Health

On January 5, 2016 -- one year ago -- Governor Rick Snyder formally declared a state of emergency in Flint.  Residents who’d been bathing in and drinking the tap water, of course, knew they had an emergency on their hands long before then. 

English and math are graduation requirements. Soon, CPR may be added to that list for students attending Michigan public schools. We speak to a doctor about how many lives this potential requirement could save.

Grief can be difficult to handle  on a regular calendar day, but how do you cope during the holidays? We talk to a bereavement counselor from Lansing Area Hospice and a local woman who is coping with the holidays as she approaches the first anniversary of her husband’s death.

After nearly 10 years with Type 2 diabetes, one Michigan man turned his health around with a plant-based diet. We talk with Marc Ramirez about his appearance in an upcoming documentary about diet.

University of Michigan researchers say the number of lead water lines that need  replacement in Flint may be several times higher than expected. We get the thoughts of the East Lansing resident charged with coordinating the pipe replacement effort, Gen. Michael McDaniel.

A group working with Lansing’s homeless population is moving from a southside hotel to a new facility in Lansing Township. Current State's Scott Pohl talks with Mike Karl of the Homeless Angels about the move and what it means to people seeking shelter in the area.

The entire 48,000-plus panels of the AIDS quilt were last displayed nearly 20 years ago in Washington D.C. On this World AIDS day, the MSU Museum has been loaned a portion of them to display for the next 10 days. We speak with a curator of the Museum about how quilts capture the emotions of an underrepresented population.

In an effort to raise awareness on World AIDS Day, WKAR’s Brooke Allen spoke to Dr. Susan Peters of the Barry-Eaton District Health Department about the number of Michigan residents living with HIV and the importance of HIV testing.

The Cryonics Institute in Clinton Township, Michigan is one of only three full-service cryonics facilities in the world. We talk with senior board member Patrick Heller about what they do.

A long-standing clinic on the east side of Detroit is reopening after being closed since its founder died in 2015. We learn more about MSU’s role in reviving the Popoff Clinic.

Imagine the pain of a pounding toothache. Now imagine driving up to 100 miles to get it fixed. That’s the situation that once faced some residents of a tiny town in the Upper Peninsula. Now, after a nearly two-year closure, the clinic is back in business, and so is the Lansing-area dentist who treks 300 miles one way to work there. We talk with Dr. Richard Martzke.

In World War One, soldiers called it “shell shock.” Today, the terminology is changing from PTSD to simply Post Traumatic Stress. As Veterans Day nears, we talk with the co-producers of a new MSU-produced film about veterans and the ongoing fight they live off the battlefield.

In the first ever report of its kind, Michigan State University recently detailed data about campus sexual violence, harassment, stalking, and resulting investigations. We talk with two University officials involved in the effort to reduce sexual violence.

Michigan is in the midst of a growing opioid abuse crisis. We talk with two medical professionals who see the opioid crisis firsthand.