The e-cigarette market has been on fire the past few years. With nearly 500 brands and 7,700 flavors of e-cigarettes on the market, according to the American Lung Association, these electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) are sparking renewed interest and debates around the use of tobacco products and the harmful effects of nicotine. “We feel that it is important to educate the community on the potential harms and risks of vaping,” said Angela Cochran, director of Chronic Disease Prevention & Control for St. Mary’s County Health Department. “As the research evolves we continue to gain more knowledge on how e-cigarette use affects our health.” In 2015, the Health Department created the VapeAware awareness campaign to help…

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Skin cancer doesn’t always look like trouble.  Though most of us would know to seek a medical opinion over a suspicious mole, other patches may not seem questionable at all. That’s why regular skin checks — through self-exams, as well as appointments with your family physician or dermatologist — are important. Basal cell carcinoma, the most common type of skin cancer, frequently looks like a flesh-colored, pearl-like bump, or raised reddish patch that might be itchy. They can also appear to be flat, firm, pale, or yellow areas, similar to a scar, or pink growths with raised edges. These can develop anywhere on the…

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The MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital Marketing, Public Relations & Philanthropy team, from left: Jeni Irwin, Rachel Lytle, Holly Meyer, Deborah Gross, Megan Johnson, Ruby Hawks, Jennifer Davis, and Sandy Ondrejcak. Leonardtown, Maryland – MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital’s Marketing, Public Relations & Philanthropy Department was recently honored with 10 awards from the Aster Awards Program and the Healthcare Marketing Report (HMR). The Aster Awards Program is an elite competition dedicated to recognizing excellence in medical marketing, while HMR is a publications group focused on marketing news and information from around the nation in the field of higher education and healthcare. Aster Awards…

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