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A sister’s advice leads to shocking discovery

It’s probably pneumonia. Maybe it’s COVID? Those were the thoughts running through the mind of 28-year old Patrick Smith as he drove through a dark winter’s night from his home in Hannibal to the Blessing Hospital Emergency Center.

“I was mad at the world”: How one woman faced colorectal cancer

Kim’s health took an unexpected and frightening turn in 2023. She says her colorectal cancer diagnosis "snuck up" on her.

Nurses play key role in operating new life-support system

National statistics from the height of the COVID-19 pandemic showed that 50%-60% of patients placed on the life-support system known as ECMO, short for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, survived at least 90 days.

This is not your typical “first-ever” surgery

The words printed on Marla Harper’s shirt said it all, “Think Happy Thoughts.” A week from the day she wore the shirt, Marla would have a mastectomy. In her 68 years of life, this would be her first surgery.

It was the smartest thing I ever said

John Craig has been hospitalized twice in his life; once when he was born and once when he almost died.

How to Donate and Choose a Fund to Support

The Blessing Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, tax-exempt charitable organization. If you make a donation, you may be eligible for a variety of tax benefits. Your gift will make a difference, with 100 percent of your donation going to the cause…

Determination and good fortune lead woman to breast cancer recovery

Becky Keck has known great success in her life. She has been married to husband, Dave, for 42 years. They have four daughters and 11 grandchildren. Becky was the first in her family to attend and graduate from college. She then worked her way up the corporate ladder to serve as chief financial officer of a Quincy-based company that does business around the world.

Surviving stroke - together

On a Saturday morning, Barb and Rich Schmidt were getting ready to attend a swim meet featuring one of their grandchildren. “Normal morning,” Rich recalls. “Showered and shaved and began combing my hair.”

Nurse practitioner providing specialized care to premature babies at Blessing Hospital

One in ten babies in the United States is born prematurely, according to the March of Dimes. Prematurity can cause problems for babies throughout their lives. Until recently, most premature babies born at Blessing Hospital were transferred to a neonatal unit in Springfield, Illinois or St. Louis, Missouri. That is changing now that Lacy Nichols, APRN, NNP, is on the job as Blessing Health’s neonatal nurse practitioner.