Archive for the ‘Homepage Feature’ Category

When I was nine months pregnant, my midwife found a lump in my breast. She thought it was a clogged milk duct, but she suggested I consult a doctor just to be certain. I wasn’t concerned. I was a healthy 32 year old who exercised regularly, ate organic muesli every morning, and took my prenatal vitamins without fail. When the doctor wanted to perform a biopsy, I reminded myself that grandmothers got breast cancer, not young women pregnant with their first baby. I wasn’t even alarmed when the doctor saw the lump on an ultrasound machine and said, “You might want to bring your husband when you come back for the biopsy results.”

A week later, I returned with my husband and learned I had breast cancer. Nothing had prepared me for this diagnosis. No one in my family had breast cancer. No one I knew under 40 had breast cancer. When I finally caught my breath, I asked the question every cancer patient wants to know: why me? (more…)

“I Have a Sense of Urgency Like Never Before”

When Laura Adams went in for her annual physical, she never expected the turn her life was about to take. Laura entered a medical labyrinth – a barrage of tests at six different facilities – to confirm her diagnosis of breast cancer. Laura’s professional life involves her deeply in the effort to transform health care via information technology, and now she was in a unique position to bring a patient’s perspective to that effort. In the midst of her own medical crisis – just a few days before surgery – she took the time to talk about her breast cancer journey and her perspectives on health IT at a meeting of fellow leaders in the health IT movement. (more…)

The United States has made enormous progress in the fight against tobacco use, the nation’s number one cause of preventable death.

But the battle is far from over.  Tobacco use still kills 443,000 Americans and costs us nearly $100 billion in health care bills annually.  More than 3.6 million American kids and 45 million adults still smoke, and almost 4,000 kids try their first cigarette each day.

Our challenge today is to avoid complacency and commit to finishing the fight against tobacco.  Policy makers, parents and schools all have critical roles to play. (more…)

Health care policy has always been a hot button issue in elections, perhaps moreso in 2012 than ever before. In the wake of the Supreme Court ruling on ACA and at a time when federal debt and household finances are on the list of talking points for both political parties, we thought we’d go to some of our eminently qualified Disruptive Women for their takes on how health care and the election will affect each other. Here’s what they had to say. (more…)

Summer is in full swing (if you haven’t already noticed) – the days of relaxation and spending time with friends/family are upon us. But that doesn’t mean the learning has to go on hiatus! Next month, health professionals from all over the country will descend upon Atlanta, Georgia for the 6th National Health Communications, Marketing and Media conference. (more…)