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Although the holidays bring celebration, events, and family gatherings, this festive season can also be hectic, stressing your heart more than you may realize. Noticing symptoms like irregular heartbeats (arrhythmia), feeling dizzy or out of breath, and experiencing chest pain can signal cardiac trouble . “Certain cardiac events, such as heart attacks and heart failure flare-ups, become more common during this time of the year,” said Dr. Majid Mughal , interventional cardiologist at McLaren Greater Lans...

The McLaren Imaging Center is now using its brand-new 3D imaging equipment. This is the second Hologic Genesis 3D unit at the center. This technology is widely considered the gold standard for breast cancer screening, especially for women with dense breast tissue. Additionally, the new equipment will enable staff to offer more appointments daily, as well as accommodate a higher volume of walk-in appointments for screening mammograms.  “The purchase of the equipment was made possible by the generous...

George Fish and his wife of 48 years, Anne Marie, fill their daily schedules with a variety of activities. “We have a calendar, and we fill it every day. We got stuff to do, and we keep going,” shared his wife. “My dad always said, ‘What you don't use, you lose.’ So we keep moving. “Let's hope that we can keep doing what we're doing. We're fortunate and so lucky.” And fortunate they are. A Turn of Events It was a regular day in February 2024 for the 73-year-old Macomb resident. He started his day by hav...

Chest pain is always a cause for concern. There are so many things it could be- a heart attack, angina, pulmonary embolism, gallstones, stomach ulcers, panic attacks- all potentially serious issues- or it could just be heartburn. “Heartburn pain can be severe, and can be frightening, especially if you have never experienced it before.” said McLaren Flint gastroenterologist Dr. Ghanem Almounajed . “Getting down to the root cause of chest pain often means taking a closer look at the accompanying symptoms....

Ken Kitner doesn’t hold back when asked to compare his 2021 treatment for an abnormal heartbeat, commonly known as AFib, with his second in the fall of 2025. “Amazing, is all I can say,” said Ken. “The first time was horrible. I really thought I was dying that first night after my procedure. I was bloated with water, miserable, and after recovering, afraid to ever have to go through that again.” When medications cannot keep AFib under control, for decades, the second traditional method of treatment has ...

Mrs. Kelly Pletzke's 6th – through 8th -grade science students at Bay City Academy created 125 care packs for McLaren nurses and 6th grade delivered them today. This delivery marks their 5th year, which started after the COVID-19 outbreak. The project began after their superintendent was admitted to McLaren with complications from COVID in 2021, nearly taking her life. After recovery, she expressed her gratitude to the nurses who provided care. Mrs. Pletzke said, “She and the students could never fully ...

As you consider your end-of-year giving plans, below are several ideas for supporting the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute . Qualified Charitable Distribution A qualified charitable distribution (QCD) allows individuals aged 70½ years or older to support our mission in a simple and tax-advantaged way. You can give any amount up to $108,000 annually from your IRA directly Karmanos without paying income taxes on the distribution. This popular gift option is also commonly referred to as the IRA charit...

A year ago, McLaren Greater Lansing invested $700,000 to purchase an Ion Robotic Bronchoscopy , a platform for minimally invasive peripheral lung biopsy. “Ion provides us with the ability to biopsy any nodule anywhere in the lung, and it allows us to also stage the patient at the same time with an endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) procedure,” Dr. Daniel Kurtz , MD, FCCP, a pulmonologist who works at McLaren Greater Lansing. The new system allows the doctor to do a biopsy of hard-to-reach lung nodules that...

Imagine a doctor’s office that drives right into your neighborhood—that’s the McLaren Greater Lansing Mobile Clinic. This large RV is fully equipped to be a complete primary care doctor’s office. “The McLaren Greater Lansing Mobile Clinic is a celebration of access to care for our community. For many people in our community, traveling to the doctor is challenging,” said Deb Slezak, operations director – academic centers for Medicine/GME at McLaren Health Care. “The McLaren Greater Lansing Mobile Clinic ...

When most people think of diabetes, blood sugar is usually the first thing that comes to mind. But diabetes is much more than controlling blood sugar levels. It can affect the entire body. “Diabetes can cause multiple problems as it affects both the body's vascular system and nervous system,” said Dr. Robert Molnar , a board-certified vascular surgeon and chief of surgery at McLaren Flint. “The real issue is the complications that diabetes brings to several of the body's organ systems. Diabetes signific...