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New programs to help improve foster care

Heartland for Children Calls for 80 Additional Foster Homes While Improving Child Protective Services There is no gift greater than giving one’s time to a child. For 155 local families, that means serving as a foster family to a child in need. Heartland for Children is the lead community based care agency responsible for re-designing…
Chris Hazelwood bares all

Q & A on Her Journey to Recovery from Breast Cancer Diagnosed with breast cancer on Leap Day in 2008, Mary Christine Hazelwood is a survivor. We talked with her about her journey—chemotherapy, radiation treatments, and what led her to start The Pampering Event for women with breast cancer. Central Florida Health News (CFHN): Tell…
Pop Quiz: Test your knowledge of a breast cancer self-exam

Be Confident that You Can Properly Perform a Self-Exam for Breast Cancer with this Short Pop Quiz The statistics show the proof! Performing regular self-exams on your breasts can lead to early diagnosis of breast cancer in women, according to research from John Hopkins Medical Center. So, what is part of a successful self-examination and what…

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…