Answering Your Questions About Kids Running
Kids are always growing and exercise can help them grow strong. But can too much running be dangerous for them?
Helping Kids Get Back in the Game
Specialized care designed with kids in mind. Kids play hard and sometimes fall hard. It only takes one crash on a bicycle or a stumble on the soccer field to break a bone. Other children may be born with a limb deformity or neuromuscular condition that requires orthopedic intervention at an early age. One…
Preventive Screenings for Student-Athletes for Better Heart Health
Keep the rhythm of their active hearts beating and consider a heart screening as part of young athletes’ annual clearance for competition. Albert Gutierrez, MD, pediatric cardiologist in Lafayette with Our Lady of Lourdes Women’s & Children’s Hospital, helps us understand why parents should consider having their student-athletes receive a heart evaluation. One Screening Model…
Get Outside and Active as a Family
Getting outside for some fresh air and activity as a family may be just what the doctor ordered, literally. Katie Queen, MD, Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Health pediatrician, certified in pediatric obesity medicine and medical director at Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Health Weight & Nutrition Center, says regular outdoor family exercise…
A Perfectly Patched Heart Full of Love
At only 9 years old, Vaundy Clarke has overcome a variety of health challenges—including a congenital heart defect, bacterial overgrowth syndrome and problems with her immune system—to lead a healthy and active life. Clarke’s family found out about her congenital heart defect when she was born. Such defects can often be discovered at a 20-week…
Ranada Johnson, MD
“If you can’t fly, then run. If you can’t run, then walk. If you can’t walk, then crawl, but whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward.” This quote from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is a favorite of Ranada Johnson, MD, who has been a hospital medicine physician in our health system for…
Kimaka Jones, RN
Never burn bridges and treat people the way you want to be treated. That advice has served Kimaka Jones, RN, well throughout her 19-year nursing career with our St. Francis ministry. A registered nurse, Kimaka is the nursing supervisor for the 3rd Medical Surgical unit. “I became a nurse because I have always wanted to…
Linda Smith, CNA
For Linda Smith, CNA, her patients are her number one priority as she oversees the telemetry unit at St. Francis Medical Center. “I ensure floor coverage, speak to patients to ensure their care is satisfactory while helping CNAs on the floor when needed,” Linda says. “I also assist with the EKGs and assist nurses and…
Alice Lorraine Broadway, LPN
The inspiration for a decades-long nursing career came from family. Alice Lorraine Broadway has been a licensed practical nurse for 36 years, sharing her skills throughout the St. Francis ministry, beginning at St. Francis Medical Center. Her career includes years of service at then-St. Francis Specialty Hospital (now a long-term acute care facility within the…
Helen Ajala, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, PMHNP, BC
Black History Month is more than an annual commemoration. “Black History Month is a story of vibrance and perseverance. It’s about acknowledging and honoring those who paved the way for us. It’s a celebration of Black excellence,” says Helen Ajala, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, PMHNP, BC. Helen saw that vibrance, perseverance and excellence alive in her…
Gilbert Fontenette, NP
“Success is not final; failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts.” The quote from the late Winston S. Churchill, renown British Prime Minister through most of the Second World War, continues to be a source of inspiration for Gilbert Fontenette, pulmonology nurse practitioner with Lourdes Physician Group. It, too, he…
Julian Briggs, RN
Nothing is given to you. Embrace the “I can” mentality. Work hard to earn it and let your work speak for yourself. This philosophy continues to guide Julian Briggs, RN, Cardiovascular Services vice president for Our Lady of Lourdes Heart Hospital, professionally and personally. It also underscores the importance, he said, of seeing Black History…
Sherelle James, RN
Black History Month not only serves as a reminder, but it also symbolizes the struggles and achievements of those African American ancestors who came before, says Sherelle James, RN, senior director/assistant chief nursing officer for Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center. “It allows us to take time during the year to remember the past…
Butter May Not Be The Better Choice When it Comes To Cooking
Butter makes food tastier, but is it healthier than olive oil? Find out in our infographic, below. Cooking oils are an important part of cooking. They help give our food the flavor and crispy textures we all crave. But which is generally the healthiest option to use. We break down the three main types of…
Navigating Childhood Hormonal Disorders
Childhood growth and development can be complicated, but specialized care helps families manage any issues that may arise. Manish Raisingani, MD, pediatric endocrinologist with Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Health, shares more about how he helps Louisiana kids get and stay healthy by diagnosing, treating and managing any complications What Do Pediatric Endocrinologists Do?…
A Lifesaving Proposition: The Facts About Organ Donation
When you think about February 14, you probably think of Valentine’s Day. But the date also marks another occasion—National Donor Day. Do you know the facts about organ donation? The numbers are pretty staggering. Each day, 17 people die while waiting for an organ transplant of some type. Every nine minutes, someone new is added…
Filling Recipes to Warm Your Heart and Keep it Healthy
It can be hard to listen to your heart if your stomach is growling too loudly. Nourishing your body well is an important part of keeping your heart healthy. Jen Bay Avis, MEd, LDN, RD, CDE, outpatient dietitian at St. Francis Medical Center, shares some heart-healthy recipes; two that will make great dinner options and…
Healthcare Built on the Belief That Children Deserve a Better Future
It’s been more than 100 years since the Sisters of the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady set sail from France, but God had different plans, and they made their way to Monroe, Louisiana, on a firm mission to provide medical care in a state so beset by poverty that many simply went without. The Sisters…