Chiropractor Dr. Laura Cayce’s career has run the gamut of the healthcare industry, including working at her own private practice, group practices, functional-medicine startups and large, corporate nonprofits.
“I’ve kind of seen it all, and I’ve kind of realized that the big piece that’s missing in a lot of it is the personalization and care,” Cayce said. “So I wanted to open something kind of small so that I could spend more time focusing on the patient and what they have going on, whether that’s a new injury or a chronic thing that they have, or they’re trying to develop healthier habits for the first time.”
Cayce opened her new practice, Pillar Health Company, at 510 W. Park Ave., Unit C in Champaign in early September. She is accepting new patients.
The business, which is a one-woman operation at present, offers services such as chiropractic care, physical therapy, corrective exercises, clinical nutrition, and functional medicine.
Cayce said that functional medicine involves using advanced diagnostic testing to find the root cause of a patient’s symptoms.
“I take all of that data, kind of piece it together and break it down into what the patient is experiencing and then develop a plan with them,” she said.
A big part of Cayce’s philosophy is that she thinks of every patient as an athlete, regardless of their lifestyle.
Her master’s is in sports science and rehabilitation, which gave her the opportunity to work with college and professional teams. During those experiences, she wondered, “Why doesn’t everybody have access to this type of care?”
“Everybody is an athlete, no matter what you’re trying to accomplish,” she said. “From taking care of your family, which is an endurance sport, to somebody who’s running marathons or triathlons. I think they all need the same type of care, it’s just making sure it’s tailored to the things that they’re trying to do.”
First Mid opens new location in Champaign
First Mid Bank and Trust’s new “financial center” at 608 E. University Ave., Suite 101 will hold an open house from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday, with a ribbon cutting set for noon.
Financial centers reimagine “how the bank meets customers where they are,” company officials said.
Services at the new Champaign location will include personalized support for savings and retirement planning, assistance with “borrowing needs” and credit improvement, education on fraud protection, and support for account opening and maintenance.
“We are thrilled to open this new location and continue building meaningful relationships with our customers,” said Chief Retail Banking Officer Stas Wolak. “This financial center is designed to bring enhanced convenience and resources to the community while maintaining the personal service our customers expect.”
First Mid also has locations on West Church Street in Champaign and South Vine Street in Urbana.
Nonprofit’s Christmas market starts Wednesday
Willow Tree Missions’ Christmas resale shop will open Wednesday and run through Dec. 23, or until the inventory of festive items runs out. The market will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday at 109 S. State St., Monticello.
Willow Tree Missions is a Christian nonprofit that uses resale shops to fund services for victims of domestic abuse.
“We want to give our shoppers a one-stop-shop for all things Christmas with some great deals!” said Executive Director Jill Maxey. “We hope that the community will come out and support us by shopping, donating Christmas items or volunteering to assist with store operations.”
Individuals who wish to help out can contact the organization at volunteer@willowtreemissions.org.
Upcoming event highlights heritage
The Taiwanese American Students Club will hold a night market on the main quad from 6 to 9 p.m. on Oct. 4.
“The Night Market will feature authentic Taiwanese food, Asian street market treats, cultural performances, games, and art vendors — right in the heart of campus!” organizers said. “With over 1,500 attendees expected, it is one of UIUC’s most anticipated cultural celebrations, highlighting the vibrancy of the Asian and Asian American community.”
A link to pre-order tickets to the event can be found on the club’s social media. For those who pre-order, tickets are $1 each or $9 for a 10-ticket bundle.
Organizers advised that 15 tickets are enough to buy a meal at the event but attendees may want to purchase more depending on what else they plan to do at the night market.
Financing company upgrades its research park space
Synchrony celebrated the opening of its expanded Emerging Technology Center at the University of Illinois Research Park on Sept. 17. According to UIRP officials, the nearly 11,000 square-foot space is dedicated to “advancing innovation and preparing students for the jobs of tomorrow.”
The project doubled the center’s seat count and includes “flexible huddle rooms,” event spaces for town halls and networking, and a renovated café.
“The expansion of our Emerging Technology Center reflects the incredible talent of U. of I. students as well as the enduring strength of our partnership with the university,” said Chief Information Officer Tim Christensen. “Together, we’ve built a model that both enhances Synchrony’s innovation goals and provides students with opportunities to advance and grow technology skills. We are proud of the impact of this partnership and excited to grow this collaboration for years to come.”
To date, over 400 UI students have participated in internships at Synchrony, research park officials said.
“Synchrony has been a tremendous launchpad for students pursuing technological and analytical careers in consumer finance,” said UI Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation Susan Martinis. “The company demonstrates how to bridge academic research with industry applications, which is a win-win for our campus that puts so much emphasis on the value of experiential learning.”
