Joanna Frketich
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Joanna Frketich
@jofrketich.bsky.social
530 followers 13 following 42 posts
Health Reporter at The Hamilton Spectator. Send story ideas to jfrketich@thespec.com
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Hamilton among worst hit by ‘catastrophic’ home-care supply shortages
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Hamilton among worst hit by ‘catastrophic’ home-care supply shortages
During the home-care crisis, Hamilton, Haldimand, Niagara and Brant were among the communities with the most complaints and calls for help, found Ontario’s patient ombudsman
www.thespec.com
September 30, 2025 at 10:29 PM
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Seven years of silence ended with the words, ‘thank God.’ How a surgeon gave a Hamilton dad his voice back
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Seven years of silence ended with the words, ‘thank God.’ How a surgeon gave a Hamilton dad his voice back
Seven years of silence ended with the words, ‘thank God.’
www.thespec.com
September 30, 2025 at 10:28 PM
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How will Hamilton find $365 million to renovate Juravinski Hospital?
Questions remain about whether the rebuild will go ahead in 2028 without cash from the city.
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How will Hamilton find $365 million to renovate Juravinski Hospital?
Questions remain about whether the rebuild will go ahead in 2028 without cash from the City of Hamilton.
www.thespec.com
August 20, 2025 at 12:47 PM
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How simple blood tests could transform cancer treatment
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How simple blood tests could transform cancer treatment
McMaster University looks to get ahead of the curve on “liquid biopsies.”
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August 19, 2025 at 1:53 PM
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More patients to get family doctors in Glanbrook, Binbrook
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More patients to get family doctors in Glanbrook, Binbrook
Hamilton Family Health Team to expand primary care with $834,200 from the provincial government
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August 19, 2025 at 1:49 PM
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Life-transforming hemophilia treatment tested on Hamilton patients
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Life-transforming hemophilia treatment tested on Hamilton patients
McMaster University researchers help show it’s safe to switch from emicizumab.
www.thespec.com
August 12, 2025 at 8:15 PM
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‘Credit card companies don’t wait’: Province takes weeks to pay back $7,000 to single mom
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‘Credit card companies don’t wait’: Province takes weeks to pay back $7,000 to single mom
Special Services at Home is supposed to help families with disabled kids but backlogs have caused stress instead
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August 12, 2025 at 8:14 PM
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‘Recipe for disaster’: Speedy e-scooters send kids to McMaster’s ER
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‘Recipe for disaster’: Speedy e-scooters send kids to McMaster’s ER
Electric-powered rides might be the ‘cool toy,’ but a Hamilton doctor warns of the danger
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August 12, 2025 at 8:12 PM
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Should city buses be free during heat waves?
Advocates urge Hamilton to make bus fares optional during heat warnings.
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Should city buses be free during heat waves?
Should city buses be free during heat waves?
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July 30, 2025 at 3:18 PM
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Faster, busier, better: How Hamilton’s ambulance crisis turned around
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Faster, busier, better: How Hamilton’s ambulance crisis turned around
As Michael Sanderson retires he’s leaving the Hamilton Paramedic Service in drastically different shape than when he started as chief
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July 30, 2025 at 3:17 PM
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Is it safe for paramedics to treat patients instead of taking them to hospital? As ER visits rise, Hamilton researchers examine how paramedics can ease the pressure.
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Is it safe for paramedics to treat patients instead of taking them to hospital?
As emergency department visits rise, McMaster University researchers examine how paramedics can ease the pressure.
www.thespec.com
July 22, 2025 at 5:55 PM
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Dark skin was part of his identity until a medical condition stole it away. McMaster medical student felt isolated and misunderstood, so he created Canada’s first support group for vitiligo. #HamOnt
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Dark skin was part of his identity until a medical condition stole it away
McMaster University medical student felt isolated and misunderstood, so he created Canada’s first support group for vitiligo
www.thespec.com
July 22, 2025 at 5:53 PM
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Not feeling well? Read this before you Google your symptoms
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Not feeling well? Read this before you Google your symptoms
Doctors speak out about alarming rise in DIY medicine
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July 14, 2025 at 2:24 PM
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Hamilton says sewage surveillance to detect disease is too costly
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Hamilton says sewage surveillance to detect disease is too costly
Price tag too high to bring back the monitoring tool started during the COVID-19 pandemic
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July 10, 2025 at 2:51 PM
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Nine months after the fire, a new Wentworth Sports emerges
Pickleball courts, basketball courts, batting cages and two indoor soccer fields are now at Hamilton sports facility. But no ice.
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Nine months after the fire, a new Wentworth Sports emerges
Pickleball courts, basketball courts, batting cages and two indoor soccer fields are now there. But no ice.
www.thespec.com
July 9, 2025 at 6:49 PM
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‘Historic moment’: Hamilton reforms public health decision-making
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‘Historic moment’: Hamilton reforms public health decision-making
Adding members of the community to board of health called momentous occasion
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July 8, 2025 at 5:55 PM
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‘More upset about the prospect of losing my hair than I was of dying’: Treatment to avoid hair loss during chemotherapy not offered in Hamilton
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‘More upset about the prospect of losing my hair than I was of dying’: Treatment to avoid hair loss during chemotherapy not offered in Hamilton
Adina Isenberg said Paxman Scalp Cooling System to prevent hair loss made all the difference when she was being treated for breast cancer.
www.thespec.com
July 8, 2025 at 5:55 PM
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St. Joseph's Healthcare told to bring back library staff. Hamilton has far fewer workers for the vital service than Toronto and London.
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St. Joe’s told to bring back library staff
Hamilton has far fewer health library staff than Toronto and London
www.thespec.com
July 4, 2025 at 4:07 PM
Reposted by Joanna Frketich
jofrketich.bsky.social
While touring a therapy farm, I got a call that left me reeling
This was supposed to be a story about how a new care farm in Brant will help others, instead it gave me solace as I grappled with a profound loss.
www.thespec.com/news/hamilto...
While touring a therapy farm, I got a call that left me reeling
This was supposed to be a story about how a care farm in Brant will help others, instead it gave me solace as I grappled with a profound loss
www.thespec.com
June 28, 2025 at 3:34 PM
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This area in Hamilton has Ontario’s worst rate of men dying too young. Disparities tied to income in national report calling for ‘urgent attention’ to men’s health
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This area in Hamilton has Ontario’s worst rate of men dying too young
Disparities tied to income in report by Movember Institute of Men’s Health that calls for “urgent attention” to men’s health
www.thespec.com
June 30, 2025 at 2:40 PM
jofrketich.bsky.social
While touring a therapy farm, I got a call that left me reeling
This was supposed to be a story about how a new care farm in Brant will help others, instead it gave me solace as I grappled with a profound loss.
www.thespec.com/news/hamilto...
While touring a therapy farm, I got a call that left me reeling
This was supposed to be a story about how a care farm in Brant will help others, instead it gave me solace as I grappled with a profound loss
www.thespec.com
June 28, 2025 at 3:34 PM
Reposted by Joanna Frketich
jofrketich.bsky.social
How to stop measles spread? Follow the work of a Hamilton researcher.
Dr. Mark Loeb is getting a lifetime achievement award for showing how to stop the spread of infections against the backdrop of a measles outbreak.
www.thespec.com/news/hamilto...
How to stop measles spread? Follow the work of a Hamilton researcher
Dr. Mark Loeb is getting a lifetime achievement award for showing how to stop the spread of infections against the backdrop of a measles outbreak
www.thespec.com
June 16, 2025 at 8:03 PM
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Hamilton pain clinic closed after neurosurgeon’s licence suspended
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Hamilton pain clinic closed after neurosurgeon’s licence suspended
Dr. Stefan Joseph Konasiewicz has had issues with his licence before in Ontario and three American states.
www.thespec.com
June 24, 2025 at 1:30 PM
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McMaster researchers aim to determine how different experiences influence disease in aging.
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How aging is linked to life circumstances
McMaster University researchers aim to determine how different experiences influence disease in aging
www.thespec.com
June 16, 2025 at 8:05 PM
jofrketich.bsky.social
How to stop measles spread? Follow the work of a Hamilton researcher.
Dr. Mark Loeb is getting a lifetime achievement award for showing how to stop the spread of infections against the backdrop of a measles outbreak.
www.thespec.com/news/hamilto...
How to stop measles spread? Follow the work of a Hamilton researcher
Dr. Mark Loeb is getting a lifetime achievement award for showing how to stop the spread of infections against the backdrop of a measles outbreak
www.thespec.com
June 16, 2025 at 8:03 PM