Growing up, Christopher Bryant couldn’t compete in sports or run due to a heart murmur. When he tried to keep up with the other kids, he’d pass out. At 9 years old, Chris underwent heart surgery and doctors discovered he had a bicuspid aortic valve, a congenital heart defect. He learned to take care of himself due to his condition, but his symptoms — like swelling in his lower extremities — only worsened. Eventually, he learned he had severe heart failure.

Two new 12-story inpatient towers built by BJC HealthCare on the Washington University Medical Campus are aimed at enhancing the care and comfort of patients at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, St. Louis Children’s Hospital and Siteman Cancer Center.

The single best way for families to protect against the flu is to get vaccinated each year. The flu, or influenza, is a contagious respiratory illness with symptoms such as fever, body aches and sore throat. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 200,000 Americans are hospitalized with flu-related complications each year.

Through the power of the blogosphere, the story of 23 year-old Megan Moss’ search for a heart has brought in emails from St. Louis to Sweden.