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Pop Quiz! Photosensitivity Can Spell Trouble for Skin in the Sun

Many medications have side effects, and unfortunately for those residing here in the Sunshine State, one of those side effects can be an increased sensitivity to the sun. Called drug-induced photosensitivity, it accounts for 8 percent of side effects, though it’s believed to be underdiagnosed and underreported. Take our quiz to learn more about drug-induced…
Care for All

United Way of Central Florida’s Community Wellness Initiative Helps Polk’s Uninsured and Underserved by RYAN MILEJCZAK One of the biggest struggles Americans face is the cost of healthcare, particularly for underserved populations. Here in Polk County, many of our residents face this very challenge, due to factors like low income, lack of access to health…
A Survivor’s Tale

Hap Hazelwood on Early Detection and Unwavering Faith in the Face of Prostate Cancer by REBEKAH PIERCEphotos by JESS McDONALD In a world where health often comes into focus only after it starts to fade, stories like that of Hap Hazelwood are worth paying attention to. Hazelwood, along with his wife, Chris, have both navigated…

Word of Mouth: Oral cancer: Symptoms, diagnosis and treatment

Cancer can affect any part of your body, and the mouth is no exception. While oral cancer can be caused by damaging behaviors such as the use of tobacco or alcohol, it can still occur without explanation. Oral cancer is much more prevalent than believed, and this unfortunately means that it’s often not diagnosed until…
Publisher’s Note: The importance of relay for life

There’s no doubt about it: when fighting a disease as devastating and life-threatening as cancer, it can wreak havoc on your daily life. At the diagnosis and throughout the painful surgery and treatment process, the patient’s stress level (as well as his or her friend’s and family’s) can go through the roof. I’ve personally lost…
Editor’s Dose: Lookin’ out for new moms with my tips for the baby blues

If you’re a lucky woman who has just recently had a new baby, you might be suffering from severe mood swings commonly known as the “baby blues.” These extreme fluctuations (highs and lows) in temperament are very real… don’t fall for that trick that “it’s just you imagination!” As a mom of four children who are all…