The sky is no longer the limit for Donyelle Carmody. Nine months after having gastric bypass surgery at South Shore Health, the Rockland resident checked a lofty goal off her bucket list: skydiving. Before the surgery, this high-flying adventure and other life experiences, wouldn’t have been possible.

Also known as alpha-gal allergy or red meat allergy, alpha-gal syndrome is on the rise in Massachusetts, particularly on Cape Cod, Nantucket, and Martha’s Vineyard, where lone star ticks have expanded and become established.

Nine months after suffering a near-fatal heart attack while on safari in South Africa, Jane Goff is thriving and traveling again thanks to South Shore Health’s Cardiac Rehabilitation program. Jane shares the story of her harrowing medical emergency and remarkable comeback.