Focus On Health

Duluth Abortion Clinic Braces For Tide Of Out-Of-Staters

A clinic escort outside WE Health Clinic in Duluth, Minn., awaits the arrival of patients, Thursday, July 7, 2022. The clinic escorts protect patients from protesters as they approach and enter the clinic. (AP Photo/Derek Montgomery) DULUTH, Minn. (AP) – Inside northern Minnesota’s only abortion clinic in Duluth, patients from Wisconsin and Texas sit among Minnesotans. They are the leading…

American Heart Association Talks Heart Health Awareness

DULUTH, Minn. — The American Heart Association hosted its Go Red For Women luncheon event at the DECC Wednesday to raise awareness about heart disease, which is the No. 1 killer in women and men in the United States. Click the video above to learn more about your hearth health, and check out the American Heart Association’s website for all…

St. Louis County, DTA Open Vaccine Clinic at Downtown Transit Center

Health officials hoped to bring the shots to more people, and answer questions to help stop any vaccine hesitancy.

DULUTH, Minn.- On Tuesday and Wednesday Duluthians could not only catch a bus at the Duluth Downtown Transit Center — but also get a COVID vaccine there if they wanted. St. Louis County partnered up with the Duluth Transit Authority to open up a clinic at the DTC, the latest in their vaccine outreach efforts. Health officials say they have…

Unhealthy Eating Behaviors, Eating Disorders in Young People Rise During Pandemic

Experts say a variety of stressors like an increase in depression, fear of weight gain and outside factors like job loss and food insecurity are to blame.

DULUTH, Minn.- Researchers with the University Of Minnesota Medical School says they have discovered a rise in unhealthy eating behaviors and eating disorders among young adults during the pandemic. Up to 53% of young people transitioning out of high school experienced one or more unhealthy eating or weight control behaviors.  These ranged from binge eating or skipping meals to self-induced…

MN COVID-19 Cases As Of Sunday

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – Minnesota health officials are reporting 2,534 positive COVID-19 cases and 40 deaths from data recorded over the past two days. The update that combined Friday and Saturday confirmations increased the total of number of cases since the start of the pandemic to 409,061. The cumulative amount of fatalities stands at 5,147, of which 3,332 were in long-term…

St. Luke’s New 3D Mammogram Machine Makes More Detailed Breast Cancer Scans Accessible in Superior

The first 3D system in Superior allowing patients to get more detailed scans without traveling as far as Hibbing or Mountain Iron.

SUPERIOR, Wis.- A new machine unveiled at St. Luke’s Mariner Medical Center in Superior will now provide more detailed 3D mammograms, which are known to detect cancer earlier. The new Hologic 3D Mammography system captures 15 different images for each scan and divides them into one milometer layers so doctors can scan the breast tissue for abnormalities — detecting cancers…

Gary New Duluth Rec Center Distributes Food Bags from YMCA Summer Food Service

Volunteers say the meals help in the food desert of Gary New Duluth.

DULUTH, Minn.- Some people in Gary New Duluth Wednesday spent the warm sunny weather handing out bags of food to those in need. The Duluth Area YMCA Summer Food Service Program has been giving out grab-and-go meal bags at the Gary New Duluth Recreation Center since March. The bags included juice, healthy snacks, and produce from the community garden. A…

MN Nurses Assoc.: Nearly 300 Essentia Nurses Take Temporary Furloughs

DULUTH, Minn. –  The financial blow from the pandemic has placed nearly 300 nurses at Essentia Health in the Twin Ports on “special administrative leave.” A spokesperson for the Minnesota Nurses Association union told FOX 21 on Thursday that the workers have taken voluntary furloughs to avoid potential layoffs and keep their health insurance benefits. Being furloughed also allows the…

Voyageurs Lutheran Ministry Cancels Northern MN Summer Camps

DULUTH, Minn. – Summer camps have been canceled across Northern Minnesota by Voyageurs Lutheran Ministry. The organization operates Camp Hiawatha in Deer River and Camp Vermilion in Cook. The executive director tells us the camps host up to 1,000 kids and 60 staff members every year. The programs have been canceled for the season to help keep everybody safe during…

Mental Health Facility for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Kids Opens in Duluth

Therapeutic Services Agency is located on the 1000 block of East Ninth Street

DULUTH, Minn. – A mental health office for kids who are deaf or hard of hearing has opened in Duluth. Therapeutic Services Agency is now open on the 1000 block of East Ninth Street. The agency has been helping kids for the last several years in schools, but the new, centralized location is expected to give kids and families a…

‘Duluze’ Weight Loss Challenge Kicks Off

Challenge aims to encourage healthier lifestyles in Duluth

DULUTH, Minn. – The Duluze Weight Loss Challenge started Thursday at Clyde Iron Works in Duluth. Every week for the next thirteen weeks, competitors will step on a scale and log their weight. At the end of the challenge, those who have lost the most weight will become winners. The event is put on by the Duluth News Tribune. Organizers…

Doctors Remind to Shovel Smart to Avoid Heart Problems

People with heart and weight problems and the elderly advised to shovel light.

DULUTH, Minn.- When shoveling all this snow off driveways, streets and cars in a hurry, it can be hard to remember to take it easy for your health. According to Cardiologists with Essentia Health, people should be careful not to lift enormous amounts of snow when shoveling to avoid a possible heart attack. That goes double, they said, for the…

American Heart Association Wants You to Eat Smart, Live Smart

AHA partnered with Essentia Health and St. Luke's at Super One.

DULUTH, Minn.- It’s Eat Smart Month, and the American Heart Association, St. Luke’s and Essentia Health partnered together to get Super One customers to eat healthier. The three had a display inside of the Duluth Kenwood Super One. Shoppers could talk to registered dieticians, be trained in hands-only CPR, and receive gift cards to purchase healthy foods. “Just to build…

Neuroscience Lab Helps Middle Schoolers Have Fun with Brains

Lab visits Cloquet Middle School, with sheep brains.

CLOQUET, Minn.- Kids at Cloquet Middle School got an in-depth look at the inner workings of the brain. The UMD Mobile Neuroscience Lab made a stop at the school with some sheep brains. 13 UMD psychology undergrad and graduate students used the brains to help the middle schoolers learn about the functions and parts of the human brain. “They’re, I…

Saint Scholastica Hosts Culturally and Spiritually Responsive Healthcare Conference

DULUTH, Minn. – Today, the second ever Culturally and Spiritually Responsive Healthcare Conference was held The College of Saint Scholastica Friday afternoon. The event brought hundreds of healthcare practitioners together from a variety of different backgrounds. Each were geared to help individuals learn about family, community and patient centered care for people with different backgrounds. Organizers say, the conference fulfills…

People Work to ‘Unmask’ Traumatic Brain Injuries in Minnesota

Survivors and family members paint masks depicting their journeys with traumatic brain injuries

DULUTH, Minn. – About 2.5 million people sustain a traumatic brain injury every year in the United States. On Tuesday, people made masks at St. Luke’s Hospital in Duluth, depicting how they’ve been impacted by brain injuries. Over the last four years, 1,400 Minnesotans have made their own, unique masks. They communicate in a way words can’t about how traumatic…

Helping Elderly Prevent Falls at Superior YMCA

Dove Home Health Professionals hosts Fall Prevention Classes.

SUPERIOR, Wis.- Falling is the leading cause of death from injury in individuals 65 and older. If a senior citizen falls once, their chances of falling again are doubled. Senior citizens are invited to the Superior YMCA to help change that. Dove Home Health Professionals hosted the first part of their three-part Fall Prevention series, called “The Truth About Falling.”…

Disabilities Expo Raises Money for All-Abilities Park

Ground is expected to be broken in August at the Webster Dream Park in Superior

SUPERIOR, Wis. – People with disabilities came together in Superior to learn about available resources in the Twin Ports and raise money for a good cause. The annual Empowerment Expo at the Mariner Business and Retail Center is organized by North Country Independent Living. The center provides services, job skills training and more for people with all kinds of disabilities….

Duluth Psychiatrist Offering Magnetic TMS Treatment for Depression & OCD

Dr. Eric Johnson says the treatment can help patients who have not responded to medications

DULUTH, Minn. – An in-home clinic in Duluth is now offering a magnetic procedure called TMS for treatment-resistant depression and obsessive compulsive disorder. During treatment at Duluth TMS, patients sit in a chair and fasten a helmet-like device to their head. Then, 2,000 magnetic stimulations are given to their brain over a twenty minute span. According to Dr. Eric Johnson,…

$800 Million Essentia Health Expansion to Begin This Fall

New renderings and details about the 340 foot tall facility are now available

DULUTH, Minn. – Essentia Health’s new $800 million health care facility in Downtown Duluth is closer to breaking ground this fall with demolition beginning as early as September. During the construction of the 340-foot-tall facility, both East First Street and Fourth Avenue East will be closed for nearly two years. New Renderings show details of what’s being called the “Vision…

Intensive Mental Health Program for Kids in Foster Care Now Offered in Duluth

The program dedicates six hours per week to each child involved

DULUTH, Minn. – About 85o kids in St. Louis County spent time in foster care in 2017. More than a quarter of them suffer from serious emotional problems. A new program aims to get mental health treatment for those kids. Duluth’s first intensive mental health program for kids in foster care has now started. The outpatient plan dedicates six hours…

Boy Scout Troop Hosts Blood Drive in Duluth

Three or four blood drives a year can save more than 500 lives

DULUTH, Minn. – According to the Red Cross, blood donations decrease during winter months. A local Boy Scout troop hosted a blood drive at the Northland Country Club. For every unit of blood donated, the Red Cross will give $10 to Boy Scout Troop 9. The money will fund future scout needs. Although the event is beneficial for the troop,…

Yearlong Diabetes Prevention Program Offered at Duluth YMCA

Type-2 Diabetes is preventable if steps are taken

DULUTH, Minn. – Type-2 diabetes is a huge problem nationwide, but the disease can be prevented. At the Duluth YMCA, a yearlong program is helping people at risk for diabetes avoid the disease. The goal of the class is to lower participant’s body weight by seven percent and gradually increase their physical activity to one-hundred-fifty minutes per week. The facilitator…

Using Yoga to Reflect on the Past Year

Yoga North Helping Northlanders Meditate

DULUTH, Minn.- We all have our rituals to celebrate the fresh New Year. But how many of us take steps to reflect on the year that past? At Yoga North, they say this is another key part to having a successful year, that many overlook. Reflection is not something many of us consider day to day, but according to the yoga…

Duluth East Students Simulate the Aging Process

Teachers say it's important for the students to understand others with limited mobility

DULUTH, Minn. – Duluth East High School students are learning the effects of aging through simulations. Some of the simulations included an aging suit, a dementia simulator, and an arthritis simulator. One instructor at the school says it is important for the students to understand others with limited mobility. “It’s important we know where people are coming from and in…

Gubernatorial Candidate Lori Swanson Announces Plan to Lower Prescription Costs

Swanson and running mate Rick Nolan's plan would allow citizens to use state's bulk buying power to purchase drugs

DULUTH, Minn. – State Attorney General candidate for Governor, Lori Swanson (DFL), and her running mate, U.S. Rep. Rick Nolan (DFL) were in Duluth Monday to announce a plan they say would lower prescription prices for Minnesotans. The plan would allow Minnesota residents to buy their drugs on the same bulk order the state uses to purchase prescriptions for state-run…

Superior City Councilor Craig Sutherland Shares Battle With MS

SUPERIOR, Wis. — Multiple sclerosis MS is believed to affect more than 2.3 million people across the world, according to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. And one of those people is Superior city councilor Craig Sutherland. As FOX 21’s Dan Hanger reports, Sutherland shares his struggle with the disease to help cope and also give some hope for others. “My…

Healthy Minds, Healthy Bodies Conference Examines Childhood Obesity

Proper diet and exercise is one of the first steps to preventing childhood obesity.

SUPERIOR, Wisc. – The University of Wisconsin Superior (UWS) has a Healthy Minds, Healthy Bodies Conference every year that typically looks at the second half of life. But this year the university is focused on an issue affecting many young children. In fact, one in five school age children and young people six to 19 years old in the United…

Champ, UMD Hockey Players Visit Children’s Hospital

Each Kid Got a "Champ" Bobblehead Gift

DULUTH, Minn. – Kids in the Essentia Health Children’s Hospital got some special visitors today. UMD mascot Champ and some of the UMD Men’s Hockey players stopped in kids’ hospital rooms, talking with them and keeping them company for a little while. “It’s refreshing because you see the same nurses, same people every day,” said Bailey Eich, a cancer patient…

Northlanders Mark 45th Anniversary of Roe V. Wade

For some this is a day to celebrate, and for others the day is about seeking change.

DULUTH, Minn.- The Roe V. Wade Supreme Court decision was a landmark case that made abortions legal. Ever since then people from both sides have made it clear where they stand on this issue. For some the 45th anniversary of this historic case is a day to celebrate and for others the day is about seeking change. With signs in…

Expert Offers Tips on Winter Skin Care

Cold, Dry Air Can Be Tough on Skin

DULUTH, Minn. – Winter in the Northland can be hard on your skin because of the cold, dry air causing inflammation. Staff at one local spa in Duluth have a few tips for keeping your skin healthy. They say never sleep with make-up and always use oil based moisturizer because water based products can freeze and cause problems. They say…

Superior High School Students Hold Discussion About Concussions

Kaleb Ullan Got Two Concussions Playing Hockey Last Year and Wanted to Teach Facts to the Community

SUPERIOR, Wis. – Over the last few years, we’ve all heard a lot about the effects concussions can have on athletes. Two Superior High School students looked into the information and on Monday, they presented a community discussion about concussions. Kaleb Ullan was diagnosed with two concussions while playing hockey last season. This year, he and his friend Blake Hanson…

Northland Doctors Discuss Ethical Patient Care

Northlanders can do their part addressing the opioid epidemic.

DULUTH, Minn.- Northland medical professionals are discussing ethical issues when treating patients with pain or addiction. The goal of the Medical Ethics Conference is to make sure patients are being treated fairly. When treating chronic pain medical professionals have a lot to take into consideration; from when opioids should be prescribed, to what to do if your patient develops an…

St. Luke’s Showcases Traveling Art Show

Art Can Be Seen On Third Floor

DULUTH, Minn. – St. Luke’s hospital is adding some new art to their hallways for a short period of time. The hospital is hosting the traveling, community focused art exhibit known as, to really see. The exhibit focuses on the display of creative medication use stories that users, artist, and participants want to express and share. “I would like this…

St. Luke’s Honored with American Heart Association Awards

Hospital Has Received Awards Four Consecutive Years

DULUTH, Minn. – St. Luke’s Hospital was honored with awards from the American Heart Association recognizing their quality care for heart attack and stroke patients. The hospital held a presentation and luncheon today to thank the members of their cardiac team. “To recognize them and recognize their efforts and dedication to their craft and how good they are at it…

Community Memorial Hospital in Cloquet unveils new clinic

The Advanced Wound Clinic treats patients with wounds that won't heal

CLOQUET, Minn. – The Community Memorial Hospital is celebrating new ways to help patients. The Advanced Wound Clinic opened in September, and on Thursday, it hosted an open house for the community. The clinic specializes in treating patients with wounds that are not healing or responding to traditional treatment. Clinic officials say it’s important to have facilities like this in…

Cancer researchers at Essentia Health share work with community

Northlanders gathered at Clyde Iron Works to hear from healthcare professionals on cancer research

DULUTH, Minn. – Health professionals from Essentia Health hosted a gathering at Clyde Iron Works on Thursday to share with the public ways in which local researchers are studying cancer and treatments. Researchers there say it’s less about finding an all–out cure, and more focused on reducing deaths from cancer, improving the lives of those living with it. “Research is…

Expert Advice On Coping During Tragedies

DULUTH, Minn. – While the country mourns and tries to make the slightest sense of the mass shooting in Las Vegas, mental health experts are speaking out. Extreme tragedies can take a toll on one’s mental health, according to Kelly Chaudoin-Patzoldt, a mental health professional at St. Luke’s. She says it’s important to talk to other about your feelings and also…

Community Forum Raises Opioid Awareness In St. Louis County

Some Call It An Epidemic

Hibbing, Minn. The Hibbing community is doing their part to combat the opioid and meth problem in St. Louis County. Hundreds came out to hear from multiple agencies that deal with the problem head on. A panel consisting of representatives from St. Louis county public health, local law enforcement, attorney’s and even addiction survivors were on hand tonight. The panel…

Bird Tests Positive for West Nile Virus in Washburn County

WASHBURN COUNTY, Wis. – A dead raven has tested positive for West Nile Virus in Washburn County, according to the Washburn County Health Department. West Nile virus is spread to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito, which acquire the virus by feeding on infected birds. “Finding the virus in birds indicates that West Nile virus may be present…

Health Professionals Discuss Rural Care Options

More Than 600 Groups Attended Rural Health Conference

DULUTH, Minn. – Quality health care can be tough to find for many rural Minnesotans.  So the Office of Rural Health and Primary Care and the Minnesota Rural Health Association joined forces with the Duluth–based National Rural Health Resource Center to find solutions. “We’re working in approaches to provide resources for rural health communities and providers,” said Sally Buck, CEO,…

Essentia-St. Mary’s Rolls Out NICU Innovation

"Roo-Wraps" Help Parents Have Skin to Skin Contact with NICU Infants

DULUTH, Minn. – For mothers in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, bonding with baby can be overwhelming. “The mom would sit down, we would all come at her with her baby and all sorts of wires and equipment,” said Angela Follin, a Registered Nurse in Essentia-St. Mary’s NICU.  “It would be a little intimidating.” But a new innovation, called Roo-Wraps…

Measles Outbreak in Minnesota

Experts Say Vaccination is the Only Real Way to Prevent Measles

DULUTH, Minn.- Minnesota is seeing the state’s biggest measles outbreak since 1990. As of Thursday, 44 cases of the measles had been confirmed statewide. There have been no confirmed cases of the measles in the Northland as of Thursday, but experts are warning parents: If you haven’t already, Get your Kids Vaccinated. Measles Symptoms start as fevers, coughs, sore throat…

Take Action Minnesota Is Taking Action

A Rally Was Held In Support Of Paid Sick Time For All

DULUTH, Minn. – People rallied in Duluth today to support earned sick and safe time. The rally was part of Take Action Minnesota. There was also a listening session where perspectives were given on the issue. The task force is in the 2nd faze of the resolution that would allow low income families gain much needed sick leave from work….

UMD Students Celebrate Anniversary of Legal Access to Birth Control

Representatives from Planned Parenthood spoke about the history of birth control and reproductive rights in the United States

DULUTH, Minn. – 45 years ago the Supreme Court legalized the use of birth control for non–married couples. Today, students at UMD celebrated the anniversary of that decision on campus. Representatives from Planned Parenthood spoke about the history of birth control and reproductive rights in the United States. “It really gave access to women who weren’t married, whereas before it…

Seasonal Affective Disorder and Blue Monday

A lack of sunshine can cause depression. Area psychologists see a spike of clients in mid-January.

SUPERIOR, Wis.-Psychologists have named the third Monday in January as Blue Monday. It’s supposedly the gloomiest day of the year based on debt, weather, and the post holiday blues. Seasonal affective disorder is often times the culprit. It’s caused by the shift in the day and night cycles and can begin as early as October or November. A lack of…

Set Reasonable Goals to Help Lose Weight this Year

Dr. Jim Donovan at St. Luke's says to set small goals when starting out

HERMANTOWN, Minn. – With the start of the New Year, many people are starting to diet and exercise more to drop a few pounds. Health professionals say if you are looking to lose a few inches, the best thing to do is set realistic expectations from the beginning. Dr. Jim Donovan, MD, a physician at St. Luke’s, specializes in non–surgical…