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Serving the Underserved

Diabetes Center of Excellence to Provide Multidisciplinary Approach by K. MICHELE TRICE With more than 15 percent of Polk County residents having been diagnosed with diabetes, there is a distinct need for quality health care that focuses on the illness. Central Florida Health Care is working to address that need by creating a Diabetes Center…
Determined to Live: ‘Anything Else Isn’t an Option’

Lakeland Community, Family Support 9-Year-Old Warrior in Fight Against Cancer by PAUL CATALA photos provided by HUTSON FAMILY Aubrey Hutson’s health journey began at 7 years old in 2021 with knee pain that led to doctor’s office visits and trips to the emergency room. Eventually, the young Lakeland girl and her family received the diagnosis:…
Changing the Face of Survivorship

Workshop Series to Help Women Navigate the New Normal After Beating Breast Cancer by K. MICHELE TRICE For cancer patients, there is nothing like making it to the end of treatment and ringing that celebratory bell. Some patients, however, find an uncertainty and unease they hadn’t anticipated once on the other side of that celebration.…

What Is Age-Related Macular Degeneration, or AMD?

by NADER MOINFAR, M.D., M.P.H. Geographic atrophy (GA) is an advanced form of dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD). In general, AMD is a disease that progresses in stages. Patients with advanced AMD experience vision loss from either excess ﬂuid and blood (wet AMD) or the death of cells (GA). It is estimated that 1.5 million…
Understanding Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

An aneurysm is a “weakening” or “dilatation” in a part of an artery. An estimated 15,000 people die of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) every year in the US. About 200,000 new cases of AAA are diagnosed every year. Most of these are diagnosed by tests that are done for unrelated reasons. The aorta is…
The Future Is Clear: The Shift to Daily Disposable Contact Lenses

by DANIEL SMITH, O.D. Contact lenses offer a wonderful alternative to traditional eyeglasses, providing wearers with a range of unique benefits that suit various lifestyles. They offer a natural, unobstructed field of vision, and the absence of frames on the face may be highly beneficial, especially during physical activities where glasses may pose a risk…