The New Year is a time for fresh starts and developing habits that shape a healthier future. But, instead of making resolutions — make small, meaningful changes to improve your life over the long haul. Questions like “How often should I get a mammogram?”, “When should I start colon cancer screening?” or “What are the best cancer prevention tips for …

5 Things in Your Body That Heal Slower Than You Think (And How Totally Endoscopic Cardiac Surgery [TECS] Avoids One of Them) We often assume the human body is a rapid self-repair machine. Cut your finger, it heals in a week. Break a bone, it’s fixed in a couple of months. While our biology is miraculous, some tissues and components …

Find Strength in Every Story. Share Your Own. Becoming a mom is one of life’s most powerful journeys. It’s filled with moments of excitement, uncertainty and joy. Whether you’re learning about early signs of pregnancy, exploring pregnancy symptoms week-by-week, or preparing for delivery, you’ll find care that listens, supports and celebrates you — through every stage of pregnancy and beyond. At St. Elizabeth Healthcare, …

The holidays bring light, joy and togetherness. But for people facing cancer, this season can also bring stress, fatigue and mixed emotions. Balancing treatment schedules, social gatherings and physical changes can feel overwhelming. During this time, emotions can feel close to the surface — gratitude, worry, hope and exhaustion often blend together. Recognizing those feelings, rather than pushing them aside, …

When it comes to hernia repair, patients today have more options than ever before—thanks to advancements in robotic-assisted surgery. Dr. Audrey Ertel, a General Surgeon at St. Elizabeth is helping patients recover faster and feel better with this innovative approach. “A hernia occurs when an organ or tissue pushes through a weak spot in the muscle wall,” explains Dr. Ertel. “We …

When it comes to your heart, you want the best care possible. The heart surgery team at St. Elizabeth Healthcare is delivering cutting-edge procedures and care that improve outcomes and quality of life.   Dr. Juan Penaranda, a Cardiac Surgeon at St. Elizabeth Healthcare explains what patients can expect and feel confident about when it comes to their heart care here.  Q: What Makes St. Elizabeth a Leader in Advanced Heart Surgery?  St. Elizabeth is certified by The Joint …

Finding out you need heart surgery can be a daunting and anxiety-filled experience, no matter where you are in your journey. At St. Elizabeth Healthcare, we recognize these concerns and are committed to making sure you receive comprehensive pre- and post-surgical support to ensure a better recovery and long-term heart health.  Our dedicated team does this by working together as one. “Our surgery team is vast,” says Dr. Mario Castillo-Sang, a …

You’re eating what you’ve always eaten. Your exercise routine hasn’t changed. Yet, you’re putting on weight. What gives? If you’re in menopause, it’s likely hormonal changes are partly to blame. Unfortunately, the same factors that cause weight gain during menopause make it more challenging to shed pounds. So, what’s a menopausal woman to do? Read on. The Menopause-Weight Gain Connection …

Lung cancer remains one of the most challenging diagnoses, but at St. Elizabeth Healthcare, new approaches to early detection and personalized care are changing the outlook for patients in Northern Kentucky, Southeastern Indiana and beyond. With Kentucky having the highest incidence rate of lung cancer in the country, according to the American Lung Association, our nationally recognized screening program is reaching more people at risk and opening the …

Robotic surgery is revolutionizing the field of general surgery, offering patients and surgeons new possibilities for safer, less invasive and more precise procedures. At St. Elizabeth, the adoption of cutting-edge technology like the da Vinci 5 Surgical System has positioned the region as a leader in robotic-assisted surgery, with more than 25,000 robot-assisted procedures performed since 2009.   Dr. Michael McAndrew, …