As Bonnie Zell sat next to her husband of more than 50 years and listened to his care team at Mayo Clinic delicately explain there was nothing medically left they could do to treat his progressive heart failure, she knew what was next. "I worked as a hospice nurse for Mayo Clinic for almost 10 years," Bonnie tells us. "I knew that's where we were going." [...]

A bright, clean blanket of snow covered the ground outside Mayo Clinic Hospital, Saint Marys Campus one Sunday in December. It was the kind of snowfall that delights kids — and the kid in many adults. When a patient on the third floor Rehabilitation Unit looked out her window and saw the wonderland below, she thought back to the wintery days of her past. It had been so long — more than 30 years — since she'd seen snow. Wouldn't it be something, she mused aloud, to see a snow angel again? [...]

"We cannot change the outcome, but we can affect the journey." Ann Richardson

Orthopedic surgeon William Shaughnessy, M.D., watched the 21-plane "Missing Man" flyover with pride knowing his son Mike was one of the Navy pilots honoring the late President George H.W. Bush. [...]

Although Bill Henrichs and Mary Ziegler divorced more than two decades ago, they've remained friends. So when Bill needed a kidney and Mary was a match, she didn't think twice. [...]

"Only a life lived for others is worth living." Albert Einstein

This year's Rose Parade was especially meaningful to lung transplant recipient Steve Shank, who rode on the Donate Life float while holding a photo of his donor, Tommy, along the route. [...]

Polly Spenle had been researching what it would take for her pup Piper to become a therapy dog when a car accident left Piper injured. But even an amputation couldn't keep Piper from her purpose. [...]

"A dog has one aim in life. To bestow his heart." J.R. Ackerley

Christmas came early for Kevin O'Connor, who has lived with polycystic kidney disease his entire life. He received a kidney from his sister on Christmas Eve. [...]

If you're starting 2019 with fitness goals in mind, new national guidelines on physical activity should be encouraging, since research shows that every minute of movement matters. [...]

"We do not stop exercising because we grow old — we grow old because we stop exercising." Kenneth Cooper

Clay Meers was in Florida for flight training when he passed out underwater. After exhausting nearly every treatment available, his Mayo care team tried therapeutic hypothermia — and saved Clay's life. [...]

Joe and Karen Davis come to Mayo Clinic regularly for medical appointments, but they also take time for another important task: delivering the wooden boxes Joe makes for pediatric cancer patients. [...]

"The most incredible thing about miracles is that they happen." G.K. Chesterton

Each year, In the Loop, like many of the world's great news organizations, looks back and shares some favorite stories of the year gone by. It's an edifying exercise, and it gives us a story to publish around the holidays that doesn't feel like work. (Especially when we use the same [...]

"Some moments are nice, some are nicer, some are even worth writing about." Charles Bukowski

Thousands of colorful helium balloons descended on Mayo Clinic Children's Center thanks to community members who donated the balloons to support pediatric patients. [...]

Seth Bayles set out to collect 100 blankets to give to patients going through dialysis. But when the word spread, donations started rolling in, and Seth and his family were able to donate nearly 500 blankets. [...]

Each year the Mayo Clinic Health System Hospice Program hosts an annual tree lighting, giving people who have experienced the death of a loved one a chance to reflect and remember. [...]

"When we give cheerfully and accept gratefully, everyone is blessed." Maya Angelou

Tom and Liz Canan know the heartbreak of losing a child. Their son Will passed away more than six years ago at just 14 years old. Today, the Canan family keeps Will's memory alive by reaching out to help others. [...]

One of the newest members of the Rehab Services team at Mayo Clinic Health System in La Crosse, Luna the facility dog, is already a big hit with her patients. [...]

"Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory." Dr. Seuss

Years ago a one-horse open sleigh was the preferred method of transportation in winter. A new exhibit features, among other historical tidbits on frontier medicine, a story of a sleigh ride gone awry for Dr. W.W. Mayo. [...]