A visit to the St. Jude's Children's Hospital in Memphis helps you realize it's a place where miracles happen.
Memphis, TN
A Tennessee 10-yr-old diagnosed with Leukemia two years ago is probably in the clear today because of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
Mamphis, TN
What began as a backache turned into leukemia. St. Jude welcomed the family, and never charged a cent.
Mother-daughter relationship at the heart of this teen's experience in a single-parent household.
Two separate single parents, each with their own children find companionship, sharing, and a new definition of family.
Go, go, go. Parents wonder if all the activities, aren't too much for parents AND their kids.
2 young children, 2 parents on prescribed bedrest, and 1 newborn expected.
The Sauerbrunns: new baby changes everything.
Balanced diet and one multiple daily supplement may be enough. Anything more may complicate your health.
Cape Girardeau, MO
At 77, Leila Boldrey continues her lifetime of volunteering, driving many people near her age to their doctor's appointments.
Experts claim last year was like planting the garden, this year, the mosquito-borne illness will be in full bloom. The solution: eliminate standing water.
No need to abandon that carefully-planned New Year's resolution...maybe it just needs a little tune-up.
Lifestyle changes for young people give them plenty to hold their attention, but with little physical activity. Doctors say they see more type-2 diabetes because of that sedentary lifestyle.
A special program gives patients that support by sharing. Judy Eaker knows what it's like to fight breast cancer, and offers valuable perspective.
Advance, MO
Help a Heartland kid, and children across the country with donation to support St. Jude's mission to make all kids well.
The doctors' first scan showed nothing, but Diane Rowland just didn't feel right. Now she knows why.
Surgery to relieve from the eye sagging and obstructive flaps of skin can improve looks, but more importantly, improve vision.
Pollinating trees marks the beginning of allergy season, and it continues on from there with flowers, grasses, etc. Some things you can do.
Sikeston, MO
Computer/Camera/Internet hook-up connects doctor and patient across the miles, expanding the reach of expertise where it's needed.
Illinois gets creative in a bold plan to cut back on mosquito populations by charging 50 cents to properly dispose of used tires.
A Heartland teen's been through surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation in his quest to beat a brain tumor.
Poplar Bluff, MO
Three Rivers Healthcare in Poplar Bluff and Twin Rivers Regional Medical Center in Kennett are being sold by their owner which is focusing on it's properties in larger cities.
Advance, MO
A Heartland woman is battling a brain tumor for the second time, but this time around she's lost an important weapon in her fight, the ability to work.
Scott City, MO
Older brother was the ideal donor for his sister who had a rare blood disease and needed a marrow transplant.
Cape Girardeau, MO
Mary Banks beat breast cancer once, then colon cancer. But 18 years after her first bout with breast cancer, she had to battle the disease again.
Cape Girardeau, MO
Activity programs -- especially individualized ones -- seem to lift the spirits of residents more than just about anything else.
U.S. Senator Dick Durbin is calling for a statewide ban of ephedra, claiming it's easier for teens to buy than cigarettes, and possibly more deadly.
For people at high risk of colon cancer, especially, a simple aspirin tablet each day could have a significant preventative effect.
Cape Girardeau, MO
New technology represents problem areas on your spine with different colors -- helping the chiropractor to pinpoint better care.
Cape Girardeau, MO
19-yr-old HS Senior prepares to take on the role of mother as soon as she graduates.
As with many other preventable diseases, successful treatment of POS depends on reliable, early detection.
Cape Girardeau, MO
The stress test is something most of us have heard of, it's a test that can tell you a lot about your body. But now, new research shows it's what your heart is doing after the test really that counts.
The hemoglobin A1C test, along with the daily blood sugar test offers a more complete picture of the diabetics health, and thenew A1C test is much easier.
Latest research shows the number of children dealing with the debilitating effects of asthma has nearly doubled.
Cape Girardeau, MO
Every stage of the growing process can be a challenge, but the teenage years can push the limits for both parents and kids. It's a welcome challenge for one Heartland family as they grow together.
Growing together as a family is rewarding, but it can also be difficult. For single parents, it can add an extra strain without a spouse to help.
Jackson, MO
Tuesday, we met a family raising toddlers and babies at the same time! It's safe to say Jana and Darrin Scott have their hands full.
Cape Girardeau, MO
Our new health series on Heartland families "growing together" goes one step further in the growing process, with a family busy raising three grade school children.
Sikeston, MO
Sikeston school nurses and teachers have put together their own Buddy Check program.
Everyone has occasional lapses in memory due to stress or inattentiveness, here's how to tell the difference between that and the onset of Alzheimer's.
Poplar Bluff, MO
A $25 newborn screening test covering 40 different disorders is available, but the state can't afford to fund it, even though it's on the lawbooks.
First of 5-part series chronicling the unique challenges and triumphs family's experience together. This first part begins with a birth.
Sikeston, MO
A Heartland teenager is speaking out on teen obesity. 17 year old Valerie Estes is leading her way to a healthier lifestyle. She says gastric bypass surgery is to thank.
Helpful, everyday suggestions for preventing and dealing with varicose veins.
Poplar Bluff, MO
Not nearly as many as expected Southeast Missouri healthcare workers showed up for the first round of the smallpox vaccines.
Cape Girardeau, MO
After all the press about ephedra, there is a new study that gives the herb a thumbs down.
Tennessee Valley Region
Blood being stored for 3 states in the Heartland have white specks -- leaving blood banks desperately short of the needed supply.
Thanks to generous donations from name-brand cosmetics companies, women recovering from cancer can build a better self-image.
Jackson, MO
Heartland schools have been hit hard by the flu bug this year.
Dexter, MO
Most teenagers' minds usually revolve around school, sports, or other hobbies. But a Dexter teenager has her mind set on something else.
Dongola, IL
Bottom line: Stachybotrys mold could be the agent that is causing rashes in Dongola.
The bitterly cold weather can be dangerous. It doesn't take long for the frigid conditions to cause you some serious health problems.
Hannah McClellan's battle with cancer started when she was only nine years old, more than a year later, she's healthier and wiser beyond her ten years. Now she wants to give back to the people who helped her.
It's not called "The Gift of Life" for nothing. Profiles of two Heartland people who wouldn't be with us today but for blood transfusions.
Paying close attention to the messages Kevin Govero was getting from his body saved his life.
Combinations of several air-borne diseases, and the close quarters of the school environment leave hundreds of students at home, and schools temporarily closed.
Symptoms of heart disease in women sometimes are overlooked or misdiagnosed. That's leading to more heart attacks in women.
Beef that is shot through with high-energy sources of electricity that bombards cases of beef and kills the e-coli and other bacteria.
Patients, doctors and pharmacists all say the new online prescription-ordering system is less expensive, more reliable, and more convenient.
Supplies of the flu vaccine are running out, and so is time if you expect to be adequately protected.
Obese men who smoke can shorten their lives by as much as 14 years according to the calculations. Women don't fare much better.
Mother who almost lost her child because of lack of screening early-on claims it could've all been prevented.
Even with some evidence that nicotine patches may cause cancer, medical experts and ex-smokers say it's still worth it to stop using the patch.
Hospitals go the extra length to make the ambience more festive for those who have to spend the holiday in one of their beds.
An Army Seargeant, serving in Afghanistan, is able to see pics of his new twin sons born at SE Missouri hospital, with the help of the internet, and a borrowed computer.
A simple eye exam is a revealing window on your overall health.
Sure, it's a wonderful season full of tradition, but it's also full of stress. Here are a couple of common-sense reminders to keep your cool.
The diagnosis was devastating, but early detection was the key. Now she's an SIU grad, and thinking about law school.
Claritin is now an over-the-counter drug, but for many people who depend on it, that actually means it'll cost more.
Government reveals plans for delivering smallpox vaccines -- who gets it first, and how much is available.
Advancing age cuts back a man's ability to reproduce because the sperm count drops.
Shoveling snow and ice is major physical exercise, and even doing it correctly can still put you at risk if you're not used to that sort of effort.
New test helps predict those who are at risk of an imminent attack well before they would have the attack.
The bird deserves some of the credit, but so do the potatoes, the stuffing, the vegetables, etc., etc.
With a new test, 95% of cervical cancer is now avoidable.
Sure, you're donation is important, but the REAL work of handling a pint of blood begins when you leave the donation center.
Given very little chance for life when he was born, this Heartland boy is now 10, and on the US World Tae Kwon-do team as a black belt.
Problem with the way a baby's heart beats may account for about 5% of current SIDS cases.
Recent research points to lower levels of the "good" cholesterol, and a general loss of weight.
Scott City boy with Cerebral Palsy is able to do more things on his own with exercises that counter-act his stiffness.
A new, inexpensive test for heart inflammation is a better indicator of an emminent heart attack than is blood cholesterol levels.
Not many plastic surgeons will agree to procedures on teens, saying the female body doesn't stop developing until the early 30's.
The life-saving heart-shocking device has now been modified for home use - with training.
A carefully-fitted breast prosthesis goes a long way to helping the mastectomy patient to a healthy mental and physical recovery.
The drug is popular in trendy circles for relieving wrinkle lines, but for some with serious pain issues, Botox is a Godsend.
Getting together in a context of a "party", friends support each other in getting Botox injections.
First, foster parents, then with what they say was direction from God, a couple decides to adopt three girls, two of which had fetal alcohol syndrome.
Senior Americans may not be up on all the issues, but they know which candidates represent their views on health issues.
The new Heartland Regional Medical Center, will open before Christmas, bringing new services, adn more jobs to the Marion area.
Cosmetic surgical procedures -- especially breast augmentation -- are moving from affluent surburbs to mainstream Heartland communities.
A year since her life-saving surgery involving a transplanted piece of liver tissue from her dad, the young child is showing amazing improvement..
Indicators in your mouth can lead to a correct diagnosis for health problems in other parts of your body.
Strokes are commonly associated with older men, but they are the cause of more female deaths than breast cancer each year.
Not how long you exercise, but how well you use the limited you have in your workout is what's important in "quality" fitness programs.
Group hopes a dose of reality from victims of drunk driving accidents will keep them from making the same mistake.
A report this week in a St. Louis paper is raising eyebrows and concern over conditions in nursing homes
If you're not dealing with a case of the sniffles or a scratchy throat, there's a good chance you know someone who's sick
Making subtle changes -- even in the condiments you add to that burger, could make substantial savings on fat calories.
New program at St. Francis Medical Center gussies up newborns in preparation for the upcoming Halloween season.
Poplar Bluff man believes if you rest, you rust.
Flu shots are plentiful for the first time in three years, but the vaccine is more expensive than before.
More lifelike view also is better in detecting abnormalities.
Study involving hundreds of thousands of Chinese women claims breast self-exams are no greater a predictor of cancer than not engaging in self-exams.
This variation on a powerful screening tool for diseases common to women is neater and clearer than the traditional test.
Parents are the best judge of when their child is fibbing, or really sick. Here are some common-sense suggestions to help.
Yes, all parents get angry at their children, but counselors say it's not appropriate to strike them about their face in the midst of a temper flare-up.
Barely a year old, Perryville baby is fighting a rare neuromuscular disease, and the family is struggling to find a way to pay for her steep medical bills.
Acetaminophen lowers fever, and relieves pain, but watch the dosage -- too much can cause liver damage.
Cape Girardeau neurologist believes the spiritual experience has a physiological basis in fact, even though the effect is more ethereal.
Diet ads make wild claims, and Americans spend billions on those claims, but very few live up to their promise. Some hints what to watch out for.
Holly is counting the days until 2 years since her last sign of cancer -- a turning point in her amazing remission of Leukemia.
Eating fast food can quickly deplete your fast cash. Veggies and fruit -- bought in bulk -- are much cheaper and healthier in the long run.
Population studies show Americans are living longer, but also trending toward a more obese lifestyle.
Mammograms are still one of the most reliable methods for determining the presence of cancerous or pre-cancerous tissue in preventing breast cancer.
Corn dogs, cotton-candy, and funnel-cakes; food at the fair tastes great, but don't expect to find any of it on any diet plan.
New device detects cancerous cells 90% of the time compared to previous methods which are only 50-60% predictable.
Most lung-cancer patients don't seek help until too late. The blue light helps identify possible chest cancer cells early.
Pets already in the home when baby arrives may help build resistance to allergies later in life.
Fully-staffed health center within the HS building, and led by a nurse-practitioner answers more than run-of-the mill health needs.
First cancer, then a heart scare failed to deter this Anna-Jonesboro player, now he's captain of the team and an inspiration to all.
A powerful anti-cancer virus-fighting drug along with some well-known over-the-counter cold remedies just might do the trick.
A look inside local hospitals to see how they're responding to the West Nile Virus scare, and what your chances are of actually having it.
Refreshing and RED. Watermelon not only quenches a Summertime thirst, it could be an aid in the fight against cancer.
The search for clear skin may seem never-ending for people who have acne, but a new treatment is designed to help folks put their best face forward with a special blue light
Dawn Whitworth and her husband both had full heads of hair, but when Dawn lost hers from chemotherapy treatment, Dwayne decided he'd do something to make her feel better--he shaved his own head
In this final visit with our cochlear-implant patient -- two months since the surgery -- the news is mostly good.
Good and bad news greets our chochlear-implant patient after the surgery. Some unexpected numbness in the face resulted, but the ear operation looks good.
First of three parts in a Special Report on a Heartland woman going through the process of having a cochlear implant to restore her hearing.
The doctor was in Masschussetts, and the patient was at the South Pole. Results: success!
This annoying malady can actually turn deadly if left untreated, especially in older people. How heartburn can lead to cancer.
Even obsessing on eating healthy food can be a detriment to your health.
Once the virus has been positively ID'd in dead birds, health departments in each county stop testing, but be careful how you handle dead birds.
Mandated vaccines -- previously in chronic shortage -- are on their way up to plentiful levels in time for school immunizations.
Heart attacks are not just for "old" people. Prevention and awareness at an early age can keep heart attacks awya for a lifetime.
Safety helmets that used to be "cool" are now perceived as clunky, out-dated, and very "un-cool". What hasn't changed is how they can save your life.
A patient who doesn't consider breast cancer a disease, only a bump in the road of life.
When all else fails, a surgical solution to the pain of osteoarthritis may be the best alternative.
Many artificial hearts have been tried in the last 20 years, but this one -- the first small enough to be inmpanted in the chest -- shows the most success to date.
Confusing changes in medicaid coverages has even the insurance experts in most doctors' offices confused.
The virus has been known to cause long illness, and in some cases even death. How this year's wet weather could make matters worse.
Those depending on disability payments through Medicaid loudly protest the proposed "spend down" policy in the Missouri House.
Another bird infected with the West Nile Virus has been found in the Heartland.
National Men's Magazine throws out the challenge for American men to ban the beer-belly. How to change your workout to make that happen.
Far from disappearing; the profession of midwifery is thriving in the Heartland because pregnant moms like the hands-on approach.
The chance of getting a heart attack in the 30's is unlikely, but after Darryl Kile's death at 33, the prudent thing to do is pay attention to the warning signs.
Last week we told you about the five tests every woman should get
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and a related disease - Ehrlichiosis - both can be staved off, with early detection and treatment.
People living with the disease tell their story to help others facing the challenges of living with someone who has Alzheimer's.
Last year's "Definitely Awesome Dad" gave a kidney so his son could live. One year later, the figt keeps on giving.
Bus pays tribute to cancer victims, and amounts to a rolling grafitti billboard of names.
There's good reason they're called a "significant other". Husbands provide invaluable support for wives dealing with breast cancer.
Give your dad the gift of a longer future. Most men don't want to go to the doctor, but if you want your dad around longer...make sure he gets his checkups.
You may find yourself skipping some tests or health tips the doctor gives you, but there are five tests that no woman should ever pass up
A small black light is the key to a new pap smear procedure that renders more accurate results, and faster than today's standard test.
BuddyCheck12
