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Marjorie Thompson, 67, did not know at the time the grip colon cancer would have on her family when her mother died from the disease at the age of 82. It was 2013. Marjorie was not only mourning the loss of her mother, but also her husband to cancer. The mother of five awoke one morning and quickly noticed something unusual after seeing blood in the toilet. “My first thought was cancer,” she remembers. “We had just lost my mother.”

Marjorie picked up the phone and called her health care provider in Depew, who scheduled an appointment later that day.  She was then referred to a... Read More »

24 million times someone has made an excuse to not schedule a colonoscopy. That’s how many Americans need to have a colonoscopy but have not done so yet. Colonoscopy is the most accurate screening test for cancers of the colon and rectum. Colon cancer is the third-leading cause of cancer related deaths among men and women in the United States. Yet, colon cancer is one of the most preventable cancers. When possible pre-cancerous polyps, a precursor to colon cancer, is discovered and removed, the risk of dying from colon cancer is cut by as much as 95 percent. So why do so many people wait... Read More »

Are friends the secret to staying healthy? According to a recent study by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the more connected we are socially from a young age, the better our health is throughout our lives. The study linked social relationships with measures of physical health, such as abdominal obesity, high blood pressure and inflammation –risk factors for heart disease, stroke and cancer.

Fostering social relationships early in life is important when you consider the impact of social isolation. Researchers believe social isolation can be more harmful than diabetes... Read More »

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continues to report low flu activity this 2015-2016 flu season. However, they do warn that the public should not get complacent with regards to getting their flu shot. If you have not received your flu shot, it is important to do so now, as cases of the flu are expected to rise in the coming weeks. “Flu typically peaks twice during the season, December and March, so we anticipate a peak to still occur later this winter,” shares Utica Park Clinic physician Dr. Jeffrey Galles.  Meanwhile, health care providers across the country are seeing... Read More »

It’s now 2016 and that means we each have a brand new year to be our best selves. Many of us begin exercise plans or start new diets in order to begin a healthier lifestyle. For those living with diabetes, establishing a management plan for diabetes for 2016 is critical to better overall health. Here are a few tips for getting a management plan for your diabetes this year.

Consult your health care provider:

One of the first steps to establishing a plan for 2016 is to meet with your health care provider to discuss your particular goals. Whether it is losing weight or keeping your... Read More »

Parents may unknowingly be taking a risk every time they buckle their baby or toddler into a car seat wearing a winter coat. In this demonstration video shown on NBC’s Today Show, a child wearing a thick winter coat becomes a projectile object in the car during a collision. Meant to keep children warm during colder winter months, coats actually become a hidden danger inside a car seat, as buckles are loosened to stretch around the child, creating a barrier against actually protecting the child in the event of a car accident. 

"Car seat manufacturers and child safety advocates... Read More »

When Rebecca Jester, 45, got sick for more than a year, she worried how long she would live in pain. “I couldn’t get out of bed,” she explains. “I was so tired. My feet hurt. I hated to put my feet on the floor. It hurt to walk, hurt to move. I thought I had something really bad.” When she went to doctors for help, Rebecca says everyone was baffled at what to do for her. “I couldn’t get anyone to help me.” Then she remembered Utica Park Clinic family physician, Dr. George Pendell. Rebecca had worked in Dr. Pendell’s office previously as a registered medical assistant. “If anyone could... Read More »

Every 19 minutes a man in the United States dies from prostate cancer. More than 8,000 cases of testicular cancer are diagnosed each year in our country and depression rates are highest among men between the ages of 40 and 59. However, men are 80 percent less likely to go to the doctor’s office than women when something might be wrong.  In an effort to bring more awareness to men’s health and start the conversation, Utica Park Clinic urologist Dr. Dae Yun Kim participates each year in Movember, also known as “No-Shave November.” He hopes when his once clean-shaven face in October gives way... Read More »

When Dr. Gary Steinbrook began practicing medicine 26 years ago in Claremore, he knew he wanted to help people. “My wife and I wanted to establish our family and my practice where we could be part of a community,” shares the family physician. “Dr. Steinbrook has taken care of me, my friends and my family,” adds Dr. Keith Miles of growing up in Claremore and seeing Dr. Steinbrook for everything from sprained ankles to strep throat. “He is the all-around physician that you look for.” It turns out, Dr. Steinbrook was also just the person when Dr. Miles, then a Claremore Sequoyah High School... Read More »

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends anyone six months or older receive a flu shot. However, people with severe life-threatening allergic reactions to the flu shot should not receive the vaccine. There are different flu shots for people of different ages and flu shots approved for pregnant women and those with chronic health conditions. It is especially important for anyone with a high risk of complications from the flu to get a flu shot each year. How do you know if you’re high risk? Here’s a brief overview:

Children

Children five years old and... Read More »