Marianne Pearson, MSW, LCSW, vice president of Cancer Care at the Colorectal Cancer Alliance, says honest, age-appropriate communication and oncology-trained support can reduce fear for children. After his dad explained the treatments, Dylan realized how much the diagnosis would affect the whole family.

Because Jonathan’s treatment left him immunocompromised during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Kurtz family changed routines to limit exposure to germs. Runs and baseball games gave way to quieter activities the family could do safely at home. Dylan and his dad assembled 1,000-piece puzzles of baseball stadiums, some of which now hang in Dylan’s room and his dad’s office.

Dylan also took on more household responsibilities, including cooking and cleaning, and caring for his older brother, Steven, who has autism. With summer camps canceled in 2020, Dylan created “Camp Kurtz,” planning activities that mixed life skills—like tying shoes and vacuuming—with backyard play, movies, and long walks with the family dog, Piper. These efforts helped keep Steven engaged while their parents focused on treatment.

Today, Jonathan is cancer-free and follows ongoing screenings. The diagnosis taught Dylan about prevention and family risk. His father carries a gene mutation that raises colorectal cancer risk for family members who also inherit it. Dylan plans genetic testing and a colonoscopy; if he carries the mutation, he may need to start screening much earlier—around age 25. He also avoids smoking and pays attention to his diet, thinking about long-term health.

Cedrek McFadden, MD, medical advisor for the Colorectal Cancer Alliance, advises that children of a parent with colorectal cancer have higher risk and should begin screening earlier—typically at age 40 or 10 years before the parent’s diagnosis, whichever comes first. He recommends considering genetic counseling and testing, especially when cancer occurs at a younger age or there’s a strong family history, to check for inherited conditions like Lynch syndrome.

Dylan teamed up with the Colorectal Cancer Alliance to produce a blog post and video for teens about screening and support resources. He wanted to raise awareness as colorectal cancer has become a leading cause of cancer-related deaths in U.S. adults under 50.

Dylan’s tips for teens with a parent facing colon cancer:
– Avoid searching the general internet for answers unless you use trusted sources. Online searches often return worst-case stories that aren’t realistic for every family.
– Expect family responsibilities to change and be willing to help with chores, but communicate if you feel overwhelmed.
– Find new, low-energy ways to spend time together—puzzles, podcasts, or shows can create meaningful moments.
– Ask for help. Tell teachers, coaches, or a school counselor what’s happening so they can offer support. Talk with friends and relatives, and consider professional mental health help if needed.

Tom Milam, MD, psychiatrist and chief medical officer at Iris Telehealth, notes that children may react differently—some ask many questions, others withdraw—but beneath the surface are often grief, fear, and sadness. He recommends that parents and oncology teams consider behavioral health support or family counseling to prevent the cancer’s emotional impact from becoming prolonged trauma.

The study’s authors noted videos often rely on personal anecdotes and simplified traits rather than established diagnostic criteria or professional guidance. Eleanor Chatburn, a clinical psychologist and senior author on the paper, said misinformation rates reached as high as 56% in some analyses and warned that engaging videos can spread widely even when inaccurate. She emphasized that social media is an important place where many young people learn about mental health, but the quality of that information varies greatly.

Darren O’Reilly, consultant psychologist and clinical director at AuDHD Psychiatry, said he wasn’t surprised. He explained social platforms reward content that is fast, emotionally engaging, and highly relatable rather than careful, evidence-based material. Short-form videos can feel validating, he said, because viewers often recognize a single trait and mistake that recognition for proof of a diagnosis. That flattening of complex conditions into a few catchy traits is a key route for misinformation to spread.

Experts warn this trend can cause real harm. Misleading content can prompt self-diagnosis based on one or two traits, leading some people to adopt incorrect labels while others overlook symptoms that need proper assessment. O’Reilly described a double risk: people taking on diagnoses that don’t fit, and people dismissing legitimate problems. This can delay appropriate assessments, referrals, and effective support, or lead to unnecessary anxiety and inappropriate interventions.

At the same time, social media has raised awareness and reduced stigma for topics that historically were less visible. That increased visibility can encourage people to explore difficulties and seek help. But awareness without accuracy risks overconfidence—moving from “this resonates” to “this explains everything” without a full clinical evaluation.

To spot misleading content, experts suggest skepticism toward videos that say, “If you do this, you have ADHD or autism.” Real diagnoses are based on patterns over time, impairment, and developmental history, not a single behavior. Good information notes context and limitations; poor information speaks in absolutes and omits nuance.

Practical steps: avoid content that reduces a condition to a single behavior or quick fix; check whether creators have relevant clinical training or cite credible sources; and look for explanations that consider multiple possible causes. For reliable assessment and support, seek regulated professionals such as clinical psychologists, psychiatrists, or specialist ADHD and autism services. A proper evaluation should include developmental history, functional impact, and consideration of alternative explanations, not just symptom checklists.

Industrial action starts at 7am on Tuesday 7 April and runs until 6:59am on Monday 13 April. Hospital teams nationwide are working to minimise disruption and will prioritise urgent and emergency care, cancer and maternity services. The NHS has previously kept the majority of services running during strikes, maintaining almost 95% of planned care during the five-day action in December.

This round of strikes is expected to be particularly challenging because of the shorter notice period, the inclusion of bank holidays and the action falling during the Easter holiday. Nevertheless, plans are in place to continue urgent and emergency care as normal and to keep as much planned care going as possible. Patients should attend planned appointments unless they have been contacted to reschedule.

GP practices, NHS 111 and urgent and emergency care services will remain available during the strike. Anyone needing urgent but non-life-threatening care should use 111 online first to be directed to the most appropriate service. For life‑threatening emergencies, call 999 or attend A&E as usual. Trusts are also working to protect priority treatments, including urgent surgery and cancer care, wherever possible.

Professor Ramani Moonesinghe, National Clinical Director for Critical and Perioperative Care at NHS England, said: “Staff across the NHS will be doing everything they can this week to keep patients safe and ensure people can continue to get the care they need. We know this round of industrial action will be difficult, coming straight after the Easter weekend, but patients should come forward as normal and attend any appointments unless they are contacted otherwise. The NHS remains open for you this week – as ever, please call 999 or come to A&E in an emergency, and use 111 online first if you need urgent but not life‑threatening help.”

Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said: “It is disappointing for patients and staff alike that the BMA has decided to press ahead with strikes this week, despite the deal we put to them which would have seen resident doctors 35.2% better off, on average, than they were four years ago. My attention and that of leaders across the NHS is now on protecting patients and staff by minimising disruption to the health service. Thanks to the dedication of talented NHS staff, the health service delivered almost 95% of planned activity during December strikes, and I want to reassure patients that the NHS will be there for you when you need it this time too. My heartfelt thanks go out to all those hard at work this week.”

High blood pressure (hypertension) is the leading cause of cardiovascular disease and premature death worldwide and is the most common modifiable risk factor for heart disease and stroke. Medical experts note that prolonged elevated blood pressure in younger adults can lead to earlier cardiovascular and kidney events.

Study details
– Researchers analyzed health records for 291,887 adults from the Korean National Health Insurance Service database.
– Each person was 30 years old between 2002 and 2004 and had routine health screenings between ages 30 and 40.
– Participants had no prior history of heart or kidney disease before age 40.
– Investigators calculated cumulative blood pressure between ages 30 and 40 to capture both how high readings were and how long they stayed elevated.
– Participants were then followed for about 10 years after age 40. Heart and kidney disease diagnoses were identified from national health records; chronic kidney disease diagnoses were confirmed by laboratory tests during follow-up.

Key findings
– People whose blood pressure remained elevated from age 30 to 40 had higher risks of heart and kidney disease after age 40.
– About a 10 mm Hg higher systolic (top number) blood pressure over roughly a decade was associated with a 27% higher risk of heart disease and a 22% higher risk of kidney disease.
– About a 5 mm Hg higher diastolic (bottom number) blood pressure over the same period was associated with a 20% higher heart disease risk and a 16% higher kidney disease risk.

Clinical context and recommendations
– The American Heart Association’s 2025 High Blood Pressure Guideline recommends treating stage 1 hypertension (after 3 to 6 months of lifestyle modification) in adults with a predicted 10-year cardiovascular risk.
– Experts caution that 10-year risk calculators can underestimate longer-term risk in younger patients. Clinicians should screen and manage elevated blood pressure earlier and individualize treatment based on lifetime risk trajectory.

Takeaway
The study reinforces that elevated blood pressure in the 30s is not benign. Working with a healthcare professional to monitor and lower blood pressure and adopting heart-healthy habits earlier in life can help reduce the chance of future heart and kidney disease.

“High blood pressure is a known significant risk factor for developing both heart disease and kidney disease,” said Cheng-Han Chen, MD, board certified interventional cardiologist and medical director of the Structural Heart Program at MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center in Laguna Hills, CA, who wasn’t involved in the study. “It is thus unsurprising, although still concerning, that long periods of elevated blood pressure in young adulthood would lead to premature cardiovascular and kidney events in middle age,” Chen told Healthline.

Hypertension is the leading cause of cardiovascular disease and premature death worldwide. High blood pressure is also the most common and modifiable risk factor for both heart disease and stroke, making blood pressure control imperative to reduce the risk of major cardiac events or stroke.

“Often we ignore elevated blood pressures in young adults, thinking that we’ll just watch it,” said Karishma Patwa, MD, board certified cardiologist at Manhattan Cardiology in NYC, who wasn’t involved in the study. “The new data is reinforcing that screening and management should begin much earlier than midlife,” Patwa told Healthline.

The recent study analyzed health information of 291,887 adults from the Korean National Health Insurance Service database. Each participant was 30 years old between 2002 and 2004 and received routine health screenings between the ages of 30 and 40. Participants had no prior history of heart or kidney disease before age 40. Researchers calculated each participant’s cumulative blood pressure levels from ages 30 to 40 to account for both how high it was and how long it stayed elevated. Participants were followed for about 10 years after age 40; development of heart or kidney disease was identified through national health service records, and chronic kidney disease diagnoses were confirmed by laboratory tests during follow-up.

Researchers found that people whose blood pressure remained elevated from age 30 to 40 had a higher risk of heart and kidney disease after 40. Those who had a systolic (top number) reading of about 10 mm Hg higher than their peers for roughly 10 years had a 27% higher risk of heart disease and a 22% higher risk of kidney disease. Participants with a diastolic (bottom number) about 5 mm Hg higher than peers for about 10 years had a 20% higher risk of heart disease and a 16% higher risk of kidney disease.

The AHA 2025 High Blood Pressure Guideline recommends treating stage 1 hypertension (after 3 to 6 months of lifestyle modification) in adults with a predicted 10-year risk of cardiovascular disease. “I agree with these recommendations. 10-year cardiovascular risk predictors are limiting, especially in younger patients. I would, however, individualize my approach for each patient and look at their overall lifetime risk trajectory prior to starting medications,” said Patwa.

The AHA states that it’s important to work with your healthcare professional to manage and lower your blood pressure. Adopting a heart-healthy lifestyle can help prevent a cardiovascular event. Lifestyle changes that may help lower blood pressure include:

As a student teacher, Harris confided in one of her instructors, who urged her to go to the emergency room. Blood tests there showed a markedly elevated white blood cell count, and further testing led to a referral to a gastroenterologist. The specialist diagnosed her with Crohn’s disease, a chronic inflammatory condition that can affect any part of the gastrointestinal tract.

Emanuelle Bellaguarda, MD, a gastroenterologist, explains that Crohn’s can cause superficial or deep ulcers and, if untreated, can lead to bowel damage such as scar tissue (strictures) or fistulas—abnormal connections between loops of bowel or from bowel to skin.

The diagnosis hit Harris hard emotionally. “It was like I kind of went into a little depression. I’m supposed to be at the peak of my life, and it wasn’t that anymore,” she said.

Before the diagnosis, Harris’s mother, a longtime registered dietitian, suspected a gluten intolerance. Harris kept a food journal, tried restrictive eating and the BRAT diet, and eventually ate very little because almost everything caused pain. She lost about 20 pounds. Bellaguarda notes that while diet can help manage symptoms such as diarrhea and bloating, there’s no evidence diet alone heals the inflammation or prevents Crohn’s progression.

Treatment depends on disease presentation, other health conditions, and prior medications. Though there’s no cure, care follows a two-step approach: induction to control symptoms and heal the bowel, then maintenance with medications that have proven effective. Options include biologic agents and small-molecule drugs like JAK inhibitors.

Harris first tried various oral medications, which reduced some symptoms but never fully restored her health. After about two years, she began infusion therapy and now receives infusions every six weeks. Infusions that once took four to six hours are faster with newer options, letting her carry on with daily life. She also exercises regularly and follows a Mediterranean-style, very plain diet tailored to avoid her trigger foods.

Initially isolated—she didn’t know anyone else with the disease—Harris found community through the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation and now serves on its Board of Directors. She raises awareness and funds, hoping others won’t feel alone. She teamed up with a medicine company, Lilly, to help spread the message.

Harris urges self-advocacy: it took her two years to get diagnosed, and she sometimes questioned whether her symptoms were real. Yet she emphasizes that people with Crohn’s can lead full lives. “It’s not the end of your life. You will move on. I’ve always been a positive person, but there’s hope,” she said. Bellaguarda agrees, saying patients can have healthy, normal, and fulfilling lives.

Worries about relationships and future abilities marked her early experience. Now, as a mother, Harris talks openly with her daughter about having IBD, modeling healthy eating and normalizing the condition. She remains hopeful for a cure and focuses on living each day positively.

The AHA outlines nine essential features of dietary patterns that support heart health:

Balance Energy Intake and Expenditure
Maintain a healthy body weight by matching calorie intake to activity level. Older children and adolescents should aim for about 60 minutes of daily physical activity; adults should strive for at least 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous activity weekly plus muscle-strengthening exercises.

Eat Plenty of Vegetables and Fruits
Consume a wide variety of whole or minimally processed vegetables and fruits for fiber and key nutrients. Frozen or canned options are acceptable if they have no added sugars or excess sodium.

Choose Whole Grains Over Refined Grains
Prefer whole grains such as oats, brown rice, quinoa, and whole wheat. Whole grains provide fiber and nutrients linked with lower risks of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.

Opt for Healthy Protein Sources
Shift toward plant-based proteins like legumes and nuts, which provide fiber and healthy fats. Eat fish and seafood regularly for omega-3s. Choose low-fat or fat-free dairy over full-fat versions. If eating red meat, pick lean cuts, avoid processed meats, and limit portion sizes.

Replace Saturated Fats with Unsaturated Fats
Use nontropical plant oils — for example, olive, canola, and soybean oils — instead of animal fats (butter, beef fat) and tropical oils (coconut, palm oil) to lower LDL cholesterol and reduce heart disease risk.

Favor Minimally Processed Foods Over Ultra-processed Foods
Ultra-processed foods, heavily altered with added sugars, sodium, and preservatives, are associated with obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. Choosing whole or minimally processed foods supports better health.

Limit Added Sugars
Minimize added sugars in foods and beverages, which contribute to obesity and increased heart disease risk. Avoid sugary drinks and be mindful of sweeteners added during cooking or processing.

Reduce Sodium Intake
High sodium intake raises blood pressure, a major heart disease risk factor. Choose low-sodium foods, use little or no salt when cooking, and increase potassium-rich foods such as fruits and vegetables to help balance blood pressure.

Be Cautious with Alcohol
Non-drinkers should not start drinking for health reasons. Alcohol can raise blood pressure even at low levels and increase the risk of certain cancers. Avoid binge and heavy drinking; limit intake if you drink.

Practical advice and implementation
The AHA stresses making heart-healthy choices the easiest options everywhere and recommends gradual change. Jodi Myers, MD, medical advisor at Amie, warned against trying to change everything at once: “Sustainability comes from stacking changes, not switching overnight.” She suggested two easy first steps with large impact: swap refined grains for whole grains (for example, brown rice and whole wheat bread) and add a serving of vegetables. Those changes improve fiber intake, glycemic control, and micronutrient density without requiring new recipes.

After that, switch solid fats for liquid plant oils like olive oil and aim for two fish meals per week. The AHA’s guidance on alcohol now emphasizes that non-drinkers should not begin drinking; Myers advises people who do drink to track intake for a week before changing habits because consumption is often underestimated.

For processed foods, a practical rule of thumb is: if you can’t identify the original food source by looking at the ingredient list, find an alternative. The guidance aligns with dietary advice for other chronic diseases — including diabetes, cancer prevention, and kidney disease — so benefits extend beyond cardiovascular health.

The AHA concludes that these recommendations are a direction, not a destination. Perfection is unnecessary: consistent adherence to four or five of the nine features can meaningfully reduce heart disease risk.

RSV commonly infects the lungs; while many experience mild symptoms, older adults can develop severe illness, including pneumonia, bronchitis and exacerbations of long-term conditions, sometimes requiring hospital treatment. RSV causes about 9,000 hospitalisations each year in people aged over 75 in the UK. A single dose of the vaccine offers protection lasting several years.

The vaccine can be booked through GP practices, by speaking to care home staff, and some community pharmacies in parts of England are also offering it. Prior to Wednesday 1 April 2026, the vaccine had been offered to adults turning 75 and to those aged 75–79 when the programme began in September 2024. Pregnant women continue to be offered the vaccine from 28 weeks’ gestation to protect newborns. Those previously eligible who have not yet had the vaccine remain eligible.

Michelle Kane, NHS Director of Vaccination and Screening Delivery, said RSV can occur year-round and can make older people seriously ill; she urged eligible people to get vaccinated to reduce the risk of severe illness and hospitalisation, and asked families and carers to remind loved ones to book. Conall Watson, Consultant Epidemiologist and RSV Lead at the UK Health Security Agency, said RSV is less well known than COVID or flu but is dangerous for older adults and causes thousands of hospitalisations; new evidence shows the vaccine cuts the risk of hospitalisation by around 75%, and the maternal vaccine is providing excellent protection to newborns. If eligible, take up the offer to reduce the risk of serious RSV disease.

Despite walking’s popularity, only about 25% of walkers met combined guidelines for aerobic and muscle‑strengthening activity, while roughly 22% met neither guideline. Researchers suggested these differences may reflect availability, cultural norms, and access to facilities, and they noted urban residents were more likely to meet activity guidelines than rural residents.

Study authors and public health experts urged tailoring efforts to local needs and improving opportunities for activity in smaller towns and rural areas. Suggested community actions include creating wide shoulders on country roads for cycling and running, expanding rail‑trail networks, supporting senior‑center chair exercise programs, improving green spaces and parks, and keeping school facilities open to the public.

Benefits of walking
– Walking is a low‑impact, low‑risk activity that can help with weight loss, preserve lean muscle, reduce belly fat, improve mood, and support long‑term weight management.
– Reviews report walking 8,000–10,000 steps per day provides substantial cardiovascular and psychological benefits; walking about an hour daily can burn calories and aid weight loss.
– Gardening is also a moderate‑intensity activity that can support weight management, build strength, provide time outdoors for vitamin D production, and improve mood and stress.

Not all commonly reported activities provide sufficient moderate‑to‑vigorous physical activity (MVPA). Experts note that hunting and fishing typically don’t offer adequate MVPA unless they involve significant walking or hiking.

Guidelines and recommended exercise mix
The CDC recommends adults get at least 150 minutes per week of moderate‑intensity aerobic activity (for example, brisk walking 30 minutes a day, five days a week) or 75 minutes per week of vigorous activity, plus muscle‑strengthening activities on at least two days weekly.

Clinicians advise combining walking with muscle‑strengthening and higher‑intensity activities for a balanced routine. Recommendations include:
– Add muscle‑strengthening exercises for upper and lower body (e.g., hand weights, squats, resistance bands).
– Include core exercises for pelvic, lower back, hip, and abdominal strength to improve stability and posture.
– Incorporate stretching for range of motion, injury prevention, and healthy aging.
– Use “exercise snacks” — short 1–5 minute bursts of activity (stair climbing, brisk walking, jumping jacks) throughout the day — which can improve cardiorespiratory fitness and have high compliance among inactive adults.

A varied approach — combining walking with strength training, higher‑intensity cardio, core work, and stretching — is recommended to meet guidelines and support overall fitness across different communities and life stages.

NICE has published draft guidance recommending semaglutide be offered in England from this summer for people who have previously had a heart attack, stroke, or peripheral arterial disease and who are overweight or obese (BMI ≥27). The NHS has negotiated a deal making the treatment cost‑effective for use on the health service.

Semaglutide is given as a weekly injection and will be prescribed alongside a healthy diet and increased physical activity. It can be used together with other common cardiovascular medicines, such as statins and antihypertensives, to improve outcomes.

Semaglutide is already available on the NHS for obesity through specialist weight management services in line with NICE guidance, and another brand, Ozempic, is widely prescribed for type 2 diabetes. Clinical trial data show semaglutide reduced the risk of major cardiovascular events (heart attack, stroke, or cardiovascular death) by about 20% in people with cardiovascular disease who are overweight, compared with placebo.

The move forms part of the NHS 10-Year Health Plan to help people live well with long-term conditions, avoid complications, and reduce preventable hospital visits or deaths. Previous measures — including faster use of blood‑thinning medicines — have helped more than 500,000 people and prevented thousands of strokes and deaths; blood pressure and cholesterol‑lowering treatments are also helping millions manage heart health.

Quotes
– Helen Williams, National Clinical Director for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention at NHS England: “For more than a million people at high risk of heart attack and stroke, this treatment on the NHS could be life‑changing… Used alongside a healthy diet and regular exercise, semaglutide could help prevent thousands of future major cardiovascular events and give many people the chance at a longer and healthier life.”
– Jack Turner, Deputy Director for Medicines Negotiation at NHS England: “This latest NHS deal… will enable NHS patients in England to benefit from the latest application of the drug, semaglutide, that is already helping people as a treatment for obesity and type 2 diabetes… in a way that avoids the need for emergency care.”
– Health Minister Sharon Hodgson: “Weight loss drugs are proving to be a game changer in tackling obesity. Extending their use for people who also suffer from cardiovascular disease will be a life saver… this new guidance could help more than a million people.”
– Juliet Bouverie OBE, CEO of the Stroke Association: Stroke shares many risk factors with other cardiovascular disease. Weight loss medication can be a suitable option for some stroke survivors, though individual needs must be considered alongside other measures such as anticoagulants, smoking cessation, healthy diet, and alcohol monitoring.
– Dr Sonya Babu‑Narayan, Clinical Director at the British Heart Foundation: “So‑called ‘weight loss drugs’ like semaglutide have proven benefits beyond reducing the number on the scales — they are now considered important medicines for preventing deadly heart attacks and strokes… it’s important that new and effective medicines which prevent cardiovascular disease complications get to everyone who could benefit as soon as possible.”