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Medicine Cabinets Need Spring Cleaning, Too

 We all do it: we let over-the-counter (OTC) medicines like pain relievers for a headache, allergy medicine or cough and cold products pileup in our bathrooms. Especially over the past few years, you may have let medications linger in the house past their expiration dates. But old and unneeded medication should be disposed of safely, and springtime is the perfect time to get it done.Proper medicine disposal keeps our homes and communities safe and our environment clean, according to the Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA), the national trade association representing manufacturers of OTC medicines."Medication safety is everyone’s responsibility, and proper medication disposal is an important part of medication safety," says Anita Brikman, Executive Director of the CHPA Educational Foundation, which is a 501c3 organization focused on promoting the safe use, storage and disposal of OTC medicines and dietary supplements to consumers. "How you dispose of unwanted,

A One-of-a-Kind Lifeline: A First Responder’s Kidney Health Journey

Like the more than 25 million first responders in the United States, Jeff Cooper, a former deputy in the Broward County Polygraph Unit, took an oath to protect and serve his community. However, like many first responders, Cooper’s promise did not necessarily extend to himself — until a worsening medical condition forced him to focus on his health.Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) affects more than seven million people worldwide, and in 1975 Cooper became one of those impacted by the disease. His PKD diagnosis, a hereditary condition, took him on a journey that would not only give him access to an innovative new technology, but would also allow him to experience remarkable camaraderie that would eventually stretch beyond the oath to protect and serve.A Lifeline for Patients with End-Stage Renal DiseasePKD is a genetic disorder that causes cysts to develop on the kidneys — making them enlarge and lose function. This hereditary condition can lead to the final stage of chronic kidney disease