Karrey Britt / LJWorld.com

Staff

Karrey Britt (WellCommons.com Reporter)

During my 13 years at the Lawrence Journal-World, I’ve worn a number of hats. I started by working the nightshift as a copy editor and progressed to society editor and then assistant assignment director.

During the past few years, I returned to reporting, and it has proved rewarding.

I have met many fascinating people including:

• Susan Mozykowski, who opened her home and heart to me while battling brain cancer.

• Lawrence resident Heidi Karn Barker, who had a life-saving organ transplant and allowed me to capture her journey.

• Michael Douglas, who has a rare lung disease, but you wouldn’t know it by his upbeat attitude and gratitude for life.

Today, I am a health reporter. Now, I wouldn’t call myself a health nut, but I watch what I eat and enjoy exercising. I also support the movement to buy locally-produced foods.

That’s because I grew up on a small cattle-and-wheat farm near Abilene and was actively involved in 4-H. I still enjoy gardening and baking — two projects I took in 4-H. One of my favorite jobs was working at Rock Springs 4-H Center as an archery instructor for two summers.

I graduated from Chapman High School, and then earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism at K-State, where my husband and I met. We still bleed purple despite living in a sea of crimson-and-blue Jayhawk fans.

We both love animals and have two cats named Allie and Sam. Allie was adopted from a shelter and Sam was adopted from my parent’s farm.

My first journalism job was at The Daily Union in Junction City, where I worked for nearly three years and that included during the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing. I was the wire editor at the time and fielded questions from national media about that horrific day because of Timothy McVeigh’s connections to the town and Fort Riley.

I always tell people that being a journalist is never boring.

For example, I received Botox for a story about anti-aging procedures. A few months later, I designed the front page of the newspaper on the night when KU's basketball team won the national championship. I had a blast handing out papers in downtown Lawrence.

I have evolved into a multi-media reporter — something I never expected. I report for 6News in Lawrence and KTKA in Topeka.

You can follow me on Twitter, where I provide instant updates on health news and what’s going on in Lawrence.

I am a blogger for a new health Web site. My goal is to spark a community conversation about how we can live healthier, happier lives and then report on our progress.

If you have a story idea or suggestion for the health Web site, please contact me by e-mailing kbritt@ljworld.com or calling (785) 832-7190.

Recent stories

Safety tips for dealing with freezing weather: By Karrey Britt; December 31, 2012; With temperatures hovering around the freezing mark, the Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment are encouraging Kansans to exercise caution when outdoors. By Karrey Britt
Best of Lawrence 2012: Best Family Doctor: By Karrey Britt; September 30, 2012; Dr. Ryan Neuhofel is not only new to Lawrence, he’s bringing new ideas to family medicine. His goal is to bring back old-fashioned medicine, where a doctor has a relationship with his or her patients.
Best of Lawrence 2012: Best Orthodontist: By Karrey Britt; September 30, 2012; When you walk in Dr. Dan Ranjbar’s office, you are greeted by a 7-year-old golden retriever named Sunny, who loves attention. It’s just one of the ways Ranjbar tries to make his patients feel comfortable. He’s also incorporated his love of nature into the office design.
Physician at KU’s Watkins Memorial Health Center identified as pedestrian struck by train: By Karrey Britt & Shaun Hittle; 12:27 p.m., September 18, 2012 Updated 08:35 p.m.; Lawrence police identified a 56-year-old Lawrence physician as the pedestrian who was struck and killed by a train Monday morning in east Lawrence.
KU Hospital’s expansion garnering national attention: By Karrey Britt; August 19, 2012; The construction project is just one of many that have occurred at KU Hospital during the past five years to help keep up with growing demand for its services.
KU Hospital’s turnaround seen as extraordinary: By Karrey Britt; August 19, 2012; Kansas University Hospital is the comeback kid. Fourteen years ago, the hospital was fighting for survival. Employee turnover was high, patient volume was low and money was hard to come by. The hospital was on the verge of bankruptcy as a state agency.
Throwing a strike against cancer: By Karrey Britt; July 4, 2012; Two Lawrence women have teamed up to organize a bowling event July 21 that will benefit the organizations they are passionate about: Livestrong and Catch a Break.
Free State High School graduate Trei Dudley among 5 finalists for National Youth of the Year: By Karrey Britt; June 9, 2012; Trei Dudley, 18, of Lawrence is one of only five candidates who could be named National Youth of the Year by the Boys and Girls Club of America and earn a $50,000 scholarship. In September, she will visit the White House and meet President Obama.
Teen’s generosity with found money leads to brotherly bond: By Karrey Britt; June 8, 2012; Four-year-old Cooper Keefer played catch Wednesday evening in Centennial Park with his hero, 14-year-old Dallas Hunt.
LMH employees chip in for mutual aid: By Karrey Britt; May 7, 2012; Michael Van Pelt can’t thank his fellow employees enough for the help they provided during his battle with head and neck cancer. “I am still amazed at some of the things that happened,” he said. “You can imagine when a doctor tells you, ‘You have cancer,’ just everything stops, and you immediately worry about everything.”

Full story list

Recent photos

From left, U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., and Marilyn Tavenner, acting administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, listen to Kansas University School of Pharmacy dean Ken Audus talk about the school's challenges during a tour Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2012.

Lawrence’s off-leash, dog park called Mutt Run was established in 2001 below the Clinton Dam. The park, which is pictured Sunday, July 29, 2012, will be getting $20,000 worth of improvements this year, including expanded parking, upgrades to the shelter, new signage, a dog wash pad and small dog pond.

Lawrence has an off-lease dog park called Mutt Run below the Clinton Dam. This is the fenced area for small dogs that Lawrence Parks and Recreation department staff plan to clear later this year. Director Ernie Shaw said, "It's kind of overgrown and people don't use it, so this fall we are going to go in there and clean that all up. There's a lot of poison ivy and things like that in this little area and there's a lot of under brush."

In front, Lawrence resident Bonnie Uffman, left, and Judy Willett, of Village to Village Network, answer questions during a community meeting about starting a village for older adults in Lawrence. About 70 people attended the meeting Thursday, July 12, 2012, in the East Lawrence Recreation Center.

Judy Bellome, chief executive of the Visiting Nurses Association of Douglas County, asks a question during a community meeting about starting a village for older adults in East Lawrence. About 70 people attended the meeting Thursday, July 19, 2012, at the East Lawrence Recreation Center.

Full photo list