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After being virtually nonexistent last year, influenza is back in full force.

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s most recent flu report there have been at least 4.7 million flu illnesses, 47,000 hospitalizations, and 2,800 deaths from flu this season.

That’s a drastic uptick from a year ago when there were just 2,038 flu cases reported from Sept. 27, 2020, to April 24, 2021, according to the CDC.

“Yes, we have been seeing an increase in flu cases which is surprising for us because normally this time of year we see a decrease in cases," says Dr. Martine Schultheis,  a family practice physician at OSF HealthCare. "I’m thinking it’s because the mask mandates have been lifted and we’ve seen the COVID-19 mitigation measures decreased and more people are relaxed, taking off their masks and not socially distancing as much as during the pandemic.”

According to the CDC, the hardest hit parts of the country are in the central and south-central regions.

“We’re seeing a lot more cases of influenza, especially after spring break, which is usually in March and around Easter," says Dr. Schultheis. "Kids are doing Easter egg hunts, people are traveling, they’re seeing family, so it’s important to keep their flu vaccination and COVID vaccination up to date as well to decrease the duration of the illness if they were to get infected with flu, and to decrease the risk of hospital admission and to decrease the severity of the symptoms if they become infected.”

Influenza A and B viruses cause the most illness in the U.S. especially during flu season. The subtypes of influenza A are H1N1 and H3N2, which has been the most serious strain this year and usually more severe in older people.

“It’s very hard to differentiate between the flu, COVID-19 and any other viral infection for that matter," says Dr. Schultheis. "But the most common symptoms of flu are cough, fever, muscle ache, fatigue, sneezing and congestion. Those are common for both cold, flu or any other respiratory illness or virus.”

Dr. Schultheis recommends getting enough rest, eating fruits and vegetables, practicing good hygiene and she stresses that it’s not too late to get the flu vaccine.

“If you feel like your symptoms are getting worse, despite conservative management, such as taking over-the-counter medication and staying hydrated but you’re still not getting better over the course of a week or two weeks, then consult your primary care physician as soon as possible so we can do some testing to figure out what is causing those symptoms," she adds. 

For more information on influenza, visit OSF HealthCare.

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It’s no secret that leading a sedentary lifestyle can be detrimental to a person’s health in a number of ways – it increases the risk of heart disease, obesity, diabetes, depression and more. A lack of regular activity is equally harmful for cancer survivors as well.

Cancer survivors who sit more than eight hours of the day are five times more likely to die over the following years than cancer survivors who sit less, according to a study done at Alberta Health Services in Calgary, Canada, and published in JAMA Oncology.

The study highlighted 1,500 cancer survivors with more than half of the participants (57%) being inactive, and reporting no physical activity in the past week. The study found that more than one-third of cancer survivors reported sitting for six to eight hours each day, and one-quarter admitted to sitting for more than eight hours per day.

During a nine-year period, 293 of the cancer survivors died -- 114 from cancer, 41 from heart diseases, and 138 from other causes. Researchers found the risk of dying from any cause or cancer was about 65% lower in cancer survivors who were physically active compared to those who were less active.

“I think when you are diagnosed with cancer it seems as if your world stops and you think that if you sit it’s not going to progress or maybe you’re going to feel better, which is so contrary to what we should be doing," says Peggy Rogers, a nurse practitioner in Genetics and Medical Oncology, for OSF HealthCare. "We know the body can take a lot more exercise than we think we’re able to do.”

The American Cancer Society recommends that cancer survivors follow the same physical activity guidance as the general public. The goal is 150 to 300 minutes of moderate activity or 75 to 150 minutes of intense activity each week (or a combination of the two).

Rogers agrees.

“Cancer survivors are obviously deconditioned post treatment and need to build up their strength. Continuing to sit obviously does nothing for your core strength, it doesn’t help build muscle mass, it just continues to weaken, and fatigue is a huge problem for many patients post treatment. It also doesn’t help fight fatigue by continuing to sit.”

Rogers recommends several different ways to become more active. Some tips include joining a gym, swimming, cleaning the house or finding a hobby you enjoy such as gardening.

“Walking is easy to do," says Rogers. "Sometimes you have to start at 10 minutes a week and work your way up to 30. It’s small goals to try to get to bigger ones.”

But exercise is just one way to make improvements to your overall health.

“Certainly there are people who are deconditioned from other health problems – smoking being one of them – so we work really hard on lifestyle management as well; diet and exercise are huge," says Rogers. "Sometimes we have to control the eating that we have done. Maybe it wasn’t as healthy as it needed to be. We talk a lot about making positive choices to get you through treatment.”

The key, Rogers adds, is to sit less and to move more and more often. The caveat, however, is some survivors battle other issues such as arthritis, for example, that may hamper their ability to become more active. When in doubt, consult with your physician about the best way to incorporate more physical movement into your daily routine.

For more information on diet, exercise and cancer risk, click here.

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While cancers such as breast, lung and colon may get more public attention, head and neck cancer is certainly nothing to ignore. April is Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Month, designed to put a spotlight on head and neck cancer, its causes and symptoms. 

According to the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), more than 66,000 people will develop head and neck cancer this year, and more than 14,000 will die from this type of cancer.

“Head and neck cancer is not a very common cancer but it still comprises about five percent of all cancers in the United States," says Dr. Iftekhar Ahmad, Radiation Oncologist, OSF HealthCare. "It is primarily due to tobacco use, smoking and other forms of tobacco and alcohol. It is much easier to treat – you have a better prognosis – if it’s caught early so you want to be vigilant and aware of changes in this region – if it’s your voice, a sore, a lump in your neck or things like that.”

According to Dr. Ahmad, head and neck cancer is any cancer that is between the collarbone and eyes. Head and neck cancers include the oral cavity (lips, tongue, gums), larynx (voice box), sinuses and nasal cavity and salivary glands.

“The symptoms can vary depending on the actual location, so even though this head and neck region is not a very big area it manifests very differently meaning larynx cancer will many times manifest as voice changes whereas throat cancer will show up as pain, coughing, difficulty swallowing, sometimes ear pain can be a symptom of certain head and neck cancers," says Dr.  Ahmad. "So it really depends on what area.”

According to the National Cancer Institute, about 75 percent of head and neck cancers are caused by tobacco and alcohol use. People who use both tobacco and alcohol are at a greater risk of developing head and neck cancer than those who use either tobacco or alcohol alone. According to Dr. Ahmad, dental hygiene is another factor when it comes to these types of cancers.

“Because 20 to 25 percent of cancers that aren’t caused by tobacco or alcohol use or viral related, sometimes it’s from poor oral hygiene," says Dr. Ahmad. "You want to go to your dentist regularly, brush and floss regularly, take care of your gums and also to that end if you notice issues to your mouth or your teeth, bleeding gums or a sore on your tongue or something like that, show it to your dentist.”

Treatment options for head and neck cancer include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy or a combination of treatments. Many times a treatment plan depends on factors such as the location of the tumor, the stage of cancer, and the patient’s age and overall health.

While things such as pain when swallowing, ear pain or hoarseness may not be serious, Dr. Ahmad says it’s important to pay attention to any symptoms and seek help if your problems persist.

“The main take home point is you know your body the best," he adds. "If you’re having an issue that is abnormal to you or that’s not getting better you at least need to have your physician be aware of it to take the necessary steps.”

For more information on cancer services, visit OSF HealthCare.

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Every year, millions of Americans who live in regions that experience harsh winters count down the weeks until warmer weather returns. For many of these people, warmer weather also means spring allergies – especially in the Midwest, where pollen is the main culprit. According to the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (ACAAI), spring allergies typically begin in February and last until early summer, with tree pollination starting earliest in the year followed by grass pollination later in the spring and summer.

Dr. Shitaldas Pamnani, an OSF HealthCare internal medicine physician, says identifying whether your symptoms are, in fact, caused by spring allergies is an important step in order to best treat them.

Common symptoms of seasonal allergies include congestion, sneezing, eye irritation, cough, wheezing, and headaches. However, allergy symptoms can sometimes be tricky to identify. For example, Dr. Pamnani says that while irritated eyes can be an indicator of spring allergies, the type of irritation can help determine the cause.

“Dry eye and dry throat may not be allergy symptoms. It’s more the other way around – the throat feeling more irritated and itchy, runny eyes or feeling like there is dirt in the eye. These can sometimes be allergies because sometimes the pollen triggers that and it leads to more runny eyes or watering of the eye rather than dry eyes,” explains Dr. Pamnani.

The ACAAI says over-the-counter (OTC) eye drops can provide some relief for irritated eyes in the short term, but warns that prolonged use of some OTC eye drops may actually cause your condition to worsen. Your doctor can help determine the best course of action if eye irritation is one of the main allergy symptoms you experience.

Another symptom that Dr. Pamnani sees but is not quite as common is vertigo.

“Lately what I’ve been seeing is vertigo – or BPPV (benign paroxysmal positional vertigo) – that can be triggered because of severe sinus congestion. It can lead to Eustachian tube dysfunction, which is one of the things that I’ve been noticing,” Dr. Pamnani says.

In order to avoid severe sinus congestion that may lead to vertigo, Dr. Pamnani typically recommends using Flonase and neti pots as soon as you start experiencing spring allergies, before your symptoms worsen. When used early and properly, these can help tremendously. He adds, however, that deviated septums and nasal polyps can make allergy symptoms worse and you may require additional measures to help alleviate symptoms if you have either of these. He recommends talking to your doctor to help properly treat your sinus congestion.

For some people, seasonal allergies have never been an issue. But Dr. Pamnani says it is definitely possible to develop these allergies later in life – and adds that people can experience seasonal allergies in both rural and urban areas.

“Sometimes, it’s associated with migration – when you move from one area to another area. Allergies are triggered because of the protein particles in pollens and whatnot. Some people do get desensitized to these protein particles and later in life they might have reduced allergies. But if they move to a new area, it takes a couple of years of getting exposed to new particles and developing an immune response, and they may start having allergy symptoms in that area,” explains Dr. Pamnani.

If you have never experienced seasonal allergies but are suddenly having symptoms such as sneezing, watery eyes, and so on, you may have developed them. And if you have tried everything under the sun to combat your seasonal allergies and are still experiencing symptoms, Dr. Pamnani recommends making an appointment with your doctor.

While antibiotics are not typically utilized to help with seasonal allergies, Dr. Pamnani says they may be beneficial only if you have signs of infection – which your doctor can determine. Additionally, further testing can be done to help create a more personalized plan that is tailored to you.

“Persistent symptoms for more than three to four weeks, having mucopurulent – which is basically yellow to green discharge – and fever, headache, sinus pain or face pain, ear pain, vertigo – those symptoms are the most common reasons you should see a doctor,” Dr. Pamnani advises.

The good news for spring allergy sufferers is that many weather channels and phone apps can now track the daily pollen count, so you can check that in the morning to help you prepare before heading out the door.

If you are unable to relieve your spring allergy symptoms on your own, if your symptoms are severe, or if you are unsure if your symptoms are caused by seasonal allergies, make an appointment with your primary care provider.

If you do not have a primary care provider, find one today.

Interview Clips

Prounouncer: Shitaldas (shi-TAHL-duss) Pamnani (pahm-NAH-knee)

“The slap heard round the world” involving Will Smith and Chris Rock at the Academy Awards has shone a light on important issues like hair loss and anger problems. But one part of the incident has left some wondering: why did Rock appear to strike a welcoming stance – smiling, arms in back, leaning forward, even a humorous “Uh oh!” – as Smith approached with the opposite demeanor?

The answer may lie in a revelation Rock made in 2020, according to several media reports at the time. The comedian suffers from a nonverbal learning disorder (NVLD), making things like social cues and spatial awareness difficult.

NVLD affects the young and old and is treatable, says Ashley Brim, a speech language pathologist at OSF HealthCare in Alton, Illinois. Brim says the issue could be inborn or the result of something like a traumatic brain injury that affects the frontal lobe of the brain.

“It's another area of speech pathology that's called pragmatics,” Brim explains.  “And what that is, is those social communication cues that we just follow innately because it's just how we've been taught. Things such as appropriate space in between each other whenever you're talking for proximity. And depending on the different cultures that you're in, certain cultures like to be closer. Other ones are like, you need to stay far back away from me.”

“If I make a joke, this is what I need to look for in your face and your body language that tells me that I have unintentionally made you unhappy,” Brim notes as another example. “Whenever I thought that it was more humorous on that side.”

While the more well-known physical therapy may involve stretching or other exercises, therapy for a NVLD, Brim says, usually involves a social script activity.

As part of this therapy, Brim instructs an adult patient, “I want you to tell me what identifications you can find in this picture, in this video that tells you this person is upset or that tells you that this person is happy.”

“And then vice versa. It's very similar for kids. Usually people with autism have some more difficulties with pragmatics, kind of understanding that,” she says. “And then identifying, OK, this is what this emotion is. This is how I respond to this emotion.”

Therapy also includes sending the patient around the rehabilitation office to talk to Mission Partners (OSF HealthCare employees). This gets the person real-life practice in social interaction.

Brim adds that young people are at an age where they’re learning how to interact socially and build long-lasting friendships. So it’s important that if a parent, teacher, or other caregiver sees signs of a learning disorder, they talk to a health care provider right away.

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This week, the family of actor Bruce Willis announced that he has been diagnosed with aphasia. A social media post by Willis’ family says the aphasia is “impacting his cognitive abilities.” This stunning announcement has many people wondering: what exactly is aphasia, and how serious is it? 

“Aphasia is basically being unable to communicate, to talk. There is a center in our brain that thinks and there is another center in our brain that speaks out the words. Your mouth and your muscles are controlled by these brain centers. That is what aphasia is – being unable to communicate what you are thinking,” says Dr. Shitaldas Pamnani, an internal medicine physician with OSF HealthCare.

Dr. Pamnani says that most of the time, people are able to recognize that their loved one is struggling with their words which prompts them to make an appointment with their doctor for evaluation.

“You will see a patient or a family member and you will realize that the speech pattern has changed. They are not making sense. Usually we see it in elderly people. Family members are usually able to pick it up that there is something wrong with the speech of the person,” Dr. Pamnani says.

According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), other signs of aphasia may include not understanding what others are saying, having trouble understanding jokes, struggling to read forms or books, or having a difficult time with math and telling time.

While aphasia is most often caused by a stroke, it also can be caused by brain tumors, traumatic brain injury, brain disorders, infections of the brain, and diseases in elderly people such as dementia and Parkinson’s also can cause aphasia. Essentially, many types of brain damage can cause aphasia, according to Dr. Pamnani. 

So, how serious is it?

“The seriousness depends on what actually caused the aphasia. Aphasia is a symptom. What caused or triggered it determines the severity as well as the grade of the aphasia. For example, some people with Broca’s aphasia can express few words and few sentences but if it is a complicated sentence, they cannot express it. On the other hand, there are some people who cannot speak anything. They feel fearful because the words are not coming out of their mouth. So it depends on what caused it and the grade,” explains Dr. Pamnani

Most people with aphasia are seen by a speech-language pathologist and use a variety of speech therapy tools to help regain their speech. If the cause is a brain tumor, removing the tumor typically helps reduce or eliminate the aphasia. In severe cases, additional tools and practices may be used.

Finding something you or your loved one enjoys and implementing that into the therapy can be very beneficial, says Dr. Pamnani. For example, if the person struggling with aphasia is a musician or enjoys music, incorporate music into their daily routine. There also are aphasia support groups available all across the country.

Dr. Pamnani adds that patience is key for both the patient and their loved ones.

“One thing for family members – and I have seen it in my stroke patients as well – is it’s very frustrating. Just think of yourself – day to day you use your speech to communicate a variety of things and if you cannot express yourself, how frustrating that would be for you. So, be patient with them. Give them time,” Dr. Pamnani advises.

If you or a loved one has been struggling with your speech, make an appointment with your primary care provider for an evaluation.

If you experience a sudden change in speech combined with other symptoms of a stroke (i.e. face drooping or arm weakness), call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department.

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Prounouncer: Shitaldas (shi-TAHL-duss) Pamnani (pahm-NAH-knee)

A recent study by the American Heart Association (AHA) revealed that some patients tend to suffer memory loss following a heart attack.

The study was actually six long-term studies that observed 31,000 people from 1971 to 2017. At the time they were enrolled, none of the people had yet had a heart attack or displayed any signs of dementia.

The data showed that 1,047 participants, who were followed from five to 20 years and later had a heart attack, showed faster decline in memory, global cognition and executive function in the years after the heart attack compared to those in the study who hadn’t suffered a heart attack. According to the AHA, this is one of the first studies to look at how sudden cardiac events like heart attacks affect brain function over the short and long term. 

“With a heart attack the blood is not being properly pumped to the brain so there could be some damage," says Dr. Mirza Ali Khan, a family practice physician with OSF HealthCare. "It doesn’t necessarily mean it happens with everybody, it depends on the severity of the heart attack, and exactly how long was the patient without blood flow going to the brain.”

Dr. Khan says one reason for the memory loss is due to the mental health and behavioral changes that take place following a heart attack. Lifestyle behaviors and blood pressure control also contribute.

“It’s always difficult because it’s a life-changing event," he adds. "You have to be on certain medications to protect your heart in addition to change the way you eat and do things in general. You may not be able to move as much physically depending on what you used to do or could do after the heart attack. So making those adjustments isn’t easy for everyone – for some it could make them depressed and if you get depressed on top of that – depending on how bad that is – there is some memory loss with depression; it’s not an issue with the brain cells it’s the depression that could be affecting you.”

Dr. Khan says many people will have their first heart attack in their late 40s or early 50s, but it’s not uncommon for some to exhibit problems even earlier. He stresses the importance of following your physician’s orders for a full recovery.

“Some people may do cardiac rehab to help strengthen your heart and after talking to your cardiologist about what are exercises you should do," says Dr. Khan. "Continue those daily walks or whatever you’re able to do, which will improve the blood flow throughout your body. And also learning to deal with stress. That’s something we all need to learn to do. That extra stress put stress on the heart but the mind as well.”

Other factors to consider include knowing family history, eating a more plant-based diet, increase physical activity, monitoring blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar and finding ways to reduce stress.

“I always tell patients if you’re doing okay, don’t think about it too much," says Dr. Khan. "If you keep it in the back of your mind, that’s always going to be an additional stressor. As long as you’re doing your follow ups and your doctors are telling you that you are doing good, that’s a sure sign you’re doing fine.”

For more information on heart care, visit OSF HealthCare.  

The American Nurses Association estimates that 2.2 million new nurses are needed to replace those retiring in 2022 alone. Add to that the recent pandemic-related staffing issues and one thing is certain: nurses are needed.

Sue Brown, RN, PhD, DNP, is the dean of undergraduate studies at Saint Francis Medical Center College of Nursing in Peoria, Illinois. She and her colleagues are working to educate the next generation of health care workers, something she says is imperative – now more than ever.

“Nursing is under pressure right now with COVID and the pandemic, but also because we have baby boomers retiring,” says Dr. Brown. “So we have nurses retiring in record numbers, aided by the pandemic, obviously, and we have a decrease in enrollment in higher education across the board.”

The numbers, however, seem to be taking a turn in the right direction. According to data released by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), student enrollment in baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral nursing programs increased in 2020, despite concerns that the pandemic might diminish interest in nursing careers. 

Those findings were also reflected at the Saint Francis Medical Center College of Nursing. Austin Blair is the director of admissions at the college. He says this fall the undergraduate program (BSN) had its largest class in nearly 20 years. And while increasing enrollment is certainly encouraging, Blair says finding passionate students is just as important when recruiting prospective nurses.

“We really need to bridge that gap and it’s not just getting bigger classes or getting more students in the door. I think that's not the right answer,” says Blair. “I think the right answer is finding the right students. Because the right people, when you bring them all together, they'll stay. Especially if you treat them well and you give them the right path.”

Ryan Bates is one of those students. Bates will graduate from the College of Nursing in May. His next stop will be the neurological intensive care unit at OSF HealthCare Saint Francis Medical Center in Peoria, but he says his options for the future are endless.

“I chose nursing just because it's a really big field and I can do many different things with just the bachelor's degree. I can do bedside nursing. I can go on to get a new degree, or another degree. I can go into research. I can go into the clinical setting. I can do a lot of things and travel with experience. I can get my certifications, become a flight nurse. There are lots of different avenues that I can take with nursing, and that's one of the reasons I chose it,” explains Bates.

But before students get to Bates’ level they have a lot to learn. Dr. Brown says she expects her students to have the skills necessary to make a difference on day one after they graduate. This comes with hours upon hours of work, both in the classroom and in clinical settings.

“When you graduate, you're expected to hit the floor running, you're supposed to know what to do right off the bat. And that's hard. It's really hard,” she reflects. “And so I think the education you receive prior to transitioning into your professional role is critical. You want a program that provides you with the very best education possible and with the clinical experience that's going to give you those hands-on experiences. You develop those psychomotor skills. You have the ability to prioritize, delegate, use your clinical judgment to the best of your ability, to develop that clinical judgment skill, so that when you do graduate you feel like you're providing the best care you possibly can.”

While the COVID-19 pandemic presented an incredible challenge to the nursing profession, it also put a spotlight on the health care heroes who were imperative in the fight against COVID. The nurses who held the front line have inspired an entire new generation of health care workers, and Dr. Brown hopes the momentum continues, as the pandemic winds down.

“Nursing has not always had the spotlight, and I hope that as a profession we use it wisely, that we use it to advance the profession in a positive direction, and that we attract more people who have that desire to help people,” she says.

“I think deep down all of our students have that desire. They've got that passion, and that's going to be what really propels them through to that point of really impacting lives daily,” adds Blair.

And for students like Bates, the end of school is the beginning of a world of possibilities.

“I have lots of big plans. Nothing's set in stone, but I know that as a nurse, it's going to benefit me and my education is never going be able to go away or be taken from me and I'll be able to do just as much as I ever would dream of.”

The Saint Francis Medical Center College of Nursing is hosting its Spring Open House on Saturday, April 9, on campus at 511 Greenleaf Street in Peoria, IL. From 8:30 AM to 12:00 PM, prospective students will get the opportunity to learn about programs offered and see the facilities first hand.

Open house participants will get a chance to explore campus, including dorm rooms and the simulation lab. There will also be opportunities to learn more about:

·         BSN, RN-BSN, MSN and DNP programs

·         Financial aid/assistance programming

·         Early high school admission information

·         Virtual graduate programming

Graduate students also have the option of participating in the open house virtually. To register, visit www.sfmccon.edu.

Dr. Sue Brown, Dean of Undergraduate Studies, Saint Francis College of Nursing

Austin Blair, Director of Admissions, Saint Francis College of Nursing

Ryan Bates, Saint Francis College of Nursing Student

B-Roll  Saint Francis College of Nursing

If you are the parent of a young child, chances are you have dealt with picky eating at some point. Maybe your child only likes one type of food or refuses to eat at dinner time – whatever the case might be, getting your child on a healthy eating track can seem daunting at times. But when does picky eating become a concern? 

A well-balanced diet is crucial for one’s overall health – especially during their childhood years when they are still growing and developing. Dr. Safiat Amuwo, an OSF HealthCare pediatrician, says healthy eating habits start at home.

“A lot of times, children learn from their parents. So if the parents are picky eaters, or don’t eat a lot of fruits or vegetables, they mimic what they see their parents do. If you are eating fried foods or foods with high sugar, the child wants to eat that, too. It is always good to make sure that whatever you are giving the child, you also eat it,” Dr. Amuwo says.

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), children need to incorporate some essential nutrients like dietary fiber, vitamin D, calcium, iron, and potassium in their diets, but many do not get the recommended amounts. On the other hand, nutrients that should be limited include sugars, sodium, and saturated fat.

Fruits and vegetables are important for kids, and they contain many of these essential nutrients. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), kids should get around one to two cups of fruit and one to two and a half cups of vegetables per day, depending on their age. However, many parents tend to struggle with getting their child to eat their fruits and veggies.

“Cutting up fruits is much more appetizing than giving a child a whole fruit. Say, for instance, if you ask a child to eat a whole apple, they are less likely to eat it. But if you cut the apple up, they are more likely to eat it,” explains Dr. Amuwo.

When it comes to fruit juices, Dr. Amuwo says sticking to 100% juice is important as it does not contain those unwanted added sugars – but to limit juices and stick to whole fruits as often as possible. Ideally, water is the best beverage for your child to consume as it is not filled with sugars and keeps your child hydrated.

Vegetables are the other important food group that many kids love to hate. If your child is one who tends to avoid the veggies on their dinner plate, Dr. Amuwo recommends sneaking them in other ways.

“If they don’t like certain vegetables like spinach or greens, you can always mix those up with other vegetables in a blender and sort of incorporate that in your pasta. So if you’re making pasta and the sauce is red, you can add some spinach – a lot of times spinach doesn’t have a taste. Spinach can almost go with anything,” Dr. Amuwo advises.

It is also important to optimize your child’s bone health, especially since their bodies and bones are continuing to grow and develop. You may even recall the “Got Milk?” ads that grew especially popular in the early 1990s. While your child does not necessarily need to be consuming milk by the gallon, the USDA does recommend children get about two to two and a half cups of dairy per day, as it is a good source of essential vitamins and minerals but also aids in bone growth.

“We ask parents to provide a certain amount of milk because that gives us calcium and vitamin D. However, there are other places you can get calcium and vitamin D. You can do almond milk if it has those nutrients in it. You can have yogurt or cheese. So even if your child doesn’t want milk, you can still incorporate those other foods that do have calcium and vitamin D,” says Dr. Amuwo.

Perhaps your child is not necessarily a picky eater, but he or she may not enjoy sitting down for meal time. Even if your child is getting in some key nutrients throughout the day, a full, well-balanced meal is important as it is a good way to get a high amount of those essential nutrients at one time.

If your child picks at their dinner plate, or is always on the go when snacking, Dr. Amuwo says turning these times into a more mindful experience may help engage your child a bit more – and may help improve their eating habits in the long run.

“If we can have those snacks and meal times at a table and with the TV off, it can help with children wanting to eat their food and not be distracted,” Dr. Amuwo explains.

Most importantly, make healthy eating fun – and perhaps even bring your child along to the grocery store when shopping or let them watch you make dinner, as engaging them may make them more excited and eager to eat when meal time comes around.

If your child is a picky eater, or you are worried your child is not getting the proper nutrients throughout their day, make an appointment with their pediatrician to discuss your concerns and come up with a plan.

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March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. Since its inception in the year 2000, Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month has become an opportunity for patients, survivors, caregivers and advocates to rally around the cause, providing awareness and education.

Excluding skin cancers, colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer diagnosed in both men and women in the country. The American Cancer Society (ACS) estimates more than 151,000 new cases of colorectal cancer will be diagnosed this year.

According to Dr. Omar Khokhar, an OSF HealthCare gastroenterologist in Bloomington, Illinois, shining a spotlight on colorectal cancer, its prevalence, and the importance of screenings can truly save lives.

“It's important to really dedicate resources during the calendar year to really emphasize how important it is, because the screening in this particular situation works because, A – it reduces patient morbidity, and B – it reduces the burden on the health care system downstream,” he says.

Something new to consider this year - the recommended age to start colorectal cancer screening has been lowered from age 50 to 45. 

This is in direct relation to a concerning trend. Since 1994, colon and rectal cancers have increased 51% among adults under the age of 50. This data from the ACS reflects what Dr. Khokhar and his colleagues see in practice.

“There was data that came out recently showing that the most rampant increase was in ages 20 through 39,” Dr. Khokhar explains. “So when we looked at the preponderance of all that data, all the societies do their review, and we now have the recommend to reduce the age from 50 to now 45 for colon cancer screening.”

Opinions vary on the reasons people are being diagnosed at a younger age. Some experts believe that diet, too much red meat, and obesity are to blame, as many of these patients do not have a family history of colon cancer, which is traditionally a main risk factor.

Dr. Khokhar says committing to a healthy lifestyle could greatly reduce risk unrelated to your family tree.

“What's good for your heart is good for your colon. So I would emphasize moderation with red meat, more fruits, more vegetables - a healthier lifestyle. Just overall global improvement in your health should help with your individual risk of getting colon cancer,” Dr. Khokhar says.

The gold standard in colorectal cancer screening is a colonoscopy. Colonoscopies allow physicians to view the entire colon and both detect and remove polyps, small clumps of cells that can develop into cancer, during the same procedure.

Lower risk patients, however, may also be eligible for one of several other non-invasive tests, including at-home stool tests available by a physician order. These tests, including Cologuard, can be done outside of a physician’s office and can detect blood in the stool or abnormal DNA that may suggest cancer. 

“If you’re average risk and you're 45 to say 50, you may quality for a stool sample, and those are commonly referred to as an iFOB test, or Cologuard. And those detect blood in your stool and abnormal DNA in your stool,” Dr. Khokhar says. “If those are positive, that needs to be followed up with a colonoscopy. If it's negative you're screened, but you just need to do them more often than a colonoscopy.”

The main takeaway, says Dr. Khokhar, is to have an open and honest conversation with your physician, even before you hit the benchmark of the recommended screening age.

“I think it's important to have a medical home by the time you're 40, and then that way your doctor can also be on you to make sure you're getting all the screenings, not just colon cancer screening, but breast cancer screening, lipid screening, all those kinds of things, to make sure that you're not just reactive but proactive in your health.”

Colorectal polyps and colorectal cancer don’t always cause symptoms, especially at first. That is why getting screened regularly for colorectal cancer is so important.

If you do experience symptoms, they may include a change in bowel habits, blood in or on your stool (bowel movement), abdominal pain, aches, or cramps that don’t go away or unexplained weight loss. If you have any of these symptoms, talk to your doctor.

Interview Clips

When COVID-19 was officially declared a global pandemic in 2020, building closures and event cancellations began in an effort to stop the spread. This included sporting events, concerts, holiday celebrations, birthday parties, weddings, graduations, in-person school, and much more. For many, this also included the closure of office buildings. Employers around the globe adjusted to a new “work from home” world that took many employees time to adjust to – one that eventually became our “new normal.”

Now, more than two years later and with the development of safe and effective vaccines and COVID cases slowly decreasing, organizations have begun returning to in-person, almost pre-pandemic, work environments. Especially with the recent lifting of mask mandates in most work settings, this return-to-work process may cause an increase in anxiety as people across the country have grown accustomed to their pandemic work environments.

“People are having a hard time transitioning. Some people do get set in their place being at home and have that difficult time, teetering from anxious about being home all the time and then anxious about going back in the work place and being around people they haven’t been around for over a year now,” says Ashley Lisek, an OSF HealthCare family medicine APRN.

With nearly 220 million people fully vaccinated in the United States, which is more than 65% of the population, an end to this pandemic seems closer than it has since it began. However, we aren’t out of the woods yet, and the fear of COVID-19 is still very real.

Throughout the pandemic, many Americans did not venture outside of their homes very frequently other than for essential errands. In fact, at-home office spaces became a popular “DIY” project. So how can you prepare for returning to your pre-pandemic work space?

“My number one advice to getting back into it is maybe start doing your routines now the best you can. Start laying out how you would incorporate those routines because the people who have been doing this for the last year have been very set in their ways about what they are doing – so it may help by getting back into that role,” advises Lisek.

She continues, “Maybe a week out, start waking up at the same time and do your normal routine and try to get out of the house for more extended periods of time. Try to ease yourself into getting into environments that you haven’t been in for so long, which may help put you at ease a little.”

Additionally, take short breaks in your day to get some fresh air outside, go for a brisk walk, and make sure you are getting the proper nutrients, drinking plenty of water, and getting a sleep schedule in place in order to stay healthy as you get back into the swing of things.

Most importantly, Lisek reminds us to not let our guards down completely, as COVID-19 is still prevalent. And if you feel more comfortable continuing to wear your COVID-19 face mask even if there is no longer a mandate in place, bring that with you when you head into the office.

If after returning to work your anxiety is still high and you are not able to adjust, Lisek recommends talking to someone you trust about how you are feeling, or perhaps seeking professional help.

“If you get to a point where this is happening more frequently and you feel like it is something that is impacting your day to where you physically cannot go about your day to day life, I recommend trying to seek help – whether that be your primary care or an emergency room setting,” advises Lisek.

If you or a loved one is experiencing mental health struggles caused by the pandemic, OSF HealthCare offers free behavioral health navigation services to help understand all resources available in your area. 

Interview Clips

One thing we’ve learned during the COVID pandemic is that no two cases are alike. Some people are asymptomatic while others have serious symptoms or long-term issues. So it may not come as a surprise that some people are experiencing hair loss with their particular case. According to Dr.  Mirza Ali Khan, a family practice physician from OSF HealthCare, it’s not a symptom of COVID, but rather a reaction to the stress of having COVID.

This hair shedding is called telogen effluvium and, according to the American Academy of Dermatology Association, it happens when more hairs than normal enter the shedding (telogen) phase of the hair growth lifecycle at the same time.

“It’s due to having a stress impact, whether it’s mentally or physically, and in this case we’re talking about COVID, which is stressful both mentally and physically," says Dr. Khan. "That’s when the body redirects its resources, and in this case it holds down sending those resources to the hair so it’s stops the hair in the growth phase; it’s more of a hair shedding than an actual hair loss.”

It’s easy to worry during a pandemic. But it’s not just COVID that has people feeling anxious. Other taxing events such as childbirth or a major surgery can also produce enough stress to cause hair shedding.

“It’s quite common if someone is going through a divorce or a death in the family – anything like that can be a trigger," says Dr. Khan. "At the end of the day it depends on the person – how they deal both mentally and physically – and that determines if they do have it and the rate they will have this hair shedding.”

This hair shedding usually happens about three months after a stressful event. Dr. Khan says it could take another three to six months before it begins to grow back.

While there is no treatment for this hair shedding, there are things you can do that may help including exercise. 

“If it does happen, work on ways to combat the stress," says Dr. Khan. "If you are able to exercise, if your body allows you, if you have family and friends that you’re able to talk to in order to relieve that stress, and it wouldn’t hurt to take vitamins that help with hair and nails such as Zinc and Vitamin B complex. The combination of those things will help, but at the end of the day if you still notice this going on for three to six months, it’s definitely good to get checked by your primary care physician for starters to see exactly what the cause is.”

Dr. Khan stresses the importance of staying in touch with your physician. He says if the shedding continues, a simple blood test could potentially get to the root of the problem if it’s related to another issue – such as a low thyroid level.

For more information about hair loss, visit OSF HealthCare.

Interview Clips 

Taking care of yourself before, during and after a pregnancy has always been important. That’s further illustrated by a recent study in the journal Hypertension that reveals a rise in the number of women with chronic high blood pressure who are dying during and after pregnancy.

The study examined 155 million births in the United States between 1979 and 2018, and found 3,287 mothers died of high blood pressure-related causes. The study revealed that about a third of maternal deaths occurred before delivery; a third on the day of delivery or within a week, and a third occurred one week to a year after delivery. Researchers estimate that 75% of the deaths were preventable.

“I think there are a lot of factors that play into that and recently as the American population becomes more unhealthy, the chronic medical conditions are going to play into that as well that includes things like diabetes, high blood pressure, and specifically, obesity," says Dr. Jamie Plett, an OB/GYN at OSF HealthCare.  "All those things will tie into higher risks for mom and baby as well. I just think in general as American health is becoming worse overall and it’s affecting pregnant moms, too.”

The risk of blood pressure-related complications increased with age, and the risk was especially high among Black women. According to the study, Black women had three to four times the risk of dying from blood pressure-related issues compared to white women. It’s a concern, says Dr. Plett, which extends beyond pregnancy issues.

“That happens frequently because there are a lot of different things that play into health care in the United States, whether that’s insurance coverage, the ability to access health care or because of prolonged limited access to health care that also increases chronic medical conditions in those women," says Dr. Plett. "Studies have proven over and again that maternal morbidity rates are higher and chronic health problems are higher in Black women and other women of color.”

High blood pressure presents various risks during pregnancy including premature delivery, future cardiovascular disease and decreased blood flow to the placenta, which could lead to other complications for the baby.

“One of the things we worry about is something called intrauterine growth restriction or is the baby getting enough blood flow to grow like they should, so that’s one of the things to keep an eye on with every pregnant woman," says Dr. Plett. 

There is good news, however. Chronic high blood pressure can be prevented, according to Dr. Plett, especially through diet and exercise. It is recommended that pregnant women continue to get 30 minutes of exercise three to four times a week.

Pregnant women typically have their blood pressure checked during every wellness visit. Having a blood pressure cuff at home is fine, but not necessary unless you suspect a problem. Elevated blood pressure is a systolic pressure of 120 and a diastolic pressure below 80. Stage 2 hypertension is 140 over 90. Your doctor may prescribe a blood pressure medication that is safe for both mom and baby.

“Get treated as best as you can before pregnancy," adds Dr. Plett. "If you find out that you have chronic hypertension early in the pregnancy be vigilant in doing the exercise and dietary changes that you can control, take medicine as you need to and then we’ll monitor you more closely. And know that you’re a higher risk for some things, but some things can be prevented.”

For more information on pregnancy and birth, visit OSF HealthCare.

Interview Clips 

B-Roll

The shock-like syndrome, dubbed "multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children" (MIS-C) by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), mimics a relatively rare inflammatory illness called Kawasaki disease. MIS-C comes with fever, red eyes, swelling of hands and feet, abdominal pain, and other symptoms.

“It looks a little bit like Kawasaki disease or sometimes like Staphylococcal toxic shock syndrome or Staph scalded skin syndrome. Some of these children tested positive for coronavirus or tested positive for antibodies to the virus, indicating previous exposure,” explained Dr. Barry Gray, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at OSF HealthCare Children’s Hospital of Illinois.

MIS-C affects blood vessels and organs, and involves a “hyper response” of the child’s immune system to the virus. Though most patients eventually recover, the syndrome can be deadly. As of January 31, 2022, more than 6,800 U.S. cases of MIS-C have been reported to the CDC – including 59 deaths.

 While more research is needed, early data shows that vaccination status could also impact a child’s risk of MIS-C. A recent Epic Research study showed that 98% of MIS-C patients were unvaccinated. The CDC is working to learn more about why some children and adolescents develop MIS-C after having COVID-19 while others do not.

Lori Grooms is the director of Infection Prevention for OSF HealthCare. She says the seemingly ambiguous nature of the syndrome makes it difficult to determine who is at risk.

“We just haven't figured out exactly who's going to have extreme effects,” said Grooms. “The MIS-C that we've seen in kids, the multi-inflammatory syndrome complications that we've seen, we haven't figured out yet which child is going to get it, so we don't know which child to exactly protect.”

Despite the rarity of the disease, parents should remain aware of signs and symptoms, as early detection can prevent serious illness. Dr. Gray urges parents to call their pediatrician right away if their child shows symptoms including persistent fever, rash, abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea.

Additionally, if a child is showing any emergency warning signs including trouble breathing, persistent pain or pressure in the chest, new confusion, inability to wake or stay awake, bluish lips or face, severe abdominal pain, or other concerning signs, parents should seek emergency care right away.

“They may have skin rash, they may come in with shock and low blood pressure. It may affect their kidneys. The major effect is on the arteries, where there’s inflammation, and that’s one of the things that is in common with Kawasaki disease, which is an arteritis, but we don’t know the cause,” explained Dr. Gray.

Parents are encouraged to keep an eye out for these symptoms, however Dr. Gray assures that MIS-C is still rare, and parents shouldn’t panic.

“It is very rare, and we would be looking at those children who are much sicker than others,” said Dr. Gray. “The vast majority of kids don’t make it to the hospital, let alone to the intensive care unit. So we’re talking about a very small group of a very small group to begin with.”

Both Dr. Gray and Grooms agree - the best thing you can do for your family is to continue following public health recommendations about vaccinations, physical distancing, and hand washing, to avoid contracting COVID-19 in the first place.

Interview Clips - Dr. Barry Gray

Interview Clip - Lori Grooms

February is American Heart Month. As the month winds down, cardiologists hope that by raising awareness of heart disease, risk factors and prevention methods, the public can charge into the year ahead armed with new heart health knowledge.

Heart disease is a leading cause of death for men and women in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 659,000 Americans die from heart disease each year – that is one in every four deaths.

According to Dr. Tinoy Kizhakekuttu, an OSF HealthCare Cardiovascular Institute cardiologist, thousands of these deaths can be prevented.

“Heart disease is the number one killer in the U.S.,” he says. “Most people die from heart disease, but it doesn't have to be that way. It's a preventable death in my opinion. Follow the ‘simple seven’ of life. What I always say is stop smoking, number one, exercise every day, eat healthy, lose weight, control your cholesterol, control your blood pressure, and control your blood sugar. Those seven things will really prolong your life and prevent cardiac death.”

Detection of heart-related issues is also paramount. Most people are familiar with what Dr. Kizhakekuttu describes as the “classic textbook” symptoms of heart disease: pain, tightness or discomfort in the chest; shortness of breath; pain, numbness, weakness or coldness in your legs or arms; or pain in the neck or jaw.

There are, however, some sneaky signs of heart disease that are lesser known. Dr. Kizhakekuttu says the key to recognizing some of these symptoms is to pay attention to your body, and to voice any concerning changes to your primary care physician or cardiologist.

“Most patients who feel the classic cardiac symptoms do seek emergency attention. But our hope also is to catch some of those people who may not have the classic textbook description. In fact, a majority of patients fall into the not-so classic description, and people ignore symptoms. Sometimes people are not diagnosed appropriately, which delays their care, delays their treatment and causes long term mortalities and morbidities,” explains Dr. Kizhakekuttu.

Some of those lesser-known symptoms include extreme fatigue, swelling of the feet or legs, nausea or vomiting, abdominal pain, unexplained sweating, or even bad breath. Dr. Kizhakekuttu says all of these things need to be taken seriously, and patients shouldn’t hesitate to contact their doctor when things are out of the ordinary.

“I always tell my patients, ‘You know your body best, more than any doctors in the world, so you tell me what's bothering you. You tell me about any symptom or sign of anything unusual you notice, and we will take it from there.’ So that really opens up the patient because they feel comfortable.”

Dr. Kizhakekuttu also recommends faithfully seeing your primary care physician on a yearly basis, and running an annual blood panel to check your lipid (cholesterol and other fats) and blood sugar levels.

These appointments not only allow your physician to keep a running record of your ongoing heart health, but are also a great opportunities to discuss any bodily changes. Dr. Kizhakekuttu says having an open and honest conversation is extremely valuable.

“Honest communication is the key. If patients hide things, the physicians cannot appropriately care for them. And you know physicians, we are not judgmental,” assures Dr. Kizhakekuttu. “We want to know what's going on with you so we can take care of it. We are not going to say, ‘oh you are a bad patient because of this,’ and so on. That's not what we do. We want to help you.”

For more information about OSF HealthCare Cardiovascular Institute and to take a free heart health risk assessment click here.

Interview Clips

Parents, by nature, tend to worry about their little ones, especially when they’re feeling lousy. That’s certainly been the case with COVID. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, nearly 4.2 million children have had COVID in the U.S. since the beginning of January.

And now, there’s been a recent development that is impacting young children in a new way – a connection between COVID’s omicron variant and croup, a barking-sounding cough that is most common among children between the ages of six months and three years.

Doctors are noticing a correlation between croup and positive COVID cases because it appears omicron tends to settle higher up in the respiratory tract, rather than in the lungs. While croup isn’t typically serious, it can be alarming for parents especially since their young ones aren’t yet eligible for the COVID vaccine.

“What we think the connection is between omicron and croup is that omicron has been a little different than other COVID strains," says Dr. Asma Khan, a pediatrician for OSF HealthCare.  "The other COVID strains were hitting our lower respiratory – we were having more lung issues and it hit the lower respiratory tract. Omicron is hitting more of the upper respiratory tract – our nose, our pharynx, our larynx, which is our voice box, so it’s presenting more like a common cold. And with little children, because of the inflammation, it can cause more of this croup-like cough.”

Croup is an infection of the upper airway, which hampers breathing and causes the barking cough. The cough and other symptoms of croup are the result of swelling around the voice box, windpipe and bronchial tubes. In addition to the cough, taking a breath often sounds like a high-pitched whistling sound called stridor. Croup cases are most common in the fall and winter months.

“There was a study done at Seattle’s Children (Hospital), which looked at patients that came into the ER with croup – they looked at about 500 kids," says Dr. Khan. "They were simultaneously testing every child that came in with croup-like illness for COVID, and they found that about 100 of these kids were actually COVID positive. When they looked at the percentage they noticed that only about 2 to 3 percent of the croup-like cases that were secondary to COVID occurred with the Delta strain, but 48 percent with the omicron strain.”

In addition to the barking-like cough, other symptoms of croup are fever, hoarse voice and labored breathing. Symptoms typically last between 3 to 5 days. Humidifiers can help ease symptoms, but if the coughing or inflammation gets worse. Dr. Khan says steroids might be required or even a trip to the emergency department. 

“If you have mild symptoms it’s important to still get checked out to assess the severity," says Dr. Khan. "If it’s getting more serious, at least the provider can determine how bad it is and if it requires more treatment than just supportive care. They can pick up on that during the visit and appropriately take care of it before it gets really bad.”

The best thing for young children is to not get COVID in the first place. Dr. Khan recommends anyone who is old enough to get vaccinated. That’s the message she conveys to parents.

“I think the vaccine helps with severity, helps prevent spread, and it does prevent complications in the pediatric world," she says, "so I talk about how important it is for everyone to be vaccinated.”

For more information on croup, visit OSF HealthCare.

Interview Clips 

By now, we have grown accustomed to the symptoms and side effects of COVID-19, including fever, cough, shortness of breath, body aches, loss of taste and smell, and so on. What you may not know is that COVID-related conjunctivitis (pink eye) is also a concern for some – especially for those with young children. While pink eye in and of itself is not believed to be a symptom of COVID-19, some early studies do show a correlation between the two.

If your child contracts pink eye, it is important to first be able to know the different types of pink eye, as not all are considered viral; the category in which COVID-related pink eye falls and the most contagious of the three. Dr. Safiat Amuwo, an OSF HealthCare pediatrician, breaks it down.

“Generally speaking, we have allergic conjunctivitis, viral conjunctivitis, and bacterial conjunctivitis. A lot of times, bacterial conjunctivitis does require antibiotics. In any case, you can always go to your provider and ask questions. We will ask about the onset, the symptoms, and see if it is in both eyes or just one eye, or if there is any discharge,” says Dr. Amuwo.

Viral infections have been known to cause pink eye in people for years, especially in children. In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), some of these conjunctivitis-causing viruses include adenoviruses and common colds, rubella virus, and rubeola (measles) virus. According to the American Optometric Association (AOA), viral conjunctivitis can occur as the virus spreads along the body's own mucous membranes, which connect the lungs, throat, nose, tear ducts and conjunctiva (eye tissue).

The CDC says that pink eye usually spreads from an infected person to others through close personal contact (such as touching or shaking hands), through the air by coughing and sneezing, and by touching an object or surface with germs on it – then touching your eyes before washing your hands. This is in large part why it spreads more frequently among children, as they may tend to skip or speed up their hand washing time, or may forget to cover their mouths properly when sneezing or coughing.

However, the new studies on the correlation between COVID-19 and pink eye have some parents wondering how they will know if their child simply has pink eye, or if there might be more going on. So, at what point should COVID-19 be a concern?

“There is most definitely a correlation between red eye or pink eye and respiratory infections in general. If the parents are concerned – and if the child has other symptoms like cough, diarrhea, and things like that – I would suggest to go ahead and get a COVID swab just to be protective and to see if it does require some type of treatment, and to see if it is something can spread easily among family members or school children,” Dr. Amuwo explains.

Dr. Amuwo says that while pink eye in and of itself is not a huge concern, parents should be vigilant if their child does have COVID-19, and observe the proper COVID-19 protocols in order to reduce the spread to others, such as wearing a mask and isolating at home.

Pink eye treatments can vary just as widely as its causes. Dr. Amuwo adds that it is important to know what type of pink eye your child has so the appropriate steps are taken to treat it.

“Usually, most pink eyes are viral and they don’t require medication. A lot of times if parents come to the provider because they do want antibiotics. Just know that they are not always recommended – especially if it is viral. So if your child has pink eye but they also have a runny nose, they have a cough, they have congestion, it is more likely to be viral as opposed to bacterial,” says Dr. Amuwo.

And while eye drops can be beneficial, it is important to use the right type of eye drops for your child. Dr. Amuwo advises to talk to your child’s pediatrician before using eye drops to find out what he or she recommends.

“I would recommend not going to a local drug store like Walgreens or CVS to get eye drops. Sometimes that can actually worsen the symptoms depending on what is in the eye drops. It is always best to go to their provider and ask them what the best form of treatment is,” Dr. Amuwo advises.

The CDC says the best way to prevent the spread of pink eye is by following steps such as washing your hands frequently, avoiding touching or rubbing your eyes, and washing pillowcases and washcloths. If you are concerned that your child has pink eye, or that it may be COVID-related, make an appointment with your child’s doctor.

Interview Clips

Mary J. Blige has delighted fans for years with her music, but the Queen of hip-hop soul may have delivered one of her biggest hits during the Super Bowl, when she appeared in a commercial stressing the importance of annual cancer screenings.

Blige knows firsthand the importance of prevention. She has lost an aunt to breast cancer, another aunt to lung cancer and a grandmother to cervical cancer. “I didn’t know about breast cancer or mammograms until I was 40 and I was in the music business and I was trying to take care of myself,” she said in a recent interview. “I found out about it at the OBGYN. They don’t discuss this when we’re children. That’s why it’s extremely important to me.”

It’s also important to Dr. Alyssa Ceilesh, an oncologist with OSF HealthCare. She talks daily with patients about the importance of getting screened for cancers, particularly cervical cancer, which develops within the cells of the cervix, found in the lower part of the uterus.

According to the American Cancer Society, cervical cancer is the fourth most common cause of cancer in females in the world. In the U.S., 14,000 women are diagnosed every year and 4,000 women will die from cervical cancer.

“I’ve seen the data from the CDC and national studies that cancer screening overall has been down but specifically with cervical cancer we’ve seen a reduction in screening by 80 to 90%, which obviously is very significant and if sustained this could lead to misdiagnoses and people being diagnosed at later stages where the disease is harder to control," says Dr. Ceilesh. 

Some patients admit that the fear of COVID-19 still plays a role in their decision to delay screening. But masking, vaccinations, boosters and clean and safe environments should reassure patients when visiting a health care facility.

“A lot of my patients are telling me they’re still nervous to go out and potentially expose themselves to something or what they term as just a screening sometimes if they don’t have symptoms they don’t feel the urgency to go," says Dr. Ceilesh. "What I always counsel my patients about is it’s so important for these screening tests so we identify it before you have symptoms.”

A majority of cervical cancer is due to the human papillomavirus (HPV), a virus that is sexually transmitted and common in females and males. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that the HPV vaccine be given to girls and boys between ages 11 and 12. Smoking is another risk factor for cervical cancer.

Dr. Ceilesh says the symptoms of cervical cancer are very non-specific, which is another reason for screenings. Common symptoms include pelvic discomfort or pain, vaginal discharge or abnormal bleeding.

“I would contact my doctor right away if you have any irregular vaginal bleeding, bleeding between menstrual cycles, any unusual pelvic discomfort that doesn’t go away after a few days or anything that feels unusual or out of the ordinary for you," she says. 

Whether you see it in a commercial featuring a mega superstar like Mary J. Blige or it’s coming from your physician, the message is loud and clear – make annual cancer screenings a top priority in your life.

“You have the power and the tools available to you to help yourself and help prevent this disease from happening to you and to our children, too," says Dr. Ceilesh. "There’s a lot of cancers we don’t have these tools available for so if we have them we should use them.”

For more information about cancer, visit OSF HealthCare.

Interview Clips 

B-Roll 

As we continue to weather this winter season, and as outdoor activities are few and far between, health care professionals want to remind you to keep moving, despite the season. According to a large-scale study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), inactivity can be worse for you than smoking, diabetes or having heart disease.

Researchers studied more than 122,000 patients who underwent treadmill training over a 23 year span. The data showed that those who lived sedentary lifestyles had an exponentially higher risk of death than their more active peers.

Dr. Darrel Gumm is an interventional cardiologist for OSF HealthCare Cardiovascular Institute.

“I think it’s a real wakeup call,” said Dr. Gumm of the study. He continued, “We shouldn’t be so shocked that exercise is good, because we’ve been saying that for a long time. But now when we compare it to doing nothing. Those people who don’t do anything more than get up and walk around during the day, that are truly sedentary, it is up to a 500% difference, and we’re talking about cardiovascular death. So it’s really a big deal.”

The data also shows that the benefits of exercise were seen across all ages and in both men and women. Despite this, a majority of Americans aren’t getting enough exercise. Data from the Centers for Disease Control says only 23% of Americans are adequately active.

“It’s the classic couch potato. Sitting and snacking on some chips and watching TV. Really not doing as much. And many people think, ‘I walk around at work. I’m required to do this and do that,’ but that still isn’t the same as continuous aerobic exercise that would go for 20, 30, 40 minutes. Doing that three to five times a week pays off a huge benefit,” explained Dr. Gumm.

Dr. Gumm adds that there is also strong data to indicate that if people maintain core strength in their 60s and 70s, they will statistically be much more likely to live independently in their 80s and 90s.

He recommends that speaking with your primary care physician about starting an exercise program should be your first step, and to start any exercise program gradually. Dr. Gumm also says following a heart healthy diet will add to the benefits of exercise. But the main message is to get up and get active.

“What’s my bottom line? How do we summarize it all? Get moving! That’s what’s going to pay off.”

Interview Clips

The 21st century introduced to us a whole world of technology that has grown rapidly year by year. At the start of the pandemic in 2020, the time kids spent inside and on screens significantly increased. While there are ongoing debates on the topic of technology and kids, one thing is certain: Screen time is here to stay. The factors that play a role in how beneficial screen time is come down to both the quantity and quality of the screen time.

One popular screen-time choice for young children is CoComelon. CoComelon is a YouTube channel with 128 million subscribers and counting – and each video posted is viewed millions of times. The CoComelon phenomenon is entering households all across the country, both online and through branded apps and streaming platforms like Netflix. So, what is the obsession? Shows such as CoComelon tend to draw children in because of the fun sounds and visuals, including bright colors and large shapes. Not only does this catch a child’s attention, but it can even be beneficial.

“There are also catchy rhymes and repetitive words that children really just take hold to. So while we as adults may get annoyed by hearing songs over and over again, children really enjoy it. That’s how they learn. That’s how they get stimulated,” says Dr. Safiat Amuwo, an OSF HealthCare pediatrician.

The description on the show’s YouTube channel states that the primary goal of CoComelon is “to engage families with entertaining and educational content that makes universally-relatable preschool moments fun” – and this has proven to be true. In fact, many children do not even realize they are learning while they are watching. However, it is important not to overdo it.

“A lot of times, shows like CoComelon or LooLoo Kids provide some type of learning because it has ABCs and 1-2-3, but we should also provide some type of parental guidance in limiting screen time – especially if the child is less than 24 months old,” Dr. Amuwo explains.

Some experts say that too much screen time – even when educational – can act as a stimulant, causing a child to become cranky or act out when the screen time is taken away from them. And according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), too much screen time, watching shows, and playing games using technology can bring long-term negative effects to young children. This is why the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) recommends implementing the following guidelines:

• Until 18 months of age limit screen use to video chatting with an adult (for example, with a parent who is out of town)
• Between 18 and 24 months screen time should be limited to watching educational programming with a caregiver
• For children 2-5, limit non-educational screen time to about one hour per weekday and three hours on the weekend days

While these types of fun, yet educational videos get a stamp of approval from early childhood experts, Dr. Amuwo says setting boundaries is key.

“If you sort of plan your day in the morning and you know you need to get something done during a specific time, then that might be a good time for you to give your child 30 minutes of screen time while you get that task done. Try to avoid the screen time during meals and right before bed time because that is stimulating and might keep them up at night,” advises Dr. Amuwo.

If you or your child are not familiar with shows such as CoComelon but your child does spend time watching TV or engaging in other forms of technology, Dr. Amuwo recommends introducing them to these educational outlets instead. Chances are, your child will not know the difference and it may even help them grow, as the shows not only focus on some fundamentals of learning, but they also focus on daily activities like healthy eating, following directions, and household tasks. In addition to CoComelon, there are similar shows that can be both educational and fun for children.

“There are also things on YouTube like Akili and Me that are just sort of learning and engaging. It can help with learning animals, learning the alphabet, your numbers – so something that can help their future development,” Dr. Amuwo adds.

Overall, Dr. Amuwo says if you implement boundaries and follow the guidelines for engaging in screen time, quality and educational shows such as CoComelon can most definitely be beneficial in the long run – especially when they replace other forms of technology such as video games or TV shows that are not necessarily providing a positive outcome.

“There are benefits, especially if you turn on something like CoComelon or ChuChu Nursery and you have a song like Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes. You can actually interact with your child by doing it. And I do believe that’s how my child has learned some body parts because we constantly do that song over and over, especially when the song is playing. He gets excited, he’s jumping up and down, and he knows head, shoulders, knees, and toes,” says Dr. Amuwo.

If you need help modifying your child’s screen time, or if you have questions or concerns regarding their screen time usage, Dr. Amuwo recommends talking to your child’s pediatrician.

Interview Clips

This week Pfizer-BioNTech requested an emergency use authorization (EUA) for its Covid-19 vaccine for children ages six months to five years. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been asked to review data covering the safety and effectiveness of two doses of the vaccine for the younger age group, given three weeks apart.

Currently children under five are the only group in the U.S. ineligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. OSF HealthCare pediatrician Dr. Michael Endris, who is also a father of three children under five years old, is optimistic a EUA approval would help bring an end to a disturbing trend.

“We will anxiously await the data here, hopefully in the next month or two regarding these early vaccines for these younger kids,” Dr. Endris said. “We have unfortunately seen more and more hospitalizations in this age range. But hopefully in the coming months, we'll see things improve.”

The FDA's advisory group is scheduled to meet on February 15 to give guidance on the EUA request, and a definitive answer could come by the end of the month.

Until then, many parents are looking for the safest way to go about daily life during a pandemic with young, unvaccinated children. Dr. Endris says to evaluate each opportunity and outing, but to allow children to participate in activities when deemed safe and appropriate.

“Have a conversation with your physician or your pediatrician if you have concerns,” he recommended. “Our youngest child actually has an immuno-compromising condition, so we kind of err a little bit more on the safe side, but we still let our kids participate in activities when appropriate. Ideally, it's easier if they're outdoors and able to do that, but in the winter, that's not the case. So we just kind of pick our couple of activities that we enjoy, and you know, mask up and go to the library for instance.”

When it comes to wearing masks, young children can often have a difficult time adjusting. Dr. Endris says practice will help. He suggests parents have kids practice wearing a mask at home for short periods of time to get used to the feeling of wearing one. He also reminds parents that modeling safe behavior can certainly make an impact on how kids react to changes like masking in public.

“We should always try to set a good example for our kids in every aspect of our life, especially with being safe during a pandemic. So, when we wear masks ourselves, our kids look at that and see a role model in our parents and hopefully learn to practice safe distancing and masking when appropriate.”

In the end, parenting during a pandemic is no easy task. From navigating changing guidelines and constant quarantines, to making tough decisions about participating in outings and gatherings, there is no one-size-fits-all approach. Dr. Endris says just keep plugging along – we are all doing our best.

“It’s just kind of a learning process for all of us, and we're just hoping we're doing as best as we can and trying to raise resilient, independent kids,” he said.

Dr. Endris continued, “I would just say that this too shall pass; this isn't forever. And, you know, we do what we can to get by while being safe, and eventually we'll come out on the other side.”

If you are looking for a pediatrician for your child, visit osfhealthcare.org and click “Find a Doctor.”

Interview Clips

According to the American Cancer Society, about 14,000 women in the U.S. will be diagnosed with cervical cancer, and more than 4,200 will lose their lives to the disease this year.

Unlike many cancers, however, we know what causes nearly 99% of all cervical cancer cases: the human papillomavirus, or HPV.

HPV is a common virus that will infect most sexually active people at some point in their lives – about four out of five people. An estimated 80-million Americans are currently infected with 14-million new infections diagnosed each year.

However, this trend can be slowed, or even stopped in future generations, with a vaccine. Dr. James Mikeworth, an OSF HealthCare pediatrician in Pontiac, Illinois, recommends the vaccine for both girls and boys.

“Right now the HPV vaccine has shown a very good immunity and longevity for that immunity through your 20s and 30s. So we know that it works and we know it lasts.” explained Dr. James Mikeworth, an OSF HealthCare physician in Pontiac, Illinois. He recommends the vaccine for both girls and boys.

There are about 100 types of HPV infections, affecting both men and women. Most go away on their own, but one in ten infections will eventually cause health problems. Besides cervical cancer, these include anal, vulvar, vaginal, or penile cancer, genital warts or throat cancer.

Health care experts are urging parents to get their preteens vaccinated against HPV, even if they don’t think their child is sexually active. The HPV vaccine works best in people who haven’t yet been exposed to the virus.

Dr. Mikeworth says the HPV vaccine could prevent 30,000 cases of cancer each year, and parents can provide that protection by simply getting the shot for their kids.

“I am still shocked when people say no because it’s our first vaccine that’s been proven to prevent cancer in women. With cancer being such a hot-button issue for such a long time, we have something telling you it will prevent cancer in your kid, I think every parent should jump on that chance.” urged Dr. Mikeworth.

The American Cancer Society recommends the HPV vaccine for preteens with the optimal age being 11 or 12 years old.

It can be given up to age 26 with either a two or three shot series, depending on the age of the person being vaccinated.

Dr. Mikeworth encourages parents to have a conversation with their child’s health care provider to better understand how the vaccine works.

“We have the ability to completely eradicate a virus that can cause cancer, which is pretty phenomenal. We just have to get the public on board with it,” he said.

Learn more about the HPV vaccine here, or go to osfhealthcare.org and search “HPV.”

Interview Clips

For the past two years, people have found a number of ways to cope with the stress that comes with living through a pandemic, and that includes alcohol use.

A recent online survey conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of Alkermes, Inc., discovered that 17 % of respondents over the age of 21 revealed drinking patterns that met the criteria for heavy drinking, which was defined as having two heavy drinking days in one week at least twice in the previous 30 days.

In another poll conducted by Ria Health, an online alcohol addiction treatment program, found that drinking among women – especially younger women – has drastically increased during the pandemic due to a variety of reasons including isolation, work-related stress and parenting.

Loni Nolte is a behavioral health provider for OSF HealthCare. She says these problems are common among some of the clients she works with on a regular basis.

“More often than not a woman gets very quiet when she’s upset," says Nolte. "They pull in within themselves. They are less demonstrative, they isolate, they get more heavy in their thoughts like, ‘I’m not doing something right,’ and like anyone, we’re going to have to find a way to relieve that. And if you don’t have healthy support systems or coping mechanisms in place, you’re going to go to something that is well known.  You turn on most shows on TV and there is drinking. It’s very acceptable.”

Nolte has seen a particular increase in drinking among college-aged women. College, she says, is typically a time where young women experiment with drinking anyway. Now throw a pandemic on top of that, along with remote learning and the cancellation or postponement of other enjoyable activities, and college-aged women are feeling more alone and isolated and turning to alcohol.

“If someone tells me they’re drinking every night of the week, I’m concerned," she says. "I don’t like anyone to be that dependent on anything. We need variety to keep us stimulated and balanced. Definitely frequency. I look for how much they’re drinking. If it’s a little bit versus I’m finishing the bottle or I don’t know how many or I’m hiding. Secrets lead to all kinds of other issues. If we’re hiding we’re not being honest with ourselves or the people who can help us and that’s important.”

According to the Harris Poll survey, several respondents who reported heavy drinking admitted to feeling negative mental, physical and psychosocial impacts during the past year. Three in 10 respondents said they continued to drink even though it made them feel depressed or anxious. And 23% gave up or cut back on activities that were important or interesting to them in order to drink.

“When you’re avoiding things or when you’re not able to make it through the day or find yourself sick, when you’re hiding, when there are legal consequences or consequences at work – all of those are big signs that we need to pay attention to," says Nolte. "Alcoholism is a really dangerous disease. It impacts not just the person but also their family. It can be very chronic.”

Nolte suggests finding a support person to help hold you accountable for your actions. A good place to start is your medical provider or someone else who knows you well. Other suggestions include journaling, getting out for a run or walk, and deep breathing exercises. Most importantly, find activities that you enjoy or make you feel good about yourself.

“This is a real problem. It can happen to anyone. It’s important to not look at this as a source of shame," Nolte adds.  "Understand that many times when people are turning to alcohol or some other substance, they are trying desperately to fix themselves; they’re just not making a good choice so it’s important to find help where it may come from – a trusted friend, an expert. Get the help you need so this becomes a blip on the radar, a small setback, and you can move forward with your life, with your future.”

For more information about alcohol use, visit OSF HealthCare.

Interview Clips 

B-Roll 

Hospitals are once again being pushed to capacity, as COVID-positive patients need additional support. While a vast majority of hospitalized COVID-19 patients are either unvaccinated or are due for an additional vaccine dose, many are also up-to-date on their vaccinations.

When a person who is fully vaccinated against a certain disease still becomes infected, it is called vaccine breakthrough. But why does it happen?

Douglas Kasper, M.D., is the section head of infectious disease at the University of Illinois College of Medicine Peoria, and a leader in the OSF HealthCare response to COVID-19. He defines vaccine breakthrough in this case as someone contracting COVID-19 and needing medical care, despite receiving the full course of the vaccine.

He says for a case to be considered vaccine breakthrough, however, timing between vaccination and infection is the key.

“What’s important to go over in that topic is that a sufficient amount of time has passed from when they received the vaccine,” explains Dr. Kasper. “So if somebody receives the vaccine on a Monday and contracts COVID the following day, that does not count as a vaccine breakthrough. There has not been sufficient time for the body to create the protective immune response that we know will occur as usually two to four weeks pass after vaccine.”

He adds, each person is unique, and will respond to the virus and the vaccine in different ways.

“Any immune response is not uniform. How all of us interact with a virus will be different. So because of that, vaccines or natural immunity are not 100% protective. We strive for 100%, but what we understand is that some number of people, even when they receive the vaccine, may become ill with the virus. What we know is that people who receive the vaccine, even if they become ill, tend to become more mild cases of disease than those who have not received the vaccine,” he says.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is monitoring reported vaccine breakthrough cases, and according to data reported by state health departments, currently 49 states have reported at least one vaccine breakthrough infection.

Dr. Kasper maintains, however, that the existence of COVID-19 vaccine breakthrough cases is not a reason for anyone to avoid the vaccine. He says the opposite is true. Continuing research shows fully vaccinated people who are infected tend to have less severe symptoms than unvaccinated people, and are much less likely to be hospitalized or die.

In short, Dr. Kasper says, the benefits of the shot far outweigh the risk of infection.

“The take-home remains: vaccine effectiveness remains well above 90% in real world reporting about adverse effects, which allows us to continually safely deliver vaccine products to those within our community.”

Currently, anyone five and older is eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, and can now self-schedule a COVID-19 vaccination at osfhealthcare.org/vaccine.

Dr. Kasper and others urge everyone to continue following public health guidelines to slow the spread of COVID-19  by getting vaccinated and boosted when eligible, practicing good hand hygiene, using good judgement on where and with whom you gather, and by wearing a mask in indoor public places - especially for those who live in an area with substantial or high transmission of COVID-19.

Interview Clips

B-Roll

OSF HealthCare is not only dealing with a COVID-19 surge that is nearing, or surpassing, all previous surges of hospitalization, but in the western Illinois community of Galesburg, there’s a perfect storm of sorts.

A neighboring hospital of OSF HealthCare St. Mary Medical Center’s recently and abruptly closed after facing numerous challenges, including de-certification by the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) due to safety concerns. OSF St. Mary President Lisa DeKezel says a hotline will help patients of Cottage Hospital transfer their care.

“We are getting a lot of inquiries from former Cottage Hospital patients, asking ‘How do I transfer my care? How do I transfer my records?’ Please know that we are here to serve you.”

The hotline will be staffed from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, Outside of those hours, callers can leave a message to receive a call back. The hotline number is 309-344-9438.

DeKezel says her team began preparing to be the community’s sole provider more than two years ago, when it was becoming clear Cottage hospital was facing challenges, and Cottage began cutting key services and providers.

For the past six to eight months, and in large part due to the pandemic, OSF St. Mary and OSF Holy Family Medical Center in nearby Monmouth had  already been accepting Cottage patients at an accelerated pace – for emergency care, surgeries and procedures, even for complex care requiring time in an intensive care unit. DeKezel stresses, it hasn’t been an overnight influx and OSF HealthCare leaders have been preparing by recruiting new providers, including specialists, and expanding and improving facilities.

“We’ve recently renovated our entire, second floor surgery department. We’re adding additional ICU beds here at St. Mary Medical Center in Galesburg. We also expanded our obstetrics unit a few years ago as we prepared to be the sole obstetrics provider in the region.  And we’re doing a 10,000-square-foot ED (emergency department) renovation at Holy Family Medical Center in Monmouth to expand those capabilities as well.”

Dr. Brandon Briggs, the emergency department director at both OSF facilities, says even though OSF is prepared to handle a growing number of patients due to the challenges at Cottage Hospital and Clinic, the latest COVID-19 surge has created a perfect storm.

Dr. Briggs stresses that now more than ever, especially because of the ultra-contagious omicron variant, heath care workers need everyone to take every measure available to protect themselves and the most vulnerable in their community.  Because of preparation, OSF is able to manage the patients coming to us for care currently. However, Dr. Briggs worries if  rapid community spread continues, there won’t be a hospital bed for patients who need a higher-level of care than what can be provided at St. Mary’s, which is considered the regional hub for more acute patients.

“It’s making it more difficult to get patients where they need to be because of the pandemic, and the bed crisis and the lack of availability. So, that leads into the precautions about COVID taking it more seriously so that we do have those beds for patients that truly need them.”

In addition to wearing a well-fitted mask in public, washing hands, and using good judgement when deciding to attend larger gatherings, Dr. Briggs urges everyone in the community to carefully consider whether they need to be seen in an emergency department.

“We don’t want to deter any patients from coming to the ER if they feel like they’re having a true medical emergency.  We do ask that they have patience if they do come to the emergency room. If they do think their condition could be treated in an outpatient facility (primary-specialty care offices or walk-in clinic), we do ask that you try to do that.”

Most importantly, OSF St. Mary’s and OSF Holy Family are equipped and ready to serve, and continue to serve, the community. Leaders are continuing to assess community needs and believe the culture and Mission at OSF HealthCare is an attractive option for providers who are committed to their patients and want to continue serving the local region. However, DeKezel said that for various reasons, not every former Cottage provider will be hired. Those decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis and will depend also on whether some of those former employees are interested in joining a new health care system.

Video Clips: Lisa DeKezel, President, OSF HealthCare St. Mary and Holy Family Medical Centers

Video Clips: Dr. Brandon Briggs, Medical Director for Emergency Departments at OSF HealthCare St. Mary and Holy Family Medical Centers

B-roll for Reaction to Cottage Hospital Closure

In the past year, there’s been plenty of talk about the importance of a COVID-19 vaccine, and rightly so. Vaccines are one of the most effective ways to prevent numerous diseases. And while the spotlight shines brightly these days on COVID-19, there are many other significant vaccines that people should have on their radar as well.

All adults need vaccines. Which ones you need may depend, however, on your age, health history or travel habits. Vaccines have certainly proven effective; according to the World Health Organization (WHO), polio cases have decreased by more than 99% since 1988. WHO also estimates vaccines prevent two to three million deaths each year. For example, the worldwide rate of measles deaths dropped by 86% between 2000 and 2016.

“Vaccines have really helped with infectious disease," says Dr. Leonardo Lopez, chief medical officer for OSF HealthCare Saint Paul Medical Center in Mendota. "It was breakthrough medicine when it came out. It changed the lives and outcomes for millions of people – we basically eradicated polio. Of course, there are different vaccines and their effectiveness vary. Vaccines don’t always necessarily eradicate the disease completely but many times it does lower the incidence of mortality, so less people die from that disease – maybe not prevent that disease completely, but manage the disease so the health of the community is much improved.”

According to Dr. Lopez, vaccines teach the body to recognize new diseases. The vaccine uses a substance that helps your body build up antibodies and other defenses to a virus or bacteria. It helps immune cells to remember the types of antigens that cause infection, which allows for a quicker response to the disease down the road.

“Vaccines are very helpful," says Dr. Lopez.  "They’re like wearing a seatbelt. It doesn’t mean you’re not going to get into a crash and it doesn’t mean you won’t get injuries from a crash, but it definitely improves your chances of doing well after a crash. The same goes for a vaccine. It improves your chances of minimizing the chances of disease and the severity of the disease.”

There are a number of vaccines available for adults, including those that help prevent shingles, pneumonia, meningitis, and HPV. There is also the COVID-19 vaccine, tetanus and the influenza vaccine, which helps prevent the flu and is recommended to be done every fall or early winter. Which vaccines you need may depend on your age and health history.

With any vaccine comes possible side effects. That includes pain and swelling at the injection site; fever, fatigue and muscle weakness. Side effects can last from hours to days, if they happen at all.  

Like with anything else, there is plenty of solid information and misinformation available on the subject of vaccines. Dr. Lopez says the best resource for accurate information, however, is your physician.

“One of the best things to do is to talk to your physician," he says. "It’s good to read different things and I encourage you to do that. Sometimes it can be confusing what you read but come with that information, ask specific questions and have your physician guide you through those questions.”

The greatest risk of not getting vaccinated is the possibility of getting sick after being exposed to a disease. The illness may be much worse than the possible side effects of the vaccine and could even result in death.

“The most important way to get protection from a vaccine is to actually get the vaccine.," says Dr. Lopez. "The sooner you get it the sooner you’re protected, and that’s my main message. Even if you get two vaccines (flu and COVID) together, get them because the sooner you do the sooner your protection starts.”

For more information, visit OSF HealthCare.

Video Interview Clips 

B-roll 

In the summer of 2021, the COVID-19 pandemic seemed to be easing, and mask mandates were lifted in many parts of the country. Now, however, with a record number of positive cases as the omicron variant sweeps across the nation, people are once again being asked to mask up in public, no matter their vaccination status. 

This new wave of COVID cases and the highly contagious nature of the omicron variant has sparked concern about cloth masks, and whether they provide enough protection in public. 

Lori Grooms is the director of Infection Prevention for OSF HealthCare. She says a rated mask is best at filtering the air. Rated masks have been approved by American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). Not only are they readily available, but they are also disposable, taking the burden of daily mask laundering off the table. 

“A rated mask is going to filter out more than a cloth mask. That's not rocket science,” said Grooms. “We did know that in the beginning with COVID. We didn't have the mass manufacturing of masks like we do now, so we have masks more readily available.” 

A cloth mask with multiple layers of fabric, however, is still effective at filtering droplets and particles. According to Grooms, a mask’s ability to protect all comes down to a proper fit. 

“It's more about the fit, making sure that it covers your nose, it comes under your chin, and it fits the sides of your cheeks to avoid those gaps,” she explained. “So if you have a well-fitted cloth mask, and you're comparing it to a looser-fitting disposable mask, that well-fitted cloth mask may be more protective.” 

Despite their reusable nature, cloth masks do have a shelf life. Continued handling, washing and wearing can break down a cloth mask’s fibers, allowing respiratory droplets either in or out. 

“It's been about two years. We've been wearing these same masks for two years. It's time to probably either pitch them and get new, or hold them up to the light and see how much light you can see coming through. As you wash things or launder them, it shrinks the fibers. It makes the fibers loose so they aren't going to capture things as readily. So that may be time to get rid of them and get new,” said Grooms. 

Recent headlines claim cloth masks alone won’t cut it against the omicron variant, and two masks should be worn. Grooms explains that double masking is recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), but mainly for when a disposable mask doesn’t properly fit. 

“If you have a well-fitting mask, it's not necessary,” she said. “The double masking really was to try to ensure that better fit. So the CDC has a recommendation that if you're wearing a disposable mask with gaps, you can put on a cloth mask that's going to give you that better fit.” 

When shopping for a mask Grooms says there are multiple things to keep in mind. If you are looking at a cloth mask, make sure it has multiple layers. And while most disposable masks meet the need for protection, Grooms recommends reading the manufacturer information to see if it is ASTM approved. The ASTM rating should be listed on the package.

Above all, Grooms says we can all help slow the spread of the COVID virus by wearing a mask in public, ever time. Whether it’s cloth or disposable, it provides an important level of protection. In addition to masking you can protect yourself and others by getting vaccinated, receiving boosters as recommended, as practicing frequent hand hygiene.

Interview Clips

After a brief reprieve in the summer, followed by a delta variant COVID-19 surge that lessened mid-fall, now Omicron threatens to further test the limits of health care workers at OSF HealthCare and at health systems across the country. In Illinois, Omicron infections are doubling every two or three days and in Michigan where OSF HealthCare operates a hospital and medical clinic, they are preparing for a storm of infections.

A new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says people without a vaccine are 10 times more likely to get COVID-19 and 20 times more like to die from it. Those are scary statistics given the fact only 61.6% of the U.S. population is vaccinated and people are traveling to visit family for the holidays.

What’s different from a year ago? There are fewer providers to care for sick and hospitalized patients. The continuing surges of high patient volumes in the past 12 months has led to 1 in 5 medical professionals leaving their field for other careers or retiring early. 

Dr. Sam Sears, director of Behavioral Health Physician Services for OSF HealthCare says the stress of making difficult daily decisions, coupled with longer hours and concerns about personal health, have made for challenges beyond what many envisioned when they chose their career.

“Being asked to legitimately put their own health and safety and those of their loved ones on the line every day to try and help others out, that is ultimately as health care providers what we signed up to do. But I don’t know that most individuals had really ever dealt with the impact directly and personally in the same manner as they’re having to see it every single day,” he observed.

Dr. Sears says burnout was a problem before the pandemic and the unrealized promise of returning to some sort of normalcy has made feelings of exhaustion and frustration worse, especially when a good percentage of the population refuses to get vaccinated and boosted.

According to Dr. Sears, “Burnout is really more trauma, clinical depression and anxiety features than just pure fatigue and being run down and difficulty motivating one’s self, into realms that it really does approach ‘we need to have this person clinically addressed to help this person recover their resiliency and their ability to function.’”

Even though small gatherings of fully vaccinated people are ok, Dr. Sears says he’s concerned pandemic fatigue will result in people not wearing a mask or keep six feet apart during last-minute shopping or in other larger public events such as Christmas concerts and church services.

Sears points out, it can be excruciatingly hard on health care workers who feel like every day nobody's listening, nobody's following the rules, nothing's changed and the numbers are going in the wrong direction.

“Our health care workers are not robots. These are real human beings dealing with their own emotional stresses and struggles that you’re compounding with the emotional stress and struggles of what they’re doing day in, day out – making many, many life and death decisions for individuals and that becomes very challenging and stressful,” he points out.

Dr. Sears admits some health care workers see taking care of themselves and getting behavioral health support as just one more thing they don’t have time to do. However, he tells those care providers, it’s part of their job to make sure they are physically and mentally fit.

“It really is an ethical directive at the end of the day for people to take of themselves when they are caring for others because, otherwise, they’re not going to be able to sustain that; keep that up to sustain the level of care that others need.”

Providing Support for Health Care Workers

OSF Silver Cloud is a free, online behavioral tool available 24/7 for community members but there is a special section tailored specifically for health care workers. For the public, the website and app offers a COVID-19-specific module. It is also backed by a behavioral health navigator who can help direct people who need in-person care. But, Sears says the pandemic has highlighted for the public, flaws in the mental health infrastructure across the country, especially for health care workers themselves.

“As both a health care system and as the greater United States, we’re really going to have to think about how do we really meet these needs across the country and locally to help the people who have been helping us get through all of this?”

Dr. Sears suggests gestures of kindness from the community and even ‘thank you’ cards go a long way in providing emotional support for health care workers.

Additionally, the vaccines and booster shots offer the only hope of an endpoint to the pandemic. In the meantime, Dr. Sears says people need to be an emotional support for those they know, and even those who are not within their tightest circle such as extended family or older relatives living alone or in nursing homes.

“Everyone’s going to be conscripted into kind of being some level of behavioral health support for people because there’s not enough therapists, psychiatrists, APNs, primary care doctors to go around for the need that’s really going to be there, so we’ll lean on each other as we just march through and keep as many people going as we can,” Dr. Sears explained.

Some communities are adding mental health 4-1-1 classes to help residents understand and move past the stigma connected with mental health issues, along with educating people to recognize symptoms of someone in mental distress, how to talk with them, and to suggest resources.

An OSF Behavioral Health navigator can be reached at during business hours at (833) 713-7100. For 24/7 support, calling 2-1-1 can also provide direct help for a variety of needs, including mental health crisis support. Immediate help is also available through the National Suicide Prevention hotline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

Video Dr. Sam Sears, director of Behavioral Health Physician Services

Health Care Worker Distress B-roll

Food, housing and income insecurity remain a concern for millions of Americans, especially those who have been infected with the COVID-19 virus. 

The ongoing concerns prompted Illinois Governor J.B. to extend a Pandemic Health Navigator (PHN) program through June of next year. The program, which was launched in March was set to expire at the end of the year but the governor noted the pandemic continues and with new variants, and there’s a need to make sure those with COVID-19 are isolated at home and preventing community spread. 

Kara Roat, digital healthcare worker program manager for OSF OnCall explains the effort uses community health workers to connect individuals with COVID-19 and their families to community resources such as food, income assistance and household items.

“A lot of times these individuals are not allowed to work during that 10 day, two week period (of isolation) which leaves them with financial instability. So, we align them with several community-based organizations that can help meet their needs during that gap time when they were unable to work.”

The state-administered program is funded by the federal government’s American Rescue Act. OSF HealthCare serves as the regional coordinator for the northwestern region of the state which includes nine counties and includes the cities of Rockford and DeKalb. 

Roat says OSF has seen so much need since the start of the program. 

The process started pretty slowly. Roat says it went from only a handful of requests a day, to now meeting an average of 100. In all, the four PHNs have helped nearly 7,000 individuals and families in the past eight months.

Referrals to the program come from public health departments. Roat says food ranks as a top need among those who respond to a survey, asking what kind of unmet needs they have in their household.

“There are so many requests for food. We probably deliver food to 10 people every day all across Region 1 which is nine counties. So when you think about our Tri-County area (around Peoria) but have to do nine counties, you’re going pretty far to deliver food to somebody. The same with those COVID care kits. We deliver a ton of those each and every day but there’s a lot of value in it.”

To date, four PHNs working in the northern region of Illinois outside of Chicago have delivered nearly 3,000 COVID-19 care kits with essential household products.

“They have things like hygiene supplies, different kinds of laundry soap, hand soap, hand sanitizer, anything that somebody may leave their home during that period, we try to provide them to prevent them from going anywhere.”

Shania Brown is among the PHNs working in the region while she also works towards getting a bachelor’s degree in social work. Brown says the opportunity was a perfect match for someone whose goal in life is to help others. 

“I was really wanting to get some of that experience in social work – connecting with people on a more personal level and just being able to help them. I’ve found that it’s beyond rewarding.”

The biggest challenge for Brown was becoming familiar with the region and getting to know the various partners that make up the social service safety net. Now, with a great resource directory that continues to grow, Brown says she’s gained more experience in making connections and rounding up what individuals and families need most.

Brown describes a recent phone call from a pregnant woman whose husband had lost his job. She connected the family to Catholic Charities and delivered food and diapers that should last for several weeks. It was heartwarming to hear her gratitude.

That happens regularly according to Brown. Recipients call to say ‘thank you.’

“They have told us how big of a help providing those organization to them was because they can reach out to those organizations long after their isolation period and they’re able to get the help they need.”

The pandemic health navigators do provide those they help with a list of community resources for future use. 

Outside of the northern region, OSF HealthCare is offering support to OSF patients who are 18 and older through at-home monitoring and just-in-time advice about care if an individual’s COVID-19 symptoms worsen. A person can receive a referral to the program after an initial screening for COVID-19 using our digital assistant Clare, through our OSF OnCall Urgent Care, or a primary care provider.

Kara Roat, digital healthcare worker program manager for OSF OnCall

OSF OnCall Pandemic Health Navigator Shania Brown

B-roll for Pandemic Health Navigator

It’s that time of the year when we start to have visions of food and lots of it dancing in our heads. Our calendar over the next few weeks will be crammed with holiday parties, family get-togethers, not to mention lots of time spent in the kitchen preparing mouth-watering dishes, exotic appetizers and decadent desserts.

The thoughts of being surrounded by all these amazing food choices can be downright overwhelming. So how can we navigate our way through the holidays without overindulging? How can we enjoy the spirit of the season without paying for it later?

Nicole O’Neill is a clinical dietitian for OSF HealthCare. She says this time of the year is difficult because unlike your birthday, which is a one-day event, the holiday season tends to be a series of events that can last for days and weeks, and really opens the door for people to pack on the pounds. But that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy yourself.

“I would never tell anyone you can’t have something," says O'Neill. "If your mom makes the best cheesecake ever, have a piece and enjoy it. First of all, it’s going to hurt her feelings if you don’t and how long can you go without something before you throw your hands in the air and say ‘give it all to me’ and then you overindulge? So being purposeful, having the focus on the good healthy things but then allow yourself the grace to enjoy something.”

For starters, O’Neill encourages people to eat something at home before attending any type of event. Going to a gathering on an empty stomach could lead to overeating. When you arrive, avoid mindless picking at the appetizers. Those pigs in a blanket, cheese and crackers and cookies all add up in a hurry. Instead, O’Neill recommends using a small plate and start with healthy fare. Look for the carrots and broccoli first, for example, before grabbing for the cocktail meatballs or bacon wrapped dates. And don’t forget – you still have the main course and possibly dessert yet to go.

“Most party hosts put the good, healthy fruits and veggies at the end of the buffet line because no one really wants those," says O'Neill. "If you can, start the buffet line backwards. Get the fruits and vegetables and even shrimp cocktail – that’s not a horrible calorie load, it has a little protein and will stick with you for a little while – then you’re not overindulging in the fatty, greasy, heavy glorious things that call our names.”

Another important tip is to get in a little exercise during the holidays. It doesn’t necessarily mean a trip to the gym or signing up for a 5K. Keep it simple. It might be cleaning your house or dancing in the living room. Exercise helps with digestion, relieves holiday stress and can improve mental health as well.

“But the holiday when you’re with all your families and friends and you’re enjoying each other’s company does it always have to be around food? That’s another thing to think about," says O'Neill. "Could you go for a walk with your people? Could you go for a bike ride?”

Finally, if you’re currently on some type of diet plan, O’Neill says to just plan on maintaining your weight over the next few weeks. The goal should be to not gain weight, rather than worrying about losing weight. Maintain your good habits, get plenty of fluids and rest, and pay extra attention to portion sizes. The holidays are a time to celebrate, not a time to be miserable and stressed out.

“Eating during the holiday season shouldn’t be a cause for panic," says O'Neill. "Have it, enjoy it, just smaller portions. Just be reasonable. You know when you’re being naughty. Food is not naughty, of course, anything is allowable. If you eat six cookies you probably know that’s not in your best interest. Pay attention to your serving sizes – they should be smaller than your fist. A couple cookies aren’t going to hurt you. You just don’t want to overdo it.”

For more information on healthy eating, visit OSF HealthCare.

Video Interview Clips 

B-Roll 

On December 6, 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its COVID-19 testing guidance to recommend testing for COVID-19 before holiday gatherings, regardless of vaccination status.

Because the holidays in 2020 were celebrated virtually for the most part through online platforms such as Zooms and Facetime, people are eager to get together in person this year. The COVID-19 vaccines and boosters, in combination with following the recommended COVID-19 safety guidelines such as hand washing and wearing a mask, have allowed people to begin opening their doors to family and friends once again. However, it is not without risk; COVID cases are on the rise once again, and the omicron variant has been spreading rapidly across the country.

In order to protect yourself and loved ones, especially vulnerable populations (young children who are not yet eligible to be vaccinated, older adults including grandparents, and those with compromised immune systems), a simple and quick COVID-19 test should be done before you gather.

Eileen Knightly, chief nursing officer at OSF HealthCare Little Company of Mary Medical Center in Evergreen Park, Illinois, discusses the importance of testing before your holiday gathering – including who should test and when.

“If you’re fully vaccinated and you’re boosted, you should still test. If you’re going to be with just your immediate family – meaning the people who live in your household with you – then testing probably isn’t necessary because you’re all together in a household. But if you’re going to bring together multiple households – meaning more than one household – everyone in the group should be tested,” says Knightly.

Many retail drug stores offer rapid tests by appointment. Additionally, there are community testing sites and FDA-approved home tests that can be used. If you do choose to test at home, the CDC has released guidance on self-testing as well. It is recommended to schedule or purchase your test early, in order to ensure you have it in time for the holidays.

So you have ordered your at-home test or are looking to schedule a rapid test. The next step is determining when to do it.

“I think people are really looking to reengage, and that’s wonderful. I think your test should be done very close to the time you’re going to gather. So, for example, if you’re going to gather at four o’clock and go to mass, really make sure that you’re testing sometime that afternoon. It would be great if you could get a quick PCR test somewhere – but if not, the home tests really are fairly accurate,” Knightly explains.

While COVID-19 testing is recommended by the CDC for anyone who plans to attend a gathering this holiday season regardless of symptoms or vaccination status, it is especially important to test if you are experiencing any symptoms, including minor symptoms such as a cough, stuffy nose, body aches, chills, shortness of breath, fatigue, fever, diarrhea, and vomiting. OSF HealthCare does offer COVID-19 testing for those who are symptomatic.

If you are feeling sick and get a negative COVID test result, Knightly advises it is still important to take extra precautions and avoid holiday gatherings this year when feeling ill.

“The more we spread this, the worse it is, so I would say that if you’re not well you really need to stay home. It’s a really important time for us to really make sure that – and wearing the mask helps, certainly washing our hands and keeping a distance – but if you’re not well, then you should stay home. It’s important that if you’re not well and you test and you’re negative, a couple days later if you are still not well then you should retest. But certainly quarantining is really important,” advises Knightly.

Health officials are not recommending avoiding your holiday celebrations altogether, but getting a rapid COVID test before you gather with loved ones is the best way to ensure you are celebrating safely.

Knightly adds: “We had a significant surge after Thanksgiving so I think it’s going to be really important for everyone to be all in. I think this is something that everyone has to do. If everyone isn’t all in, you could end up in a bad situation at a family gathering when you didn’t need to be.”

Interview Clips

The very next day, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker witnessed the first COVID-19 vaccinations in the state, as OSF HealthCare Mission Partners enthusiastically rolled up their sleeves in Peoria.

Dr. Stephen Hippler is the chief clinical officer for OSF HealthCare. He says he looks back on that day and remembers feelings of hope, as well as gratitude for the work that had been done by the scientific community to get us to that point.

“I liken it to the landing on the moon many, many years ago when the entire scientific community was focused on one goal. And when all those brilliant minds around the world, not just the United States, are focused on a single problem, really wonderful and great things can happen,” remarked Dr. Hippler. “I think the fact that we got a COVID vaccine so quickly, it went into mass production and distribution, and now over 487 million doses have been given in the United States is really a testament to the dedication and focus of our scientists and all the folks who support them logistically to get it done and get it into the arms of people.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), at least 197 million Americans are fully vaccinated, which is about 60% of the eligible population.

Despite this, the United States just hit a grim milestone – 800,000 lives lost to the virus in less than two years. The number is astounding, and according to Dr. Hippler, his advice today remains what it was 365 days ago: get vaccinated.

“This continues to be a pandemic of the unvaccinated,” he said. “Yes, those who have had two doses sometimes get hospitalized, but they're typically not as sick. They don't need a ventilator and they have a much lower likelihood of dying. So it honestly is a little frustrating that this pandemic continues amongst the unvaccinated when there is a really good vaccine available to knock this down. As we enter the third winter of COVID, I don't think we want to go into a third summer and then start looking at a fourth winter of COVID.”

The CDC is reporting overall cases in the U.S. have grown nearly 50% over the past two weeks as America is experiencing the early stages of another COVID surge. The new omicron variant is also causing concern.

As Dr. Hippler looks to the future, however, he still has hope. He says while it may be dimmed, the light at the end of the tunnel has not been extinguished.

“A year from now my hope is that more people are vaccinated, and that we'll have a couple oral pills available to treat early COVID,” he said. “I think this will honestly become something that is always there; it'll never go away. But it's something we can easily recognize, test for, treat early with medication and have vaccine for that hopefully more people will avail themselves of. And with that, I think the incidence will go down.”

To schedule a COVID-19 vaccine or booster, or to see if you are eligible, visit osfhealthcare.org/vaccine.

Interview clips - Dr. Stephen Hippler

B-Roll - OSF HealthCare Mission Partners Getting Vaccinated 12/15/21

B-Roll - Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker's visit on 12/15/21

As children, we were constantly reminded to wash our hands. It not only helped get rid of dirt and grime, it also helped eliminate germs. For nearly two years, that lesson has been played out across the globe as a reminder that good hand hygiene can help contain the spread of COVID-19.

But fighting off a pandemic isn’t the only reason to practice proper handwashing. There are many other health-related issues that could be avoided, or perhaps be less serious if we all just spent extra time washing our hands.

“Handwashing is extremely important and we always recommend washing your hands," said Dr. Divyesh Morker, OSF HealthCare family practice physician. "It’s come into light because of the whole COVID situation. We shouldn’t forget things that it can prevent. Things like eye infections, skin infections, diarrhea, upper respiratory infections of course we know about. But all of those things are very, very important as far as prevention is concerned.”

The numbers certainly back that up. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, proper handwashing can reduce the number of people who get sick with diarrhea by 23-40 percent; reduces respiratory illness, like colds, in the general population by 16-21 percent; and reduces absenteeism due to gastrointestinal illness in school-aged children by 29-57 percent. There are 70 million work days missed each year due to cold and flu-related illnesses. And yet, a study by the University of Birmingham discovered that more than 50 percent of people in the world don’t wash their hands after using the bathroom, including 23 percent of Americans.

“I think everyday life and everyday problems supersede or overcome general stuff that we should do," said Dr. Morker. "People come in for diabetes, people come in for high blood pressure and infection prevention falls by the wayside sometimes. It lends more focus on other subjects. It’s important for us as physicians and providers to have patients really focus on washing their hands and prevention more than anything else.”

And then there’s sepsis, a potentially life-threatening condition caused by infection.

“Sepsis is really on the spectrum of infections the worst type of infection that you can get," said Dr. Morker. "Things like skin infections. We carry staph infections which is a bacteria that is on our skin all the time. Let’s say if someone gets a wound and you have hands that you haven’t washed and if you touch that wound it has the potential of getting infected. If you let that infection fester, it will eventually turn into sepsis. And sepsis is, obviously, a very, very significant and severe infection of the body, which a simple thing like washing your hands can prevent.”

When it comes to handwashing, Dr. Morker’s advice is simple. He tells patients to wash any time they feel like there are germs or bacteria on their hands. Wash before, during and after preparing meals, eating meals and after visiting the restroom. Wash your hands for 20 seconds, including the back of your hands, your finger tips and between your fingers. Using hand sanitizer is fine, but it should never be used as a substitute for handwashing.

“And that’s something that everyone should engrain into their minds," added Dr. Morker. "This pandemic, obviously, has heightened the need and importance of handwashing. But even when the pandemic is over, even when this COVID-19 pandemic is behind us, I encourage everyone to keep that as their primary source of remembering to wash your hands every single day, multiple times per day as a prevention method to prevent common illnesses and bacteria.”

Video Interview Clips 

B-Roll 

With demanding schedules and so much vying for our attention, it’s no wonder a third of healthy adults report feeling fatigued or sleepy. Ongoing fatigue results in having no energy or motivation, and it could also be a sign of something more serious, including anemia.

Anemia is a condition in which an individual lacks enough healthy red blood cells to carry adequate oxygen to tissues within the body. There are more than 400 types of anemia which are divided into three groups: Those caused by blood loss, those caused by decreased red blood cell production, and those caused by destruction of red blood cells.

Trisha Clevenger, RN, oversees infusion services at OSF HealthCare Saint Anthony’s Health Center and its Moeller Cancer Center in Alton, Illinois. As the sole provider of hematology services in the region, it can be a busy place. 

Clevenger says a blood test is used to diagnose anemia. Symptoms vary depending on the cause. They include:

• Fatigue and weakness
• Dizziness, lightheadedness or feeling faint
• Fast or unusual heartbeat
• Shortness of breath
• Cold hands and feet
• Pain in bones, chest, belly and joints
• Skin that’s pale or yellow
• Problems with growth for children and teens 

An estimated 5 million people in the U.S. have a simple iron deficiency that can be treated with oral supplements, but in some cases, individuals need intravenous (IV) infusions because iron supplements can cause gastrointestinal issues. Depending on what caused the deficiency, Clevenger says, treatment can be brief or ongoing.

“If it’s not strictly diet-related, many times for women it can be related to their menstrual cycle and how that affects their body. It can also be related to trauma or surgery, where there was increased blood loss. For many of those patients, once we’ve treated the acute issue, then the patient doesn’t see us except potentially on an as-needed basis.” 

There are also genetic anemias such as sickle cell anemia, a chronic disease in which cells are shaped incorrectly and don’t function properly in the body. For a baby to be born with sickle cell anemia, both parents must carry the sickle cell gene. In the United States, sickle cell anemia most commonly affects African Americans.

“Those patients will be on multiple oral medications and monitoring very closely to keep them at a healthy level, watching their iron and their hemoglobin and helping them to stay as functional as possible.” 

Sickle cell disease can result in painful episodes when sickle-shaped cells stick together and cause severe pain in the chest, stomach, arms and legs. It can also lead to infection, acute chest syndrome and stroke. The only cure is a bone marrow or stem cell transplant.

The second-most commonly treated anemia related to red blood cell production happens when a person doesn’t get enough vitamin B12, folate or both. It also happens when the body has trouble absorbing enough B12. Clevenger says the condition can be treated with B12 supplements, but it also requires regular monitoring.

“Many times we start with oral (medication) if possible, but if the oral isn’t tolerated or absorbed, then we do injections and then it’s just continuous monitoring. Most of those patients we will monitor every three months, and then of course they give us a call if they have issues and symptoms.”

Clevenger says anemia treatment plans often include dietary changes. 

“A healthy diet (includes) non-processed foods; eating healthy, high-iron foods. If you’re not a meat eater, that’s ok. Spinach and beans will have the same amount of iron in them as any meats that we eat and more than some.”

A multi-vitamin can be useful but Clevenger says it’s not a replacement for a healthy diet. Before taking any supplements, it’s always best to consult with your primary care provider. 

Video clips with Trisha Clevenger, primary RN for infusion services, OSF HealthCare Saint Anthony's Health Center

B-roll infusion clinic