KICKS 105 and CHI St. Luke’s Health Team Up for Heart Month

February is Heart Month and on Tuesday, February 16th, KICKS 105 will once again team up with CHI St. Luke's Health Memorial in Lufkin for a morning show takeover.  The goal is to bring awareness and education to East Texans about the health of your heart and cardiovascular system. 

From 6-10 A.M. on the Merrell in the Morning Show, we will feature interviews with some of the leading cardiologists and surgeons in their field, representing CHI St. Luke's Health as well as the Heart Institute of East Texas.

Featured on the show will be:

David Ladden, M.D., is board certified in Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery. Dr. Ladden provides care through CHI St. Luke’s Health Memorial Clinics and has served the Lufkin area since 2011.

Dr. Ladden’s past experience includes from 2004-2011, Director of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgical Services and Chief of Surgery Department at the Cardiovascular Institute of Mississippi at Southwest Mississippi Regional Medical Center, McComb, Mississippi. He was a Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgeon in Austin, Texas from 20002-2004. He was at the Cardiothoracic Care Center of Southwest Oklahoma in Lawton, Oklahoma, the Columbus Heart Institute in Columbus, Mississippi and Bookwood and Princeton Cardiothoracic Surgery in Birmingham, Alabama between 1991 and 2002.

Dr. Ladden completed his fellowship in Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery at the University of Miami in Miami, Florida in 1991. His residency in General Surgery was completed at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas in 1989. He received his Medical degree from Rush Medical College in Chicago, Illinois and graduated from Duke University in Durham, North Carolina.

M. Musa Khan, M.D., is board certified in Cardiovascular Disease, Interventional Cardiology, Echocardiography and Internal Medicine. Dr. Khan is a member of the Heart Institute of East Texas.

Dr. Khan attended the Royal College of Physicians in London, Dow Medical College at Karachi University in Pakistan and The Shipowners College in Karachi Pakistan.

Dr. Khan has experience in developing and establishing Interventional Cardiology programs, he serves as medical director of cardiac cath labs and actively participates in various medical staff functions.

Presently, Dr. Khan serves on the board of directors of POET. He is the chairman of Critical Care Committee, is a member of Physician leadership group and the MEC committee.  Dr. Khan has experience in large practice setup and management with special interests in electronic medical records and practice management software.

Ilyas Khan, M.D., is board certified in Cardiovascular Disease, Adult Echocardiography, Nuclear Cardiology and Internal Medicine. Dr. Khan is a member of the Heart Institute of East Texas.

Dr. Khan completed an Interventional Cardiology Fellowship, a Cardiovascular Disease Fellowship and Internal Medicine Residency at Lankenau Medical Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He has membership in the Royal Colleges of Physicians from the United Kingdom. His medical degree was completed at the Osmania Medical College in India.

Dr. Khan has special interests in coronary and peripheral vascular disease management and interventions, valvular heart disease, heart failure and preventive cardiology.

Joshua Allen, D.O., is the new Medical Director for the Emergency Department at CHI St. Luke’s Health Memorial. Dr. Allen is a board certified Emergency Physician.

Dr. Allen has provided coverage in the Lufkin Emergency Department since 2012. Previously, he worked at Good Shepherd Medical Center and with a variety of MRI and Emergency Departments and Urgent Care facilities.

Dr. Allen finished his residency and fellowship in Emergency Medicine at Christus Spohn Hospital-Memorial through Texas A&M University-Health Science Center in Corpus Christi, Texas in 2012. He received his Doctorate degree from Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine in Erie, PA, and graduated from Stephen F. Austin State University and Angelina College.

LeAnne Anderson is a registered dietitian nutritionist and certified diabetes educator who specializes in nutrition and diabetes, weight management, and heart disease. A graduate of the University of Nebraska, LeAnne completed her clinical experience at Texas Woman’s University. LeAnne provides nutrition counseling at the Polk Education Center and the Cardiac Rehabilitation Center at CHI St. Luke’s Health in Lufkin. A resident of Lufkin, LeAnne enjoys reading, traveling and spending time with her family.

Nancy Sanchez
As the Cardiac Rehabilitation Coordinator, Nancy Sanchez is a Registered Nurse with 11 years of experience.   Working in Medical Surgical, Progressive Care, and Intensive Care units, Nancy excels in critical care nursing, critical thinking and quick assessment—skills that are key to Cardiac Rehabilitation. Prior to her current role as the Cardiac Rehabilitation Coordinator for CHI St. Luke’s Health Memorial, Nancy served as the Interim Nurse Manger for the hospital’s Progressive Care Unit.

Landon Evans

As only one of 20 Registered Clinical Exercise Physiologists in Texas, Landon Evans plans individualized exercise and nutrition programs for patients who want to improve their cardiac health.   Landon is also a Certified Personal Trainer with a Master’s Degree in Kinesiology with an emphasis on Exercise Physiology. He comes to CHI St. Luke’s Health Memorial with clinical experience from hospitals such as East Texas Medical Center and Denton Regional Hospital. His experience also includes working with performance and aging programs at the University of Texas – Tyler. Landon brings with him a knowledge base that allows patients to have exercise programs specifically tailored to their life style, hobbies, and physical needs. He also provides classes with important health education including life style modifications through healthy behavior, environment, and nutrition.

There will be no commercial interruptions during the four hour program.  The Merrell in the Morning Show will still feature our usual benchmarks such as the Celebration and Jimmy Carter in Nashville, plus we'll be playing more music.