When Courtney Williams learned she was pregnant with her second child in early 2021, she felt like her life was firmly in place. She had built a successful career at a Fortune 100 company, bought a home for herself and her son, and felt proud of the stability she had created. But pregnancy soon brought […]
More than 5 million children undergo surgery every year. A majority of pediatric patients experience what child life specialists call “Frozen Fear”, intense preoperative anxiety that can persist through sedation. This response can spike cortisol levels, lengthen recovery time, and even cause long-term trauma. A study published in the Journal of Child Life confirmed that […]
An exciting clinical trial involving a vaccine at the Cleveland Clinic could change the world of breast cancer. “Curing cancer has been something we all talk about. Even better, is to prevent the cancer in the first place. So, in a sense, prevention is the cure,” said Dr. Amit Kumar, CEO of Anixa Biosciences. An […]
I am approaching the 27th anniversary of my breast cancer diagnosis. And while I have remained cancer-free, it’s been quite a ride. I am also approaching the 3rd anniversary of my preventative mastectomy and removal of my ovaries. Why the surgeries, might you ask, if I was cancer-free? In 1997, following a routine mammogram, I […]
“He’s concussed … again.” I remember my mom, scared and in disbelief, uttering those sobering words to me during my junior year in college. A helmet-to-helmet hit resulted in my brother Christian’s third concussion, ending his high school football career at the ripe old age of 15. The following year, a fourth concussion from a […]
Across the United States, how long you live is determined by where you live. A person’s health is shaped by their environment, their ability to access nature, and the systems that support communities. In Lake County, IL, north of Chicago, often recognized for an abundance of nature, including Lake Michigan, forest preserves, parks, and grassroots-created […]
As part of our “You Said It” Op-Ed series, we invite contributors to submit their opinion pieces. Have a submission? Contact us. February is American Heart Month — not just the flowers and chocolate kind of month but the cardiovascular health awareness month — and all I can think about is how my 77-year-old mother, who has had […]
January is a time most of us associate with reflection, reinvention and, most importantly — self-improvement. With the clean slate of a new year, we look for new ways to be better — whether that means eating well, being more mindful, getting fit, reaching new career or education goals, or being more present to family […]
Living with an inoperable brain tumor, 16-year-old John Salvi faced numerous obstacles, and of them, the most ordinary also was the most devastating: A mirror. Fifteen pounds lighter, with no hair and a medical access port sticking out of his chest, the Wilmette resident often struggled to look at his reflection. “To see this frail […]
You know carrots are great for your eyes and that milk does wonders for your bones, but what about your brain? A diet filled with nutrient-rich foods can be a game changer for your brain, improving your decision making and problem solving skills, as well as sharpening your focus and boosting your memory, explains Matthew Kuchan, Ph.D., […]
