News

After 21 years in the Air Force, Herb Simpson retired.  He also started putting on weight. “I have always been a big, athletic guy,” Herb said. “I was accustomed to eating large quantities of food quickly when I was in the service- hurry up and get back to your job. When I retired, I kept that up, but I wasn’t as active. It caught up with me.” Over the next ten years, Herb’s weight inched up from 228 pounds at retirement to 314 pounds.  It was taking a huge toll on him. “My body was breaking d...

Thank you and congratulations to McLaren Flint's December Outstanding Employee of the Month, Dana McChristion. Dana is the front office coordinator at the Outpatient Wound Care specialty clinic. Her colleagues admire her work ethic, terrific attitude, and especially her empathy for patients, often going above and beyond to help them. "Dana goes out of her way to make sure patients are comfortable and feel taken care of," said her nominator. "One example- after recognizing the struggles a patient was hav...

For 61 years, there has been one constant in Jim Stillwell’s life- his wife. When she was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, Jim knew what he needed to do. “I took vows and I meant them,” Jim said. “I do not want my wife in a nursing home. It is my job to take care of her.” It has not always been easy, but Jim’s commitment has never wavered, even when his own health took a scary turn a year ago. “My oncologist in Lansing called it an aggressive form of prostate cancer. That scared me,” Jim said. The pl...

  Breast cancer has always been an important topic of discussion in Rebecca Fritz’s family. “My grandma beat stage four breast cancer, and my mother was first diagnosed at 40,” Rebecca said. Not willing to take any chances, Rebecca started getting annual mammograms as recommended by the American Cancer Society , 10 years before the age her mother was diagnosed.   “When I went into McLaren Imaging for my last regular mammogram, they had me fill out a questionnaire about risk factors,” Rebecca s...

Your genes play a meaningful role in your health—shaping everything from your physical features to your risk for certain medical conditions, including cancer. While most cancers are not inherited, about 5% to 10% of cases can be linked to hereditary factors. If cancer has touched your family, learning more about your genetic risk can be an important step toward protecting your future. There is a lot of information online about genetics and cancer, and trying to sort through it by yourself can feel overw...

The McLaren Imaging Center is now using its brand-new 3D imaging equipment. This is the second Hologic Genesis 3D unit at the center. This technology is widely considered the gold standard for breast cancer screening, especially for women with dense breast tissue. Additionally, the new equipment will enable staff to offer more appointments daily, as well as accommodate a higher volume of walk-in appointments for screening mammograms.  “The purchase of the equipment was made possible by the generous...

Chest pain is always a cause for concern. There are so many things it could be- a heart attack, angina, pulmonary embolism, gallstones, stomach ulcers, panic attacks- all potentially serious issues- or it could just be heartburn. “Heartburn pain can be severe, and can be frightening, especially if you have never experienced it before.” said McLaren Flint gastroenterologist Dr. Ghanem Almounajed . “Getting down to the root cause of chest pain often means taking a closer look at the accompanying symptoms....

Ken Kitner doesn’t hold back when asked to compare his 2021 treatment for an abnormal heartbeat, commonly known as AFib, with his second in the fall of 2025. “Amazing, is all I can say,” said Ken. “The first time was horrible. I really thought I was dying that first night after my procedure. I was bloated with water, miserable, and after recovering, afraid to ever have to go through that again.” When medications cannot keep AFib under control, for decades, the second traditional method of treatment has ...

When most people think of diabetes, blood sugar is usually the first thing that comes to mind. But diabetes is much more than controlling blood sugar levels. It can affect the entire body. “Diabetes can cause multiple problems as it affects both the body's vascular system and nervous system,” said Dr. Robert Molnar , a board-certified vascular surgeon and chief of surgery at McLaren Flint. “The real issue is the complications that diabetes brings to several of the body's organ systems. Diabetes signific...

Stress is part of the job description for 911 operators. Colleen DeMars-Eickholt found different ways to cope; some were not so healthy. “I smoked for 40 years,” Colleen said. “I would have a cigarette to calm down between calls.” Colleen had COPD and knew she needed to quit, but it wasn’t until someone she loved faced a health crisis that she finally did something about it. “My husband developed a heart issue because of his smoking,” Colleen said. “I smoked my last cigarette on October 30, 2024.” She s...