FORT MYERS Man accused of stealing Twisted Tea from Fort Myers gas station Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers is seeking information on a man accused of stealing a 12-pack of Twisted Tea from a Fort Myers gas station.
Small-town LaBelle lands big-name franchise Culver’s That small-town feel continues for Culver’s, which just opened its first location in Hendry County’s LaBelle, a city that recently eclipsed 5,000 residents and is skyrocketing in growth.
Collier County Sheriff’s Office warns of voicemail scam The Collier County Sheriff’s Office is warning of a scam in which a fraudster leaves a voicemail advising their intended victim to contact a specific person at the sheriff’s office.
port charlotte Charlotte County opens cold weather shelter for the homeless The Charlotte CARE Center has opened its doors to displaced people needing shelter from the cold temperatures.
MARCO ISLAND Marco Island City Council seeks applicants for official positions Marco Island City Council is recruiting qualified residents to fill Advisory Committee or Board positions.
BOKEELIA Man wanted in armed robbery at Bokeelia business Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers is seeking information on a man wanted for an armed robbery at a Bokeelia business.
Death investigation underway at Nasturtium Drive in Charlotte County The Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office is conducting a death investigation at Nasturtium Drive in a neighborhood just south of Punta Gorda.
cape coral Social media influencer arrested again for theft at same Cape Coral Target The Cape Coral Police Department has arrested a woman accused of stealing $225 worth of items from a Target on Pine Island Road.
BONITA SPRINGS Miracle Moment: Beads of courage honor girl’s cancer fight A teenager from Bonita Springs High School experienced bone pain and bruises that was later diagnosed as leukemia.
naples Gulfshore Life honoree is a keystone architect in the Naples community Matthew Kragh, the founder of MHK Architecture, is responsible for several notable landmarks in the Naples community.
FORT MYERS BEACH More discussions happening for future of Red Coconut RV on Fort Myers Beach The Red Coconut RV park on Fort Myers Beach could turn into luxury condos. Seagate Development plans to build 137 condos with beachfront views.
the weather authority Cool and breezy for your Monday afternoon The Weather Authority is tracking a cold Monday with breezier conditions expected throughout the afternoon.
St. Matthew’s House opens shelters amid colder temperature drop Due to the colder temperature in Florida, St. Matthew’s House has opened its emergency shelters for those who need a reprieve from the chilly weather.
NAPLES Naples Zoo throws event for Golisano Children’s Hospital The Naples Zoo closed its doors to the public early Sunday and reopened only for a special group of children and their families.
FORT MYERS Man accused of stealing Twisted Tea from Fort Myers gas station Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers is seeking information on a man accused of stealing a 12-pack of Twisted Tea from a Fort Myers gas station.
Small-town LaBelle lands big-name franchise Culver’s That small-town feel continues for Culver’s, which just opened its first location in Hendry County’s LaBelle, a city that recently eclipsed 5,000 residents and is skyrocketing in growth.
Collier County Sheriff’s Office warns of voicemail scam The Collier County Sheriff’s Office is warning of a scam in which a fraudster leaves a voicemail advising their intended victim to contact a specific person at the sheriff’s office.
port charlotte Charlotte County opens cold weather shelter for the homeless The Charlotte CARE Center has opened its doors to displaced people needing shelter from the cold temperatures.
MARCO ISLAND Marco Island City Council seeks applicants for official positions Marco Island City Council is recruiting qualified residents to fill Advisory Committee or Board positions.
BOKEELIA Man wanted in armed robbery at Bokeelia business Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers is seeking information on a man wanted for an armed robbery at a Bokeelia business.
Death investigation underway at Nasturtium Drive in Charlotte County The Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office is conducting a death investigation at Nasturtium Drive in a neighborhood just south of Punta Gorda.
cape coral Social media influencer arrested again for theft at same Cape Coral Target The Cape Coral Police Department has arrested a woman accused of stealing $225 worth of items from a Target on Pine Island Road.
BONITA SPRINGS Miracle Moment: Beads of courage honor girl’s cancer fight A teenager from Bonita Springs High School experienced bone pain and bruises that was later diagnosed as leukemia.
naples Gulfshore Life honoree is a keystone architect in the Naples community Matthew Kragh, the founder of MHK Architecture, is responsible for several notable landmarks in the Naples community.
FORT MYERS BEACH More discussions happening for future of Red Coconut RV on Fort Myers Beach The Red Coconut RV park on Fort Myers Beach could turn into luxury condos. Seagate Development plans to build 137 condos with beachfront views.
the weather authority Cool and breezy for your Monday afternoon The Weather Authority is tracking a cold Monday with breezier conditions expected throughout the afternoon.
St. Matthew’s House opens shelters amid colder temperature drop Due to the colder temperature in Florida, St. Matthew’s House has opened its emergency shelters for those who need a reprieve from the chilly weather.
NAPLES Naples Zoo throws event for Golisano Children’s Hospital The Naples Zoo closed its doors to the public early Sunday and reopened only for a special group of children and their families.
The past decade is proving to be a new era in genetic testing. Much of it is accessible from your home, but that only tells part of the story. The field of genetic counseling is also growing, as people want to know more about their cancer risk. Mary Ann Orlang is all about risk assessment. She works as a genetic counselor at Lee Health. Each year, her job grows. “When it first came out, we were only doing breast cancer genes, the BRCA 1 and BRCA 2, and now we can test for so many more cancers that are known to have a hereditary component to it,” Orlang said. New panels are being added all the time. “We can look at hereditary breast, ovarian, hereditary thyroid cancer, colon, uterine, pancreatic is another big one. We didn’t use it to test for prostate cancer. Now, we have testing associated with prostate cancer,” Orlang said. Testing positive for a gene doesn’t mean you will get cancer. It means you have a greater risk. Understanding results falls to the genetic counselor, who digs in like a detective. “That’s the benefit of post-test counseling is we can explain to you and don’t just brush off a negative because, look, you’ve got a sister, a mother, and an aunt with breast cancer, so it could be something at work,” Olang said. The test is simple: getting DNA through blood or saliva. People diagnosed with cancer might get one to see if they inherited a gene. If they did, it’s an opportunity to shake the family tree. “It’s called cascade testing, so if we find out a family member has a genetic mutation, we offer testing to family members to find out what the risk, and if that family member tests positive, then it goes on to their descendants,” Orlang said. Positive results tell doctors to keep a close watch. Some genes, like the BRCA, can increase the chance of getting cancer by up to 70%. “There are diagnostic tests that we can do to stay ahead of any potential problems to diagnose them earlier,” Orlang said. As more genes are linked to cancer, it’s giving more people the chance to stay ahead of disease. Genetic testing is widely available now. If insurance doesn’t cover it, Lee Health says out-of-pocket is around $250. Even then, financial grants are available.