A HealthBeat Special Series

Impact

Spectrum Health offers world-class care with an unrivaled breadth and depth of clinical services.

Patient Story

Back in control

Joetta Harris felt helpless battling her worsening health amid the rigors of life. A pair of specialists from a free community health program helped her find a new path.

Patient Story

Pomp, despite the circumstance

Lexanne Sherrell lost her twin sister in utero. Soon thereafter, the 1-pound-5-ounce preemie forged her own path to graduate from the NICU.

Patient Story

You just have to do it: extreme weight-loss

When Matt Bailey's weight caused a boat to almost sink, he flooded his life with change. He's since lost 140 pounds and gained confidence.

Patient Story

‘Huge progress’

For their first three years, twins Ian and Isaac got all their nutrition from feeding tubes. Then they learned to eat.

Patient Story

‘It’s a total God thing’

A Greenville youth takes an unexpected Type 1 diabetes diagnosis in stride.

Patient Story

‘Everything was kind of junk’

Bariatric buddies lose more than 230 pounds between them.

Patient Story

Crushing cancer

A teenager celebrates remission by smashing a replica of his tumor into a thousand tiny pieces.

Patient Story

Lightening a heavy load

After undergoing a rare double-surgery to eliminate a blockage and restore blood flow, Marvin Lafountain is eager to resume his old life—minus the smoking habit.

Patient Story

‘This will be life-changing for her’

Susan prayed every night for two years someone would come to her orphanage in Myanmar and offer the surgery she needed to speak clearly.

Patient Story

‘You’ve given her a new life’

Shoulder pain haunted 84-year-old Julie Meiste every moment of every day. After shoulder replacement surgery, she looks forward to living pain-free.

Patient Story

‘You saved my life, man’

A Michigan State Police trooper in need of a new liver gets a living donor transplant—from a friend on the force.

Patient Story

‘I would not put limits on him’

There are many things medical experts thought Everett Oostveen would never do. This spunky 3-year-old is defying all odds.