Ever since Suzanne King joined The Beacon as a full-time health care reporter, she’s been diving into critical, underreported issues that affect the wellbeing of millions.
King, who stepped into the role last fall, recently published a three-part series investigating the causes and effects of Kansas City-area pharmacies closing.
But that’s just her latest. Over the last 10 months, she’s written 42 health care articles on topics ranging from benefits of fare-free buses to how Kansans and Missourians are traveling to access gender-affirming care.
Her position is partially funded by a grant from the Health Forward Foundation, a Kansas City-based organization dedicated to building health and wealth for all. That support has helped The Beacon become one of the few area organizations with a staff member exclusively devoted to a local health care beat.
Among King’s most read work is the story Missouri and Kansas families will be getting money for kids’ summer meals — eventually, inspired by a tip from the community. It put a spotlight on how a new summer electronic benefits program for eligible school-age kids wouldn’t be available to families until late summer or fall.
Since King joined our team, we’ve seen our reporting on health republished 252 times by over 35 different outlets, such as the Topeka Capital-Journal, Missouri Independent, Pike County News and Missouri Business Alert. The Beacon welcomes other outlets to republish our stories for free.
King’s reporting has not only expanded The Beacon’s coverage of health care issues but also inspired its reach across the region, ensuring that vital stories are accessible to areas lacking comprehensive local news coverage. Follow along as we continue to dive deeper into topics that affect the health of our communities by subscribing to our free newsletter.
