Hailey Heseltine [email protected] If you’re trying to quit smoking, you’re not alone. With many well-studied detrimental effects on health caused by smoking, not to the mention economic, social and mental effects, many…
Category: Health
Find “More Good Days” during Mental Health Awareness Month
Rick Patrick [email protected] Since 1949, Mental Health America (MHA) has recognized May as Mental Health Awareness Month. This was, and continues to be, an effort to bring awareness to the issue of…
Making a difference: Michael Creech
Rick Patrick [email protected] Madison County Memorial Hospital Emergency Room/Operating Room Nurse Manager Michael Creech hasn’t spent his entire career as a nurse, but he has been in the medical field for close…
The love is still there: Tammy Surles
Rick Patrick [email protected] For Tammy Surles, the Nurse Manager for the Medical/Surgical Swing Bed Unit at Madison County Memorial Hospital (MCMH), in Madison, nursing has been her life’s calling. She says that…
Simple ways to help prevent child abuse
Danny Federico [email protected] Experts say protecting children starts with everyday actions taken by members of the community. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “everyone has a role to…
Child Abuse Prevention Month: Protecting our children
Danny Federico [email protected] April is recognized nationally as Child Abuse Prevention Month. Each year, the month is set aside as a time to raise awareness about child abuse and neglect, while also…
Raven’s story brings triple-negative breast cancer to light
Jason Futch [email protected] Hamilton County lost a brave young woman in Hamilton County High School (HCHS) teacher Raven Merine. Her story brought attention to the tragedy of breast cancer. It also showed…
Understanding Autism: Pieces of a puzzle
Rick Patrick [email protected] In an effort to increase awareness and understanding of Autism, the Madison County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) has decorated one of their patrol cars with symbols representing pieces of a…
Changes coming in Madison County mosquito control
Rick Patrick [email protected] One result of the annual increase in rainfall during the spring and summer months is an increase in the number of mosquitoes in our area. While efforts have been…
Madison County opposes water pipeline project
Rick Patrick [email protected] During the regular meeting of the Madison County Board of County Commissioners on Wednesday, March 25, the commissioners approved a resolution opposing the Water First North Florida (WFNF) pipeline…
Healthcare Spotlight: Madison Holley
Mickey Starling [email protected] Any aspect of going to the dentist can be a dreaded affair unless you’re in good hands with professionals who are dedicated to giving you quality care and a…
Madison County Health Department to offer prenatal education classes
Hailey Waldo [email protected] The Florida Department of Health (FDH) in Madison County will host a series of prenatal education classes throughout the spring as part of its Healthy Start initiative. The program…
Bill seeks to further restrict smoking
Lazaro Aleman [email protected] If a House-introduced bill in the current Florida legislative session is approved and signed into law, smoking in public will become more constrained. House Bill 389, which Representative Alex…
Madison County Commissioners express opposition to water plan
Rick Patrick [email protected] During the regular meeting of the Madison County Board of County Commissioners on Wednesday, Feb. 25, the commissioners discussed a proposal that has arisen from the City of Jacksonville,…
Earth Angels spotlight: Marlies Jones, serving God and the community
Hailey Waldo [email protected] For Marlies Jones, service isn’t a project. It’s a calling. Before founding Earth Angels in Madison County, Jones built a career rooting in structure and responsibility. “My background is…
Second Harvest and the Florida Blue Foundation unite to end food insecurity
Ashleigh Kittrell Contributor The Florida Blue Foundation has awarded Second Harvest of the Big Bend a grant to strenthen food access for families living in the region’s most rural and underserved areas….
Cervical cancer awareness urged
Lisa Hayes Contributor Cervical cancer, cancer of the cervix, is the fourth most common cancer in women worldwide. Each year in Florida, over 1,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer. Fortunately, cervical…
DOH invites participation in the Florida 50 Challenge
Laura Young [email protected] “The Florida Department of Health invites you to participate in the Florida 50 Challenge,” says Chelsey McCoy, MBA, the senior public health services manager for the Florida Department of…
SRWMD issues water shortage advisory
SRWMD Contributor Following a year of below-average rainfall across North Florida that has affected rivers, springs and groundwater levels, the Suwannee River Water Management District (SRWMD) Governing Board issued a water shortage…
Health officials track H3N2 subclade K as Flu activity climbs in Florida and nationwide
Hailey Waldo [email protected] As influenza activity continues to rise across the United States this winter, health officials are closely monitoring a variant of the seasonal flu virus known as H3N2 subclade K,…