It’s no secret…women are different.
Throughout your journey as a woman, you have special health needs. Lakeland is committed to offering exemplary care in each stage of life. Whether you are preparing for a birth, managing menopause symptoms, or diagnosing any number of disorders we are ready for you.
As a wife, partner, daughter, friend, mother, you make decisions every day about the care and well-being of those around you. By choosing women’s health at Spectrum Health Lakeland, you can be confident that you’ve made the right decision for you, so you can be at your best—for yourself and those who depend on you.
It’s your journey. And we’ll be right beside you with the skills and expertise you need to ensure you get the most advanced and thorough care possible.
We help with a variety of services and can provide care for:
Breast Care
Cancer
Depression
Gynecology
Heart and vascular care
Incontinence, bladder, and pelvic health
Miscarriage support
Osteoporosis
Pregnancy care
Routine well-woman exams, PAP smear and cervical cancer screenings
Weight management
We all have a story to share.
We provide personalized health care to ensure you have the best possible experience while in our care. Each individual treatment and care plan at Lakeland is just as unique as your are. We are your partners in your health care journey.
Women throughout Southwest Michigan and beyond share their health care experiences at Spectrum Health Lakeland in the stories below.
Do you have a story to share? Click on the "What's Your Story" button and complete the form.
Apr 26, 2017 Reporting from Niles, MI
The Dream Team - Jackie Johnson
https://www.spectrumhealthlakeland.org/medical-services/womens-health-services/Detail/the-dream-team/?utm_source=The_Dream_Team_&utm_medium=PatientStory_Landing&utm_campaign=InternalPages
Apr 26, 2017
Apr 26, 2017
SpectrumHealth Lakeland
It’s like a monkey inside your brain–it just keeps jumping around. That’s how Jackie Johnson explains being diagnosed with cancer. One morning while getting dressed Jackie looked in the mirror and noticed that her right breast
The Dream Team - Jackie Johnson
SpectrumHealth Lakeland
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The Dream Team - Jackie Johnson
Apr, 2017
Physicians: Jonathan Osburn, MD; Roy Winslow, MD
It’s like a monkey inside your brain–it just keeps jumping around. That’s how Jackie Johnson explains being diagnosed with cancer.
One morning while getting dressed Jackie looked in the mirror and noticed that her right breast looked more pulled back than normal. Although her yearly mammograms had come back clear for the past two decades, at age 59, it was knowing her own body and performing self-exams which Jackie credits for saving her life.
“I knew almost instinctively that something was wrong, but I didn’t want to admit it to myself,” she said.
Jackie scheduled an appointment with her primary care provider, Jonathan Osburn, MD. After ordering an ultrasound on her breast, Dr. Osburn recommended that Jackie see general surgeon, Roy Winslow, MD, to have the tissue biopsied.
“When the biopsy results came back and confirmed it was breast cancer the first thing I asked Dr. Winslow was whether or not I could survive this–his response was yes,” said Jackie. “He was very confident and comforting throughout the whole process and quickly became a very important person in my life.”
A few weeks after receiving the news, Jackie began chemotherapy treatments. Five months later she underwent a mastectomy, or breast removal surgery, which was performed by Dr. Winslow, followed by six weeks of radiation treatment at Corewell Health.
“I really am convinced I had the dream team,” said Jackie. “From oncology and surgery to my radiation oncologist Dr. [Peter] Paximadis, and the rest of the team at the Marie Yeager Cancer Center, all the way to the staff at Van’s Medical Equipment who helped fit me for my prosthesis bras–I knew I was in good hands every step of the way.”
In addition to her medical care team at Corewell Health, Jackie also had the support of her friends and family. Her grandson’s football team, and the fans at River Valley School in Three Oaks, showed their support by wearing pink socks and “Team Grammy” shirts during the last game of the season.
“It made me realize that my battle with cancer wasn’t just about me, and that I had other people behind me, who supported me and cared about me,” said Jackie. “You see other people battle cancer, but you never think it will be you. I am so thankful to everyone who supported me throughout this journey–even if it was one, I didn’t necessarily want to go on.”
A year and a half after her original diagnosis Jackie received the news that she was cancer free. Since then, she also opted to undergo reconstruction surgery on her right breast.
But her relationship with her care team hasn’t ended there. To show her gratitude for “taking the monkey out of her brain,” Jackie recently brought Dr. Winslow a stuffed monkey with a “Winslow” bracelet around the ankle. She continues to wear her “Team Grammy” sweatshirt with pride as well as her new title of “survivor.”