Story by Ann E. Butenas From patients and their families to employees and their families, MidAmerica Rehabilitation Hospital offers a unique personalized care plan that takes everyone into full consideration. After she earned her college degree as a recreational therapist, Tiffany Kiehl had grand ambitions. Making a significant and positive impact in the lives of others was at top of ...

Story by Ann E. Butenas If you suffer from back pain, you are not alone. Back pain is one of the most common medical problems in the United States and will affect many of us at some point in our lives. Some folks have jokingly noted back pain is evidence of youth leaving the body. That may very well be ...

Story by Ann E. Butenas What you eat can affect your mental health, as research suggests a connection between mental illness and nutrition. Mental illness is something that affects millions of Americans. According to NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Health, one in five adults experience some sort of mental illness and roughly one in 25 American adults deal with ...

Story by Lisa Templeton-Farmer Most of us realize the need for support during a difficult life transition or significant change, however reluctant we might be to accept help from those around us. This may be especially true for the transition that comes after the death of a loved one. Learning to navigate your day-to-day and enjoy life’s moments without that ...

Story by Ann E. Butenas The month of January is a time to recognize the importance of donating blood and platelets for the lifesaving impact that precious gift to others will have. It’s amazing just how much a single drop of blood can make a significant difference. When you give the gift of blood, you are essentially giving a gift ...

Story by Ann E. Butenas Glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness, and it comes like a thief in the night. Would you know if this irreversible and often symptom-free eye disease has affected you? Can you imagine having a sight-stealing disease and not even know it?  That is how glaucoma operates. By definition, glaucoma is a group of eye ...

Story by Ann E. Butenas Beauty and wellness are not just appointments. They are an investment into your overall quality of life. When you first meet Dr. Amber Botros, owner of Plaza Aesthetics & Wellness, you are greeted by a rare form of authenticity. Friendly and welcoming, she immediately feels like one of your tribe. Dr. Botros, who earned her ...

Story By Ann E. Butenas Observed each February, National Eating Disorders Awareness Week is designed to increase awareness and heighten understanding of those who suffer from this form of mental illness. While it may seem like a rather new form of mental illness, eating disorders, also referred to as EDs, have been around for centuries. In fact, they have been ...

Story by Dave Eckert It goes by the acronym W4W, which stands for Wings 4 Water. But the name alone just doesn’t do this Lee’s Summit-based charity justice. I went to the group’s founder, Chris Turney, for more on the organization’s efforts to provide water relief the world over, and how the modest chicken wing started it all.  “For several years, ...

Story by Cheri Woodsmall Joyce woke up on a cold January morning in 2012, and she knew something was not right. Living a very healthy lifestyle, she made it a point to be very in-tune with her body. “You know those people who know they are sick before they REALLY know they’re sick. That is me. Days before I got ...