It was a beautiful Friday in September, and Shelly Emrick was in her element, volunteering at a community service event. As the crowd grew, a fellow volunteer asked her to sign up for a carotid artery screening. The St. Elizabeth Healthcare CardioVascular Mobile Health Unit was parked nearby, waiting for its first “customer,” she explained. “Just get the ball rolling,” …

David, a Kentucky-born Permanent Deacon now living in Ohio, spent decades battling a smoking addiction that controlled his life. Starting in college, his habit grew to two packs a day. It left him breathless, coughing constantly and worried about his health. When a low-dose CT scan at St. Elizabeth showed lung abnormalities and loved ones encouraged him to quit, David …

Childbirth can be a magical event. It can also be overwhelming and stressful. For first-time and veteran moms, compassionate, knowledgeable support and personalized care with an individualized birth plan, ensure that every birth experience is both unforgettable and positive.  That’s why Markie and Angelica delivered their babies at the St. Elizabeth Family Birth Place. From conversations with friends and loved …

Dealing with a cancer diagnosis is challenging enough. But what if you weren’t sure your treatment center was right for you? In this episode of Rounding with Patients, you’ll meet Larry and Holly, who faced this unsettling question. Learn why they decided to come to the Yung Family Cancer Center at St. Elizabeth — even though it meant crossing the …

Nourish Your Body and Mind Through Journaling What you eat impacts the way your body functions and plays a big role in your overall health. Making better food choices helps build a stronger immune system, improves digestion, boosts energy levels and reduces your risk of developing many serious health conditions, including heart disease. Ever wonder how keeping track of the …

Cardiac Surgery Team Delivers Life-Changing Results When it comes to heart health, expertise matters. At St. Elizabeth, a nationally recognized leader in cardiac surgery, patients and families find unparalleled care, close to home. Through cutting-edge techniques, specialized teams and a commitment to patient-centered care, St. Elizabeth is transforming lives across the region. In recent years, St. Elizabeth has built a …

Winter brings the excitement of ice and snow, along with a higher risk of injuries. Ensure you’re spending your winter evenings in front of a fire or enjoying cozy moments, rather than in bed nursing an injury. “The beauty of the winter comes with potential hazards for your body. Taking the right precautions to protect yourself can go a long …

If you and your partner are expecting a new baby, creating a birth plan is an excellent way to prepare for your little one’s birth. A birth plan represents what is important to a mother and her partner during labor and birth. This includes both things you would and would not like during active labor, such as medications, aromatherapy, laboring …

The advice is straightforward: Stop smoking and work with your healthcare provider to protect your heart. Kentucky has the second-highest smoking rate in the nation, explains Joyce Jacobs, a Nurse Navigator at the Florence Wormald Heart & Vascular Institute at St. Elizabeth. According to the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), more than 17% of Kentucky adults smoke, and more …

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 …