A HealthBeat Special Series

Impact

Spectrum Health offers world-class care with an unrivaled breadth and depth of clinical services.

Patient Story

‘They brought me back’

Following a brain cancer diagnosis, Polly Spence's family moved her from Florida to Michigan for surgery and rehabilitation.

Patient Story

When minutes matter

A partnership between two Michigan hospitals proved instrumental in saving a Traverse City man who suffered a stroke.

Patient Story

‘This changed us all’

A diagnosis of cancer—every parent’s nightmare. For the Hoffman family, it was a mountain to climb, but one they tackled with the help of everyday heroes.

Patient Story

On the move again

For two years, prolapse brought Coleen Venema to a near standstill—but then she found a doctor who could put things back together.

Patient Story

‘I get back much more than I give’

A cancer survivor finds new purpose.

Patient Story

The right place at the right time

When she went to a hockey game promoting stroke awareness, Nancy Weeks never imagined she would soon become a living example of early detection and treatment.

‘Anything you can do makes it a little better’

Two volunteers, 1,000 hours, lots of smiles. Add it up and you get nothing short of total joy.

Patient Story

Eric Wild’s wild ride

Martial arts practitioner who ‘died three times’ credits his medical team and the love of his life with saving his life.

Patient Story

‘We’re going to figure this out’

For Brenda Tuttle, unlocking the secret to her searing shoulder pain took persistence, an empathetic PA and a skilled neurosurgeon.

Patient Story

Coming full circle, from patient to physician

Doctors diagnosed Abigail Wenzlick with cancer as a toddler. Some 28 years later, she finds herself working as a medical resident alongside the physician who saved her.

Patient Story

‘The loss of that baby will always be with me’

A young family and a midwife bond through life and loss.

Patient Story

Getting unstuck

For a first-grader who stutters and has trouble using language to process the world around her, weekly speech therapy fosters breakthroughs.