Snakes, Spiders and Health Myths: November Roundup

November was a month of myth-busting and uncovering the truth:

• Did you really see — or get bitten by — a brown recluse spider in Virginia? We talked to the Blue Ridge Poison Center about venomous spiders and treating bites.
• The Poison Center also told us about copperheads and the busy snakebite season. Even though we tend to be scared of snakes and spiders, you’re more likely to get sick from a tick bite.
• Teaching hospitals are all about money and experiments, right? Not at all. Susan Kirk, MD, tackled eight academic medical center health myths.
• Which cancer kills the most women? We’ll give you a hint — it’s not breast cancer. Get the facts about lung cancer in women.
• Speaking of lung cancer, it’s mostly a smoker’s disease, right? Actually, 10 to 20 percent of non-small cell lung cancers, which are more common, are in patients who never smoked. Learn more about different kinds of lung cancer.

We also talked to a couple of pediatricians:

• Jonathan Swanson, MD, the medical director for the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, answered our 7 Quick Questions.
• It’s that time of the year again. Do your kids need a flu shot? What about you? Pediatrician Ina Stephens discussed flu shots and kids.

And thanks to the participants in our voting challenge, we unveiled our new mobile mammography design.

The Health System In the News

We had a lot to be thankful for this November:

• Connor Woodle was born without thumbs, but now he’s able to use crayons and pick up a sippy cup. Bobby Chhabra, MD, co-founder of the Hand Center, operated on Connor’s hands and rotated his index finger to take the place of a thumb (Today.com).
• The annual Charlottesville Turkey Trot, a fun Thanksgiving tradition, helped raise money for our Children’s Hospital (NBC29).
• The Charlottesville Women’s Four Miler set a fundraising record — $375,000 for the Breast Care Center (The Cavalier Daily). Thank you to all who participated in these races!

Additionally, officials from Virginia and the Federal Communications Commission, including FCC commissioner Mignon Clyburn, met with the UVA Center for Telehealth. They discussed using broadband to connect with and treat patients in more rural parts of Virginia (NBC29).