Health and wellness

Art Harrison, who is living with Alzheimer’s disease, is among the British Columbians sharing their stories during Alzheimer’s Awareness Month.

Resilience shines in the face of dementia, inspires hope this Alzheimer’s Awareness Month

Having spent thirteen years in social services as a successful employment counsellor,…

  • Jan 8, 2024

 

Traditional Chinese medicine treatments often include acupuncture. A B.C. crash victim has won money from a driver to help pay for this. (Pexels photo)

B.C. crash victim sues for $60K to help pay for traditional Chinese medicine

Victim was rear-ended by another driver

 

Alistair MacGregor, MP for Cowichan-Malahat-Langford, held a news conference in Ottawa on Oct. 25 calling on the government to support his Private Members Bill C-277, the National Strategy on Brain Injuries Act. (Citizen file photo)

Survivors call for national strategy for people with brain injuries

B.C. woman who lost her husband speaks to the need as B.C. MP brings case to Ottawa via Bill C-277

 

The shortage of doctors on Vancouver Island has led to protests and demonstrations, including this one last year at the legislature in Victoria. (Black Press photo)

New society looks to deal with family doctor shortage in Cowichan region

Cowichan Valley Primary Care Society formed last spring

The shortage of doctors on Vancouver Island has led to protests and demonstrations, including this one last year at the legislature in Victoria. (Black Press photo)
Saanich Coun. Teale Phelps Bondaroff is a co-founder of AccessBC. (Ella Matte/New Staff)

Saanich group celebrates campaign that led to free contraception in B.C.

A few friends complaining about expensive birth control turned into a provincial motion

Saanich Coun. Teale Phelps Bondaroff is a co-founder of AccessBC. (Ella Matte/New Staff)
Naloxone nasal spray comes in a device with two prongs that can fit into a nostril to administer the medication to someone who has overdosed. (Darryl Dick/The Canadian Press)

Red Cross wants to increase access to internasal naloxone in Greater Victoria

Doctors are suggesting people are more comfortable administering the internasal version

Naloxone nasal spray comes in a device with two prongs that can fit into a nostril to administer the medication to someone who has overdosed. (Darryl Dick/The Canadian Press)
Relatives of Maurice “Mo” Miller, Mary Miller-Duffy, his sister, center left, and Sue Duffy, her wife, embrace after seeing his body at NYU Langone Health in New York on Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2023. For a history-making 61 days and despite a brief rejection blip, a pig’s kidney worked normally inside his brain-dead body. (AP Photo/Shelby Lum)

Pig kidney works a record 2 months in donated body, raising hope for animal-human transplants

Dozens of doctors and nurses silently lined the hospital hallway in tribute:…

Relatives of Maurice “Mo” Miller, Mary Miller-Duffy, his sister, center left, and Sue Duffy, her wife, embrace after seeing his body at NYU Langone Health in New York on Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2023. For a history-making 61 days and despite a brief rejection blip, a pig’s kidney worked normally inside his brain-dead body. (AP Photo/Shelby Lum)
Suicide in teenagers is on the rise in Canada, and the magnitude of the problem is likely underestimated as some suicide deaths are counted as accidental. (stock photo)

B.C. pilot to use ketamine treatment for children facing suicidal thoughts

Dr. Quynh Doan is the senior executive director of B.C. Children’s Hospital Research Institute

Suicide in teenagers is on the rise in Canada, and the magnitude of the problem is likely underestimated as some suicide deaths are counted as accidental. (stock photo)
Principal Scientist Denise Cecil retrieves supplies while working at UW Medicine's Cancer Vaccine Institute Thursday, May 25, 2023, in Seattle. Vaccines under development at UW Medicine are designed to work for many patients, not just a single patient. Tests are underway in early and advanced breast cancer, lung cancer and ovarian cancer. Some results may come as soon as next year. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

The next big advance in cancer treatment could be a vaccine

The next big advance in cancer treatment could be a vaccine. After…

Principal Scientist Denise Cecil retrieves supplies while working at UW Medicine's Cancer Vaccine Institute Thursday, May 25, 2023, in Seattle. Vaccines under development at UW Medicine are designed to work for many patients, not just a single patient. Tests are underway in early and advanced breast cancer, lung cancer and ovarian cancer. Some results may come as soon as next year. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
FILE - This Tuesday, April 3, 2018 file photo shows a closeup of a beam scale in New York. High-dose oral versions of the medication in the weight-loss drug Wegovy may work as well as injections at paring pounds and improving health, including hard-to-treat people with diabetes, according to research released Sunday, June 25, 2023. (AP Photo/Patrick Sison, File)

No more needles? A daily pill may work as well as Wegovy shots to treat obesity

What if treating obesity could be as easy as popping an effective…

FILE - This Tuesday, April 3, 2018 file photo shows a closeup of a beam scale in New York. High-dose oral versions of the medication in the weight-loss drug Wegovy may work as well as injections at paring pounds and improving health, including hard-to-treat people with diabetes, according to research released Sunday, June 25, 2023. (AP Photo/Patrick Sison, File)
Photos of Mona Wang after a January 2020 wellness check and a still from surveillance footage of Const. Lacy Browning pushing her head into the ground with a boot. (Submitted)

Kelowna Mountie to be sentenced for assault stemming from UBCO wellness check

Lacy Browning was charged with assault after a 2020 arrest on UBC Okanagan campus

Photos of Mona Wang after a January 2020 wellness check and a still from surveillance footage of Const. Lacy Browning pushing her head into the ground with a boot. (Submitted)
Brandt Fralick portrait by Lia Crowe photography

Prime Time

Brandt Fralick’s rocky road to success

  • Jun 9, 2023
Brandt Fralick portrait by Lia Crowe photography
“Treatment strategies that can help lower post-meal glucose swings and rapid changes in glucose are crucial to managing this condition,” said researcher Dr. Barbara Oliveira (Omi Sido/Pixabay.com)

Low-carb breakfasts could be beneficial for managing Type-2 diabetes: B.C. study

Having a higher protein and fat breakfast can help manage blood sugar, the study says

“Treatment strategies that can help lower post-meal glucose swings and rapid changes in glucose are crucial to managing this condition,” said researcher Dr. Barbara Oliveira (Omi Sido/Pixabay.com)
Kelly Kurta and her family pose with her mother Gail Stewart, who lived with dementia and is being honoured at this year’s IG Wealth Management Walk for Alzheimer’s in Victoria.

Islanders honour people affected by dementia to boost supports

Key Alzheimer Society of B.C. fundraiser in communities across Vancouver Island on Sunday, May 28

  • May 1, 2023
Kelly Kurta and her family pose with her mother Gail Stewart, who lived with dementia and is being honoured at this year’s IG Wealth Management Walk for Alzheimer’s in Victoria.
This image provided by Mattel, Inc., Tuesday, April 25, 2023, shows its first Barbie doll representing a person with Down syndrome. Mattel collaborated with the National Down Syndrome Society to create the Barbie and "ensure the doll accurately represents a person with Down syndrome," the company said. (Mattel, Inc. via AP)

Mattel introduces first Barbie with Down syndrome

Toy company Mattel revealed its first Barbie doll representing a person with…

This image provided by Mattel, Inc., Tuesday, April 25, 2023, shows its first Barbie doll representing a person with Down syndrome. Mattel collaborated with the National Down Syndrome Society to create the Barbie and "ensure the doll accurately represents a person with Down syndrome," the company said. (Mattel, Inc. via AP)
Kelly Gillies at her Sona Wellness. Photograph by Darren Hull

Secrets and Lives with Kelly Gillies

Loving working in a wellness space

  • Apr 10, 2023
Kelly Gillies at her Sona Wellness. Photograph by Darren Hull
Duncan’s Kyle Mockford has struggled for the past 10 years with a serious brain injury after he was assaulted in Victoria. (Robert Barron/Citizen)

Brain injury changes Cowichan Valley man’s life

Kyle Mockford was assaulted 10 years ago

Duncan’s Kyle Mockford has struggled for the past 10 years with a serious brain injury after he was assaulted in Victoria. (Robert Barron/Citizen)
Dr. Mehul Sharma (L) and Dr. Stuart Turvey (R) helped discover the variant in the STAT6 gene which causes severe allergies, including food and drug allergies, ezcema and more.

B.C. researchers lead global discovery of gene variant behind severe, life-altering allergies

A variant in the STAT6 gene causes allergies, including food and drug allergies, eczema and more

Dr. Mehul Sharma (L) and Dr. Stuart Turvey (R) helped discover the variant in the STAT6 gene which causes severe allergies, including food and drug allergies, ezcema and more.
FILE - A man walks by Pfizer headquarters, Friday, Feb. 5, 2021, in New York. Pfizer will spend about $43 billion to buy Seagen and broaden its reach into cancer treatments, the pharmaceutical giant said Monday, March 13, 2023. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File)

Pfizer buys Seagen for $43B, boosts access to cancer drugs

Pfizer is spending about $43 billion to reach deeper into new cancer…

FILE - A man walks by Pfizer headquarters, Friday, Feb. 5, 2021, in New York. Pfizer will spend about $43 billion to buy Seagen and broaden its reach into cancer treatments, the pharmaceutical giant said Monday, March 13, 2023. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File)
(Black Press Media Creative)

Mexico vows not to budge on US corn dispute

Mexico’s president vowed Tuesday not to back down in a dispute with…

(Black Press Media Creative)