As one of the most insidious diseases in the world, cancer has few treatments that work to eradicate it completely. Now, a new groundbreaking approach pioneered by two researchers working at the University of Missouri’s Roy Blunt NextGen Precision Health building shows promising results in preventing lung cancer caused by a carcinogen in cigarettes — a discovery that immunologists Haval Shirwan and Esma Yolcu rank among the most significant of their careers.
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Ozarks Healthcare in West Plains recently celebrated a significant milestone at its recent annual Longevity Banquet, honoring 132 dedicated employees for their combined total of 1,270 years of service to the healthcare organization. more

Texas County Memorial Hospital in Houston has achieved gold-level Safe Sleep Certification with the Cribs for Kids National Safe Sleep Hospital Certification Program, officials announce. more

Holidays are great at bringing everyone together. But eating meals as a family shouldn’t just be for special occasions! more

The holidays are upon us! It’s a special time of year to spend time with family and friends. Here are 12 tips to make sure you have a healthy holiday season: more

Delta Dental of Missouri’s Land of Smiles dental education program is on the road this fall, taking the crusade for healthy teeth to 23,000 youngsters at more than 100 schools across the state in the coming weeks. The cast of dynamic superhero characters made its most recent stop in West Plains for a performance at Glenwood Elementary School, teaching good dental health habits to 131 students in kindergarten through third grade. more

Ozarks Healthcare’s Mobile Mammography Unit will continue to travel and offer mammogram services to surrounding communities through December.  more

Officials with the Missouri Department of Social Services report an “alarming” trend in child fatalities related to sleep-related infant suffocation and fentanyl poisoning has been identified in the Missouri Child Fatality Review Program (CFRP) Annual Report for 2022, viewable online at dss.mo.gov/re/pdf/cfrar/2022-eliminating-child-abuse-and-neglect.pdf. more

Ozarks Healthcare has a gem in Dani Dawson, an exceptional monitor tech and unit coordinator for their Cardiac Step-down Unit (CSU). Dawson, known for her charismatic personality and spunk, has been a vital part of the healthcare team, bringing a unique vibrancy that has become indispensable to her colleagues and the unit. more

The Missouri Lottery announced this month it has awarded funds to schools statewide, raised from the sales of Scratchers and draw games lottery tickets in the 2023 fiscal year. more

A West Plains woman was injured when her vehicle ran off the road at 7:25 a.m. Sunday on south U.S. 63, a half-mile south of Koshkonong in Oregon County, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol. more

Rick Batton served his country in the Army during the Vietnam War. Today, the 74-year-old gives back to his fellow veterans two or three days a week, volunteering to transport them to and from medical appointments. more

With the theme of "Courageous Conversations" for 2023, National Hospice and Palliative Care Month, held Nov. 1 through 30, is about to wrap up. more

Cranberries have long been considered the crown jewel of Thanksgiving dinners, says University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein. more

Statistics show lung cancer is one of the most common forms of the disease to afflict veterans — and it’s the deadliest. At the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ John J. Pershing Medical Center, officials hope to turn the tide. more

For many, watching the classic holiday movie “Elf” has been a heartwarming tradition for 20 years. This November, the American Red Cross is encouraging people to add a new tradition as the holiday season begins: Spread cheer with a blood or platelet donation.  more

Texas County Memorial Hospital in Houston will receive a $332,000 Delta Regional Authority grant, hospital board members learned at their most recent monthly meeting on Oct. 31.  more

The rate of opioid use among pregnant women in the United States quadrupled between 1999 and 2014 and continues to rise — an alarming trend that researchers from the University of Missouri and University of Iowa say has exposed the stigma felt by opioid-dependent mothers and how their shame has negatively impacted the health care received by their infants.
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