& so much more

A stiff back and aching leg can look like a simple lower spine problem until the real culprit hides higher up. We share Diane’s journey from conservative care to targeted injections and, finally, two precisely timed surgeries that unlocked lasting relief. Along the way, our interventional pain specialist and neurosurgeon walk through how they think, starting with imaging and exam, testing hypothes...

What should a 30-acre, 537,000-square-foot hospital become after a century of care? We sit down with Centra’s Denise Woernle, urban planner Suzanne Schulz, and Lynchburg’s economic development director, Marjette Upshur, to map a community-first path for reimagining Virginia Baptist Hospital. The conversation unpacks adaptive reuse in plain terms: listen first, decide later. Together, we walk throu...

A stronger primary care relationship can be the difference between constant crisis and steady health. That’s the throughline of our conversation with Dr. Detwiler, the incoming Director of Osteopathic Medicine at the CMG Lynchburg Family Medicine Residency. Dr. Detwiler brings rural roots, 25 years of family practice and a clear mission, to train physicians who treat mind, body and spirit while de...

Healthcare has entered the digital chat, and Centra’s step into digital registration and online self-scheduling shows our dedication to patient care.  We sit down with Jen Halikman, our Vice President of IT Applications, to share how digital registration is rolling out now and how online self-scheduling lands in 2026. The focus is simple: give you control of check-in from your phone, reduce wait t...

What if the morning “I feel sick” isn’t a dodge but anxiety talking through the body? We invited two seasoned clinicians to unpack why elementary struggles often snowball in middle school, how neurological growth and puberty raise the stakes and what parents and educators can do to steady kids when the school day feels impossible. From the jump, we map the path from early reading gaps and executiv...

The school day doesn’t start at the first bell, it starts the night before, inside group chats where one message can snowball into a full day of distraction. We sat down with counselors from Lynchburg City Schools to unpack what kids are carrying into class: anxiety amplified by social media, conflicts that live on through phones and the quiet ways embarrassment and fear shape learning. Together,...

Most people are told to “try harder” while fighting a disease their biology is trying to keep. We sit down with bariatric surgeon Dr. Joshua Alley to cut through stigma and explain how modern metabolic care actually works: minimally invasive procedures, powerful new medications, and a full-circle support system that treats obesity as the chronic condition it is. The goal isn’t a number on a scale;...

The headlines are loud, the mailers are confusing and the clock is ticking. We’re making one thing simple: Centra will leave the Humana Medicare Advantage network on January 1, 2026, and you can protect your care by choosing the right plan during open enrollment. With our Chief Revenue Officer, Robert Boos, we walk through exactly who’s affected, how this differs from traditional “red, white, and...

A frightening diagnosis can steal the air from a room. Nicole’s story gives it back. From the shock of hearing “breast cancer” to the rhythm of surgery, sixteen chemo infusions and now the daily focus of radiation, she lets us into the real work of getting through it: making plans, asking for help and finding bright spots inside the hard days. As a mother of two and a community leader, she talks c...

A tumor that seemed to “smile” back in a flashlight’s glare set Jamie Day on a year-long path that tested his body, rewired his priorities, and strengthened every bond that mattered. From the first uneasy swallow after a film festival to the bell that marked the end of treatment, we walk through the raw, funny, and fiercely grateful choices that kept him moving: asking for all the blankets, blasti...

A routine mammogram set off a chain of decisions Erin Hagen never expected to make at 40. What the radiology report called DCIS felt both urgent and confusing, and the days that followed were a blur of consults, terminology and timelines. We sit down with Erin and Dr. Christina Canzoneri from Centra’s plastic and reconstructive surgery team to unpack how you move from a diagnosis to a plan you can...

Misinformation surrounds vaping, despite its growing presence in our everyday lives. These sleek, rechargeable devices deliver not just fruit-flavored satisfaction but a potent cocktail of nicotine (sometimes exceeding levels found in cigarettes) and numerous carcinogenic chemicals. The health implications are particularly alarming for younger users. Nicotine rewires developing brains, compromisin...

The journey of motherhood brings countless decisions, with feeding choices among the most significant. Rebecca Rose, an Internationally Board Certified Lactation Consultant at Virginia Baptist Hospital, guides us through the complexities and joys of breastfeeding during this illuminating conversation for National Breastfeeding Awareness Month. Rebecca's path to becoming a lactation consultant...

While surgical technology is not new to Centra, thanks to generous contribution from the Centra Foundation, the addition of our fifth DaVinci robot has opened doors for surgical care. Join us in the operating room with Jen Drudy, Vice President of Perioperative Services, for an exclusive look at our fifth DaVinci robot and hear how it is changing how healthcare is delivered in our community. What...

The transition from summer freedom to school structure affects every family differently. Whether you're celebrating the return to routine or mourning the end of family time, this critical period demands special attention to your child's physical, emotional, and social wellbeing. Dr. Travis Engel joins us to unpack the essential health considerations often overlooked during back-to-school...

"Your periods shouldn't be unbearably painful. Most women in their 50s will experience dryness. Muscle mass matters more than being thin." These are just some of the straightforward truths nurse midwife Claire McStacy shares in this comprehensive conversation about women's health through the decades. From establishing care in your twenties to navigating the changes of menopause...

Nurse Practitioner Cody Sliger reveals the hidden crisis in men's healthcare through both professional expertise and personal experience. Despite significant advances in medical science, men continue to suffer worse health outcomes than women, largely because they avoid seeking help until it's too late. The conversation dives deep into why this happens. Harvard research confirms that soc...

Carol Harvey's powerful journey from experienced nurse to breast cancer survivor offers a unique dual perspective that changes everything. Carol shares her unexpected triple-negative breast cancer diagnosis in September 2020 during the height of COVID restrictions when family couldn't accompany her to treatments. With 35 years of nursing experience and a role teaching future nurses at Li...

What happens when we focus on strengths instead of limitations? R'Kel Mosely takes us on an unforgettable journey through his experience with Project Search, a program that's transformed his outlook on life, work, and his own capabilities. From the moment R'Kel began sharing his story, his wisdom shines through. "Even if I can do it all myself, I can't do it alone," h...

Mental health needs have consistently topped community health assessments in our health system's area for years, reaching critical levels that demand immediate attention. Ismael Gama, Vice President of Centra's Psychiatry and Behavioral Health Service Line, shares how Centra is responding with a strategy that creates multiple pathways to care. The cornerstone of Centra's approach is...

Crystal Collette and Jennifer Watson Jamison share their journey to achieving Autism Commission on Quality accreditation for Centra's Applied Behavioral Analysis therapy program and explain how modern ABA helps children with autism through individualized, evidence-based approaches. What exactly is ABA therapy? As Jennifer explains, it's fundamentally "the science of learning" t...

What wisdom would you choose to leave behind for your children if you suddenly weren't there to guide them? After losing his wife Johanna to  breast cancer in August 2023, Daryl Calfee found himself confronting this profound question—leading him to write "Skip the Bull: Lessons from Your Dad After Your Mom Died." "Skip the Bull" emerged from Daryl's realization that t...

Dr. Travis Engel, Chair of Pediatrics, brings his expertise and compassion to a thoughtful discussion on the current measles situation affecting parts of the United States. With just under 500 cases nationally—concentrated primarily in West Texas and eastern New Mexico—he offers a balanced perspective on what families need to know without creating unnecessary alarm. Engel offers practical guidance...

When 26-year-old Cody Towler walked into an emergency room for an unrelated issue, he never expected to walk out with a stage four colorectal cancer diagnosis that would transform his life forever. Despite his prognosis, Cody radiates a remarkable resilience that defies medical expectations. After enduring eleven brutal rounds of chemotherapy, over twenty sessions of radiation, and receiving the d...

Join us as we explore how Centra is addressing critical healthcare shortages by engaging local students through innovative educational programs. Our guests share how local healthcare camps provide students with exposure to a multitude of career options in medicine. This episode unpacks the role of local healthcare educators who foster student connections with real-world experiences, building excit...