The University of Central Florida’s PhD in nursing program takes the top spot in the country, according to a ranking by RegisteredNursing.org.

Florida health officials have released a highly anticipated rule setting THC dosage amounts and supply limits on products doctors can order for medical-marijuana patients.

Sorority Alpha Kappa Alpha is making sure women across Central Florida are staying healthy, which is why they are providing free mammograms this weekend.

A family’s plea to Florida lawmakers could help provide extra federal funding to support children’s hospitals.

The 2022 Special Olympics USA Games hosted at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex hosted 5,500 athletes from all 50 states.

A leukemia survivor has spent the last thirteen years cycling to recruit more donors ever since a transplant saved his life.

The fear of an injury can be paralyzing for professional athletes but treating any potential problem early can significantly impact their careers.

Experts and leaders with Heart of Florida United Way highlighted the struggles low-income families are going through due to the pandemic and recent inflation.

When a mother battling infertility felt her water break at 24 weeks, her son was given a 40% chance of survival and beat all the odds.

A teenage triplet, and sibling among eight children, bravely faced a surgery that could one day help her walk for the first time.

The Crews family called it a “lifelong battle” for their son Carter that all began in September of 2019.

The disease affects about 20,000 people in Orange, Seminole, Lake and Osceola counties, according to the Parkinson Association of Central Florida.

A sibling duo just received another prestigious award for their not-for-profit work connecting seniors in need of telehealth services.

This year's theme for Black History Month is a focus on the importance of health and wellness within African American communities.

Board certified pediatrician, author, podcast host and spokesperson for the American Academy of Pediatrics, Dr. Candice Jones cares for thousands of kids and parents in Central Florida.

A new documentary created by AdventHealth called “Plantwise” shares a Lake County woman's story with diabetes and how a plant-based diet helped her.

For over a decade, there’s been an easy and highly effective way to prevent HIV.

News 6 health reporter Kirstin O’Connor spoke with Dr. Monica Barreto, a child psychologist with Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children, about children’s mental health.

OneBlood in Central Florida launched a new tool to encourage more donors to make life saving donations amid a national shortage of accessible blood.

As holiday travel ramps up, doctors are urging people to get vaccinated.

A growing number of pediatric offices in Central Florida will soon be staffed with mental health professionals to combat the childhood mental health crisis.

For five years, essay contest winners have been sharing their stories about hearing loss with Dr. Kristen Weinbaum, of Precision Hearing in Clermont.

When the temperatures start to dip, it's a good reminder to get your flu shot.

Kids battling cancer across the globe have a new role model.

A Central Florida educational puppetry theater working on virtual solutions through the pandemic is celebrating 35 years of service to millions of children.

A Florida mom is taking her background in business to advocate for cancer patients.

Since the start of the pandemic, adults have spent, on average, more than 13 hours a day looking at some type of technology screen.

Students headed back to school in less than a month have several items on the health checklist to consider this summer.

Transgender celebrities like Caitlyn Jenner and Elliot Page have made headlines for their very public and transparent coming-out experiences.

Nearly five years after the mass shooting at Pulse nightclub, three of the largest blood centers in the country have launched a study to potentially allow gay and bisexual men to become donors more easily.

Pain in a teacher's hip was a symptom of lung cancer.

Former wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Most Valuable Player Santonio Holmes is urging people to help save the lives of African Americans battling sickle cell disease.

OVIEDO, Fla – A day at work turned into a trip to the hospital that left a 34-year-old cyclist in a medically induced coma. [TRENDING: Florida debuts new vaccine hotline | Merritt Island-bound plane found in ocean | Titusville man accused of killing mother]“I’m a cyclist. His day started like any other until, without warning, Cooper passed out at work. Inkrott and his team rushed Cooper to AdventHealth Orlando where he “coded” and was saved by an ECMO machine. “The message that we are getting here that Chris just mentioned is to not delay care,” Inkrott said.

During the pandemic, Hussain said patients suffering from COVID-19 have experienced heart attacks and inflammation of the heart muscles. While the full extent of long-term effects due to COVID-19 are unknown, Hussain said problems with the cardiovascular system are difficult to treat. “As a cardiologist, what we find is many times stress is what’s the problem, that’s what actually disrupts the vulnerable plaque in your heart,” Hussain said. Get the COVID-19 vaccine if you can and, while you wait for a vaccine, wear a mask. “One of the messages that you should give your viewers is that, take COVID very seriously, it can give you long-lasting effects,” Hussain said.

Twice a month, the couple creates up a pop-up farmers market in front of VFW Post 10139 in Chuluota. “Would you like some spinach?” Zielke asked one of the nearly 70 people who make their way to the fresh vegetable food bank. “That gave us an idea that we could go there and help them by purchasing some of the food they couldn’t sell,” Mike Zielke said. “It’s something we thought would be very short term,” Mike Zielke said. Friends suggested he stop by the Chuluota food bank.

ORLANDO, Fla. – The COVID-19 pandemic is leading to an increased concern by leaders working to combat another crisis: the opioid epidemic. Jaime Bridges, LCSW, is the Opioid Outreach Coordinator at Orlando Health, ORMC. [TRENDING: Here’s how to register for COVID-19 vaccine | Select Publix locations will offer vaccine | Fla. woman accused of screaming political profanities]Bridges said the current health crisis, with rising COVID-19 cases, has lead to more relapses in the patients she sees. Bridges said programs like the one she started with Orlando Health have had to adapt to meet the needs of patients in need of rehabilitation. Bridges’ program distributed over 200 Narcan kits to patients leaving ORMC after an overdose, along with resources to take home.

Christina Martin has been advocating for children and families with diabetes through her nonprofit the Type Zero Foundation since 2016. “You have to ask yourself if you’re going to let it define you, or if you’re going to now use it to make you stronger and make you better,” Martin said. “Diabetics and people that have a loved one with diabetes they’re trying to be extremely careful, with you know being exposed to COVID, because it could be deadly for people that have any form of diabetes,” Martin said. “One elf and their elf buddy are going to be making these surprise visits,” Martin said. Because of their success over the holidays, the Type Zero Foundation will be planning more socially distant visits for members in the future.

The contest was open to anyone in need of hearing aids or family members hoping to help their relatives battling hearing loss. Lopez entered the contest for her aunt, Marlene Arbelaez, who has been living with hearing loss for 18 years. After reading Angelica Lopez’s essay about her aunt’s need for hearing aids, Weinbaum said she could not have dreamed of a more deserving winner. Days before Christmas, Arbelaez and her sister visited Weinbaum’s office and were given a pair of $4,000 Phonak hearing aids. “I’m thankful to News 6 for getting the word out because she is absolutely the most amazing winner,” Weinbaum said.

This year the expression “home for the holidays” is actually about staying home for the holidays. Consumer Reports can help with ways to keep your loved ones warm and safe with fire pits, patio heaters, and more. And if you want even more flexibility, consider a patio heater. But never use a space heater outdoors with an extension cord, because that poses a fire risk, just as it would inside. The Comfort Zone CZ499R Space Heater for $55 performed well in Consumer Reports tests for spot-heating.

POINCIANA, Fla. – Dr. Daniel Snediker, with Poinciana Medical Center, has spent 15 years in emergency medicine and says his job has always presented new challenges. ”It never gets easier.”The coronavirus pandemic certainly threw Snediker and his colleagues another curveball. Snediker says Florida’s coronavirus situation appears to be just behind other states where the pandemic seems to be reaching new highs. Snediker said as the first shipments of the COVID-19 vaccine arrive, precautions still need to remain in place. According to the latest numbers from the Florida Department of Health, Florida has reported more than 1.12 million cases of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic.

“One way to fight COVID is equivalent to making a bad combustion design,” said UCF Assistant Professor in Mechanical and Aeropace Engineering, Michael Kinzel. Kinzel has conducted research with the university testing hypersonic vehicles in the rain, sprays for combustion and insulin pumps. A surprise finding, Kinzel said, was learning that people with a full set of teeth are more likely to spread germs. The most recent plan, according to the researchers, is the development of a small chocolate. “A chocolate that does exactly what the body does when we get sick, it makes our saliva thicker and reduces it,” Kinzel said.

CLERMONT, Fla. – As many people begin holiday shopping, a Central Florida doctor is giving away a priceless gift in an annual essay contest. Dr. Kristen Weinbaum is the owner of Precision Hearing in Clermont and has been serving patients with hearing loss since 2016. “I don’t know what perfect normal hearing is, although I do have normal hearing in my right ear, but I have trouble if people are behind those plexiglass barriers at stores,” Weinbaum said. She said the pandemic has caused an increase in patients seeking hearing help, especially with mask mandates. Those wishing to submit a personal essay should send it to Precision Hearing describing why they or someone they know would benefit from winning a pair of hearing aids but have been unable to obtain them due to financial difficulties.

Running an air purifier is a good idea to keep dust, smoke and other allergens at bay inside your home. But, if someone in your home is sick, can an air purifier help? Even then, an air purifier isn’t a cure-all. The 830-dollar air purifier from BlueAir is the best and fastest air purifier in CR’s particle reduction tests. This means that a particular air purifier can perform roughly five air exchanges per hour in its suggested room size.

As Election Day nears will crowds of voters mean a higher health risk of coronavirus? Dr. Timothy Laird, chief physician executive at Health First spoke to News 6 Health Reporter Kirstin O’Connor about the best practices for voting in person on election day. Below is their interview, edited for clarity:O’Connor: Should voters even be worried about going in person and voting on Election Day? Gloves have their own problems, they’re actually harder to sanitize when you take them off you risk contaminating yourself, so don’t worry about gloves. Dr. Laird: “That’ll help, I mean that’s the kind of barriers you’re seeing go up in grocery stores and other places, you’re right, voting systems have those anyway.

ORLANDO, Fla. – October is breast cancer awareness month, honoring survivors and warriors like this four time cancer survivor and mother in Central Florida. Terlisa Sheppard laughed and smiled as she talked about her nearly 20-year battle with metastatic breast cancer. She was given a mammogram at eight and a half months pregnant which confirmed she had stage three breast cancer. Sheppard said being diagnosed with a metastatic cancer comes with a completely different set of fears. We need more research, we’re going to keep dying at an alarming rate if we don’t get more research,” Sheppard said.

Here's your chance to get a free flu shot.

Doctors treating coronavirus patients have seen symptoms range from mild to severe, or in some cases completely asymptomatic. But what if there was a test to determine how sick a particular patient would get from the virus? Dr. Mehta, a pediatric gastroenterologist at Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children, is leading the team of researchers. So far tests from the data collected have isolated mild cases from those that are moderate or severe, just as predicted. Dr. Mehta said he hoped the test will be more available in six to nine months.

And sometimes they’re finding masks to be a bit annoying and uncomfortable. If you wear glasses or sunglasses that are constantly fogging up, a mask with a wire sewn in at the top is your best bet. Next, are you suffering from “mask acne?” When you wear a mask for a long period of time you sweat, which causes bacteria to build up. If you’re having trouble being understood while you’re wearing a mask, CR says it’s not really a matter of speaking louder. Just make sure you’re speaking slowly and clearly, and ask other mask wearers to do the same.

ORLANDO, Fla. – Patient-controlled robots are rolling through the hallways of a local hospital to encourage socialization. “Being stuck in a room can be just super isolating,” Chantelle Bennett, Child life manager at AdventHealth for Children said. Hospitals have had to make big changes during the coronavirus pandemic including keeping more patients in isolation and limiting family visitors. Since COVID, pretty much every patient, pediatric patient and familym is on isolation,” Bennett said. A grant from Champions for Children from AdventHealth Foundation Central Florida brought robots into the halls of AdventHealth for Children.

ORLANDO, Fla. – As the world waits for a coronavirus vaccine, doctors are urging everyone to get flu shots before influenza cases in the United States become widespread. Moorjani said typically pediatricians recommend getting the flu shot before Halloween, but because of the COVID-19 pandemic, many offices recommended the vaccines in September. Moorjani points to a common misconception about flu shots, saying some patients think simply getting the vaccine will give them the flu. Anyone 6 months or older can safely get a flu vaccine. “The world is waiting for a coronavirus vaccine, but we do have a flu vaccine right now that is safe and is the best protection for the flu,” Moorjani said.

ORLANDO, Fla. The pandemic is leading to changes for a local organization providing welfare and foster care to children in Central Florida. Throughout the Coronavirus pandemic doctors and trauma specialists have expressed concern about the potential for abuse by parents and guardians. Sherri Gonzales is the regional executive director for Childrens Home Society of Central Florida. Gonzales said the organization helps 10,000 children a year in Central Florida and helps with hundreds of adoptions. Like most essential services during the pandemic, their frontline workers have had to make some adjustments.

ORLANDO, Fla. A young woman from Central Florida with a tumor disease has been volunteering in a national clinical trial to help others born with the same rare condition. in February, father and race director Bill Brooks organized a charity run for hundreds of volunteers around Lake Eola. Now, thanks to a clinical trial Brooks daughter participated in, the first therapy for pediatric patients 2 years of age or older, has been approved by the FDA. "I'm like wow, that's a big thing, you know a parent's never going to have to hear that there's nothing they can do for their child again," Lilly Ann Brooks said. Lilly Ann is now a college student who has plans to return to Central Florida after graduation and pursue a career at Disney World.

ORLANDO, Fla. Stress has been building for weeks as the deadline approaches to decide how students will go back to school during the coronavirus pandemic. Amanda Reineck is a behavioral health coordinator for Embrace Families in Orange, Seminole and Osceola counties. Heres what they had to say about the back-to-school decisions and the conversations and feelings that surround them:Question: Does the stress that parents feel making the decisions about school impact kids? Question: Is it really safe to be sending kids back to school? For more tips and information about preparing your kids for the upcoming school year, visit ClickOrlando.com/backtoschool.

ORLANDO, Fla. The Ronald McDonald Houses of Central Florida will stay closed while cases of COVID-19 continue to rise in the state. [RELATED: Ronald McDonald temporarily closes Orlando houses due to COVID-19 cases]Families with children in the hospital have leaned on Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Florida for decades, each year about 2,700 families stay at the houses. During that time, Adkins said her family has been staying at a Ronald McDonald House, because their home is more than an hour drive from the hospital. According to a tweet from RMHCC, until there is a 14-day decline in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations the houses will not reopen. We have an important announcement about our organization and COVID-19.

ORLANDO, Fla. Urban farms on neighborhood street corners and rooftops have been a source for fresh produce during the coronavirus pandemic. The urban farms rely heavily on volunteers, which Friedline admits has been an extra challenge during the COVID-19 outbreak. Even with some limitations, the team and the support of Infinite Zion Farms, has provided truck beds full of fresh produce to charities that have been delivering to seniors in Orlando. "Oftentimes it's hard for the elderly to be able to get out during this time, or they just don't have the finances to be able to go out and get fresh produce," Friedline said. From collards to onions, okra, and lettuce, urban farms have become an essential resource for healthy foods.

ORLANDO, Fla. Ever walked around the City Beautiful and wondered how it stays so sparkling clean? Rondale Silcott said the answer is with the Clean Team. During the heat of a steamy June afternoon, members of the Clean Team suited up with backpacks full of disinfectant spray spread out along Orange Avenue. From parking meters to trash cans, sidewalks, and downtown businesses - the Clean Team doesn't miss an inch. He said his team has always worked hard to keep the city looking beautiful, but now with the coronavirus pandemic, the focus in on safety.

“I told my husband, we have the virus, we have COVID-19 I know it,” Karol Costa said. [CORONAVIRUS BRIEFING: Daily ClickOrlando.com newsletter delivered to your inbox]Costa, 32, and her husband, Gabriel Fernandez, 33, own Forever Young CrossFit in Orlando. Both of the fitness enthusiasts said their daily activities include working out at their gym, and chasing after their toddler, Martin. It came as a shock when all three members of the family contracted coronavirus in the second week of March. "The quarantine wasn't even in place when we actually got the virus," Costa said.

Hip replacement improves veteran's quality of lifePublished: February 24, 2020, 7:14 pmA local veteran says he's in much better condition after an Orlando Health surgeon replaced his hips and knees.

ORLANDO, Fla. – Have you ever waited in line and noticed the person in front of you was obviously ill? Orlando Health biorepository manager Todd Roberts had that experience about 10 years ago while waiting to sign in at a health clinic. The Orlando Health biorepository collects tissue specimens for researchers to study on a molecular level. After being chosen by the Orlando Health Foundry program in 2018, Roberts’ invention is ready to distribute. Schmidt said Orlando Health plans to roll out the CleanBlock across high-traffic areas including waiting rooms, registration and nurses stations.

The love of racing runs deep for father and son Bill and Alex Slupski. If you need help with the Public File, call 407-291-6000.

UCF harness system helping children with disabilities make stridesPublished: December 30, 2019, 5:59 pmA tool that resembles the tailgate tents you might find at a University of Central Florida football game is now changing the way children with limited mobility make strides.

WINTER GARDEN, Fla. – Doctors are prescribing some patients in Central Florida books during their annual wellness exams. "What we've found as pediatricians, that parents don't realize how early on they can start reading to their children," Dr. Genevieve McKinley said. McKinley said the doctors work with parents using a developmental milestone chart to help track their progress in the program. According to the program, parents can start reading to their babies as soon as they arrive home from the hospital. As children grow they will begin to recognize books using eye contact, pointing to pictures and orienting books right side up.

ORLANDO, Fla. – A 15-month-old from Central Florida is redefining what is possible for people born with spina bifida. Ava Lynn Grace Reyes is a toddler doctors consider “twice-born.” Her face was on billboards across the country for World Spina Bifida Day 2019. Her parents, Erika and Jorge Reyes, had experienced grief and difficult news in their journey to start a family for five years. Pediatric neurosurgeon Dr. Samer Elbabaa has performed the fetal surgery more than 70 times and operated on Reyes and her baby. "I don't want anyone to look at her like she's any different, I mean she's just a normal baby," Jorge Reyes said.

OVIEDO, Fla. – A pilot program to collect scents from select residents in Seminole County is helping to protect people prone to wandering. Local veteran Lucius Reeves was one of the first residents in Seminole County to be selected for the program. Hamilton is a detective with the elder crimes unit at the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office. In June 2019, the state legislature passed the “Bringing the Lost Home Project” bill into law and nominated Seminole County for a pilot program to serve people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, autism or dementia. Seminole County residents who are interested in the program can also email Hamilton directly: Rhamilton@seminolesheriff.org.

An Orlando girl with a rare form of cancer has found a bone marrow donor.