The Memory Assistance and Planning Session (MAPS) will overview the changes caregivers can expect during the moderate to advanced stages of dementia in a workshop this Friday, May 24.

Instead of asking for gifts, St. John Bosco sixth-graders Lauren A. and Shea S. combined their recent 12th birthday parties into a fundraiser for a family in need. The Perres are local residents facing heart wrenching medical issues and staggering medical costs. Within two months of one another, Mrs. Perre was diagnosed with a form of Lou Gehrig’s disease and her 16-year-old son was diagnosed with cancer. Lauren and Shea invited the entire sixth-grade population of St. John Bosco, as well as many other friends, to party at Desert Foothills Park on April 26. In lieu of birthday gifts, Shea, Lauren and their friends dug into their piggy banks and donated money to help the Perres. In the end, Lauren, She and their friends collected approximately $1,700. The Perres were overwhelmed at the compassion and generosity of both the girls and the community.

The Food and Drug Administration will now allow women age 15 and older to buy the emergency contraceptive Plan B over the counter. Unfortunately, there is no “Plan B” for dogs and cats who find themselves in trouble — and that’s why it’s vital to have them spayed or neutered as soon as possible.

Calling the governor's proposal unacceptable and politically dead at the Legislature, House Speaker Andy Tobin unveiled his own new plan Tuesday to expand Medicaid, one that would give Arizona voters the final say.

Gloria A. Poulin of Ahwatukee Foothills, 86, born Sept. 10, 1926, in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, passed away May 2. She devoted her life, love and energy to her family and raised her children instilling virtues and values.

A group of Ahwatukee residents are preparing to hit the road and terrain of the Verde Valley north of Phoenix next weekend.

Gov. Jan Brewer signed legislation Thursday to allow foster children to be placed in homes with youngsters who are not immunized.

Besides pulse, respiratory rate, and blood pressure, a patient’s temperature is also considered a “vital sign.” The thing that makes a person’s temperature vital is that the body’s homeostasis, or ability to maintain all functions optimally, depends upon a certain range of heat. Most everyone can recite that the average body core temperature is 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit with a healthy range being anywhere from 97 to 99 degrees. Temperatures that vary below or above this average create an internal atmosphere that is not conducive to the various systems’ functioning. The term “fever” generally refers to anything over 99 degrees. In order to maintain the healthful range, the body has a regulating system that kicks in much like any thermostat. If the core temperature starts to rise, we begin a cooling mechanism through sweating. If the core temperature starts to decrease, shivering will initiate warming through muscle contractions.

Despite the bad rap that saturated fats have, there’s a lot of evidence indicating that saturated fat is essentially good for you. The real harmful and unhealthy fats include trans fats, hydrogenated fats and vegetable oils.

Take note. This is an excellent question, and it may be the relief you and your family have been looking for.

As many students are training for football, baseball, hockey, soccer, and other sports, this is also the time of year for sports-related injuries. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), sports-related dental injuries send approximately 600,000 youths to the emergency room each year involving children as young as 5 years old. Prevention is a large aspect of oral health. Oral health prevention includes the prevention of injury to the mouth, teeth, neck, and jaws. In an attempt to promote awareness of facial injury prevention, five organizations have sponsored April as being the National Facial Protection Month: American Dental Association (ADA), American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, and the Academy for Sports Dentistry. Contact sports such as football, hockey, and basketball are common sources of oral injury; however, other sports such as gymnastics and volleyball pose a threat as well. Common head and neck injuries can include concussions, fractured teeth, oral lacerations, jaw joint sprains, and neck injuries.

There's a siege mentality about Michael Bay's movies, as though viewers are the enemy holed up in a bunker and he's the guy ordering heavy-metal music around-the-clock to wear down our morale and force us to surrender.

Periodontal disease affects over 85 percent of dogs over 4 years old. Anesthesia-free teeth cleaning for dogs at Bone-Appetit is being offered from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on May 13, 4810 E. Ray Road, Suite 5, for $150. This cleaning is low stress, effective for general cleanings and veterinarian assisted by Dr. Tim Patterson.

It’s no wonder that Carter Gladstone has shown a tremendous ability to be patient at the plate.

"It’s been 10 years, now,” the strong voice said on the phone. Mari Justin is a breast cancer survivor. She, along with hundreds of thousands of breast cancer veterans have faced the demons and now crusade alongside those who are fresh on the battlefield.

20987 N. John Wayne Parkway, Suite B104, PMB 313

While shopping at your favorite grocery store, it can be hard at times to find 100 percent gluten-free items.

Seniors at Mountain Park Senior Living in Ahwatukee are taking up a new activity once a week: singing and dancing.

Join a dementia specialist from Banner Alzheimer’s Institute at the upcoming GPS lecture this Friday at the Ahwatukee Recreation Center.

If your goal is to lose weight, look and feel your best and live a healthy, vibrant life, be aware of the damaging additives and synthetic chemicals in the foods you buy and eat. Seventy-five percent of the average American diet is from processed and packaged foods, which equates to approximately 10 pounds of additives eaten annually.

Taking a page from the volleyball rivalry, the Desert Vista and Mountain Pointe softball teams are raising money for cancer research when they meet on the diamond this week.

Nearing his 30-year mark of practice in the East Valley, with 20 of those years in Ahwatukee, Dr. Pete Pinto remembers the moment he knew he wanted to help others with natural and holistic health care.

Spring is in the air and the desert is entering its cycle of new life. However, for the Ahwatukee community, that could mean more than seasonal allergies.

Maricopa County confirmed its first positive mosquito sample for West Nile virus was found last month in the East Valley.

Local animal shelters have enough camps to keep any animal lover engaged and learning this summer.