SLICE OF LIFE: Teaching life lessons on Father's Day

A grasshopper hops into a bar. The bartender says, "Hey, we have a drink named after you." The grasshopper asks, "You have a drink named Steve?"

Heart disease, cancer risk rank high on men's health concerns

June is Men's Health Month, and families gathering for Father's Day can nudge the men in their lives to be proactive about their health.

Annual cancer symposium to feature author, radiologist

MUNSTER | Self-healing and advanced medical technology will top the discussion at an annual cancer symposium Wednesday.

Local doctor wins prestigious award

He walked a red carpet and rubbed elbows with celebrities, but a local doctor who joins the ranks of Nobel Prize winners and past presidents in receiving the Ellis Island Medal of Honor says he doesn't do good works for the praise.

Some hospitals turning to transfusions less often

The lazy days of summer bring extra pleas from blood centers, as regular donors go on vacation and school lets out.

Franciscan looking for buyer on Illinois hospitals

The largest health care provider serving Northwest Indiana is looking for an organization to acquire or enter into a joint venture on its two hospitals in Illinois.

Local therapist brings rapid treatment process to region

Every night before she went to sleep, Jane had a ritual.

Lyme disease in the state hits NWI hardest

The prime season for tick bites is underway, and people in the region have the highest odds in the state of becoming a meal and contracting the illness Lyme disease.

SLICE OF LIFE: Golf, the four-letter word

Every time I pull in or out of the garage, I see a piece of my past, resting against the concrete wall.

Expo helps businesses network with public, each other

MERRILLVILLE | With music pumping and tables of freebies, dozens of vendors convened for the Crossroads Regional Chamber of Commerce Best of the Northwest Expo - Improving your Health, Business and Home Starts Here event Wednesday at the Radisson Star Plaza.

Franciscan acquires health care company

MICHIGAN CITY | Franciscan Alliance officials announced Tuesday the acquisition of a health care company with four locations in Portage and Valparaiso.

Implanted device curbs Valpo man's seizures

A small scar on the left side of his chest is one of only a few outward signs that John Camacho is not 100 percent OK.

Survey says heart disease, diabetes among top community health issues

Results of a community health survey are in, and local hospital officials say the findings are not surprising.

Gene mutation affects group of sisters

About a dozen Christmases ago, as five sisters unwrapped their presents, each received a bag of flaxseed.

SLICE OF LIFE: Shattering Powerball dreams

Seven minutes. I was seven minutes late to buy my chance at hundreds of millions of dollars.

Women share heart health stories at Go Red event

Four months before her 30th birthday, Jennifer Buss underwent a mitral valve prolapse correction.

'Magical' banquet to honor year's achievements

HIGHLAND | The Down Syndrome Association of Northwest Indiana on Friday will host its annual awards banquet, with a magical twist.

Local doctors weigh in on Jolie's double mastectomy, her willingness to reveal surgery

Angelina Jolie's announcement Tuesday that she underwent a double mastectomy to reduce her chance of developing breast cancer is drawing attention to a decision that everyday women have weighed.

Laser technology shaves time off bacteria turnaround

Scientists at a local laboratory say a new piece of technology there can identify bacteria a day earlier than traditional methods.

Technology improves mapping of heartbeat abnormalities

A technology upgrade to 3-D cardiac mapping equipment at Porter Regional Hospital will improve accuracy in locating the source of abnormal heart beats.

Construction progresses on Community expansion

A yellow crane jutting into the sky above The Community Hospital in Munster signals ongoing expansion there.

Residents gather to learn about proposed Lake County income tax

HIGHLAND | The three Lake County Council members who voted against a proposed county income tax met with residents Saturday to discuss the tax and answer questions about its impact.

Gary EMS call volume has not mirrored population drop

GARY | A graduate-level student project mapping emergency medical service response in Gary shows the volume of calls are down slightly but not to the same degree as the city's population drop, driving the rate up.

Group to focus on Region health needs

A new committee forming under the One Region initiative wants to improve the health of Northwest Indiana.

SLICE OF LIFE: Emphasis on beauty leads to ugly outcomes

If you watch TV, you've probably seen the latest Dove commercial.

E.C. clinic to focus on care for uninsured, underinsured

EAST CHICAGO | A health clinic that will provide care to uninsured and underinsured people is scheduled to open June 1 at 100 W. Chicago Ave.

Free card lowers prescription costs for region residents

A prescription discount card distributed through Lake Area United Way has saved region residents more than $1 million in medication costs over the last three years, organization officials said.

M'ville event to offer special needs resources

MERRILLVILLE | An upcoming event will help take the guesswork out of finding resources for people with disabilities.

Local donors' tissue to help Boston bomb victims

CROWN POINT | Donated tissue from new Northwest Indiana moms is being sent to Boston to help heal victims of the recent bombings.

Looming doctor shortage casts shadow on health care

A national doctor shortage on the horizon could change the health care landscape in Northwest Indiana and across the country.

SLICE OF LIFE: A kid at heart in a grown-up world

In just over a week, I'll turn 33 years old.

Report highlights financial impact of smoking

A new study from Ball State University shows more than half of Hoosier smokers tried to quit in the past year.

Centier opens on-site clinic for employees

MERRILLVILLE | The doctor is in, and he is just steps away from the cubicle.

Valpo-based website connects caregivers, those in need of care

A long-time Valparaiso University professor has launched a web-based company that links caregivers with those in need of care.

Methodist Hospitals reflects on 2012, looks to 2013 and beyond

GARY | The next decade is expected to bring expansion and updates to Methodist Hospitals' campuses and the continued push to achieve a Level III trauma center designation, hospital officials announced Friday.

A piece of life carries on

CROWN POINT | The memorial scrap books Sandy Whitenack compiled to honor her daughter, Kathy, who died at age 16 in a rollover accident, have pictures of her in typical poses.

Mill employees walk for heart health

Under a sunny blue sky early Wednesday afternoon, 116 ArcelorMittal Burns Harbor workers traversed a hilly, muddy and sometimes sandy path on a mile-long loop through a patch of woods on company property.

RDA approves strategic plan partnership

CROWN POINT | The Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority on Tuesday joined the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District in an estimated $550,000 effort to create a strategic business plan for commuter transit in the northern part of the state.

Urgent care serves in-between cases

From strip malls to pharmacies to freestanding buildings, medical care increasingly is being found outside traditional hospital and doctors' office settings.

SLICE OF LIFE: Easter brings a time of renewal

Comedian Jim Gaffigan, a Region native, does a bit about holidays.

Sister turns twice to twin for life-saving donation

LAKE STATION | When identical twins Allison Pitman and Amanda Taylor were toddlers, Pitman would help Taylor climb into Pitman's crib so the two could sleep side by side.

Rough road to recovery for Griffith boy

GRIFFITH | A 9-year-old Griffith boy continues to recover from surgery that gave him a new kidney.

Donnelly talks jobs, training at round table event

GARY | With a strengthening economy and the anticipation of jobs becoming available as workers retire, Northwest Indiana needs to arm people with the skills necessary for today's jobs.

Report ranks Lake County among unhealthiest in Indiana

An annual health report issued this week ranks Lake County near the bottom of the state for health outcomes, with Porter County closer to the top.

Local doc spends free time on the fast track

On weekdays, Dr. Jay Patel opens clogged arteries and performs other minimally invasive procedures as an interventional radiologist.

SLICE OF LIFE: Irish eyes are rollin' at Ireland memories

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Griffith boy receives long-awaited kidney

GRIFFITH | The nearly lifelong wait for a kidney has ended for a 9-year-old Griffith boy.

Website provides Indiana health stats

A new website, launched with funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, gives Hoosiers a look at the state of their health.

Industry group: Health care reform still a mystery

INDIANAPOLIS | As health care reform unfolds in the United States, people associated with the industry still have unanswered questions.

Methodist celebrates new emergency department

MERRILLVILLE | Medical staff joined community leaders and hospital officials Thursday for a ribbon-cutting ceremony and reception marking the new emergency department at Methodist Hospitals Southlake Campus.