Duke Health
Flu Season During the COVID Pandemic: Why You Need a Flu Vaccine
With the flu season underway, it’s important to get a flu vaccination for protection while COVID-19 continues to spread. Your body typically takes up to two weeks to develop an immune response from a vaccine, so getting vaccinated is the safest way to prevent the flu.
Cochlear Implant Helps Woman Reclaim Independence, Security, and More
Natalie Williamson’s hearing loss affected many aspects of her life, leaving her vulnerable and lonely. She couldn’t hear her cell phone ring or her smoke alarm. She rarely left home because conversations with friends and family were too difficult. That all changed after she receive a cochlear implant at Duke Health in 2021. “Unless you’ve lost your hearing and then it’s given back to you, it’s difficult to understand how life-changing it is,” said Williamson, who is 58 and lives in Goldsboro, NC. Today, she’s grateful she can do things she couldn’t do before, like chatting with friends in a restaurant and listening to music. “Having that sense back is priceless.”
Duke Clinic Provides Development, Feeding Support to Children with Complex Heart Defects
After undergoing heart surgery, four-month-old Izabel Westmoreland-Liao struggled to eat, even with a supplemental feeding tube. Nothing her parents tried worked. After weeks of sleepless nights, Izabel’s mother, Kate Westmoreland, called Duke’s Pediatric Cardiac Neurodevelopmental Clinic (PCNC) -- a specialized follow-up program for children with congenital heart disease. Experts assessed Izabel and created a customized plan to get her back on track. Now Izabel is gaining weight, sleeping better at night, and meeting developmental milestones ahead of schedule. “They truly cared for Izabel and wanted her to thrive,” Westmoreland said. “She’s our happy baby again!”
