January is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month, a good time to shine a light on the disease and the importance of regular screening in its prevention. While once the most common cause of cancer death for women, cervical cancer death rates have decreased significantly with greater use of the Pap test, which can find changes in the cervix before cancer develops or detect it early when it is easier to treat.

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.