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Adapting to Change

Pandemic Doesn’t Hold Back ‘Making Strides’ Virtual Campaign by TERESA SCHIFFER With October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and 2020 being a year of social distancing and heightened health and safety measures, it’s no surprise that many annual fundraising events are being postponed, canceled, or held virtually. While this doesn’t have to stop people from…
The Journey and Beyond

How One Woman’s Breast Cancer Brought Her New Perspective by TIM CRAIG photos by APRIL SPAULDING For Toshika Chambers, it was a moment that put everything in perspective. Sitting in the lobby of her doctor’s office, the Lakeland native and Haines City resident waited for the results of a biopsy. Her mind swirled. A…
Body, Mind & Spirit

Why We Avoid Routine Medical Examinations By MARY JOYE, LMHC Most of us do it, or rather don’t do it when it comes to scheduling routine medical screenings or examinations. Who really wants a mammogram, colonoscopy or other unpleasant procedures? We procrastinate though we are told and scolded by the media and experts that…

Understanding the Risks of Deep Venous Thrombosis

Deep venous thrombosis is a serious medical condition that affects millions of people. This is a condition in which a blood clot forms in a deep vein of the body, usually in the thigh, leg, and — rarely — the arm. The blood clot can break off and travel inside the vein to the lung,…
The Eye Condition You’ve Probably Never Heard of: Keratoconus

by GISELLE SANKAR, O.D. Picture looking through a clear glass window that has slowly started to bend or warp. That once clear view has now become blurry and extremely distorted. In simple terms, this describes what individuals diagnosed with keratoconus experience. Keratoconus is a progressive eye condition that causes thinning of the cornea. The cornea…
Surgical Management of Acute Deep Venous Thrombosis

DVT, or blood clots in your leg, can be a life-threatening condition. It can be treated by taking oral anticoagulation medication, wearing compression stockings, elevating the leg to reduce swelling, and continuing to walk and keep yourself hydrated. Your vascular doctor can tell you more about your treatment options. The blood clot is dissolved by…