Barbara “Babs” Herring of Hannibal learned something about breast cancer this past summer.

The Central School District in Adams County, Illinois, holds an annual Relay for Life fundraiser for the American Cancer Society. Each year for the past 10 years, Jenny Hetzler, school nurse, attended the event in case her services were needed by any participating students.

Dale and Sherri King thought so until late June 2023 when Dale developed a sore throat. He was diagnosed with strep throat and took a 10-day course of antibiotics. They did not help. 

Kayla Sargent’s life was going great in 2009. She was a new registered nurse and a new mom. Then, she had gallbladder surgery.

Sierra Reed felt something was missing in her life. That began to change the day her son Declan needed care at the Blessing Emergency Center.

Maria Baker faced a challenge becoming more common these days nationwide. She lost her primary care doctor when he ended his practice unexpectedly. 

Harry Waddell is battle hardened. The 76-year-old Bushnell, Illinois, resident spent 24 years in the Army, most of those in Special Forces. But years after completing his service, fate put Harry in the middle of another battle – bladder cancer. 

The American Heart Association recognizes Blessing Hospital among the nation’s leading providers of stroke care. For the fourth consecutive year, the hospital earned the AHA’s Get With the Guidelines Gold level recognition. Specifically, Blessing received a 2024 Gold Plus Award for meeting or exceeding national core standard levels of care in the treatment of stroke patients for 2 consecutive calendar years or more. 

When the next heart attack strikes, caregivers of Blessing Hospital, McDonough District Hospital and LifeGuard ambulance in Macomb, and Air Evac stand ready. The teams recently drilled their response for a heart attack.

While the disease is rare, Blessing Health surgeon Dr. Fernando Bonanni says for people who suffer with achalasia, how often it occurs does not matter.