Our knees tend to show more wear and tear as we age, including soreness, aching, and general discomfort from simple daily movements like walking, exercising, and even standing. One of the common underlying causes of knee pain is osteoarthritis, which occurs as the cartilage in the joint deteriorates causing inflammation. Bourbon resident Mike Johnson, 52, had been battling chronic knee pain in his right knee due to osteoarthritis since around age 40. He had resorted to receiving cortisone injections while under the care of an orthopedic specialist in Washington, Mo., which helped for a few years.

When Jill Taylor, 33, of Sullivan, Mo., discovered she was pregnant with her third baby in late 2022, she began her search for a new Ob/Gyn. She and her family had relocated to the area in 2021 from West Virginia, which is where she gave birth to her first two babies.

When Sullivan, Mo. resident, Natalie Shanks, 25, found out she was expecting in late 2022, she was excited to begin her journey to motherhood. As the newborn photographer at Missouri Baptist Sullivan Hospital, she had spent countless hours in the hospital’s Mother Baby Unit meeting newborns and their parents and documenting those first family photos. And now, she was able to look forward to starting her own family.