News

Janette Platter is the community chaplain at Saint Luke’s Bishop Spencer Place, a vibrant senior living community just steps from the Country Club Plaza. But in early 2025, she was just another mom seeking the very best care for her child. Fortunately, she knew it wasn’t too far away.

Kirsti Millar, a 35-year-old of Kansas City, was 23 weeks pregnant with her second child in early 2023 when her water suddenly broke. What should have been a season of joy and anticipation became a medical emergency.

Saint Luke's Rehabilitation Institute's newest staff member is making an immediate impact on patient care this year. Henli is a two-year old facility dog, highly trained to work in clinical settings alongside licensed therapists.

Two years after an intern presented on the clinical and emotional benefits of service animals, the Rehabilitation Institute is delighted to introduce the world to Henli, a highly trained dog with a knack for comfort and connection.

While chemotherapy, radiation, and surgeries are common for most cancer treatments, immunotherapy is continuing to allow some patients to forgo these often harsh and invasive methods altogether.

More than 10 years after his diagnosis, he’s helping other people with the same rare cancer to hold on to hope.