Open Mics with Dr. Stites

Music stirs the soul, but can it heal the body? We'll show you the science turning melodies into medicine.

Measles was eliminated in the United States in 2000. It's now making a comeback with outbreaks identified in numerous states including Kansas. It's highly contagious and highly preventable. Infectious disease specialists put the current outbreak into perspective.

He woke up in the hospital, unsure why he was even there. Now the mayor of Overland Park is thanking the specialists who saved him.

Our genes contain clues to our health. Doctors can now use these clues to tailor treatments to each patient. We discuss precision medicine and what we know about the role of genetics in health care.

Targeted Muscle Reinnervation – or TMR – offers new hope for people who've lost a limb but struggle with phantom pain. Our doctors discuss how TMR works to help people live pain free. Guests include orthopedic surgeon and microsurgeon Dr. Jacob Brubacher.

Tens of millions of people around the world have recovered from an acute COVID infection ... only to face additional symptoms that can linger for months or years. We review long COVID research and hear from a patient.

Parkinson's Disease is more than a tremor and stiff muscles. Some patients experience delusions and hallucinations. We explore the hidden burdens of Parkinson's Disease.

We explore techniques that can reduce nerve damage and protect sexual function.

Breastfeeding benefits mom and baby, so why are so many infants missing out? Discover the science and explore the barriers keeping families from best practices.

Food insecurity affects health, but what if doctors could prescribe food just like medicine? Explore a new program helping patients make healthy choices.

Imagine treating GI cancers with precision, while sparing patients from major surgery. We explore the powerful new tools in gastrointestinal care offering faster recovery and life-changing outcomes.

Ten years since the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. We explore the real impacts of that viral trend. New research and novel drugs but still no cure. Meet one woman who is not giving up, but is giving back, in the face of a terminal diagnosis.

What seemed like a sprained ankle turned out to be much more for one high school athlete. Learn how a trainer's sharp eye saved her from surgery and got her back in the game.

Can seniors learn to fall safely? Hear from researchers testing new methods and one participant's experience! It's all about reducing injury.

Can losing weight before surgery make a difference in prostate cancer outcomes? A new study reveals the power of weight loss interventions. Tune in to learn how it can save lives!

A purple-heart veteran thought his battle days were behind him, until he found himself in a battle to save his own leg. Why doctors at the V.A. trusted surgeons at The University of Kansas Health System to lead the fight.

Brain-fog pushed an accomplished pianist away from the keyboard. What she thought might be Alzheimer's was actually her kidneys! The surprising side-effect of kidney transplants. How a new healthy organ can change what's happening in your brain. Visit our website, www.kansashealthsystem.com or findadoctor.kansashealthsystem.com.

Covid numbers are up- along with hospitalizations. Just as a new vaccine comes out. Join us Friday, for a special Open Mics with Dr. Stites.and other chief medical officers to hear what's happening at hospitals on our area. Plus, Dr. Dana Hawkinson explains the new variant and when to get your shot. Bring your questions as we talk covid- and other seasonal viruses headed our way.

What started as a dream vacation in Jamaica for David Kaemmer's 30th anniversary turned into a fight for his life. Thanks to the team at The University of Kansas Health System, David made it through a rare, life-threatening infection. Hear how they brought him back from the brink!

She's in her forties, but doctors say Becci Ryberg has the lungs of an 85-year-old and it's all due to her genes. The genetic condition that hurts the lungs but may not show symptoms until middle age. We explore the key signs of the condition and what it means for Becci's kids.

This may be your best chance to help shape the future of healthcare! Learn how to enroll in  All of Us Research and hear what your input could mean for future research. https://allofus.nih.gov Visit our website, www.kansashealthsystem.com or findadoctor.kansashealthsystem.com.

As all eyes turn to Paris and the Summer Olympics, we explore expert care for elite athletes. You'll meet the gold medal Olympians who chose The University of Kansas Health System to keep them healthy. Guests include orthopedic surgeon Dr. Vincent Key, Erik Kynard, 2012 Olympic high jump gold medalist, and Shawn Morelli, 3-time Paralympic cycling gold medalist.

Whether they're caused by fireworks, flames, or boiling water-- severe burns need complex treatment. Meet a woman living with scars from a fireworks mishap, and see the surgical techniques that can replace missing skin.

We all understand, the couch is comfortable! But getting up, and getting active, is the key to a healthier life. So how do you start? A beginner's guide to exercise. Expert advice on getting out of your comfort zone, and making fitness something to enjoy.

LVADs can extend the lives of people living with advanced heart failure. We hear what it's like relying on a machine to help your heart pump blood.

We explore the newest advancement in treating tinnitus that uses stimulation to retrain the brain. Meet a person using the Lenire system and one of the first doctors in the country to work with it.

Exercise is healthy, even during cancer treatment. We explore the first-ever guidelines for fitness and physical activity while going through cancer treatment.

Countless Americans want weight-loss drugs like Wegovy or Zepbound, but supply isn't meeting demand. So, what should patients do in the meantime? We ask if supply will ever catch up and learn how patients can make the most of their time on the "weight loss wait list".

Nurses share some of the most complex wounds, infection and pain for patients here at the health system. These extraordinary nurses and nurse practitioners share their expert advice that we can all learn from as we celebrate nurse's week.

COVID is a concern, but not a crisis anymore. We reflect on four years of helping the public understand what the pandemic really means. Vaccine expert Dr. Greg Poland joins Dr. Stites and Dr Hawkinson.

Today we're talking about breast cancer. It's a diagnosis no woman wants to hear. But there is research into drugs that may reduce the risk of breast cancer and alleviate symptoms of menopause such as hot flashes. Interested in breast cancer prevention research? Email  BCPCresearch@kumc.edu  to Learn More Or call 913-588-7791

Freedom from migraines without a pill spray or drug. Migraine relief surgery offered close to home. Why patients are desperate for a permanent fix and how to tell if you're a candidate.

More and more women are facing long drives to deliver their babies. How far is "too far" for adequate prenatal and maternity care? The challenges and solutions in ensuring every mother receives the care she deserves.

Taking a dip, for Alzheimer's research. How can hot tubs help your brain health? We show you the science of a study that sounds almost too good to be true. What scientists are measuring while participants soak.

Nanotechnology, implanted in the brain and spine. Remarkable research is letting paralyzed patients walk again. The blurry boundary between what's your brain at work and what's technology. Meet researchers teaching AI to decode your thoughts.

More research than ever is happening at KU Medical Center. How do millions of dollars in federal grants trickle down to the everyday patient? The explosive growth of research into cancer, Alzheimer's and so much more.

Masks, shutdowns and a brand-new vaccine. To live through COVID was to witness history. But how will history remember the pandemic? COVID in a historical context. How the world suffered and learned through other pandemics.

Genetic tests are changing healthcare and doctors aren't the only experts who should read your results. We show you the science behind genetic counselors how their niche expertise can help prevent misdiagnosis.

When prostate cancer spreads a new kind of treatment can seek it out and destroy it. The radioactive particle that doctors compare to a “heat seeking missile" providing a better life, with fewer side effects.

Instead of 6 weeks of radiation, imagine needing just one second of treatment. The amazing promise of "flash radiation” which could spare your tissue and your immune system. We ask how close this medical breakthrough is to reaching patients.

Why do married people live longer? What does a loving relationship do to the brain? Does sharing a bed actually improve sleep health? The Science of Love. The surprising health benefits of a loving relationship.

What happens when high blood pressure reaches inside your lungs? The changing treatments for pulmonary hypertension. Meet one young woman hoping new medicine will help reclaim her life.

After nearly four years of the covid pandemic, where do we stand now? The virus is still out there, and vaccination rates are lagging. Hear what leading doctors across the metro are seeing in their hospitals.

Scar tissue inside the lungs, with an interstitial lung disease, symptoms don't start until the damage is done. Life with an I.L.D. means putting effort into every breath. We discuss treatments and training that give patients more air.

A rare condition comes with a choice, remove your colon, or wait for cancer. New research aimed at delaying the cancer as long as possible. The important first step and need for new treatments.

No two people are the same and that means the best healthcare is tailored to the individual. Creating a database that can shape the future of medicine. We look at what the "All of Us" research program wants from you.

It's called "the Angelina Jolie effect." More women than ever are having their breasts or ovaries removed, just in case, they get cancer. Risk-reducing surgery. We ask doctors when it makes the most sense and hear from one woman who made a drastic decision based on her genetics.

Steve Thon, kidney recipient and Cindy's uncle A diehard Kansas Jayhawks fan, eight years ago Steve started experiencing renal disease. He felt sick all the time and was close to going on dialysis right before his niece surprised him with a call about being a living kidney donor.

Silvia Byer learned she had breast cancer while she was thousands of miles from home, on vacation, overseas. She had no clue one of the world's leading experts in her specific kind of cancer was waiting for her back home. The treatment and research that helped Silvia, and countless other future patients.

Living with epilepsy means never knowing when the next seizure will strike. What happens when you treat the seizures at their source? Meet one man reclaiming his life thanks to a unique brain implant.

We've all heard about the new group of medications, GLP-1 drugs, and the FDA has approved these and others to help people lose weight. When used for the right reasons, like avoiding pre-diabetes for example, these injectable drugs can be lifesaving. But the weight loss from these medications alone won't provide all the health benefits you need. You've got to exercise! And there is now research and science to back that up.