February in particular, is an important health month. It’s American Heart Month, and in northeast Arkansas, like so many regions, heart disease remains the leading cause of death. Here, awareness is more than a buzzword. It’s a necessity. To help us understand more about this disease and how we can keep our hearts healthy, Dr. Max Arroyo, Chief of Cardiology with St. Bernards' award-winning Heart & Vascular program, tells us what we need to know.

2025 represents a milestone for St. Bernards Healthcare: 125 years of providing continuous, unwavering care to the people of northeast Arkansas. Our next two episodes will highlight individuals who have given decades of volunteer work to make the healthcare system what it is today. As you'll discover, some even found themselves making it their life's work. In our first episode, we're introduced to Alan Patteson and his son Guy, both of whom have spent time on the board of directors at St. Bernards. But their service and devotion to the region run much deeper than a spot on the board. They're building a place to call "home." https://1900.stbernards.info

Because your health demands more than physical and mental attention alone, hospitals must also prepare to meet the spiritual and emotional needs of patients and families. Hospital pastoral care ministries step into this void. Amanda McCall and Andrew Hicks, chaplains at St. Bernards Medical Center, discuss the importance of caring for each patient as a whole person. https://www.stbernards.info/services/pastoral-care/

As the temperatures rise, we return to the water - pools, rivers, lakes, the ocean - to have fun and make more summer memories. Each place, though, requires careful preparation and awareness to ensure proper water safety for all. Dr. Camille Chan, pediatric hospitalist with St. Bernards Medical Center, describes how people of all ages can stay safe.

More younger adults than ever are finding out they have colon cancer, and it's often in later stages. Dr. Matt Garner, a gastroentrologist with St. Bernards Gastroenterlogy, explains what's going on and what we can do to reverse the trend.

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) can affect all of us, but it poses the greatest threat to young children, particularly infants. According to CDC data, as many as 80,000 U.S. children younger than 5 years are hospitalized each year due to RSV infections. Thankfully, new preventions and treatments are helping push that number lower. In this Health Wav podcast, we speak with Neonatologist Enrique Gomez, M.D. on the latest tools that doctors and hospitals employ to fight this virus.

Sleep apnea affects more than others around you trying to sleep. It can impact your energy, brain function, weight, breathing and heart. Thankfully, modern treatment options can help you rest better throughout the night. Dr. Michael Bone, otolaryngologist with OFSC in Jonesboro, Arkansas, shares exciting news for sleepless sufferers.

While women make up more than half of all medical school applicants, students and graduates¹, they're not entering Cardiology. Currently, women only comprise about 10% of all Cardiologists². With these troubling statistics in mind, we talk with ⁠Interventional Cardiologist Dr. Sabeeda Kadavath⁠ to hear how she became a heart doctor, overcoming numerous challenges to reach her goal. She also discusses how we can encourage other women to enter Cardiology and why having women in this field is important for all women and men.

¹ - ⁠Women in medical schools: Dig into latest record-breaking numbers⁠

² - ⁠American College of Cardiology⁠

Many of us only go to the doctor if we feel sick, if that. Having an established relationship and regular check-ups with a primary care physician, however, plays a major role in preventing future health problems. In the latest Health Wav podcast, Mitchell Nail talks with Family Medicine Specialist Dr. Dylan Barnett about the importance of establishing with a primary care provider as well as the unique challenges he sees for patients in rural areas.