GA High School Student Graduates with Honors After Battling Cancer

Canaan Lowery graduated from High School in Stephens County this summer after battling Hodgkin's Lymphoma. He has been through two kidney surgeries, radiations treatments, and a multitude of invasive testing. Through it all, he persevered, maintaining his studying and even excelling to graduate with honors. Canaan's family is extremely proud of him and thankful because their son's graduation was never guaranteed. Canaan's gives credit to God and his family for empowering him to both overcome cancer and finish high school.

For more information, visit MyFoxAtlanta.

GA Health Officials Recommend all Sexually Active Woman get Tested for Chlamydia

Chlamydia is the most common STD in America and many women who have it experience limited or no side effects. This is not surprising because symptoms of Chlamydia are usually very mild or non-existent but it can potentially cause serious and irreparable damage in the form of Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) which can cause infertility and serious abdomen and back pain. Women that have Chlamydia unknowingly can even pass it on to their babies during pregnancy causing complications such as pneumonia and eye infections.

Chlamydia is usually easily treatable with antibiotics and women are encouraged to get tested. The best prevention of Chlamydia is abstinence from sexually activity or participating in a mutual monogamous relationship with one partner who has also been tested.

For more information on this story please visit WALB 10 NEWS as well as the Center for Disease Control's webpage on Chlamydia and Pelvic Inflamatory Disease..

Georgia Sees and "Uptick" in the Number of Cases of Tick Borne Illnesses

So far this year, Albany GA has already seen the average number of cases of Lyme disease that they normally see in the period of a year. That has State epidemiologist, specialist in infectious diseases, worried that ticks are biting more people than usual. 

There are 6 main diseases carried by ticks that can infect humans, after they are bitten, which can be fatal. Dogs, cats, and other outdoor animals are also susceptible to tick bites. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) have a website designed to inform residents about the tick species that live in their area of GA and what to do to keep from being bitten.

To learn more, check out the story on WALB News 10 in Albany.

Aimee Copeland speaks in the Hospital: Great Progress

Aimee Copeland - far left. WTVR.comAfter fighting an intense battle with a flesh-eating bacteria, Aimee Copeland spoke for the first time on Sunday after being in the Augusta hospital for over three weeks. To date, Aimee has lost her left leg, right foot, and both hands to the disease she contracted by being injured in a local GA river, but her words welcomed by all her family and friends who have stood by her during this horrible ordeal. Aimee is in good spirits and continues to recover from her injuries.

CHC sends its best to Aimee and her family as they continue to stand with her during her recovery.

For more information, read this article by the Times-Herald on Aimee's condition and visit her father, Andy Copeland's blog, who routinly writes about her progress.

http://www.wyff4.com/news/georgia-news/Andy-Copeland-s-blog-update/-/9695862/13414756/-/1347obvz/-/index.html

New Federal Rule will Limit Care to HIV/AIDS Patients

New rules implemented by the Federal Health Resources and Services Administration will limit the amount of funding to programs that assist and treat patients with HIV and AIDS. The new rules limit the amount of money that these programs can request to cover administrative costs such as rent, utilities, and insurance costs. The money comes in the form of a grant called the Ryan White HIV/AIDS program. The rule has left many program scrambling to acquire extra funds now needed to serve their patients. If the extra funds are not found, services to HIV/AIDS patients will be limited.

For more information, check out the accompanying article by Georgia Health News.