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How a life-saving transplant transformed my life

| Annemarie Ward shares her journey of keeping hope alive amidst heart disease | NEARLY 15 YEARS AGO, Annemarie Ward was walking the family’s three dogs with her mother Polly and sister Emily when she collapsed. At age seven, Annemarie had suffered a heart attack. She was diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, or enlargement of the…
Pop Quiz: Maintaining optimal optical health

| Understanding the causes of low vision and taking precautions as you age | EYESIGHT is a precious thing, and unfortunately there are many threats to optimal optical health. One common eye problem is low vision, and it affects seniors the most. Low vision, in its simplest terms, is any vision loss that interferes with…
Celebrating Black History Month with a look at local African-Americans in medicine

ALEX ALEXANDER Registered Nurse Bartow Regional Medical Center As a black registered nurse from North Carolina, 56-year-old Alex Alexander has had his run-ins with prejudice. But he’s learned to remember who he is, treat others like his brothers and sisters, forgive, and … not believe everything he hears. “You earn things by your merit and…

Word of Mouth: How to get a great smile for the New Year

SMILES ARE IMPORTANT. They say a smile can look like a million bucks or can make another feel like a million bucks … the advantages are endless. Whichever saying you choose, a healthy and beautiful smile can make you feel happier and increase your confidence. The start of the New Year is the perfect time…
Pediatric Health: Staying on schedule with your child’s vaccinations

VACCINATIONS PROTECT against many infections, including pertussis, mumps, measles, and even polio and diphtheria. Despite the fact that many of these diseases now seem archaic, it is important that your child receive vaccines in accordance with the schedule set out by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Association of Pediatrics.…
Medical Advice: Influenza A (H3) strain update

WE DO NOT LIVE in a sterile environment. There are germs all around us. In fact, you carry more germ cells on your body than human ones. Most of these germs are harmless and actually beneficial by helping us digest food and aid our immune system. However, there are others that can make you sick…