Lee County Supervisor of Elections to mail sample ballotsThe Weather Authority: More rain and storms this Thursday afternoon and evening
Lee County Supervisor of Elections to mail sample ballots The Lee County Supervisor of Elections will soon begin sending out mail sample ballots for the upcoming 2024 election.
The Weather Authority The Weather Authority: More rain and storms this Thursday afternoon and evening The Weather Authority is tracking more rain and storms this Thursday, possibly heavily impacting some areas this afternoon.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers CRA discusses downtown expansion On Wednesday, the Fort Myers Community Redevelopment Agency discussed an expansion of the area they oversee.
PUNTA GORDA Punta Gorda couple salvages what’s left after dramatic rescue A Punta Gorda couple is awaiting FEMA assistance after dealing with damage from Helene.
BOCA GRANDE Rebuilding after Hurricane Helene and avoiding contractor pitfalls Neighbors across Southwest Florida and beyond are picking up the pieces and assessing the damage left by Hurricane Helene.
PORT CHARLOTTE Areas of Port Charlotte flooded due to heavy rain Some areas of Port Charlotte are underwater after heavy rain Wednesday evening.
PINE ISLAND The Greater Pine Island Alliance is seeking volunteers to help recovery efforts The Greater Pine Island Alliance is looking for volunteers, and age or skill set does not matter; if you want to help, they have a job for you.
FORT MYERS Whiskey Creek residents frustrated by worsened flooding Whiskey Creek residents do not know why flooding has worsened, but they said they want something done about it.
BONITA SPRINGS Bonita Springs firefighters rescue a bulldog in Helene’s aftermath In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Bonita Springs Fire Station 27 received a guest: a sweet little bulldog.
FGCU professor speaks on port worker strike 45,000 port workers on the East and Gulf Coasts are officially on strike as of Wednesday after their labor contract with the U.S. Maritime Alliance expired.
CAPE CORAL Oasis head football coach leading the Sharks after 22 years with Cape Coral Police Oasis High School head football coach Brice Bearman in his first season after retiring from the Cape Coral Police Department after 22 years.
NAPLES Naples City Council votes to repair Naples Pier Though Helene did cause further damage to the Naples Pier, the city manager said it would not get in the way of its reconstruction.
Florida voter registration deadline upcoming Monday, Oct. 7, is the deadline to register to vote in November’s general election.
FORT MYERS BEACH The future of Church of the Ascension after Helene One of the hardest hit churches by Hurricane Ian is on Fort Myers Beach. Church of the Ascension got more water from Helene, but there wasn’t much left to damage.
HARLEM HEIGHTS How were Harlem Heights residents affected by Helene? A community filled with water nearly two years ago is dry two years later, even after the storm surge of Helene, and now residents told us why.
Lee County Supervisor of Elections to mail sample ballots The Lee County Supervisor of Elections will soon begin sending out mail sample ballots for the upcoming 2024 election.
The Weather Authority The Weather Authority: More rain and storms this Thursday afternoon and evening The Weather Authority is tracking more rain and storms this Thursday, possibly heavily impacting some areas this afternoon.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers CRA discusses downtown expansion On Wednesday, the Fort Myers Community Redevelopment Agency discussed an expansion of the area they oversee.
PUNTA GORDA Punta Gorda couple salvages what’s left after dramatic rescue A Punta Gorda couple is awaiting FEMA assistance after dealing with damage from Helene.
BOCA GRANDE Rebuilding after Hurricane Helene and avoiding contractor pitfalls Neighbors across Southwest Florida and beyond are picking up the pieces and assessing the damage left by Hurricane Helene.
PORT CHARLOTTE Areas of Port Charlotte flooded due to heavy rain Some areas of Port Charlotte are underwater after heavy rain Wednesday evening.
PINE ISLAND The Greater Pine Island Alliance is seeking volunteers to help recovery efforts The Greater Pine Island Alliance is looking for volunteers, and age or skill set does not matter; if you want to help, they have a job for you.
FORT MYERS Whiskey Creek residents frustrated by worsened flooding Whiskey Creek residents do not know why flooding has worsened, but they said they want something done about it.
BONITA SPRINGS Bonita Springs firefighters rescue a bulldog in Helene’s aftermath In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Bonita Springs Fire Station 27 received a guest: a sweet little bulldog.
FGCU professor speaks on port worker strike 45,000 port workers on the East and Gulf Coasts are officially on strike as of Wednesday after their labor contract with the U.S. Maritime Alliance expired.
CAPE CORAL Oasis head football coach leading the Sharks after 22 years with Cape Coral Police Oasis High School head football coach Brice Bearman in his first season after retiring from the Cape Coral Police Department after 22 years.
NAPLES Naples City Council votes to repair Naples Pier Though Helene did cause further damage to the Naples Pier, the city manager said it would not get in the way of its reconstruction.
Florida voter registration deadline upcoming Monday, Oct. 7, is the deadline to register to vote in November’s general election.
FORT MYERS BEACH The future of Church of the Ascension after Helene One of the hardest hit churches by Hurricane Ian is on Fort Myers Beach. Church of the Ascension got more water from Helene, but there wasn’t much left to damage.
HARLEM HEIGHTS How were Harlem Heights residents affected by Helene? A community filled with water nearly two years ago is dry two years later, even after the storm surge of Helene, and now residents told us why.
Outside the cancer treatment center at Lee Health. (Credit: WINK News/Channing Frampton) A cancer diagnosis can ruin a patient’s finances. For those who can not afford the treatment, the medical expenses could become a death sentence. Lexa Donnelly, a mother of five, lives with Stage 4 breast cancer. “We essentially had an atomic bomb dropped on us,” Donnelly said. That bomb she is referring to is the cost of treatment. “We are trapped by our co-pays and our deductible,” she added. Thankfully for Donnelly and 46 other patients in Southwest Florida, the Sharon MacDonald Breast Health Fund pays for the treatment. “It has kept me in treatment,” Donnelly said, “because I stopped treatment due to those costs.” Tammy Zinn is a nurse with Lee Health. The Sharon MacDonald Breast Health Fund, which is affiliated with the Lee Health Foundation, also helps patients find the assistance they need. Zinn told WINK News the fund pays for all of their life-saving cancer treatment. Since the Sharon MacDonald Breast Health Fund was established in 2017, donors have contributed more than $290,000 for treatments. The hospital determines who gets financial assistance with an application process that is based on your income. For those patients that do receive help with their treatment, the money is well received as the cost of breast cancer nationwide was over $16 billion in 2010 and is expected to be more than $20 billion by next year, according to research published by the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Keeping patients in treatment is key to beating the disease. Without it, Radiation Oncologist Dr. Kristina Mirabeau-Beale warns, “patients fall through the cracks, and some cancers can grow pretty rapidly.” However, the donations allocated by the fund are not just saving the patients’ lives. It allows patients like Donnelly to continue caring for their children. “It meant food on the table for my family,” Donnelly said. “It is an absolute gift from the heart.”