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.

While the mortality rate for breast cancer in the U.S. has significantly declined from its peak in 1989, incidence among younger women has steadily increased each year since 2001, according to the American Cancer Society.

To combat rising maternal mortality, researchers at Saint Luke's Mid America Heart Institute and UMKC are leading a first of its kind study to create better care for moms with heart conditions during pregnancy.

According to the National Cancer Institute, about 40% of women have dense breast tissue, which makes it more difficult to find breast cancer early.

The four-year observational study will research U.S. pregnant people with cardiovascular disease to better understand and combat maternal mortality and morbidity.

Dr. Mary Mitchell, chief of breast radiology at Saint Luke's, talks to KSHB about what dense breast tissue is and how it impacts your risk of developing breast cancer.

We are talking with Marji Stark, lactation consultant at Saint Luke’s East Hospital, about the breastfeeding journey for mothers who have prematurely given birth to their babies.

Dr. Tim Pluard, medical director of Saint Luke’s Koontz Center for Advanced Breast Cancer and of Saint Luke’s Cancer Institute, talks about innovative treatment options for breast cancer and clinical trials offered at Saint Luke’s.

We’re talking about how younger women and men can monitor for breast cancer and recent updates in screening guidelines.