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Another use for mammograms, Olympic Hall of Famers, and the doctors prescribing community
00:08:35
Today’s episode dives into the routine cancer screening test that can now assess heart disease risk as well. You’ll also learn about the newly inducted Team USA Hall of Famers, a unique way doctors are helping patients boost their well-being, and the couple who survived months stranded at sea back in 1972. This episode was hosted and produced by Case Kenny. Research and writing by Natalie Stone, Ally Mauch, Rebekah Brandes, and Stephanie Friedman. Music by Ryan Peitzke. For more good news, tune in to Nice News Today on Mondays and Fridays and subscribe to the daily Nice News newsletter at NiceNews.com.
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Case Kenny
Good morning. Welcome to Nice news today, your 10 minute roundup of the week's most positive News. It is July 18th and today I'm diving into the routine cancer screening that can now assess heart disease risk as well. I've also got the scoop on the newly inducted Olympic hall of Famers, the unique way doctors are helping patients boost their well being, and the couple who survived months stranded at sea. I'm your host, Case Kenny. Let's uncover some good together. What if doctors could detect breast cancer and assess heart disease risk all in one appointment? In a new report from ABC News, cardiologist Tara Narula explained how the New York based healthcare provider Northwell Health is using mammograms to help identify heart disease risk in and here's how they're doing it. When Northwell's doctors look at images of breast tissue from mammograms, they also check for tiny calcium deposits lining the arteries. These deposits, called breast arterial calcification, are typically harmless, but they can be red flags for cardiovascular disease. In one study, they were associated with a 51% increased risk of heart disease and stroke. But by identifying the deposits early, doctors can further evaluate patients risk for heart disease and help them take preventative steps like taking medication or making lifestyle changes before disease develops. Right now, checking for these calcium deposits isn't the nationwide standard, but Northwell Health is on a mission to change that. For now, Narila advises women to seek out institutions that do check for heart disease risk at mammograms and recommends checking with your doctor to see if any deposits were present at your last symptoms scan. Every class of athletes inducted into the U.S. olympic and Paralympic hall of Fame is extremely impressive, but this year's truly blew me away. Last Saturday, eight Olympic and Paralympic athletes were honored at a ceremony in Colorado Springs, including Drumroll please. The one and only Serena Williams. The 2025 hall of Fame class also includes two teams, one coach, two legends and one special contributor, Nike co founder Phil Knight. One of The Legends is 72 year old Anita de France. Ten years after winning a bronze medal for rowing at the 1976 Olympics, she became the fifth woman and first black woman to be elected to the International Olympic Committee. Congratulations to this amazing class of athletes on the well deserved honor, which was especially timely given that we also got a look at the first lineup for the 2028 Olympics week. Organizers of the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Games released a preliminary competition schedule and it features a bit of a twist from previous years. Track and field and swimming events are trading places with Track coming in week one and swimming in week two. So lots to look forward to. Next up, we have a new take on the concept of prescriptions. When you think of a doctor's prescription, you probably picture pills, creams and tonics. But some people are rethinking prescriptions prescriptions to also include other healing remedies like spending time in nature, socializing with loved ones and finding an exercise you enjoy. Take for example 76 year old Frank Frost. After discovering his childhood love of biking, his doctor prescribed him a 10 week cycling course. He told NPR that the course helped him lose £100 and manage his diabetes enough that he was able to go off of insulin injections. He also made friends through the class who he still bikes with right regularly. This kind of directive is called a social prescription and it involves a doctor prescribing a community activity shown to benefit physical and mental health. The activities, which can also include art, music and volunteering, are meant to go hand in hand with traditional medication, not replace it. Around 250 healthcare providers in the US have embraced this concept so far, but if your own doctor has yet to jump on board, you can head to Social Prescribing USA's website to find a participating provider near you. Those still figuring out their summer travel plans may want to consider a trip to one of these destinations. UNESCO just added 21 properties to its World Heritage List, which is a collection of landmarks that have special international protections thanks to cultural, historical or scientific significance. A few of these locations look straight out of a fairy tale, and they kind of are. In the mid-1800s, King Ludwig II built four grand palaces in Germany's Alps, Alps modeled after Versailles, as well as fairy tales from the time, and one was even the inspiration for the Castle and Disney's Sleeping Beauty. The new additions also include the so called French Stonehenge, which features more than 10,000 stones and is the largest gathering of prehistoric stone monuments in the world. And in Brazil, the Cavernas de Paruachu boasts horizontal cave systems and stunning limestone arches. I only wish I had time personally to explore all of these incredible spots. If you like to listen to music when you run, but also like socializing, I have a club for you. A Chicago organization called Album Runs asks a group of runners, walkers and bikers to listen to the same album with headphones while they exercise. Afterward, the whole crew sits down to discuss the songs together, and sometimes members of the band they just listened to join in once in a while. The group also gets early access to albums. Album runs started by Chicago based runner Maurizio Reyes two years ago meets once a month to work out and listen to everything from indie rock to tropical psychedelic sounds. Yes, that's a thing. What was at first a seven member group has expanded to nearly 50, and Ray says that people come out for all different kinds of reasons. Some are curious about their music, others just want to meet new people. Album runs may be one of a kind, but if the concept inspires you and you don't happen to be in Chicago, maybe, maybe consider getting something similar started in your own neighborhood. What three items would you bring to a deserted island? That's a fun game we often play, but rarely does it dive further into the realities of what it would look like to actually be stranded at sea. In her new book, A Marriage at Sea, journalist Sophie Elmhurst did just that, documenting a married couple who survived 117 days in the ocean after their boat sank. Spoiler alert. Their items on hand included water, canned food, and a biography of King Richard iii. That couple, Maurice and Marilyn Bailey, are today's inspiring humans. Their story began in England in 1972 when Maurice and Marilyn sold their house to buy a boat and sail it to New Zealand. Nine months later, a whale collided with their vessel and it sank, leaving the pair stranded on a raft. Elmhurst's book dives into their journey back to shore and the astonishing lengths the coup went to to survive. They suffered from sunburns, infection, fungal conditions and dehydration, among other issues. But perhaps shockingly, their marriage survived as much as they did. This book also shines light on the importance of Marilyn's knowledge of traditional feminine tasks like cleaning wounds, preparing food and making the raft feel like a home in helping them to endure both physically and mentally. Overall, it's an epic story of love and survival. Inspiring for sure. And that's it for today's episode. If you loved these stories, please consider giving us a follow on Apple, Spotify and YouTube Music and sharing this episode with a friend. If you want more good news, visit nicenews.com to sign up for our free daily newsletter. Until next time, keep spreading your light and remember, there's more than enough good out there to go around. Have a great day.