We'll be phasing out this section soon because our new Web site, WellCommons.com is active. Be our guest and come over and check it out. WellCommons is a new way of creating an online community: part journalism, part community activism, part social media. Check out what we've created and help us make WellCommons an integral part of building a healthier Lawrence and a healthier Douglas County.
Today’s events
Larryville Hash House Harriers
6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., TBA each week Free - $5
Special coverage
Get the facts: 2009-2010 flu season
Track flu data from state and federal public health agencies.
Poll
Have you been affected by a natural disaster?
Poll results
| Response | Percent | |
|---|---|---|
| No. | 29% | |
| Flooding. | 25% | |
| More than one event. | 12% | |
| Hurricane. | 8% | |
| Other event. | 8% | |
| Tornado. | 4% | |
| Earthquake. | 4% | |
| Blizzard. | 4% | |
| Hailstorm. | 4% | |
| Total | 24 | |
Poll
What do you think is Lawrence's largest health issue?
Poll results
| Response | Percent | |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking. | 33% | |
| Obesity. | 30% | |
| Uninsured adults. | 15% | |
| Smoking. | 10% | |
| Sexual transmitted diseases. | 2% | |
| Access to healthy foods. | 2% | |
| Crime. | 2% | |
| Air pollution. | 2% | |
| Total | 39 | |
Our health
'Culture of health at work' benefits employees and employers alike
WorkWell Lawrence says health expenditures are estimated to reach $4.1 trillion by 2016. With Americans spending at least half of their waking hours at work, WorkWell Lawrence coordinator Carolyn Crawford says healthy lifestyle encouragement and programs at work are now a part of doing business. By Meagan Thomas
Child poverty rate inching up in Douglas County
The latest "Kids Count" report shows more area children living in poverty, but overall rates are still below statewide averages for Kansas. By Peter Hancock
Whooping cough cases persist in Douglas County
State and county are seeing a five-fold increase in pertussis, or "whooping cough" cases this year. By Peter Hancock
Darin Schneidewind - Hawk 100 winner
Darin Schneidwind talks about his win at the inaugural Hawk Hundred Marathon race at Clinton Lake early Sunday morning, finishing with a time of a little over 20 hours and 18-minutes.
Art therapeutic for Parkinson's patient
McLouth resident Sherry Leftwich enjoys artwork and says it helps with her Parkinson's disease.
More Health
- Midwifery 101: Options for pregnant women
- May 21, 2013
- When a woman is having a baby, planning begins long before the baby is due. For many women, part of the planning process includes deciding whether to use a physician or a midwife. In Lawrence, women have the option to use certified nurse midwives or lay midwives, and to have an at-home birth or hospital birth. By Meagan Thomas
- Mortality rates down at KU trauma, burn centers
- May 19, 2013
- Mortality rates at the Kansas University Hospital trauma and burn units are among the lowest in the country, according to figures released this week. The Burnett Burn Center’s mortality index is 0.58, indicating that 42 percent of patients who would normally have died from their injuries are surviving. The KU Trauma Center, meanwhile, has a mortality index of 0.72. By Giles Bruce
- Lawrence firefighters collecting for MDA this weekend
- May 17, 2013
- This weekend, Lawrence firefighters will hit the streets to fill their boots — with money.
- Lawrence social worker helps patients live their own lives
- May 14, 2013
- Felicia Shockey isn’t your average social worker. She has arranged for a patient to ride on a Harley Davidson alongside the Patriot Guard. She helped another fly in a hot-air balloon, checking an item off the top of his bucket list. She lets patients drink alcohol or eat steak — if that’s what they want. The director of social services at Brandon Woods at Alvamar in Lawrence is the inaugural winner of the Crossroads Hospice Caring More Award, which will be presented at The Oread on Wednesday. By Giles Bruce
- Doctor finds ‘A Healthier Wei’ to treat kids
- May 14, 2013
- Julie Wei was a pediatric Otolaryngologist, or ear, nose and throat specialist, at the University of Kansas Medical Center for more than ten years when she began to see a trend that she didn’t like: a large number of children with chronic congestion. Wei’s book, “A Healthier Wei” is an explanation of why she believes children are being misdiagnosed and wrongly medicated and her theory, with proven success, on how to fix these problems.
- American Cancer Society to host volunteer open house
- May 14, 2013
- As a celebration of the 100th birthday of the American Cancer Society, the organization is encouraging people to raise awareness and join the fight against cancer.
- 5K and wellness festival to raise awareness for Lyme disease
- May 7, 2013
- The Hope for Healing USATF 5K Run, Walk and Wellness Festival to raise awareness for Lyme disease is schedule for Saturday at South Park, 1141 Mass. St.
- Partner exercise routines can be more fun, motivating
- May 6, 2013
- Recent studies have found that exercising with a partner boosts motivation — and it’s more fun than doing it alone.
- Cancer fighter organizes swim-a-thon to help drown out disease
- April 27, 2013
- Kansas University graduate and former swim team member Tyghe Nielsen jumped in the Lawrence Indoor Aquatic Center pool Saturday ready to compete and with a specific opponent in mind: cancer.
- Local leaders unveil community health plan
- April 23, 2013
- The community health plan outlines goals for improving access to health care, nutrition and physical activity while reducing poverty. But putting the plan into action remains a challenge. By Peter Hancock
- Stroke patients in good hands at KU Hospital
- April 23, 2013
- Strokes are the fourth leading cause of the death in the U.S., hospitalizing nearly a million Americans every year. Stroke patients in eastern Kansas are lucky to have one of the leading stroke centers in the nation nearby, at Kansas University Hospital. Here is one of their stories. By Giles Bruce
- Lawrence teen named inaugural Douglas County Youth Health Champion
- April 9, 2013
- Josie Naron thought she wanted to be a doctor. But after volunteering at the local health department for the past year, she feels like she’s found her true calling: in public health. Her efforts haven’t gone unnoticed, as she was recently named the first-ever Douglas County Youth Health Champion. By Giles Bruce
- Assisted-living facility cited for deficiencies
- April 5, 2013
- The Windsor of Lawrence was cited for five violations of state regulations after its most recent inspection. But none resulted in actual harm or placed residents in physical jeopardy. By Peter Hancock
- Experts offer tips to help runners stay healthy while training
- April 2, 2013
- Snow is melting and more people have been lacing up their running shoes. With the Kansas Half Marathon just three weeks away, runners have been preparing for the event as well as other races. By Meagan Thomas
- Douglas County ranks as one of top 10 healthiest in Kansas, according to new national study
- March 20, 2013
- Douglas County is the ninth healthiest county in the state by one measure and the seventh healthiest by another, according to a report released Wednesday by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and its partners. By Chad Lawhorn
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