For many area women working in emergency medical services departments, the job was a calling they always wanted to answer. “I always kind of knew I wanted to be in emergency services,” said Dani Balk, a critical care paramedic with Paramount Ambulance. “Every day offers a different challenge, and we get to make a positive...

As this month’s theme focuses on women in leadership, I wanted to acknowledge and express gratitude for the leadership exhibited by those who show their leadership through caregiving. At first glance, our caregiving role seems built in. Women especially often hear they are the nurturing gender, the caregivers for families when they are growing. They...

I like to keep bought, cooked shrimp in my freezer. It is readily available in the freezer case at the market. They can easily be turned into a great meal with very little effort. Here I added them to a spicy sauce made with mayonnaise and horseradish. Adding some blueberries and red bell pepper cubes...

Carolyn Rauen has a fondness for photography and nature, specifically when it comes to national parks. Those passions provided a much-needed outlet during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic for Rauen, who works as an occupational therapist at UnityPoint Health-Finley Hospital in Dubuque. “At that time, all that I was treating at work was COVID...

When has imposter syndrome crept up on your doorstep and barged through your front door? An “imposter” is a person who pretends to be someone else to deceive others, especially for fraudulent gain. A “syndrome” is a characteristic combination of opinions, emotions or behavior. “Imposter syndrome” is our inability to believe that we deserve what...