News

During a routine visit, Jack Grossnickle’s dentist discovered a lump on the roof of Jack’s mouth. He referred Jack to an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialist. “I also had a plugged-up nose, and it turned out that was because the lump my dentist found was pressing on a polyp in my nose,” said Jack. “The ENT said he wanted to do a biopsy to be on the safe side.” Jack had sinonasal adenocarcinoma, which is a rare form of cancer that develops in the nasal cavity and sinuses.   “It hadn’t spread, and ...

With the New Year here, getting a yearly checkup should be on your to-do list. It can sometimes feel overwhelming to schedule a doctor’s appointment, as you may not feel prepared, but it can be less stressful with a little pre-planning. It’s essential to provide your doctor with all the necessary information to ensure a comprehensive understanding of your health. Here are a few things you can do to ensure you get the most out of your next doctor’s appointment. “The best way to prepare for that appointme...

McLaren Flint has enhanced the cancer care options at Memorial Healthcare Cancer Center with an almost $6 million investment. This funding adds a new medical linear accelerator (LINAC) to the Owosso-based facility, an advanced technology commonly used in radiation therapy for treating cancer. The therapy unit — a Varian TrueBeam® — has been installed following five months of construction and is currently operational, making leading-edge cancer care available to Owosso and its surrounding communities. “M...

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 said. That ques...

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....