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.

Diane Hick's two sisters suffered from kidney failure before passing, and her doctor saw similar complications in her. She worried she would face a similar fate, but a kidney transplant through Saint Luke's changed the game.

Five years ago, 66-year-old Diane Hicks had a health scare that turned out to be a turning point for her entire life. She learned she needed to seriously consider a kidney transplant to improve her overall health and life expectancy.

In 2023, an emergency colonoscopy led to Michael's diagnosis of stage 3 cancer. Because of his experience, Michael Kathrens, 70, advocates for proactive health screenings and being an advocate for your own health.

Nellie Jo Gaston received a lifesaving surgery after an abnormal result from an at-home colon cancer screening test. After treatment at Saint Luke’s, she is cancer-free.

Weeks shy of the bar exam, the trajectory of Jackson’s life was rocked off course when he was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer. The 26-year-old’s diagnosis was an obstacle that he refused to let topple him.

Almost 30 years after his life-saving kidney transplant at Saint Luke's, Chris Paxton continues to express gratitude and raise awareness for organ donation through his participation in the Transplant Games of America.

Matthew Wilkinson, MD, a surgeon with Saint Luke’s kidney and liver transplant program, and Erica Sparks, a transplant coordinator with Saint Luke's, discuss the transplant process and importance of organ donation.

Anthony Weatherspoon, who received lifesaving heart and kidney transplants, is grateful for the gift of life this April.