News

Perjohan Persson, MD is one of three new general surgeons at McLaren Bay Region, expanding his practice from McLaren Central Michigan to add to an already robust McLaren Bay Region General Surgery team. We sat down with Dr. Persson to ask him a few questions about himself, and his path to the Great Lakes Bay Region: Q: Why did you choose a career in medicine? A: Simply put, I wanted to help people. I think that working in the field of medicine allows me to impact people’s lives for the better, and it is...

If you have a loved one receiving cancer treatment during the holidays, they might spend long hours in clinics daily. Here are some great gift ideas you can give them this season that will be useful during treatment. Keep in mind that you don’t always have to buy a present. Thoughtful, low cost or priceless gifts are also incorporated below to help make your loved one’s day. Audiobook subscription If your loved one is a bookworm or a podcast fan, getting them an audiobook or podcast subscription is a go...

The Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute welcomes Morhaf Al Achkar, M.D., Ph.D., MSCR, FAAFP, as the associate center director for Education. Dr. Al Achkar brings over 10 years of experience in education and teaching, research, and clinical family. He also brings valuable personal experience to his new role as a seven-year stage IV lung cancer survivor. “It has been a pleasure and an exciting transition moving from Seattle to Detroit to join the team here at Karmanos,” said Dr. Al Achkar. “I have begun...

Heart failure occurs when the heart can no longer pump enough blood and oxygen to support the organs in the body. According to the Heart Failure Society of America , heart failure is a growing problem, with one major study estimating 960,000 new heart failure cases annually. The prognosis for someone diagnosed with heart failure can vary; however, people can expect a better life expectancy if the disease is properly managed and treated with medications and a healthy lifestyle. McLaren Greater Lansing is...

If you’re looking for someone who can quickly help you with your healthcare needs, a nurse practitioner could be the perfect fit. A nurse practitioner is a nurse with advanced education and training. Nurse practitioners start by becoming registered nurses, then earn graduate degrees and pass national board certification exams to be licensed by the state. “A nurse practitioner has to complete at least a master's level degree with an average of 600 clinical training hours,” said Christy Idle , a certified...

The Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute , along with cancer centers and other organizations across the nation, recognizes November as Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month. As its name indicates, pancreatic cancer originates in the pancreas, an organ that sits behind the stomach. The pancreas aids in digestion and helps regulate blood sugar. About Pancreatic Cancer Exocrine cells make up the majority of the pancreas. When these cells grow out of control, adenocarcinoma of the pancreas occurs. Pancreatic a...

Ryan Fahy, DO is one of three new general surgeons at McLaren Bay Region, adding to an already robust McLaren Bay Region General Surgery team. We sat down with Dr. Fahy to ask him a few questions about himself, and his path to the Great Lakes Bay Region: Q: Why did you choose a career in medicine? A: From my earliest memories, I wanted to pursue medicine. My mother and father sparked my passion for the sciences and I gravitated toward anatomy and biology. It helped that those subjects came easily and na...

Welcoming a new baby into the family comes with a lot of excitement, but also preparation. Attending a birthing class in the weeks leading up to labor and delivery offers several benefits to new parents to help them better understand the birthing process , explore pain management options, and learn more about infant care. “Expectant parents now have the unique opportunity to participate in our new labor support classes located right at the hospital,” said Melissa Baird, MSN, RNC-OB, C-EFM, manager of pa...

Atrial fibrillation, or AFib, is the most common irregular heart rhythm.  The American Heart Association estimates between three and six million Americans are living with the arrhythmia. It is difficult to get an exact number of people affected because it is possible to have AFib and not realize it. “Sometimes atrial fibrillation can be asymptomatic,” says McLaren Flint interventional cardiologist Dr. Hameem Changezi . AFib typically causes heart palpitations, a fluttering feeling, or the sensation...

“I was a smoker for over 35 years and decided I needed to quit,” said Jack Wilcox, a patient at McLaren Greater Lansing. Those considered high risk of developing lung cancer are recommended to have an annual screening. This includes people 50-80 years of age with a 20-pack-years or higher history of smoking (for example, smoking one pack of cigarettes per day for 20 years) and those who currently or have quit smoking.  After discussing his smoking habits with his doctor and because Wilcox fell with...