right away if you find abnormalities on the skin. I hope people can be aware that it is not only important…
Body, mind & spirit: Integrating primary and behavioral care

When you go to the doctor complaining of stomach pain, you probably don’t expect your problem to be depression. But it just may be. When you complain of headache, clumsiness, dizziness, shakiness, blurred vision, tingling around the mouth and seizures, you might expect an anxiety or bipolar (manic-depressive) disorder. You may be surprised if…
Mediterranean diet for cardiovascular health

Dr. Sean P. O’Rourke is a board-certified cardiologist at Watson Clinic. With a subspecialty in cardiovascular disease, Dr. O’Rourke often sees patients suffering from heart disease. He took the time to answer some questions about heart disease, which has a higher death rate in Polk County than in the rest of Florida. Health…