Suzanne King, The Beacon
Freelancer
Suzanne King Raney is The Kansas City Beacon's health reporter.
Stories by Suzanne King, The Beacon
Long waiting lists and kidneys wasted: The state of organ transplants and how it affects Missouri and Kansas
When Carthesa Hutson’s son, Chris, finally got around to getting his driver’s license he was almost 19. She remembers being at the DMV with him when he paused on the application question about becoming an organ donor and looked to her. She told him to follow his heart. “He said, ‘Well, if I’m not here,…
Why Liberty Hospital Could No Longer Go it Alone and Turned to Kansas for Help
The University of Kansas Health System now owns Liberty Hospital in Missouri. The deal, which sparked political opposition, reflects a growing merger trend.
Plasma You Sell in East Kansas City Could End Up in Medicine an Ocean Away
Kansas City plasma donors help fuel a pharmaceutical industry worth $35 billion. Many donors have lower incomes and sell their plasma to make ends meet.
Bird Flu has Hit Cows in Kansas and Sparked Precautions in Missouri. Here’s What that means for You
Bird flu has hit cows in Kansas and sparked precautions in Missouri. Scientists say the more it spreads, the more chances it has to become a problem for people.
Kansas City-area Politicians Pick Between War on Drugs or Treatment When Spending Opioid Settlement Cash
Local cities and counties are spending windfalls from legal settlements with opioid companies. While some prioritize law enforcement, others focus on treatment.
With a Casino on Their Phones, More Kansas City Gamblers Risk Addiction
Addiction experts warn that sports betting apps pose a particularly addictive temptation for problem gamblers, particularly around the Super Bowl.
St. Luke’s Merger with a St. Louis Hospital System Could Mean Bigger Medical Bills in Kansas City
Some industry experts say the recent merger of St. Luke's Health System of Kansas City with BJC Health System in St. Louis may lead to higher medical bills.
(Faith)fully Serving Listeners
Virtually every Sunday morning for more than two decades, the Rev. Robert Lee Hill has left his Brookside home before sunrise to make his way to the studios of KCMO radio. The live talk show he co-hosts with Rabbi Michael Zedek and Bill Scholl of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas has also become…
Resurrecting A Neighborhood
As the early Sunday morning service at Metropolitan Missionary Baptist Church let out recently, Deacon Roosevelt Hall was happy to explain the large round button pinned to his lapel. “I’m committed,” it read. Yes, Hall said, it was about the 121-year-old congregation’s recently launched building renovation project. But that’s not all Metropolitan’s members are committed…
My, How the Garden Grows
Located among strip malls, office buildings and rows of uniform houses, The Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah in Overland Park is in the heart of suburbia. But park your car behind the temple, which sits on Nall Avenue a little south of 119th Street, wander up a winding dirt path, and you will find that you’ve…