Sue Thoms is a writer and storyteller who joined Health Beat after a 30-year career at The Grand Rapids Press. She loves writing stories that shine a light on the resilience and beauty of the human spirit. In addition to medical features, she writes fiction and has published seven picture books for children. Michigan born and raised, Sue enjoys exploring the state with her family―especially the lakes, sand dunes and ski hills. Contact her at susan.thoms@spectrumhealth.org.
Little Kaleb Rietema is full of surprises. It began on day 1, when he defied the best-laid plans for his birth.
Told she doesn’t have much time to live, Rhonda White sees two wishes fulfilled in a tearful, joyful double wedding ceremony.
A brave 4-year-old girl gets a little help from her friends as she overcomes her fear of injections.
A deer collided into his motorcycle, throwing Ken Pierce to the pavement and breaking his ribs. An innovative 'rib plating' surgery offered a quicker recovery with less pain.
Candus Jones comes from 'a long line of cast-iron skillet women.' That toughness came in handy as she faced a rare and debilitating condition.
A quartet of caped crusaders rappel down the side of the children's hospital to kick off the Halloween party.
Ollie Lott beats the odds against a life-threatening condition with help from a surgery performed while he was still in the womb.
When a mom can’t be home for her daughter’s birthday, caregivers on the bone marrow transplant unit help them celebrate with a purple unicorn party.
Nine-year-old Emma, one of the few girls to have hemophilia, leads an active life with help from regular infusions.
After dozens of surgeries, 18-year-old Jacob Taylor undergoes his most complex one: Surgeons implant custom-designed prosthetic jaw bones.
Injuries caused by slips and trips are almost epidemic among older adults, and they are 'absolutely not a natural part of aging.'
When Don Fournier was in danger of bleeding to death after a snowmobile accident, a small, innovative device came to his rescue.
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