Health column: Memorial Regional Health’s annual Community Health Fair returns

Mark your calendars. Memorial Regional Health is hosting its annual Community Health Fair from 8-11 a.m. April 13. Discounted labs are available on April 5, 8 and 10 from 7-9 a.m. at the Outpatient Clinic Lab.

This event was established to promote community well-being and serves as a cornerstone in MRH’s commitment to promoting health equity, strengthening community ties and empowering individuals to take charge of their health journey. Additionally, the Health Fair is the time to pick up lab results, visit with a health care provider about those results, and explore community health care resources. These services help bridge gaps in health care access and ensure that individuals receive the care they need.

“The Health Fair is one way Memorial Regional Health supports access to health care and improve the quality of life for the communities we serve,” said Jennifer Riley, MRH CEO. “Throughout the years, we’ve received accounts of individuals whose early detection of critical health issues during the Health Fair allowed them to address the condition promptly, averting potential complications.”

What to expect on April 13

Health Screenings: Take advantage of free height, weight and blood pressure measurements. Medical personnel from MRH will be available to discuss lab results and address any medical concerns you may have, offering valuable insights and guidance to help you make informed health decisions.

Educational Resources: Explore a wealth of information and resources from various MRH departments, local businesses, and community vendors, including:

  • Vial for Life: displaying vital health details in your home in case of a medical emergency.
  • Population Health: supporting patients in addressing social needs that impact their physical and mental health and the complexities of substance use disorder.
  • Nutrition guidelines.
  • Health care services you and your family need, including a look MRH’s comprehensive sports medicine and orthopedic services.

Discounted Blood Tests: Plan ahead and schedule your blood draw at a discounted rate before the fair. Visit the MRH website for pricing details and information on available tests, including blood cell count, blood chemistry and Hemoglobin A1C. Discuss your results with an MRH representative on the day of the fair, ensuring you have a clear understanding of your health status.

Blood Draw Information

Where: Outpatient Clinic Lab, Memorial Regional Hospital, 750 Hospital Loop

When: April 5, 8 and 10 from 7-9 a.m.

Call 970-826-2290 to make an appointment (appointments not required, walk-ins welcome)

This year’s Community Health Fair promises to be an educational opportunity, offering invaluable insights, resources, and support to help you lead a healthier, happier life. Don’t miss out — mark your calendars and spread the word. For more information and to stay updated on event details, visit MemorialRegionalHealth.com/about-us/community-health-fair/.

Health column: Hospice Daffodils a sign of hope and spring

One of many myths about choosing hospice is that it means giving up hope. The reality is that in hospice, the hope for living each day to the fullest becomes the focus.

“Hospice is about the quality of life that exists in the process of dying,” said Jo Anne Grace, Spiritual Care and Bereavement Coordinator with Northwest Colorado Health’s hospice program. “When we have time to establish a network of support around a patient and family, we are able to encourage final wishes and pinpoint what that person wants to accomplish before they die. We have had patients who wanted to ride a horse one last time, to go fishing and to take one final ski run down the mountain. Hospice allows the patient to acknowledge death and really plan and deal with it, so that we can work with our community of Hospice staff and volunteers to make those wishes happen.”

While many believe that hospice is only for the last days of life, patients and families can receive Hospice for six months or longer. Research has shown that entering hospice earlier rather than later in the course of illness has many advantages for the patient and loved ones.

  • Better pain and symptom control. When hospice staff have more time to provide care for the patient, they can provide individualized management of pain and other symptoms offering as much relief and comfort as possible.
  • Improved quality of life. Hospice focuses on the wellbeing of the whole patient. There is greater opportunity to focus on what matters most in life, offering more quality time with loved ones.
  • Access to helpful medical supplies and equipment. A hospital bed, commode or wheelchair help caregivers cope with the increasing needs of their loved ones.
  • Fewer hospital and ICU admissions. Patients admitted to hospice earlier in the course of illness are much less likely to go to a hospital or ICU in a state of crisis. They are more likely to die at home surrounded by loved ones.
  • More days of life. Studies have shown that hospice patients live longer than those with a similar diagnosis who do not receive hospice.
  • Bereavement support for patient and family. Grief counseling for caregivers and patients allows them to work through emotional issues before death occurs and find peace in their final days. Support for families continues after the death of a loved one.

Northwest Colorado Health has provided comfort-oriented hospice in the Yampa Valley for nearly 30 years and has recently added new staff to meet the needs of hospice patients in our community. As a non-profit hospice provider, Northwest Colorado Health provides hospice to all residents who need it, regardless of their ability to pay. Although health insurance may cover hospice, expenses such as medications, equipment and bereavement support often exceed reimbursement. Donations and fundraising events, like Hospice Daffodils, help cover this gap.

“Our Daffodil fundraiser is such a beautiful reminder of hope and spring, and it always makes me so happy,” said Sally Habermehl, Director of Home Services for Northwest Colorado Health. “I am excited to share this event with the community, and with all our new Hospice staff members that have started working with us this spring.”

Hospice Daffodils can be purchased online now, or in-person on Monday. Daffodils will be available for purchase on Monday at various locations throughout the Yampa Valley, including City Market stores in Craig and Steamboat Springs, Hayden Mercantile, Bonfiglio Drug, The Clark Store and Steamboat Ace Hardware.

Delivery for online orders of five bunches or more will also take place on Monday. To learn more and purchase Hospice Daffodils, visit NorthwestColoradoHealth.org/daffodils or call 970-871-7609.

UCHealth: Relief for menopause symptoms through hormone therapy

The use of hormone replacement therapy for women in menopause has been a heated topic of debate for the past 20 years.

Women had been routinely prescribed estrogen and progestin — female hormones that dramatically decrease during menopause — in pill, patch or cream form to help offset its many symptoms.

That all changed about 20 years ago when the Women’s Health Initiative, initiated by the National Institutes of Health to look at the effects of hormone therapy, abruptly canceled the study when it found that some women taking both estrogen and progestin had an increased risk of breast cancer, heart attacks, strokes and blood clots.

In the aftermath of the study, hormone replacement therapy decreased by about 80% in the United States. And, despite new studies showing that the benefits for most women under age 60 outweigh any risks, many physicians and patients are still reluctant to prescribe and seek relief from hormone replacements.

Treatment without fear

That needs to change, said Dr. Jeff Chamberlain, an obstetrician and gynecologist at UCHealth Women’s Care Clinics in Craig and Steamboat Springs.

“I think there’s been a shift during the past 10 years,” he said. “There’s been a re-evaluating of the old studies. Patients are more aware of what’s available and less afraid, and they’re asking the right questions of their doctors to get the help they need and relief for their symptoms.”

Menopause symptoms can be numerous, varied and specific to each woman, and can affect all aspects of her life. While most people can rattle off the usual symptoms of hot flashes, night sweats and mood swings, other issues include depression, sleeplessness, anxiety, forgetfulness, weight gain and a host of other physical ailments such as vaginal dryness and pain during sex.

“It’s very nuanced and very different for every woman,” said Chamberlain.

Hormone replacement therapy can go beyond relieving menopause symptoms: Researchers believe that estrogen can help protect women against osteoporosis, or bone weakening, as they age, and new studies are looking into the important role that estrogen plays in protecting the brain from Alzheimer’s disease.

Chamberlain wants women to become better advocates for their health care during their menopause years, which includes the transition years leading up to it, called perimenopause, where women experience changes in their monthly menstruation cycle.

“As soon as a woman begins to experience some of these symptoms, she becomes a candidate for a host of various and possible treatment options that can bring relief,” he said. “There’s no reason to suffer the way that previous generations of women have.”

Very low risk for women in their 40s and 50s

New research and recommendations consider a women’s age, personal and family medical history, and symptoms when determining the best hormone replacement treatment plan. For instance, a non-smoking woman in her 40s or 50s with no history of heart or stroke issues has a very low risk of adverse effects from hormone replacement therapy.

Women on hormones over the age of 60 have a slightly higher risk for heart and stroke issues, studies show.

“Beyond 60 doesn’t mean that hormones are never appropriate. It’s just that physicians take a longer pause and discuss the potential pros and cons of hormones with their patient,” said Chamberlain. “It’s a ‘to-be-determined’ situation. At that age, injections, patches and oral medications might not be the ‘go-to’ treatment, and instead, topical creams may be more appropriate.”

Open and honest dialogue between women and their physicians is necessary. It can be a positive first step to eliminating the mystery and embarrassment from a stage of life that all women face that can affect many aspects of her physical, personal and professional life.

“These conversations are worth having,” said Chamberlain. “The vast majority of women will notice a difference when they receive hormone replacement therapy. More providers are better educated now about the new guidelines and about the risk-benefit scenarios for their patients. There are risks, but they are very small and balanced against massive benefits.”

“Women are very informed and active these days,” continued Chamberlain. “They don’t want to have their lifestyle hindered by menopause, and they want to enjoy the life they have built and curated here.”

Health Column: Memorial Regional is your community hospital

We may live in a small town, but Memorial Regional Health is a busy place. More than 500 people visit our Emergency Room each month, for instance. 

While they’re under our care, our patients receive all kinds of necessary diagnostics and treatment, ranging from doctor visits for a sore throat to physical therapy to MRI scans to orthopedic surgery — and so much more. 

We’re your community hospital. It’s a responsibility we take very seriously. 

“For a community of this size, we’re fortunate to have the services we do,” said Sarah Moore, emergency department manager and trauma program manager. “We have general surgery and anesthesia care available 24/7. We have hospitalist physicians and nurses taking care of our hospitalized patients around-the-clock. We have board-certified emergency medicine physicians, trained emergency room nurses and advanced life support EMS crews in-house 24 hours a day. We have a family medicine clinic with six primary-care providers along with full-service laboratory, respiratory, imaging, pharmacy and infusions departments.”

In addition to essential basic care, MRH offers a variety of specialty care. Some specialists, like cardiologists and oncologists, visit MRH each month to hold select clinic hours. Others, like a line-up of skilled orthopedic surgeons, perform surgeries here regularly. In addition, we have active programs with specialists in dermatology, pain management and more. 

“Our providers and staff are excellent, and we do many things very well,” said Sheli Steele, marketing and community relations director. “It’s our privilege to provide not only essential care but also a number of specialty services, and we’re always working to expand what we can accommodate here.” 

What about the helicopters? 

If you live within a mile or two of Memorial Regional Health, you’ve probably noticed medical helicopters flying in and out on a regular basis. Does this mean we are sending patients to other hospitals for the care they need? 

“All rural hospitals transfer patients out sometimes,” Moore said. “We have protocols in place for different types and degrees of illnesses and injuries. Sometimes this means transferring patients to a larger facility to receive the higher level of care they need. We always want to make sure patients get the best care possible so they can have the best outcome possible.” 

Acute cardiac and stroke care is one such example. Some of these patients may seem relatively stable, but dependent on the severity of the problem, it’s important for them to be cared for in a facility with specialists and the ability to complete procedures that may potentially be needed. This may include cardiologists, a cardiac catheterization lab and cardiothoracic surgery teams, or neurology teams in the case of strokes and brain bleeds.

Working in close coordination with EMS flight or ground crews, as well as care coordinators at other facilities, we may transfer patients via helicopter, fixed-wing aircraft, ambulance or private vehicle — depending on patient condition, weather, aircraft team availability and time considerations — to St. Mary’s in Grand Junction, Valley View in Glenwood Springs, Children’s Hospital in Aurora, hospitals on the Front Range, and sometimes University of Utah hospital in Salt Lake City. 

“Weather is a huge factor,” said Megan O’Toole, who was a flight nurse for three years but is now MRH’s Trauma Nurse Coordinator. “We’re fortunate to have both fixed-wing aircraft and rotor assets nearby, on call, but due to snowstorms and thunderstorms, they can’t always fly. In each unique case, we use the transfer resources that meet the patient’s needs the best.”

“Sometimes other hospitals are full,” Moore said. “Sometimes weather conditions in one or several locations are a problem, or the transfer crews are on another transport. Some health emergencies are really time sensitive. It can be like putting puzzle pieces together — getting the patient to the correct medical facility and care provider teams that are best for them at that moment.” 

Still, MRH cares for most patients locally. In 2023, out of 6,356 ER visits, just 265 patients were transferred to another facility for care. 

Of those, 66 were for acute mental health care. While we provide outpatient behavioral health services at MRH, we do not have an inpatient behavioral health unit. In addition to heart attacks and strokes, other common transfer reasons include burns, pelvic and rib fractures — especially for people over age 65, because broken ribs have a high mortality correlation in the elderly. 

“All of our treatments and transfer protocols are based off of evidence-based practices,” Moore said. “We’re always asking, ‘What is best for this patient? What is safest for the transfer crew?’ But we also work to try to keep patients locally when it’s safe to do so. This is their home, their families and friends are here, and that’s also extremely important.” 

Transfer protocols often start in the field with EMS. Paramedics and EMTs are trained to begin immediately assessing patients and communicating with MRH ER physicians and staff by radio. If a higher level of care is needed than can be provided at MRH, patients are often stabilized in our ER then transferred without delay — sometimes within minutes of arrival at MRH. 

“In some cases, MRH is the triage hub,” Moore said. “Our EMS and ER providers play the critical role of assessing and stabilizing patients, and it’s all well-orchestrated and speedy when it needs to be. I’ve seen our flight crews get here before a patient arrives by ambulance. It’s pretty amazing, actually.” 

Essential — and ancillary — care when you need it

So whether you need care we can provide at MRH, or you need help getting the care you need elsewhere, MRH is here for you. That’s what a community hospital does — make sure you get the care you need when and where you need it. 

“When community members come to MRH for care, whether they know it or not, they’re helping ensure that we continue to have a community hospital,” Steele said. “It’s because of our patients that we’re able to continue doing such a great job and providing so many essential and even ancillary services. The more care we provide, the more care providers we can have at MRH, including visiting specialists.”

“When I was a flight nurse, it made me realize how lucky we are in Craig,” O’Toole said. “I would fly to and from many different facilities throughout the region, and most of the rural hospitals had fewer providers and services than we do at MRH. It was an eye-opening experience.”

Northwest Colorado Health: Healthy smiles start with healthy habits for kids

Good oral health is important at any age, but especially for children. Developing good habits early in life and receiving preventative care will significantly improve their oral health into adulthood.

One of the most common chronic health problems in children is tooth decay, or cavities. Cavities can cause pain and infections that may lead to problems with eating, speaking, playing and learning. The good news is that cavities can be prevented with good oral health habits and preventative care.

There are simple steps parents can take to ensure their children’s smile starts healthy as an infant and stays healthy as they grow.

Preventing tooth decay

1. Children should have their first dental visit no later than one year of age. As soon as a baby has teeth, they can get cavities. Regular dental cleanings are important for preventing tooth decay.

2. Use fluoride toothpaste. Fluoride helps make teeth stronger and it doesn’t take much to clean kids’ teeth. For children ages 0-3, you only need toothpaste the size of a grain of rice, and for children 3 and older, a pea size amount of toothpaste.

3. Kids should brush for two minutes, twice a day. Flossing is important for kids too.

4. Eat healthy and avoid sugary food and beverages like soda and juice. Drinking fluoridated water can help protect teeth.

5. Never put your baby to bed with a bottle. Long exposure to drinks that contain sugar (including milk) can cause Baby Bottle Tooth Decay. First teeth help make sure adult teeth come in correctly, so following good oral health care for infants will impact their smile for decades to come.

Often, a barrier to kids receiving dental care is the need for parents to take off work or pull their kids out of school to get to an appointment. To make it easier for families to access dental care, Northwest Colorado Health offers dental appointments for kids on Fridays at the Boys and Girls Club in Craig through the School-Based Health mobile dental unit. Northwest Colorado Health recently received its brand new mobile dental unit, with upgraded equipment and more space for seeing patients.

This School-Based Health program is part of Northwest Colorado Health’s Community Health Center, and all kids have access to services, regardless of insurance status or ability to pay. Medicaid and private insurance is accepted, and patients without insurance have access to the Client Assistance Program to help keep costs affordable.

Dental appointments in the mobile clinic are with a registered dental hygienist and typically last 45 minutes. Dental screenings, exams, cleanings, sealants, fluoride treatments and x-rays are currently available in the mobile dental unit. Appointments are available the following days from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Boys and Girls Club this winter and spring: Feb. 23, March 1, March 22, March 29, April 12, April 26 and May 10.

Preventative dental care for kids is also available Monday-Friday at Northwest Colorado Health’s Community Health Centers and the Dental Clinics in Craig, Steamboat Springs and Oak Creek. Insurance, including Medicaid, is accepted and patients without insurance can pay for services on a sliding scale, making dental care more affordable and accessible for families.

Call 970-824-8000 to make an appointment for your child at the Community Health Center, or 970-870-4158 for the school-based mobile clinic. To learn more, visit northwestcoloradohealth.org.

UCHealth: Good pelvic health helps people of all ages

One of the biggest misconceptions about pelvic health is that it’s solely a topic for women.

On the contrary, health professionals want you to know that men and women of all ages can benefit from pelvic health physical therapy, as it is a conservative approach to treat a wide range of medical issues.

“We treat across the lifespan,” said Sara Peterson, a physical therapist at UCHealth SportsMed Clinic in Steamboat Springs. “It’s not just for women who are postpartum, although that is a common time frame for treatment. We also see many other patients, from pediatrics to geriatrics.”

For instance, younger children may be seen for bed wetting, while older patients may be seen for urinary incontinence.

“A lot of parents don’t realize that physical therapy can help with these problems,” said Peterson.

What is your pelvic floor?

Bed wetting, urinary incontinence and other maladies involving pelvic medical problems revolve around the functioning of the pelvic floor. The pelvic floor consists of muscles and tissues that support organs in the pelvic region, such as the bladder, bowels and for women, the uterus. This area is also important for core strength and sexual health and pleasure, Peterson said.

“If you are having issues with anything related to these areas, you might want to get your pelvic floor checked,” she said. “In some cases, we need a physician or OB-GYN to rule out an infection or other potential problem, and then pelvic physical therapy would be a logical next step.”

On a typical day, Peterson might treat a youngster for chronic constipation, a pregnant woman experiencing urinary leakage, a man who has undergone treatment for prostate cancer and is having some pain, and a mom who is postpartum and feeling pain during intercourse in addition to lower back issues.

“It’s important that people and providers know about pelvic physical therapy,” said Peterson. “In many instances, we have great outcomes with the patients we treat.”

Getting ready for pelvic physical therapy

When a patient arrives for a pelvic physical therapy session, Peterson said therapists will consider the patient’s pelvic floor muscles, posture, strength and range of motion, along with other issues that might be contributing to pain and dysfunction such as scar tissue, alignment of feet and legs, and breathing patterns. They also will check for any pain and tenderness.

Patients will be asked questions about their lifestyle, diet and bladder and bowel function, too.

During a pelvic physical therapy session

So what might occur during pelvic physical therapy? A patient could experience:

  • Manual, or hands-on, therapy, to improve bony alignment, tissue mobility and muscular performance.
  • Muscular retraining. “It’s about controlling your pelvic floor through a full range of motion while coordinating with other deep-core muscles,” said Peterson.
  • Biofeedback, where sensors are placed in certain pelvic areas and patients receive visual feedback on a computer monitor of the electrical activity in their pelvic floor muscles. This helps the patient understand what happens as they perform exercises. Peterson said it’s a painless process that can be very helpful to show patients how well they are doing the exercises.
  • Assistance with behavioral and lifestyle issues so patients understand how their daily routine affects their treatment.
  • Dry needling, from a specially trained physical therapist who uses a thin needle to reduce muscle tension, relieve pain and restore function.
  • Education, to better help a patient understand how physical therapy can bolster their pelvic floor treatment plan.

“Just because a patient has been in pain or had pelvic issues going on for a long time, doesn’t mean physical therapy can’t address it,” Peterson said. “In many cases we can treat it and make good progress.”

Community Health Fair coming soon

Memorial Regional Health’s annual Community Health Fair will be held from 8-11 a.m. on Saturday, April 13.

Registered fair attendees can have their medical labs completed at a greatly reduced cost, and discuss their results with a medical professional.

Attendees will need to have their blood drawn prior to the fair.

Blood draw opportunities will be available to the public from 7-9 a.m. on April 5, 8 and 10 at the hospital’s Outpatient Clinic Lab, 750 Hospital Loop. Appointments for the blood draw are recommended but not required. Call 970-826-2290 to make an appointment.

On the day of the fair, medical personnel will be available to review lab results. Attendees can also receive free height, weight and blood pressure measurements, as well as visit with a variety of vendors to learn about living wills, advance directives, nutrition information, insurance plan comprehension, medical financial assistance and more.

To register for the health fair or to find out more about available tests and costs, visit Memorial Regional Health.

Northwest Colorado Health: What to know for a healthier heart

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. One in five deaths is due to heart disease, even though the disease is largely preventable.

Keeping your heart healthy starts with living a heart-healthy lifestyle. But first, you need to get smart about your heart. Knowing what causes heart disease, what puts you at risk for it, and how you can reduce those risks can help you make informed decisions to protect your heart and keep it strong. Below are some tips for a healthier heart.

  • Get active: Regular physical activity while maintaining your appropriate weight is essential for reducing your risk for heart disease.
  • Don’t smoke: Cigarette smoking is the single most preventable cause of death and disability. Almost 50 million people continue to smoke.
  • Eat healthy: Make healthy food choices. Increase fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products.
  • Control blood pressure: Frequently check blood pressure; try to keep numbers below 120/80. If your numbers are higher, decrease your sodium intake and increase exercise.
  • Control cholesterol: Check your numbers. We strive for a total cholesterol of less than 200. If you see your numbers elevated, check with your Primary Care Provider, and watch your intake of full fat dairy, saturated fats, red meats and processed foods. Be sure to increase physical activity.
  • Dental hygiene: Brushing your teeth twice a day for at least two minutes can help lower the risk for heart disease.

Making lifestyle changes can be daunting. A great place to start is to learn your numbers — BMI, blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose. Northwest Colorado Health offers free screenings to help clients gauge their heart health and risk for cardiovascular disease and diabetes. These are open to anyone in the community, including businesses.

Based on the results, community members will receive lifestyle recommendations and resources to help prevent heart attack, stroke and diabetes. Clients can continue meeting with Community Health Educators to create a personalized plan to meet health goals such as incorporating movement into everyday life and learning about healthier food options. The goal is to help clients integrate one small habit at a time that is sustainable, knowing that small changes over a lifetime add up to improve health.

It’s also important to know the signs of a heart attack — which can differ between men and women. Common heart attack warning signs include pain or discomfort in the chest, lightheadedness, nausea or vomiting, jaw, neck or back pain, discomfort or pain in arm or shoulder and shortness of breath.

As with men, women’s most common heart attack symptom is chest pain or discomfort, but women may experience other symptoms that are typically less associated with heart attack, such as shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting, and back or jaw pain. If you experience any of these symptoms, do not hesitate to call 911 even if you aren’t sure it’s a heart attack.

Take the first step towards a healthier heart — make an appointment for a free cardiovascular screening and get to know your numbers. To make an appointment for a free screening, or to inquire about offering free screenings to employees at your business, call 970-871-7692 in Craig or 970-871-7694 in Steamboat Springs. Learn more at NorthwestColoradohealth.org.

Possibility of wildlife-to-human crossover heightens concern about chronic wasting disease

Each fall, millions of hunters across North America make their way into forests and grasslands to kill deer. Over the winter, people chow down on the venison steaks, sausage and burgers made from the animals.

These hunters, however, are not just on the front lines of an American tradition. Infectious disease researchers say they are also on the front lines of what could be a serious threat to public health: chronic wasting disease.

The neurological disease, which is contagious, rapidly spreading, and always fatal, is caused by misfolded proteins called prions. It currently is known to infect only members of the cervid family — elk, deer, reindeer, caribou and moose.

Animal disease scientists are alarmed about the rapid spread of CWD in deer. Recent research shows that the barrier to a spillover into humans is less formidable than previously believed and that the prions causing the disease may be evolving to become more able to infect humans.

A response to the threat is ramping up. In 2023, a coalition of researchers began “working on a major initiative, bringing together 68 different global experts on various aspects of CWD to really look at what are the challenges ahead should we see a spillover into humans and food production,” said Michael Osterholm, an expert in infectious disease at the University of Minnesota and a leading authority on CWD.

“The bottom-line message is we are quite unprepared,” Osterholm said. “If we saw a spillover right now, we would be in free fall. There are no contingency plans for what to do or how to follow up.”

The team of experts is planning for a potential outbreak, focusing on public health surveillance, lab capacity, prion disease diagnostics, surveillance of livestock and wildlife, risk communication, and education and outreach.

Despite the concern, tens of thousands of infected animals have been eaten by people in recent years, yet there have been no known human cases of the disease.

Many hunters have wrestled with how seriously to take the threat of CWD. “The predominant opinion I encounter is that no human being has gotten this disease,” said Steve Rinella, a writer and the founder of MeatEater, a media and lifestyle company focused on hunting and cooking wild game.

They think, “I am not going to worry about it because it hasn’t jumped the species barrier,” Rinella said. “That would change dramatically if a hunter got CWD.”

Other prion diseases, such as bovine spongiform encephalopathy, also known as mad cow disease, and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, have affected humans. Mad cow claimed the lives of more than 200 people, mostly in the United Kingdom and France. Some experts believe Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s also may be caused by prions.

First discovered in Colorado in captive deer in 1967, CWD has since spread widely. It has been found in animals in at least 32 states, four Canadian provinces, and four other foreign countries. It was recently found for the first time in Yellowstone National Park.

Prions behave very differently than viruses and bacteria and are virtually impossible to eradicate. Matthew Dunfee, director of the Chronic Wasting Disease Alliance, said experts call it a “disease from outer space.”

Symptoms are gruesome. The brain deteriorates to a spongy consistency. Sometimes nicknamed “zombie deer disease,” the condition makes infected animals stumble, drool, and stare blankly before they die. There is no treatment or vaccine. And it is extremely difficult to eradicate, whether with disinfectants or with high heat — it even survives autoclaving, or medical sterilization.

Cooking doesn’t kill prions, said Osterholm. Unfortunately, he said, “cooking concentrates the prions. It makes it even more likely” people will consume them, he said.

Though CWD is not known to have passed to humans or domestic animals, experts are very concerned about both possibilities, which is why Osterholm’s group just received more than $1.5 million in funding to study. CWD can infect more parts of an animal’s body than other prion diseases like mad cow, which could make it more likely to spread to people who eat venison — if it can jump to humans.

Researchers estimate that between 7,000 and 15,000 infected animals are unknowingly consumed by hunter families annually, a number that increases every year as the disease spreads across the continent. While testing of wild game for CWD is available, it’s cumbersome and the tests are not widely used in many places.

A major problem with determining whether CWD has affected humans is that it has a long latency. People who consume prions may not contract the resulting disease until many years later — so, if someone fell sick, there might not be an apparent connection to having eaten deer.

Prions are extremely persistent in the environment. They can remain in the ground for many years and even be taken up by plants.

Because the most likely route for spillover is through people who eat venison, quick testing of deer and other cervid carcasses is where prevention is focused. Right now, a hunter may drive a deer to a check station and have a lymph node sample sent to a lab. It can be a week or more before results come in, so most hunters skip it.

Montana, for example, is famous for its deer hunting. CWD was first detected in the wild there in 2017 and now has spread across much of the state. Despite warnings and free testing, Montana wildlife officials have not seen much concern among hunters. “We have not seen a decrease in deer hunting because of this,” said Brian Wakeling, game management bureau chief for the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife & Parks. In 2022 Montana hunters killed nearly 88,000 deer. Just 5,941 samples were taken, and 253 of those tested positive.

Experts believe a rapid test would greatly increase the number of animals tested and help prevent spillover.

Because of the importance of deer to Indigenous people, several tribal nations in Minnesota are working with experts at the University of Minnesota to come up with ways to monitor and manage the disease. “The threat and potential for the spread of CWD on any of our three reservations has the ability to negatively impact Ojibwe culture and traditions of deer hunting providing venison for our membership,” said Doug McArthur, a tribal biologist for the White Earth Nation, in a statement announcing the program. (The other groups referenced are the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe and Red Lake Band of Chippewa.) “Tribes must be ready with a plan to manage and mitigate the effects of CWD … to ensure that the time-honored and culturally significant practice of harvesting deer is maintained for future generations.”

Peter Larsen is an assistant professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Minnesota and co-director of the Minnesota Center for Prion Research and Outreach. The center was formed to study numerous aspects of prions as part of the push to get ahead of possible spillover. “Our mission is to learn everything we can about not just CWD but other prionlike diseases, including Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease,” he said. “We are studying the biology and ecology” of the misfolded protein, he said. “How do prions move within the environment? How can we help mitigate risk and improve animal health and welfare?”

Part of that mission is new technology to make testing faster and easier. Researchers have developed a way for hunters to do their own testing, though it can take weeks for results. There’s hope for, within the next two years, a test that will reduce the wait time to three to four hours.

“With all the doom and gloom around CWD, we have real solutions that can help us fight this disease in new ways,” said Larsen. “There’s some optimism.”

During Heart Health Month, Vitalant reminds donors that health check an added benefit to helping others 

Editor’s note: This report has been updated to reflect that the next blood drive will be on Tuesday at the Moffat County Fairgrounds.

Vitalant urges all eligible blood donors to make an appointment and give blood in February after plummeting temperatures and harsh winter weather across the country caused blood drives to cancel and nearly 2,000 blood donations went uncollected in January.

February is also Heart Health Month. In addition to helping save lives, Vitalant donors receive a free mini-physical, checking the pulse, blood pressure and cholesterol level.

Blood donations are constantly needed to meet the ongoing needs of patients. Every two seconds, a patient in the U.S. needs a transfusion. Donors of all blood types are needed, especially those who have type O blood, the most needed blood type.

There is a regularly occurring community blood drive in Craig at the Pavilion at the Moffat County Fairgrounds. 

The next blood drive will be held from 12:30-6 p.m. Tuesday at the Pavillion at Moffat County Fairgrounds.

There are also drives at the Pavilion coming up in April, June and September. Visit donors.vitalant.org and search Blood Drive Code: 0183 to sign up. 

Donors through Feb. 10 who opt in to Donor Rewards will be entered to win one of 24 $500 gift cards. Donors between Feb. 11 and March 2 who opt into Donor Rewards will receive a $10 gift card of choice.