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Raquel was 33 when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. It was April 2023, when she found a lump in her breast and was referred to the William N. Pennington Cancer Institute. After comprehensive imaging, she was diagnosed with invasive lobular carcinoma, which is a type of breast cancer that begins in the milk-producing glands of the breast. Between June 2023 and January 2024, she received a total mastectomy, chemotherapy and radiation at Renown Health. “Breast cancer is uncommon in women under 40, but any woman with a mass or lump in her breast should have an exam by a physician and imaging at any age,” said Dr. Lee Schwartzberg. In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), only 9% of all new cases of breast cancer in the U.S. are found in women younger than 45. “It was a pretty scary diagnosis, but I’ve been led by great people through the process,” she said. “They were so helpful and there for me throughout the chemo and radiation.” Raquel's journey through breast cancer treatment at the William N. Pennington Cancer Institute was marked by the exceptional care provided by the Renown Health team, including nurses, nurse navigators, therapists, support teams and providers. Among the dedicated professionals, Dr. Michelle Chu and Dr. Lee Schwartzberg played pivotal roles in Raquel's diagnosis and subsequent treatment plan. Their expertise, compassion and commitment to patient care left an indelible impact on Raquel's experience. Their thorough examination and comprehensive approach ensured that Racquel received the best possible care for her invasive lobular carcinoma. In addition to the care provided at Renown, Raquel greatly benefitted from being connected with a mentor by Dr. Chu. This mentor, Kayla, had undergone a similar diagnosis and treatment plan, and at the same age Raquel. They texted and called each other throughout Raquel’s treatment, providing additional support through a challenging time. As of January 2024, Raquel is done with her treatment and continues to see her care team for follow-up appointments. “I’m through the worst and ready to rebuild my life,” Raquel said. To help celebrate this milestone, Nevada Athletics invited Raquel to receive the game ball at a Nevada Men’s Basketball game. She was joined on the basketball court for this special recognition by her husband, Raul; mother, Arlene; and two daughters, Ryleigh and Rhiannon. Racquel's journey is not only a testament to her resilience but also a tribute to the invaluable contributions of Dr. Chu and Dr. Schwartzberg in guiding her towards triumph over breast cancer.

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According to the American Cancer Society, approximately 13,820 new cases of invasive cervical cancer will be diagnosed, and 4,360 women will die from cervical cancer. However, cervical cancer is preventable with regular screening tests and the HPV vaccine. It’s important to note that medical advances have allowed progress in diagnosing and treating cervical cancer. While it used to be one of the most common causes of cancer death for American women, the incidence of death has significantly declined. What to Know About the HPV Vaccine HPV vaccination is the best way to prevent cervical cancer and is recommended for all youth starting as early as age 9, or for teens and adults up to age 45 who didn’t start or finish the series. In Nevada, only 50.1% of teens ages 13-17 have been vaccinated for HPV.  There are 13 types of HPV, and the vaccine Gardasil 9 protects against 9 of those HPV strains, greatly reducing the incidence of cervical cancer among vaccinated individuals. What to Know About Cervical Cancer Screenings The CDC says the most important thing you can do to help prevent cervical cancer is to have regular screening tests starting at age 21. And there are two common tests that can detect early stages of cervical cancer (or precancer) and improve health outcomes. The pap test (or pap smear). This screening looks for precancers. Women should begin getting pap smears when they’re 21. The human papillomavirus (HPV) test looks for the virus that can cause these cell changes. Cervical Cancer Screening Schedule The American Cancer Society offers the following guidelines for screenings: All women should begin cervical cancer screening at 21. Women between 21 and 29 should have a pap test every three years. Beginning at 30, the preferred way to screen is with a pap test combined with an HPV test every five years. This is called co-testing and should continue until age 65. A pap test (or pap smear) is performed during a regular screening appointment to look for precancers, cell changes on the cervix that might become cervical cancer if they are not evaluated or appropriately treated. Typically outpatient procedures can reduce the risk of long-term health impacts that prevent pre-cancerous cells from becoming cancer cells. Women over 65 who have had regular screenings in the previous ten years should stop cervical cancer screening as long as they haven’t had any severe precancers found in the last 20 years. How to Get Screened Request an appointment with your primary care physician or OBGYN to schedule a screening.

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An alcohol problem can affect anyone at any age. Many factors, including job stress, genetics or depression, may contribute to the start of disordered drinking.  Drinking alcohol exists on a continuum. For example, if someone feels down in the dumps for some time, it doesn’t mean they are clinically depressed. So if someone goes through a period with above-normal alcohol consumption, it doesn’t necessarily mean they abuse alcohol. Although “alcoholic” and “alcoholism” are common, they are not clinical descriptions. Alcohol use disorder is the preferred term. Symptoms are often mild but can be the start of a more significant problem. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), over 16 million adults live with alcohol use disorder. Symptoms of Alcohol Use Disorder Do you recognize any of the following symptoms in yourself or someone you know? Drinking more or longer than intended Trying to cut down or stop drinking but not able to Having to drink more than you once did to get the same feeling Being annoyed when family members discuss your drinking Regretting your behavior while you were drinking

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The kids are back in school and the holidays are all but a distant memory: Now what? Karen Wagner, APRN, offers specific tips about getting kids back to their routines in the post-holiday-hustle-and-bustle. Are you finding the kids struggling with bedtime routines? Having trouble getting them to tackle homework? There’s a simple reason: The holidays messed with their mojo! Here, we talk with Nurse Practitioner Karen Wagner about what to do to get them back on the straight and narrow.  Why Routines Are Important “Holidays are a fantastic time to get together with family and friends, so our routines are usually off — and this is understandable, “Wagner says. “While the holidays are exciting, they are chaotic and can put our kids out of the routines.” So how do you get kids back into those routines they crave?  “Consistency/routines are crucial for our kids,” she says. “Most people — kids and adults —  experience a let-down feeling after the holidays, and post-holiday adjustment takes time.” So what can we do, specifically? Wagner recommends the following:  Re-establish family routines, including before- and after-school programs or child care routines. Once kids are back on the regular schedule, they’ll find that sense of familiarity as the old routine returns. But keep in mind, this won’t happen overnight.  Encourage healthy eating, as the upheaval of their schedule can be offset by a balanced diet.  Make sleep time a priority: Keep in mind that it might take up to three nights of strict bedtime to get them back on track. But enforcing normal bedtime will get their bodies back on a normal schedule.  Return to usual chores and expectations. Nothing encourages a return to routine like reminding them of the basics.  Incorporate indoor and outdoor time. They likely spent lots of time outdoors during our unseasonably warm winter break — and they even had a snow day or two! So encouraging both indoor and outdoor time will help them return to a circadian rhythm and tire them out from exposure to fresh air.  “It is never too early to encourage a love for physical activity in kids by exposing them to fun fitness activities and sports,” Wagner says. “Physical activity improves bone health, cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness, decreases levels of body fat, reduces symptoms of depression, and improves cognitive skills and the ability to concentrate.”

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How can you tell if a friend is in trouble or struggling with suicidal thoughts? And how can you support them in finding help? Are you feeling virtually exhausted? Life is always challenging, but the mental fallout of a global pandemic is real. Contributing to the loneliness epidemic is the shifting American lifestyle. More Americans live alone (28%) now than ever before, and fewer have kids. First, let’s acknowledge this is a time of anxiety and worry for everyone. Economic uncertainty, job transitions, grief, and loneliness are a perfect storm for mental stress. Even before the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic mental health was a concerning issue, now it is a relevant topic of crisis. Secondly, anyone can struggle with suicidal thoughts. Those suffering from drug addiction are especially vulnerable. In particular the U.S. is currently seeing a rise in drug overdoses by almost 18% due to the pandemic. Unfortunately, suicide is responsible for one U.S. death every 11 minutes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Not to mention the millions who think about it, make a plan or attempt it. It is important to remember that suicidal thoughts, plans or intent must be helped immediately. Understanding Suicide Risk To clarify, depression is not a choice. No one wishes for endless days of feeling down, sleepless nights, and feeling as if you are in a dark tunnel. Currently, one in five Americans will experience a mental illness this year. This means one of your friends is struggling, right now. Specifically, consider this: When your body feels pain it talks to your mind. When your mind is suffering who does it talk to? So, how can you tell if a friend is in trouble? According to the National Institute of Mental Health be on the lookout for some depression clues below. Signs and Symptoms of Depression Persistent sad, anxious, or “empty” mood Feelings of hopelessness, or pessimism Irritability Loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities Decreased energy or fatigue Moving or talking more slowly Feeling restless or having trouble sitting still Difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions Signs and Symptoms of Suicide Risk Expressing feelings of hopelessness or having no purpose Talking about feeling trapped or being in unbearable pain Talking about being a burden to others Increasing the use of alcohol or drugs Sleeping too little or too much Withdrawing or isolation Displaying extreme mood swings. Talking about wanting to die or to kill oneself (Reference: Suicide Awareness Voices of Education) How to Help a Suicidal Friend It can feel awkward to approach the subject of suicide with a friend, but take any of the above warning signs seriously. Other ways you can help are by: Encouraging self-care and making sure they take care of basic needs Listen to their worries without judgement Ask them what they need from you, then follow through with action Let them know they are not a burden Don’t minimize or invalidate their feelings Point them to helpful resources Be their advocate and get them help If someone you know is in a life-threatening crisis situation, call 911 immediately. Suicide Risk Resources: National Suicide Prevention 24/7 Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 Ayuda En Español: (Spanish National Suicide Prevention Lifeline) 1-800-628-9454 Crisis Text Line: Text HOME (or CONNECT) to 741741 to chat with a crisis counselor 24/7 free of charge. The National Alliance on Mental Health: 1-800-950-6264 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration: (SAMHSA) 24/7 helpline 1-800-662-4357

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The Benefits of Being Clutter-Free Gives you a better sense of well-being. Did you know procrastination is linked to clutter? According to a recent study clutter problems led to less life satisfaction, especially among older adults. Helps you lose weight. Constantly being in cluttered room, office or car can be stressful. All the undone cleaning tasks in the back of your of mind cause stress, which is linked to obesity. Promotes mental health. Having clutter around can make you feel anxious or overwhelmed. This prevents you from truly relaxing or focusing. Saves you money. It’s not a secret that money worries cause stress. According to a Journal of Consumer Research study, you’re more likely to make a purchase when you’re sitting in a messy room compared to a tidy room. Clutter-Free Tips Start with a plan. Make a list of your clutter-improvement priorities and the tasks needed to accomplish each one. Focus on one section of your home per week, so you don’t get overwhelmed. In fact, organizational expert Peter Walsh suggests starting with the easiest room first to gain momentum. Conversely, "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up" author Marie Kondo suggests organizing by category (for example clothing or books). Experiment with an organizing plan that appeals to you. There are also many helpful on-line calendars you can use as a starting point. Delegate when you can. Include your children and spouse into your plan. Is uncle Bob an electrician? Then get him to swap out your eyesore of a ceiling fan or update an old light fixture. Of course it’s ok to outsource the duties - such as window cleaning or painting - if your budget allows. Buy less. The less you purchase the less you need to store, clean, keep track of, organize or dust. Seems simple, right? Not for everyone. On average we are bombarded with over 4,000 marketing messages a day, not to mention FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) when we see our friends posting about their newest toys on their social media feeds. Focus on quality over quantity. When in doubt, throw it out. Still on the fence about what to throw away? Use these declutter decision-making guide questions to help you. Organize Your Health Along with taking care of your surroundings, make a commitment to get up to date on your health checkup and screenings. Preventing an illness is a bargain compared to the cost of a chronic disease. It's also a good idea to go through all of your medications and check the expiration date. Remember to properly dispose of medications. DO NOT flush medications down the drain or toilet, unless the label indicates it is safe to do so.

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Some days a chat with a friend is all you need to feel better. Why? Because humans are social beings. Although we have more technology than ever at our fingertips, sometimes we may still feel left out or disconnected. Dr. Buddy Coard, Ed.D., Psychologist at the Stacie Mathewson Behavioral Health Addiction Institute at Renown, discusses the importance of social connections and tips on how to keep connecting, warning signs of loneliness and how to feel less lonely.  Why are Social Connections Important? Dr. Coard points to significant research on the topic of loneliness and social connections. He uses the findings below to detail how social connections affect our overall health. In a recent survey 40% of participants reported they sometimes or always feel that their relationships are not meaningful and that they feel isolated. Surprisingly, this survey suggests Generation Z (18-22 years old) is the loneliest generation. Another study associates loneliness as a risk factor for early death. It indicates lack of social connection heightens health risks as much as smoking 15 cigarettes a day, or having alcohol use disorder. In fact, loneliness and social isolation are twice as harmful to physical and mental health as obesity (Perspectives on Psychological Science, Vol. 10, No. 2, 2015). A 2018 study investigated several standard measures of social isolation, including marital status, frequency of religious service attendance, club meetings/group activities and number of close friends or relatives. The findings revealed race as a strong predictor of social isolation. In particular, black men and women were more likely to be lonely than were white men and women. Loneliness also switches on your body’s long-term “fight-or-flight” stress signaling system, which negatively affects your immune system. People who feel lonely have lower immunity and more inflammation than people who don’t. Dr. Coard recommends the following tips for those who feel lonely. Tips to Increase Social Connection Get outside. More and more nature prescriptions are common. In fact even a 10 minute walk can elevate your mood and get your blood flowing. Develop a schedule of activities to accomplish in a week, setting realistic goals. Monitor your technology. Of course, watching the 24/7 news cycle can be depressing. Turn off the TV and listen to music or read a book instead. Even better, use technology to connect with family members by having a virtual game night or book club discussion. Write it out. When was the last time you sent a good old-fashioned letter or card? Or even wrote in a journal? Try to brighten someone’s day with snail mail. Writing down your hopes and fears also helps you to get worries off your mind and process your emotions. With this in mind, there are also volunteer opportunities to support others by sending a handwritten letter to others battling depression. De-clutter your surroundings. Go through those old photos and put them in an album. Clean out a drawer, cupboard or closet. You will feel a sense of accomplishment and can donate items you no longer need that others can enjoy. Increase your joy by reducing your clutter. Warning Signs of Chronic Loneliness One size does not fit all when it comes to loneliness. For this reason, loneliness can be different depending on your particular situation and your unique personality. However, if you feel some (or all) of the following symptoms, chronic loneliness may be affecting you: Lack of ‘best’ or close friends. You connect with others on a surface level, but feel no one truly understands you. People are n your life, yet you are not connecting on a deep, intimate level with them. You feel lonely even when people are around. This means feeling disengaged or not part of the group when around others. You feel less than enough. You often doubt yourself or don’t feel good enough when comparing yourself to others. And social situations feel exhausting. What Can Someone Do to Feel Less Lonely? Dr. Coard offers the following suggestion for those with a lack of social connections: Talk with your doctor, psychologist or another healthcare professional. Sometimes chronic loneliness relates to longstanding negative beliefs that an individual has about themselves. Engage in behavioral activation. For example, being more active and involved in life by scheduling activities which can potentially improve your mood and decrease feelings of isolation. Initially behavioral activation can be very challenging due to lack of motivation, but setting a reasonable schedule of activities is a good start. Pay attention to your sleep. Sometimes when people become lonely they experience significant changes in their sleep cycle. Frequently they sleep too much, or too little. Make sure to maintain a normal, healthy sleep/wake cycle, following good sleep hygiene recommendations.

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Heart disease is the number one killer of women – claiming one life every minute – yet many women don’t know that the signs of heart attack may not be the same symptoms they’ve learned about all their lives. In women, nearly 71% experienced unusual exhaustion in the weeks before, 50% had trouble sleeping and 42% suffered shortness of breath. Most importantly, about 43% had no chest pain. Women and Heart Attacks: The Subtle Symptoms In both men and women, the most common symptom is pressure or pain in the mid chest, but there are also more subtle signs. “Women can experience a heart attack without chest pain,” explains Letitia Anderson, M.D., cardiologist with Renown Institute for Heart & Vascular Health. “It is not uncommon for women to experience extreme fatigue, shortness of breath, dizziness, lightheadedness, nausea, vomiting and pain in the abdomen or back as their primary symptom.” Other symptoms can include: Neck or jaw pain Fullness or pressure that goes away and comes back The feeling of a rope being tied around your body and squeezed Some doctors have reported seeing patients who just didn’t "feel right." One woman simply felt more tired than usual while cleaning, while another woman reported feeling winded carrying boxes to the basement. Admittedly these are symptoms many of us would shrug or sleep off versus going to the hospital for immediate care, which is why it’s important to pay close attention to the warning signs. “Women are good at being the caregiver for the rest of the family and writing off their own symptoms as something minor, like indigestion or a muscle pull,” says Dr. Anderson. “Remember that heart attacks have early warning signs, and if they are recognized and treated in time, a heart attack can be prevented and heart damage avoided.” When You Need to Call 911 Paying attention to your body is key. If you’ve experienced any unusual or flu-like symptoms, struggled to breathe or just don’t feel right – give yourself a gut check and ask if you’ve honestly felt this way before. If you’re worried at all, you need to seek emergency care. Do not wait – call 911 immediately Take an ambulance to the hospital if at all possible Try to stay calm and take deep, slow breaths until medical help arrives.

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Renown Health has always been on the frontlines of technological advancement, and that innovation remained unwavering during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our telehealth teams heeded the call to provide home monitoring for our patients, transforming how we provide care. The care providers at Renown successfully monitored lower acuity COVID-19 patients from the comfort of their own homes. Bernard Lee was diagnosed with COVID-19 and pneumonia, and was able to return home to continue his recovery with a home monitoring system. While at home, Bernard’s health took a turn for the worse while he was sleeping, but thanks to the continuous monitoring of Health at Home, his worsening vitals did not go unnoticed. “This monitoring system really saved my life,” Bernard said. “It was telling me that my sats were low, but I didn’t even feel the common COVID symptoms; I just felt tired.” Because of his low oxygen saturation (sats) and the continuous monitoring, he woke up to providers calling to check on him in the early morning. He was immediately transferred to the Renown Intensive Care Unit to be cared for and monitored by our expert care teams. Today Bernard is recovering, feeling great and continuously refers to the team and the home monitoring system as his guardian angels.

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Although going to the bathroom is not a typical conversation among women and their doctors, it’s an important one. It is a topic you may want to discuss with a urogynecologist, a physician who diagnoses, manages and treats pelvic health conditions in women. Kerac Falk, MD, a urogynecologist and assistant professor at the University of Nevada, Reno and Renown Health discusses overactive bladder in women and how to treat it. According to the National Institutes of Health, about 1 in 4 women struggle with pelvic health conditions, with over 40 percent of women over age 60 experiencing problems. While these conditions may be common, they shouldn’t just be accepted as a normal part of getting older. In fact, many women don’t think of urine leakage as a medical problem, and only 1 in 3 women with incontinence seek care. So, while these conditions may be common, they shouldn’t just be accepted as a normal part of getting older. There are excellent treatment options that can significantly improve the quality of life. Overactive Bladder Symptoms in Women: As your body changes and ages, so does your pelvic health. Whether you just had a baby, are experiencing urgency issues or find you cannot go about your daily routine, sneeze or laugh without leaking urine – you’re not alone. An overactive bladder, also known as OAB, is more than feeling an urgent need to go to the bathroom. It can also include the following: Incontinence or lack of control over urination Waking up in the middle of the night to empty your bladder Going to the bathroom often, even every 30 to 60 minutes Symptoms of OAB can lead to a decreased quality of life, feeling as if you cannot go about your normal daily routine, or even become hazardous, increasing the risk of trips, falls, and bone fractures. Various Treatments are Available: Behavioral management (eliminating coffee, soda and alcohol which irritate your bladder) Pelvic floor physical therapy to optimize nerve and muscular function and coordination to prevent leakage Medications including tablets and local estrogen replacement Pelvic nerve stimulation and reprogramming treatments Botox to relax the bladder muscle Solutions for an Overactive Bladder: Simply put, OAB is a nerve and muscle problem, so the bladder needs to calm down. Although there is no underlying reason for OAB, some underlying conditions may exist, such as: High blood pressure Recent trauma Neurological conditions (such as stroke and multiple sclerosis) Lifestyle and non-invasive measures can usually reduce symptoms by as much as 50%, significantly improving quality of life. However, if these measures do not help your OAB, further bladder testing may be needed. Dr. Falk notes that “every patient has a unique situation and set of symptoms. My job as a urogynecologist and pelvic floor subspecialist is to work as a team with each individual to figure out what’s going on and design the best treatment approach that fits your needs and goals, whether that is conservative or with more advanced procedures. The outcome we are working towards is improved quality of life.” If you are bothered by your bladder, the best thing you can do is bring this up with your primary care doctor or gynecologist to begin to discuss solutions

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Much like general physical and mental health, sexual health is an essential aspect of your overall well-being. Therefore, educating yourself on your sexual health is an important piece regarding your overall wellness. Secure & Private Virtual Visits Did you know that many sexually transmitted disease appointments can happen virtually, in the privacy of your own home? Our providers can perform a screening examination for sexually transmitted illness (without symptoms) when it’s convenient for you. This is a great option if the topic makes you uncomfortable during an in-person visit, or if you can’t find time to visit your primary care provider or local urgent care. After the telehealth appointment, your provider will determine the  next steps for you. Remember, in-person visits are always an option as well.   Here’s how you can take charge of your sexual health:  Get Comfortable with Getting Tested  Surprisingly, some people with STDs don't show symptoms, meaning they may not even know they have an STD unless they get tested. Even if an STD shows no symptoms, the result of non-treatment can be serious. Bret Michael Bellard, MD, with Renown Medical Group, shares that it’s important for people to get tested for STDs because if left untreated, they can cause the following health problems: Loss of fertility Pregnancy complications Other health issues  When to Visit Your Primary Care Provider  Who should get tested and how often? “The recommendations are that everyone from ages 13 to 64 should get tested at least once for HIV. All sexually active adults should also be tested for other STDs once a year, and all pregnant women should be tested at the start of their pregnancy,” says Dr. Bellard. Some STDs, like syphilis, can be passed from mother to baby, so it's important for women to get tested as soon as they know they’re pregnant.  Dr. Bellard recommends going to your primary care provider for testing. “They can also give advice on prevention and other health topics.” If you don’t have a primary care provider, this is a great reason to get established with one. Women with an established OB/GYN can have STD testing done simultaneously with their annual pelvic exam. The providers in Renown's network care for patients of all ages and specialize in family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics and OB/GYN.   Practice Safe Sex  STDs are preventable. Practicing safe sex and getting tested routinely are your best defenses against all types of STDs.  For many, the conversation about sexually transmitted diseases is awkward and many avoid it. To lower your risk of contracting an STD, don’t wait until you’re “in the moment” to have the conversation with your partner about the last time you were both last tested. If you haven’t gotten tested in-between new partners, use latex condoms every time you have sex until you are both confirmed negative of STDs. Condoms are not 100% effective at preventing disease or pregnancy. However, they are extremely effective if used properly.   To establish Primary Care, visit renown.org/virtualvisits or call 775-982-5000

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What is the role of the child life specialist? Here are common questions and answers about how these special individuals give both parents and kids peace of mind. Let’s face it: A hospital can be an intimidating place for just about anyone. But add in being a small human with very little worldly experience — aka a child — and it’s easy to imagine how overwhelming a hospital visit can be. Enter the role of the child life specialist. Liz Winkler, a child life specialist with Renown Children’s Hospital, explains how a Renown program puts young patients and their families at ease. What does a child life specialist do? Child life specialists help young patients develop ways to cope with the anxiety, fear and separation that often accompany the hospital experience. They give special consideration to each child’s family, culture and stage of development. As professionals trained to work with children in medical settings, specialists hold a bachelor’s or master’s degree in the areas of child life, child development and special education or recreational therapy. Our child life specialists are also professionally certified and affiliated with the national Child Life Council. Child life specialists also offer tours of Renown Children’s Hospital for families whose children are scheduled to have surgery. Child life supports children and families by: Helping children cope with anxiety, fear, separation and adjustment Making doctors, needles and tests a little less scary Providing art, music and pet therapy Organizing activities Addressing your concerns Telling you what to expect Creating a therapeutic and medical plan Offering a hand to hold What else is available at the Children’s Hospital that helps ease some of the stress of a hospital visit? Whether it’s seeing a pediatrician, getting a sports physical or looking for advice, our care is centered on supporting and nurturing patients and families at our many locations. We have kid-friendly environments to help ease some of the stress of a hospital visit. These include colorful exam rooms, kid-friendly waiting and common areas, and medical equipment designed especially for children. Our children’s ER is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. So parents and caregivers have access to emergency care tailored to little ones — anytime, day or night. We have several pediatric specialists on the Renown team in areas including diabetes, emergency medicine, neurology, pulmonology, blood diseases and cancer. How can parents start to ease their children’s mind when they know a hospital visit is in the future? As with many things in life, good preparation can help kids feel less anxious about the experience and even get through recovery faster. It’s important to provide information at your child’s level of understanding, while correcting any misunderstandings, and helping to eliminate fears and feelings of guilt. If you’re anxious and nervous, your child may reflect these feelings and behaviors. So make sure you educate yourself, feel comfortable with the process, and get your questions answered.

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