Rep. Kim King has represented central Kentucky’s 55th District for almost a decade. She knows the halls of the state Capitol by heart and has cast hundreds of votes on the House floor. But this year’s legislative session takes on a different meaning for the Harrodsburg, Kentucky, native. Just four months ago, she learned that…
Most women know a lump can mean breast cancer. Most also know to get lumps checked by a doctor. But there’s more to breast cancer than lumps. And women need to know both the common and not-so-common signs. How to do a breast self-check Examine your breasts at the same time each month Look at…
When Laila S. Agrawal, M.D., was a child, her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. She underwent surgery and chemotherapy, and became a cancer survivor. “I saw what she went through, and it really influenced me. I was drawn to medicine and from the beginning knew I would go into oncology,” said Dr. Agrawal, a…
Breakthroughs in gene therapy are starting to bring new reason for hope to patients with sickle cell anemia. The inherited blood disease can cause severe pain, strokes, organ damage and sometimes premature death. The disease is more common in people of African descent. One in 12 African Americans carry a sickle cell gene, according to…
David Elder considers himself lucky. Had things gone differently, the 66-year-old retired accounting professional might have become another lung cancer death statistic. In 2017, David developed what he thought was a minor hernia. He had bouts of stomach pain and over a two-month period lost about 40 pounds. David was familiar with lung cancer’s symptoms…
Steven Michael Kane will never forget June 23, 2018. It was a Saturday. Mike, as family and friends know him, was getting a screening colonoscopy. He felt great and had no reason to worry, or so he thought. “That test saved my life,” he said. “My doctor told me later if I had waited another…
When a woman comes to Abby Parrish, she’s ready to reclaim her life. Abby is a certified mastectomy fitter. She works with women who’ve had mastectomies and are ready for prosthetics called mastectomy bras. While many women choose reconstruction after their initial breast cancer surgery, others find the thought of additional surgery too much to…
Julie Musick is a fan of the “Outlander” novels, whose author Diana Gabaldon incorporates themes of medicine, spirituality, relationships and hope. The author views her fantasy fiction stories as journeys of both body and soul. In certain ways, Julie, age 41, has found these same themes reflected in her life since being diagnosed with meningioma,…
Aaron C. Spalding, M.D., is a radiation oncologist with a straightforward approach to medicine. “I was raised in a way to try to use the blessings in my life to help others. For me, that means serving patients in our region who are unfairly afflicted by cancer,” Dr. Spalding said. A Louisville native, Dr. Spalding…
Louisville researchers are turning their success with immunotherapy toward a new foe — the deadly glioblastoma brain cancer. Renato V. LaRocca, M.D., a neuro-oncologist and cancer medicine specialist with Norton Cancer Institute, is working on new treatments that use immunotherapy to turn the body’s immune system against the cancer. Norton Healthcare is among several institutions…
A new study shows cancer is on its way to becoming the leading cause of death in more counties nationwide. The study, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, analyzed records for 32 million people in the U.S. who died between 2003 and 2015. It found that while overall deaths due to heart disease and…
Adam D. Lye, M.D., is a proud Kentuckian. The medical oncologist/hematologist grew up in Covington and attended medical school at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine in Lexington. For fun, Dr. Lye and his family like to go for hikes around the commonwealth. He also follows Kentucky country musicians Chris Stapleton, Sturgill Simpson and…