Wheaton, Illinois – August 28, 2026 – For many people living with multiple sclerosis (MS), rising body temperatures can trigger or worsen symptoms, making everyday activities, including spending time outdoors, playing with children or exercising, more difficult. At Northwestern Medicine Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital, patients in the hospital's neuromuscular rehabilitation program are finding relief through the use of cooling vests, an innovative tool designed to help lower core body temperature and improve function.

An estimated 60% to 80% of people with MS are sensitive to heat, which can lead to symptoms such as difficulty walking, cognitive challenges and blurred vision. Research, primarily done in outpatient and community settings, has found that a cooling vest designed to keep the core temperature within safe levels can combat thermosensitivity, a condition of being affected by heat or shifts in temperature, and alleviate some of these symptoms.

Marianjoy clinicians wanted to study the impact of cooling vests in an inpatient rehabilitation setting, an area where limited research has been conducted to date. The Marianjoy Cooling Vest Program was created to assess if torso cooling could improve walking capacity and facilitate fatigue management for thermosensitive patients with MS.

Findings from Marianjoy's study, which is in the process of being published, are encouraging. Therapists observed that patients, after wearing a cooling vest for approximately 30 minutes, experienced an increase in walking distance by 97% and walking speed by 17%.

About 58% of the MS patients studied reported visual impairments such as double vision or blurred vision. After using the cooling vest for 30 minutes, 100% of those patients with visual impairments improved in visual acuity. The findings indicate that torso cooling can lead to improvement in quality of life for MS patients with thermosensitivity.

"Heat can have a significant impact on people with multiple sclerosis, affecting their mobility, vision and overall ability to participate in daily activities," said Elizabeth Foss, MS, OTR/L, FAS, lead therapist in Marianjoy's neuromuscular rehabilitation program. "Cooling vests are giving patients another tool to help manage symptoms, increase endurance and engage more fully in the activities that matter most to them."

Cait Elwart’s Cooling Vest Experience

One patient who has experienced the benefits firsthand is Cait Elwart, a 34-year-old Yorkville resident, athletic trainer and mother of two who was diagnosed with MS in 2022. Following a severe relapse earlier this year that left her unable to walk independently, Elwart completed inpatient rehabilitation at Marianjoy, where she was introduced to cooling vest therapy.

During rehabilitation, therapists had Elwart wear a cooling vest before completing mobility and endurance tests. "After wearing the vest, I did significantly better," said Elwart. "It helps you do more and feel better and you don't get the same slam of symptoms. With MS, you can hit a wall and feel like you can't do any more activity."

Since returning home, Elwart has incorporated a cooling vest into her daily life, using it during outdoor activities, including riding her beloved horse named Scotch. She also recently used a cooling vest to participate in activities with her two children, ages four and seven, while on a family vacation in Michigan.

"I really don't feel like I could participate in vacation without it," Elwart said. “It allowed me to do more and enjoy time with my family without feeling overwhelmed by my symptoms.”

In addition to introducing patients to cooling technology, Marianjoy therapists help connect eligible individuals with resources that may provide cooling vests at little or no cost. The Multiple Sclerosis Association of America (MSAA), for example, offers cooling equipment assistance programs for qualifying patients.

As Marianjoy continues its research, clinicians hope to further demonstrate how cooling vests can support rehabilitation outcomes and improve quality of life for people living with MS.

About Northwestern Medicine Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital

Northwestern Medicine Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital is the only acute inpatient rehabilitation hospital in DuPage County and is nationally recognized for its comprehensive rehabilitation services.

Earlier this month, Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital ranked No. 2 in Illinois and the Chicago metropolitan area and is nationally ranked in Rehabilitation at No. 40 in the U.S. News “Best Hospitals” rankings.

Chicago, IL – August 12, 2026 – In a new study published today in Science Advances, Northwestern Medicine researchers have uncovered a previously hidden immune environment in the thymus that may help drive myasthenia gravis (MG), a chronic autoimmune disease that causes muscle weakness and fatigue, mainly impacting women under age 40 and men over age 60. Using the largest known cellular and spatial map of the MG thymus ever assembled, researchers identified specialized immune cells and survival signals that may help sustain the disease, opening new avenues for future research and treatment.

Myasthenia gravis occurs when the body's immune system mistakenly attacks the communication point between nerves and muscles. The symptoms worsen with activity and improve with rest. Most often, the disease affects the muscles that control the eyes, facial expressions, talking, swallowing and chewing. In severe cases, breathing muscles can become dangerously weak.

While researchers have long known that harmful antibodies play a major role in MG, they do not fully explain why symptoms vary among patients or why some people continue to experience disease activity despite treatment, including the surgical removal of the thymus called a thymectomy.

“During childhood, the purpose of the thymus is to train the body’s immune cells, but in adulthood, the thymus shrivels up and starts to malfunction, which can lead to myasthenia gravis,” said Ankit Bharat, MD, senior author of the study, chief of thoracic surgery and executive director of the Northwestern Medicine Canning Thoracic Institute. "Our study suggests there's more to myasthenia gravis than antibodies alone. We found evidence that the thymus may create an abnormal immune environment that helps certain B cells survive and persist, even after the thymus is removed. Understanding that environment gives us an entirely new framework for studying and possibly treating the disease."

What this means for patients

For patients like 30-year-old Marissa Humayun of Chicago, the latest research gives her hope, especially after three years of ups and downs.

In early 2023, at the age of 26, Humayun went to the emergency department with stroke-like symptoms that came out of nowhere, including a droopy eyelid and double vision. When bloodwork came back negative for the main MG antibodies, Neena Cherayil, MD, a neuro-ophthalmologist at Northwestern Medicine, diagnosed Humayun with ocular myasthenia gravis (OMG) and seronegative myasthenia, a rare form of MG, where three of the known antibodies for MG don’t show up in standard blood tests, but patients still present symptoms.

Three months after her diagnosis, Humayun underwent robotic surgery with Dr. Bharat to have her thymus removed and donated the small gland to his research study. Even though the thymectomy was a success, Humayun’s symptoms returned, which can happen in some patients. Humayun now relies on infusion therapy at Northwestern Memorial Hospital to help control her symptoms and is treated by Arjun Seth, MD, a neuromuscular medicine specialist at Northwestern Medicine.

“When symptomatic, I have droopy eyelids, fatigue and double vision – especially if I’ve pushed myself too hard or didn’t rest enough. Myasthenia gravis is such a discouraging disease, but I must honor my body for what it can do today,” said Humayun. “Dr. Bharat is an inspiring surgeon and researcher, and Northwestern Medicine has truly taken care of me throughout my diagnosis and treatment. I’m optimistic for the future, knowing scientists right here in Chicago are working to find solutions for patients in the myasthenia gravis community.”

“Our hope is that we can now identify patients – like Marissa – who are at risk of having a recurrence after the thymectomy and after treatment,” said Dr. Bharat. “Also, this study gives us clues as to why some patients don’t respond to the conventional medical treatments. What we’re hoping to do is identify those patients who are at risk and then ultimately design clinical interventions that can kill those cells and then prevent the recurrences.”

A surprising discovery

To better understand what happens inside the thymus, Northwestern Medicine researchers analyzed 23 thymus samples from 16 patients and combined several advanced technologies, including single-cell RNA sequencing, immune receptor analysis and spatial transcriptomics. Together, these techniques allowed scientists to identify individual cell types and determine where those cells were located within the tissue.

After integrating their data with previously published datasets, the team created an atlas containing nearly 347,000 cells, making it the most comprehensive map of the MG thymus to date. Researchers expected to find evidence of a single rogue immune-cell population driving disease, but instead, they found something very different.

The study revealed a diverse population of class-switched B cells clustered within and around abnormal germinal centers in MG tissue. Rather than showing signs of traditional immune regulation, these cells appeared to rely on a separate survival pathway involving molecules known as BAFF and BCMA.

The researchers describe the finding as a potential "tolerance checkpoint swap" in which B cells move away from normal immune-control mechanisms and become supported by survival signals from the surrounding tissue environment.

"We did not find one dominant B-cell clone taking over," said Dr. Bharat. "Instead, we found a diverse population of B cells living within an abnormal immune neighborhood. The neighborhood itself may be helping these cells survive."

What happens next?

The findings may help explain several longstanding mysteries surrounding myasthenia gravis, including why antibody levels do not always match disease severity and why improvement after thymus-removal surgery can vary from patient to patient. However, the researchers caution that the current study did not directly test those questions.

“This study is not a treatment announcement and does not change current recommendations for patients with myasthenia gravis,” said Dr. Bharat. “Thymectomy remains an evidence-based treatment for appropriately selected patients, and additional research will be required to determine whether the newly identified pathways play a direct role in disease progression.”

Instead, the work provides a detailed roadmap for future investigation.

"This study gives us a map," said Dr. Bharat. "The next step is to determine whether these pathways actively drive disease and whether they can be targeted to restore immune tolerance. That's the promise of this research."

The pulmonology and lung surgery program at Northwestern Memorial Hospital is proud to be the highest-ranked in Illinois for 15 straight years and No. 4 in the U.S., according to U.S. News & World Report, 2026 – 2027. For more information, visit nm.org.

HUNTLEY, Illinois – August 11, 2026 – Northwestern Medicine Huntley Hospital celebrated its 10-year anniversary by welcoming back the family whose unplanned arrival became part of the hospital's history on its very first day.

Heather and Shane Doty, along with their daughter, Gianna, attended the celebration held for hospital staff on Monday, marking a decade since the hospital opened as Centegra Hospital-Huntley on August 9, 2016.

As hospital employees gathered outside for a commemorative photo before the facility opened, the Dotys drove up with Heather in labor. Just two minutes after the hospital officially opened its doors, Gianna was born, becoming the hospital's first patient and first baby.

Ten years later, the family returned to celebrate the milestone with hospital leaders, physicians and staff members at a party on Monday. Watching staff members join together to sing “Happy Birthday to You” to Gianna brought Heather tears.

"Emotional, it feels really emotional. We’re just so grateful," Heather Doty said. "When we pulled up that morning, we never imagined we would become part of the hospital's history.”

The anniversary celebration brought together team members, physicians, volunteers and hospital leadership to reflect on the hospital's first decade and look ahead to the future.

“This anniversary is an opportunity to celebrate not only the hospital’s first decade, but also the remarkable growth of the Huntley community we are privileged to serve,” said Matt Carlen, president of Northwestern Medicine Huntley Hospital. “For 10 years, we have grown and evolved alongside our community, expanding access to care and adapting to meet the region’s changing healthcare needs. Becoming part of Northwestern Medicine in 2018 strengthened our ability to bring nationally recognized expertise, advanced technology and specialized care closer to home.”

As Huntley and the surrounding communities have grown, the hospital has served as an important economic driver in the region attracting top healthcare talent and creating jobs. The Huntley Hospital campus is home to more than 1,330 employees and 300 board-certified physicians.

“We are especially proud that Huntley Hospital has become both a trusted healthcare resource and a premier destination for physicians, nurses and other healthcare professionals,” continued Carlen. “Many of our team members live in Huntley and neighboring communities, making it an honor to care for our friends, families and neighbors every day. We look forward to continuing to support the health and well-being of this community for generations to come.”

In August 2016, the hospital opened as Centegra Hospital-Huntley, bringing a five-story, 380,000-square-foot hospital to the area. In 2018, the hospital joined Northwestern Medicine, along with McHenry and Woodstock Hospitals.

Since then, Northwestern Medicine Huntley Hospital has expanded services and provided care to patients throughout McHenry County and the surrounding region. Earlier this month, Huntley, McHenry and Woodstock Hospitals combined ranked T-No. 11 in both Illinois and the Chicago metropolitan area in the U.S. News “Best Hospitals” rankings.

Northwestern Medicine Huntley Hospital continues to grow, with the opening of a third Medical Office Building (MOB) on campus slated for October 2026. The opening of MOB 3 will significantly expand existing services, including the Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute, oncology and infusion services, general surgery and urology, while introducing several new specialties to the Huntley campus including gastroenterology, radiation and surgical oncology and palliative care. The project brings 300 new jobs, including physicians, advanced practice providers, nurses and support staff roles.

Chicago, IL – For the 15^th consecutive year, Northwestern Memorial Hospital has once again been recognized among the nation's elite hospitals, retaining its prestigious Honor Roll designation in the 2026-2027 U.S. News & World Report Best Hospitals rankings. Northwestern Memorial Hospital remained nationally ranked in 10 specialties, with all 10 ranked among the nation's top 10 programs.

"These results reflect the extraordinary dedication of our physicians, nurses and team members who work every day to deliver exceptional care for our patients and communities," said Howard Chrisman, MD, president and chief executive officer, Northwestern Memorial HealthCare. "To be recognized among the nation's very best hospitals, while seeing meaningful improvements across so many clinical specialties, speaks to our unwavering commitment to advancing medicine, improving outcomes and providing the highest quality care close to home. Most importantly, these rankings reflect the trust our patients place in us and the outstanding care they receive throughout Northwestern Medicine."

Northwestern Memorial Hospital once again achieved regional No. 1 (tie) rankings in Illinois and Chicago metropolitan area. New this year, additional regional specialty rankings were awarded for Cancer; Cardiology, Heart & Vascular Surgery; and Orthopaedics. Northwestern Memorial achieved No. 1 in Illinois and Chicago metropolitan area for all three specialties.

Northwestern Memorial’s nationally ranked programs include:

• Cancer (No. 8); Cardiology, Heart & Vascular Surgery (No. 7); Diabetes & Endocrinology (No. 5); Gastroenterology & GI Surgery (No. 4); Geriatrics (No. 4); Neurology & Neurosurgery (No. 2); Obstetrics & Gynecology (No. 5); Orthopaedics (No. 7); Pulmonology & Lung Surgery (No. 4); and Urology (No. 7).

The rankings also highlight strong performance across Northwestern Medicine's regional hospitals:

· Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital is No. 6 in Illinois and the Chicago metropolitan area and earned a national ranking in Obstetrics & Gynecology (T-No. 48), is designated “High Performing” in Cardiology, Heart & Vascular Surgery, Diabetes & Endocrinology, and Orthopaedics. The hospital achieved a new regional specialty recognition in Cardiology, Heart & Vascular Surgery (No. 5) and Orthopaedics (No. 6). The hospital achieved “High Performing” in 16 eligible Procedures & Conditions.

· Northwestern Medicine Catherine Gratz Griffin Lake Forest Hospital moved up to No. 7 in Illinois and the Chicago metropolitan area and earned national rankings in 5 specialties (Diabetes & Endocrinology No. 29; Gastroenterology & GI Surgery No. 40; Geriatrics No.46; Neurology & Neurosurgery T- No.45; and Orthopaedics T-No. 34), is designated as “High Performing” in Pulmonology & Lung Surgery, and is regionally ranked No. 3 in Orthopaedics. The hospital achieved “High Performing” in 11 eligible Procedures & Conditions.

· Northwestern Medicine McHenry, Huntley and Woodstock Hospitals combined ranked T-No. 11 in both Illinois and the Chicago metropolitan area and designated as “High Performing” in 1 specialty (Orthopaedics), and No. 9 in Illinois and Chicago metropolitan area for a regional ranking in Orthopaedics. McHenry, Huntley and Woodstock Hospitals achieved “High Performing” in 11 Procedures & Conditions.

· Northwestern Medicine Palos Hospital ranked T-No.13 in Illinois and T-No.13 in the Chicago metropolitan area and achieved “High Performing” in 10 Procedures & Conditions.

· Northwestern Medicine Delnor Hospital ranked T-No. 13 in Illinois and the Chicago metropolitan area with 1 specialty ranked as “High Performing” (Diabetes & Endocrinology). Delnor achieved “High Performing” in 8 eligible Procedures & Conditions.

· Northwestern Medicine Kishwaukee Hospital achieved “High Performing” in 2 Procedures & Conditions.

· Northwestern Medicine Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital ranked #2 in Illinois and Chicago metropolitan area and nationally ranked in Rehabilitation at No. 40.

For more information, please go to Best Hospitals | U.S. News Hospital Rankings and Ratings.

CHICAGO, IL - July 23, 2026 – For Preeyanuch Chanwongwanit, a busy mom of four from New Berlin, Wisconsin, life came to a screeching halt in 2019 when she was diagnosed with renal failure. After school activities with her children were quickly replaced by a demanding dialysis schedule, as the family awaited a life-saving kidney transplant. But when two transplant surgeries at another health system failed, the 46-year-old was faced with yet another daunting diagnosis – an allergy to general anesthesia.

“This is one of the most bizarre stories I’ve ever heard,” said Vinayak Rohan, MD, a transplant surgeon at Northwestern Medicine. “This patient had two previous attempts at kidney transplantation at another health system but went into cardiac arrest on the table before the surgeries could even start.”

The discovery of Chanwongwanit’s allergy by her care team in Wisconsin meant a third attempt at a kidney transplant would be complicated, as she could not undergo general anesthesia. Out of options, her care team reached out to Northwestern Medicine’s AWAKE Program (Accelerated Surgery Without General Anesthesia in Kidney Transplantation), which offers select patients a chance to remain awake through their kidney transplant.

Instead of using general anesthesia, a spinal anesthesia shot is given to the patient, similar to what’s used during a cesarean section for childbirth. It involves injecting a local anesthetic into spinal fluid and numbing the lower half of the body while allowing the patient to remain conscious.

“The AWAKE Program was built for patients like Preeyanuch. When her medical team in Wisconsin called us, they said, ‘we know Northwestern Medicine is the only place that can help her,’” said Satish Nadig, MD, PhD, transplant surgeon and director of the Northwestern Medicine Comprehensive Transplant Center. “To date, we’ve performed 25 kidney transplant procedures where the patient is fully awake, and Preeyanuch is our first patient from Wisconsin. The AWAKE Program represents our commitment to continuously reimagine what is possible in transplant care. We’re incredibly proud to offer this innovation and deeply grateful for the opportunity to help patients like Preeyanuch.”

Redefining what is possible for patient care

After her two unsuccessful transplant attempts at another health system, Chanwongwanit was running low on hope. But after meeting Dr. Rohan and his team at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Chanwongwanit’s husband, Arthur Lee, said everything changed.

“Dr. Rohan explained to us how the surgery would work, and we immediately felt more comfortable knowing general anesthesia wasn’t part of the plan,” said Lee. “As a husband and father, you want to see your loved one happy and healthy, and the AWAKE Program gave us confidence from day one. What could have been another stressful experience turned into one filled with reassurance.”

On May 25, Chanwongwanit received a kidney from a deceased donor at Northwestern Memorial, and despite giving birth to four children, Chanwongwanit had her first experience with an epidural.

“All four of my deliveries were natural births, so this was my first time having an epidural,” said Chanwongwanit. “I was completely alert on the operating room table, went through the transplant without any complications, didn’t experience any pain, and went home 36 hours after surgery. I felt supported by my care team every step of the way and would highly recommend the AWAKE Program to other patients.”

“At Northwestern Medicine, we’re always looking for new ways to make transplantation safer, more accessible and less burdensome for patients. Through our AWAKE Program, we’re helping people experience a smoother recovery while delivering the same world-class transplant care,” said Dr. Rohan. “Our team is honored to be part of these extraordinary journeys and to help patients achieve the best possible outcomes as they begin a new chapter in their lives.”

Back to being mom

Two months after the transplant, Chanwongwanit’s new kidney is functioning as it should, allowing her to get back to the things that matter most. The children’s music and sport schedules have begun to replace dialysis, allowing the family to finally begin their long-awaited fresh start.

“Instead of living life from the sidelines, I can now be there for my four children every day – celebrating milestones and making memories. I also miss my parents who live in Thailand, so I’d love to visit them soon,” said Chanwongwanit. “I’m so grateful to my organ donor and the incredible team at Northwestern Medicine for giving me a second chance at life. With my new kidney, anything is possible.”

About the AWAKE Program

Northwestern Medicine surgeons performed the first AWAKE kidney transplant in June 2024, and to date, 25 patients have received kidney transplants without general anesthesia.

The program is designed to give patients who are not candidates for general anesthesia an alternative for undergoing the surgical procedure, while also decreasing the length of their hospital stay (one day compared to 4-7 days with general anesthesia).

For more information on the AWAKE Program at Northwestern Medicine, visit nm.org.

While past studies have found that women are more frequently affected by long COVID than men, the new study published today in the Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology showed for the first time that women report more neurologic symptoms of long COVID and experience worse impacts on quality of life and cognitive function than men. 

“We were surprised to see such a significant difference between female and male patients,” said Igor Koralnik, MD, chief of neuroinfectious disease and global neurology at Northwestern Medicine. “Both in the frequency of neurologic long COVID symptoms and in levels of self-reported fatigue, as well as in a cognitive task of attention.”

Study highlights

• The study looked at the first consecutive 2,329 patients who have been seen at the Northwestern Medicine Neuro COVID-19 Clinic.
• Approximately 2/3 of patients were women.
• Women more frequently reported neurologic symptoms such as brain fog, dizziness, headache, numbness and tingling and pain.
• No neurologic symptoms were more common in men.
• Women also reported more non-neurologic symptoms, such as fatigue, shortness of breath, chest pain, dysautonomia and gastrointestinal issues.
• Women also reported worse alteration of their quality of life caused by fatigue than men on standardized questionnaires.
• Women scored lower than men in a task of attention on objective cognitive tests.

“We think that the reason women are more frequently and severely affected by long COVID than men is because long COVID is an autoimmune disease, and women are more prone to autoimmune diseases than men, including multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis,” Dr. Koralnik said. “We and others have found evidence of immune dysregulation and autoimmunity in patients with long COVID. We next want to understand the underlying causes for the neurologic symptoms of long COVID and identify and validate biological markers that show how active the disease is. We hope our study will alert providers about the importance of timely diagnosis and targeted interventions in female patients, who are often negatively affected by gender bias in medicine.

“A Household Pulse Survey conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics estimated that nearly 18 percent of U.S. adults had experienced long COVID and that five percent were experiencing it as of September 2024. It is safe to estimate that long COVID still affects millions of adults in the United States currently,” said Dr. Koralnik. 

To date, the Neuro COVID-19 Clinic has treated more than 3,300 patients with long COVID from 44 states. While severe cases of COVID-19 requiring hospitalization have become rare, Dr. Koralnik says COVID-19 continues to occur and the risk of developing long COVID increases with repeat occurrences of COVID-19.

Northwestern Memorial Hospital is ranked No. 6 in the nation for neurology and neurosurgery by U.S. News & World Report, 2025-2026. For more information, visit nm.org and to schedule an appointment with the Neuro COVID-19 Clinic, call 312.695.7950.

CHICAGO - Northwestern Medicine today announced the launch of the Northwestern Medicine Robert Havey, MD, Institute for Primary Care, a transformative new institute dedicated to advancing primary care delivery, education and innovation across the health system. The institute is made possible through a generous anonymous philanthropic gift in honor of Robert J. Havey, MD, a longtime Northwestern Medicine primary care physician, educator and leader.

This extraordinary contribution represents one of the most substantial philanthropic gifts in Northwestern Medicine’s history and among the most significant ever made in support of advancing the vital practice of primary care.

The Robert Havey, MD, Institute for Primary Care builds on Northwestern Medicine’s sustained commitment to expanding and strengthening primary care and will serve as a catalyst to develop a nationally recognized, integrated primary care model that sets new global standards for patient care.

“This is a transformational gift that will have a lasting impact on our health system and, most importantly, on the patients and communities we serve,” said Howard Chrisman, MD, president and chief executive officer, Northwestern Memorial HealthCare. “Primary care is the foundation of better health. It is where relationships begin, prevention takes root and care is coordinated across every stage of life. The Robert Havey, MD, Institute for Primary Care will enable NM to accelerate strengthening primary care as the front door to Northwestern Medicine while expanding access, supporting our clinicians and enabling more proactive, connected care.”

The institute will be focused on optimizing the patient experience through individualized care, advanced technologies and innovative delivery models while fostering a dynamic clinical workforce and advancing the global conversation on the impact of primary care on health outcomes.

Northwestern Medicine will further expand access to high-quality primary care and develop innovative, team-based care models that integrate physicians, advanced practice providers, pharmacists and support staff. Efforts will include:

• Enhancing connectivity so patients can more easily access care
• Expanding support for patients with complex health needs
• Recruiting top primary care clinicians to broaden reach and clinical excellence

The institute will launch a leading-edge professional development curriculum aimed at equipping current physicians with the latest knowledge and innovations while helping train the next generation of primary care clinicians.

Northwestern Medicine will lead the adoption of advanced technologies, including AI-enabled tools, to improve patient engagement, streamline clinical documentation and enhance care delivery.

The institute builds on more than a decade of investment in primary care across Northwestern Medicine, including innovations in proactive care, care coordination and advanced care planning. Today, Northwestern Medicine operates more than 70 primary care locations. These capabilities provide a strong foundation for continued growth and innovation.

Honoring the Legacy of Robert Havey, MD

Robert J. Havey, MD, has dedicated his career to primary care at Northwestern Medicine, serving as a trusted physician, educator and advocate for patients. He is a clinical professor of medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and vice president of operations for Northwestern Medical Group and has long been committed to advancing primary care both locally and globally.

“While it is an honor to have this institute named after me and to have patients express their gratitude by investing in the future of Northwestern Medicine, the work of this institute is bigger than any one person,” said Robert Havey, MD. “I hope this honor will inspire other primary care physicians to understand their vital role in the healthcare system and the lives of each of their patients.”

Chicago, IL – July 14, 2026 – Northwestern Medicine surgeons have performed the first known quadruple-organ transplant involving retransplanted lungs in the United States. Elizabeth Wehrle, a 36-year-old mother from Montezuma, Iowa, received two donor lungs for a second time, along with a liver and kidney, after complications from cystic fibrosis and chronic rejection of her first lung transplant left her critically ill. The groundbreaking surgery happened at Northwestern Memorial Hospital and involved a multidisciplinary transplant team uniquely equipped to manage one of the most complex surgical cases ever undertaken. 

KEY NOTES AT A GLANCE

• According to the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (SRTR), Wehrle is the first patient in the United States to receive a quadruple-organ transplant involving retransplanted lungs.
• According to SRTR, Northwestern Medicine is the sixth transplant program in the U.S. to perform a quadruple-organ transplant, but the first to perform one with retransplanted lungs.
• To date, only seven quadruple-organ transplant procedures have been performed in the U.S. (one transplant center performed two).
• Redo lung transplantation is among the most technically challenging procedures in medicine. Previous surgeries create extensive scar tissue, obscuring normal anatomy and making operations significantly more complex.

“Retransplanting lungs is extraordinarily difficult because prior surgery can leave the chest densely scarred and the normal anatomy severely distorted,” said Ankit Bharat, MD, chief of thoracic surgery and executive director of the Northwestern Medicine Canning Thoracic Institute. “Adding a liver and kidney transplant placed Elizabeth’s case in a category few transplant programs ever encounter. Her outcome reflects not just surgical skill, but an entire system built to care for the most complex patients. Elizabeth’s initial double-lung transplant from 2017 left extensive scar tissue which severely distorted the normal anatomy of her chest. When you make an incision, the risk of bleeding and injury to nearby organs and blood vessels increases, and with four organs involved, there’s an even greater risk of organ rejection and serious infection.” 

“Every transplant case is unique, but Elizabeth’s case was extremely rare and difficult,” said Satish Nadig, MD, PhD, transplant surgeon and director of the Northwestern Medicine Comprehensive Transplant Center. “This operation worked because the thoracic, abdominal transplant, anesthesia, intensive care unit, perfusion and nursing teams functioned as one coordinated team. Because we all worked so well together, the surgical implantation was completed in approximately eight hours. It truly highlights why Northwestern Medicine’s expertise can take on some of the most complex transplant cases in the world.”

Rare lung rejection presents extraordinary challenge

 Wehrle, a patient with cystic fibrosis, previously underwent a double-lung transplant in 2017 at another health system and had regained her quality of life before getting sick in January and eventually being diagnosed with a severe form of chronic rejection in late February. While chronic rejection is common in lung transplant patients, Wehrle’s case was especially rare and life-threatening.

“Unfortunately, she developed a rare form of rejection called restrictive allograft syndrome (RAS) which is often fatal and so high-risk that many transplant centers wouldn’t consider repeat lung transplantation,” said Dr. Bharat. 

As physicians evaluated Wehrle’s condition, they discovered additional organ failure caused by cystic fibrosis complications – she would also need a liver and kidney transplant. By the time Wehrle’s medical team in Iowa referred her to Northwestern Medicine, she had progressive respiratory failure and required both a ventilator and life support machine known as extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). 

“Even though a redo double-lung transplant plus a liver and kidney transplant had not been identified in U.S. registry data, we thought we could help Elizabeth because of our experience with some of the most challenging transplant cases and the multidisciplinary systems we’ve built at Northwestern Medicine to care for these patients,” said Dr. Bharat.    

Timing and coordination for transplantation 

On March 17, Wehrle was admitted to the Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit at Northwestern Memorial and was listed for a quadruple-organ transplant on March 19. Three days later, she received word that four organs were available. Thoracic surgeons started on the double-lung retransplant the evening of March 22, and abdominal surgeons followed in the early morning hours of March 23 with the liver and kidney transplant. 

To overcome the challenges associated with prolonged transplant surgeries, Northwestern Medicine used advanced machine perfusion technology to preserve donor organs outside the body, giving surgeons more time than traditional cold storage alone. This approach allowed the thoracic team to focus on the complex lung retransplantation while the liver and kidney remained safely supported. The surgery required extensive preparation and precise choreography.

“The liver and kidney were on a machine perfusion pump, which was fantastic because it allowed the lung team to take their time and make sure the lungs went in safely without being on the clock for the abdominal organs,” said Dr. Nadig. “When the abdominal organs went in and blood flow was restored, they began functioning straight away.”

"The whole operation had to be very closely coordinated, with so many team members and two different teams working in extremely close collaboration to make sure there was no single misstep," said Chitaru Kurihara, MD, a thoracic surgeon and surgical director of the Lung Transplant Program at the Canning Thoracic Institute. “If one surgeon had tried to do this as a single 20-hour operation, that would have been too much stress on a critically ill patient. By separating it out this way, we were able to achieve the outcome we hoped for in only eight hours.”

Life after a historic transplant 

For Wehrle, the historic surgery represented an opportunity to return to the life she had built with her family after her first transplant in 2017.

"Life was great after my first double-lung transplant," Wehrle said. "I was a stay-at-home mom, I homeschooled my son, and I was busy with all his activities. I had my life back. But as my health deteriorated, simple daily tasks became overwhelming. There were days that I couldn't get myself dressed because I just couldn't breathe.”

Following the transplant in March, Wehrle quickly recovered, with her new lungs, liver and kidney functioning well. In less than three weeks, she was discharged from Northwestern Memorial and began rebuilding her strength. She’s currently walking 3-4 miles per day and doing light weightlifting.

“Before surgery, there was so much tightness in my chest and I couldn’t breathe. Almost immediately after transplant, I felt like a new person,” said Wehrle. “Without my four new organs, I know I wouldn’t be here today.”

Wehrle will return home to Iowa on July 17 and be reunited with her 11-year-old son, Landen, who got to experience a Chicago summer when he visited his mom in June. The scars from Wehrle’s surgeries are a visible reminder of her journey and she doesn’t take them for granted. 

"I don't hide my scars," Wehrle said. “I’m looking forward to going to the swimming pool this summer and showing off my battle scars. I earned them. They saved my life.”

"I'm so proud of this case because of the way our teams came together to anticipate every challenge and be prepared for it," said Dr. Bharat. "There was a tremendous amount of passion to help Elizabeth. The thought of reuniting her with her child and giving her a new lease on life makes all of us incredibly happy."

The procedure was made possible by the generosity of an organ donor and donor family.

More information on lung transplantation 

Since Northwestern Medicine’s Lung Transplant Program first started in 2014, they’ve performed more than 700 lung transplant procedures for patients with end-stage lung diseases such as COVID, cancer, cystic fibrosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and more. Northwestern Medicine has one of the shortest wait times for a lung transplant in the U.S. with a median wait time of three days. 

Patients interested in being evaluated for a lung transplant can contact the 24-hour referral line at 312.695.5864 or 844.639.5864. For more information about organ transplantation at Northwestern Medicine, visit nm.org. 

Chicago, IL – July 8, 2026 – A landmark study from the Northwestern Medicine Canning Thoracic Institute, published today in JAMA, suggests lung transplantation can significantly extend survival in select patients with advanced lung cancer.

In a study of patients with medically refractory, lung-limited stage IV non-small cell lung cancer (patients with terminal lung cancer confined to the lungs who are out of treatment options), Northwestern Medicine physicians and scientists found that lung transplantation was associated with substantially better early survival than medical management (chemotherapy, radiation, immunotherapy, etc.) alone.

The study, titled “Lung Transplant for Refractory Lung-Limited Stage IV Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer,” evaluated outcomes from the Double Lung Transplant Registry for Lung-Limited Malignancies – known as the DREAM registry – a pioneering Northwestern Medicine program designed to test whether replacing lungs overtaken by treatment-resistant cancer can remove organ-confined disease and rescue patients dying of respiratory failure. Northwestern Medicine is currently the only known health system in the country with a dedicated lung transplant program (DREAM) for patients with advanced lung cancers who have failed all other treatment options.

“This work changes what we can imagine for a highly selected group of patients who were previously considered beyond the reach of curative-intent intervention,” said co-corresponding author Ankit Bharat, MD, who is chief of thoracic surgery and director of the Canning Thoracic Institute. “We are not saying lung transplant is appropriate for every patient with stage IV lung cancer. We are saying that when the cancer is rigorously proven to be confined to the lungs, when standard therapies have been exhausted, and when the lungs themselves have become the life-limiting organ, transplantation may offer a new path forward.”

KEY RESULTS AT A GLANCE

• Study population: 404 adults with end-stage pulmonary disease, including 98 with stage IV lung cancer; 17 underwent lung transplant and 81 received medical management alone after nonbiologic barriers prevented transplant.
• Comparison with patients who did not receive transplant: In the main study period (September 2021 through June 2025), every transplanted patient was alive, while fewer than half of similar patients treated with medical therapy alone were alive.
• Comparison with patients who received lung transplant for lung failure from non-cancer causes: One-year posttransplant survival among lung transplant patients was 100% for those transplanted for stage IV lung cancer vs 88% for patients transplanted without cancer.  

A devastating form of stage IV lung cancer

Cancers of the lung are the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States with more people dying of lung cancer than colon, breast and prostate cancers.

Most patients with stage IV lung cancer have disease that has spread beyond the lungs. But a subset develops advanced non-small cell lung cancer that remains confined to the lungs, even as it progresses throughout both lungs and causes respiratory failure. These patients may exhaust targeted therapy, immunotherapy, chemotherapy and clinical trial options, yet still have no evidence of cancer outside the lungs. For these patients, the immediate cause of death is often not widespread systemic cancer, but progressive failure of cancer-filled lungs.

“This is a biologically distinct clinical scenario. These patients have stage IV cancer, but the disease remains anatomically limited to the lungs,” said co-corresponding author Young Kwang Chae, MD, MPH, who is a thoracic medical oncologist with the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. “In these rare select group of patients, DREAM provides us a disciplined, scientifically rigorous way to ask whether removing the organ containing all visible disease can change the natural history of an otherwise fatal condition.”

What the study found

The JAMA study included 404 adults treated or evaluated at Northwestern Medicine from September 2021 through June 2025 for end-stage pulmonary disease.

Among 98 patients with stage IV lung cancer confined to the lungs, 17 underwent lung transplant and 81 met transplant eligibility criteria but didn’t undergo transplant because of nonbiologic barriers such as logistical, financial or geographic factors, and were treated with medical management alone.

The results showed 100% one-year survival among the 17 patients with stage IV lung cancer who received a lung transplant, compared to 41% one-year survival among the 81 patients with stage IV lung cancer who were treated with medical therapies alone.  

The investigators also compared the lung cancer transplant recipients with 306 patients without cancer who underwent lung transplant for end-stage pulmonary disease such as cystic fibrosis, COPD or pulmonary hypertension. Between those two groups of patients, one-year posttransplant survival was 100% among the patients transplanted for stage IV lung cancer, versus 88% among lung transplant recipients without cancer.   

“Any time we consider expanding the use or donor lungs, organ stewardship must be central. These results suggest that, in carefully selected patients and in the right multidisciplinary setting, lung transplantation for lung-limited malignancy can achieve early outcomes that are comparable to accepted noncancer transplant indications,” said Dr. Bharat.

Why this approach is different

Lung cancer has long been considered a relative contraindication to lung transplantation due to the concern that lung cancer would rapidly recur in the transplanted lung. The Northwestern Medicine team designed the DREAM trial to determine whether modern cancer detection methods could identify patients whose cancer was limited to the lung, limiting the chances of recurrence.

Patients underwent comprehensive contemporary staging to confirm that disease was confined to the lungs, including advanced imaging and systematic invasive mediastinal evaluation to reduce the risk of missing cancer spread outside the lungs. Transplant was considered only after patients had medically refractory disease despite available systemic therapies and consideration for clinical trials.

The surgical strategy was also redesigned to minimize the risk of cancer dissemination during the operation.

“This innovative technique involves putting the patient on heart and lung bypass, delicately taking both cancer-ridden lungs out at the same time along with the lymph nodes, washing the airways and the chest cavity to clear the cancer, and then putting new lungs in,” said Dr. Bharat. “These patients can have billions of cancer cells in the lungs, so we must be extremely meticulous to not let a single cell spill into the patient’s chest cavity or blood stream. We believe this technique can help reduce the risk of recurrence, which we learned through our experience with pioneering COVID-19 lung transplants in 2020.”

The team also used single-cell transcriptomic analyses to study tumor regions across the removed lungs and investigate mechanisms of treatment resistance.

“Using state-of-the-art single-cell analysis of individual cancer cells from multiple regions of both cancer-filled lungs, we saw tumors that were profoundly resistant, with different cancer-cell populations relying on different resistance pathways. That helps explain why chemotherapy, immunotherapy and other systemic therapies could no longer meaningfully control the disease and why replacing the diseased lungs may be the only realistic option to extend life for these carefully selected patients,” said Dr. Bharat.

“The paradigm shift is not simply that transplant was performed for lung cancer. The shift is that transplantation was embedded within a complete scientific framework – rigorous staging, proof of lung-limited disease, transplant-specific operative innovation, intensive surveillance and molecular analysis of the explanted tumors. That is what makes this a new model of transplant oncology,” said co-corresponding author G.R. Scott Budinger, MD, chief of pulmonary and critical care medicine at the Canning Thoracic Institute.

Recovery, recurrence and next steps

Postoperative outcomes among the transplant recipients with cancer were generally similar to those among transplant recipients without cancer. Median hospital length of stay was 14 days for patients transplanted for stage IV lung cancer and 16 days for transplant recipients without cancer.

During follow-up, four of the 17 transplant recipients saw their cancer return and they were treated with local and systemic therapies (ex: surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, etc.) By the end of the study in January 2026, two of the 17 transplant recipients had died.

The authors emphasize that longer follow-up is needed to define the durability of disease control, the risk of late recurrence and long-term quality of life after transplant.

“This is not a claim that transplant restores normal life expectancy, and it’s not a blanket indication for stage IV lung cancer. It’s evidence that a carefully selected group of patients facing otherwise poor near-term survival may have an opportunity for meaningful additional life – that’s why this work matters,” said Dr. Bharat.

About the DREAM Program

To date, Northwestern Medicine surgeons have performed more than 50 lung transplants for patients with advanced lung cancers.

Since Northwestern Medicine’s Lung Transplant Program first started in 2014, they’ve performed more than 700 lung transplant procedures for patients with end-stage lung diseases such as COVID, lung cancer, cystic fibrosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and more. Northwestern Medicine has one of the shortest wait times for a lung transplant in the U.S. with a median wait time of three days.

Patients interested in being evaluated for a lung transplant can contact the 24-hour referral line at 312.695.5864 or 844.639.5864. For more information about the Lung Transplant Program or lung cancer screenings, visit nm.org. 

PATIENTS AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEWS

David Peterson – Washington, DC

David Peterson is a freelance photographer who lives in Washington, DC. In early 2019, he developed a cough that wouldn’t go away, and after going to a local clinic, they discovered a dark spot on his lung. Peterson was diagnosed with lung cancer at a health system in Washington and started immunotherapy treatment, followed by surgery to remove a softball-sized tumor believed to have been developing on his left lung for more than a decade.

For nearly a year, Peterson’s recovery appeared promising, but a follow-up CT scan revealed his cancer had returned. Despite aggressive chemotherapy and multiple clinical trials, the disease continued to progress, and Peterson was running out of time.

In 2023, he discovered an online story about the DREAM Program at Northwestern Medicine, reached out to the lung transplant team and was fast-tracked for evaluation. Just weeks after being listed, and shortly after relocating to Chicago with the support of his wife and kids, Peterson received the call. On September 24, 2023, at the age of 57, Peterson underwent a double-lung transplant.

Now 60, he remains cancer-free and has had no signs of organ rejection. While managing a daily regimen of medications and ongoing physical rehabilitation, he’s embracing life again – reconnecting with his work as a freelance photographer, participating in lung transplant support groups and spending time with his family. His cancer, driven by a KRAS G12D gene mutation and unrelated to smoking, makes his case particularly noteworthy and he’s hopeful his story can raise awareness about emerging transplant options for patients with advanced lung cancer.

“When I first heard, ‘lung transplant,’ I thought it was too extreme to even consider, but it became my second chance at life. Today, I’m cancer-free, back with my family in DC, and picking up my camera again,” said Peterson. “I don’t take a single day for granted. This experience has taught me that even when options feel exhausted, there can still be hope – sometimes in places you never expected.”

Laura Rotunno – Deerfield, Illinois 

For Laura Rotunno of Deerfield, Illinois, a lung transplant was a second chance at life after being diagnosed with lung cancer four years ago. Initially, the cancer started on her left lung, but after two years of chemotherapy, the cancer spread to her right lung. Facing limited treatment options, Rotunno’s physician recommended she reach out to Northwestern Medicine to be considered for the DREAM Program.  

After an extensive transplant evaluation, and being hospitalized with pneumonia, Rotunno was placed on the lung transplant waiting list on May 20, 2025. Ten days later, at the age of 63, Rotunno underwent a successful double-lung transplant at Northwestern Memorial Hospital on May 30, 2025. Coincidentally, Rotunno’s transplant fell on the 11^th birthday of her beloved German Shepherd, Koda.

Married to her husband, Richard, for 35 years and together for 45, Rotunno cherishes time with her family, including their 29-year-old daughter, Jenna. As she approaches her 65^th birthday on July 31, Rotunno is back to working as a receptionist at a local health care system, and she reflects often on the anonymous donor who made her transplant possible.   

“When I got the call that donor lungs were available, everything changed,” said Rotunno. “Just a few months earlier, I was in the hospital on oxygen, wondering what the future would hold. Now I wake up every day thankful for the simple things – a walk with my dog, time with my husband and daughter, and the chance to celebrate another birthday. My transplant is proof that one incredible act of generosity can change someone else’s life forever.”

Jodi Graf – Houston, Texas 

For nearly three decades, Jodi Graf, a NASA engineer and mother of two, lived her life one breath at a time. In 1997, she began experiencing unexplained shortness of breath. Doctors in Houston, Texas, initially diagnosed her with asthma, prescribing an inhaler. But instead of improving, her condition worsened.

In 2005, after a bout of pneumonia, doctors identified a more serious condition – interstitial lung disease (ILD), which causes scarring of the lungs, making it difficult to breathe. For 10 to 15 years, Graf remained relatively stable until her health began to rapidly decline and she came to rely on supplemental oxygen.

In December 2023, Graf entered a formal lung transplant evaluation with doctors in Houston, but during the testing, they discovered a mass in her lungs. Despite not having a history of smoking, Graf was diagnosed with advanced lung cancer. At most transplant centers around the world, patients with active cancer are no longer eligible for lung transplants. Instead of being listed for a transplant in Houston, Graf underwent radiation treatment while her lung function dropped to 30 percent.

“Basic activities required constant supplemental oxygen – sometimes as much as 10 liters. Just walking from my car to my office at NASA was a feat,” said Graf. “I would Google ‘lung transplant’ constantly, searching for hope. That online search led me to news stories in Chicago about the DREAM Program and when I called Northwestern Medicine, I found my people.”

Last November, Graf arrived at Northwestern Memorial Hospital where she underwent a transplant evaluation and was listed for a double-lung transplant. Less than 24 hours after being placed on the wait list for new lungs, Graf received the call that a match was found, and her surgery took place on Thanksgiving Day – November 27, 2025.

After surgery, Graf walked on a treadmill – without oxygen – for the first time in years. She will reside in Chicago for one-year post transplant, and soon hopes to hike in Yellowstone, explore the Canadian Rockies, and travel with her husband, John, and their two sons, ages 22 and 26, without oxygen tanks for the first time in decades.

Tannaz Ameli – Minneapolis, Minnesota 

Tannaz Ameli, a retired nurse living in Minneapolis, Minnesota, built a life in the United States after immigrating from Iran in 1980.

In September 2021, Ameli developed a persistent cough that steadily worsened. Initial testing, including a chest X-ray, led doctors to diagnose her with pneumonia. However, as her symptoms changed from a dry cough to a productive one, further imaging still pointed to pneumonia.

By January 2022, with no improvement, Ameli sought care at a large health system in Minnesota where she received a life-changing diagnosis: stage IV lung cancer. She started chemotherapy, but it quickly became clear that standard treatment would not be sufficient and Ameli was running out of time. After learning about Northwestern Medicine’s lung transplant program through media coverage, her husband, Medhi, arranged for a second opinion.

During a consultation with Ankit Bharat, MD, chief of thoracic surgery, Ameli learned she was a strong candidate for a lung transplant because her cancer remained confined to the lungs and had not spread to the lymph nodes.

Ameli traveled to Chicago and was admitted to Northwestern Memorial Hospital on July 3, 2022, where she was listed for a double-lung transplant. Just 10 days later on July 13, a donor was identified and Ameli, then 64, underwent a successful double-lung transplant. Four years later at the age of 68, Ameli remains cancer-free.

“As a nurse, I spent my life caring for others, and I never imagined I’d be the one relying on such extraordinary care,” said Ameli. “When I came to Northwestern Medicine, the first thing Dr. Bharat told me was, ‘I think we can make you cancer-free,’ and he delivered on those words. If you or a loved one has lung cancer, Northwestern Medicine is the place to be. These days, I’m enjoying traveling, spending time with friends and family and living proof that there is hope even in the most difficult moments.”

Physicians in Cyprus successfully treated Stylianos’ cancer, but the Kortas family had to search further from home for solutions to the lasting damage caused by the long and difficult treatment. They traveled to the United States where they found a physician who would change Stylianos’ life.

Northwestern Medicine interventional gastroenterologist Amrita Sethi, MD, still working in New York at the time, agreed to take Stylianos’ case. When Dr. Sethi joined Northwestern Medicine, Stylianos became the first international patient to receive care at the Center for Advanced Endoscopy at Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital in Winfield, Illinois.

“No hospital in Europe accepted us because of my condition, so we requested [an appointment] at Columbia Hospital in New York. There we met Dr. Sethi, our doctor now,” said Stylianos. “I was excited that finally someone wanted to help me.”

A Journey of Survival

Stylianos was diagnosed with advanced lymphoma at age 14. During four rounds of chemotherapy, he experienced massive hemorrhages and severe infections that threatened his young life. As their son’s life hung in the balance, the family leaned on one another, their faith and their community to navigate these challenges.

“Four times Stylianos almost died. It was very difficult, but we gave our hope to God,” said his father Georgios Kortas, a Greek Orthodox priest. “Many times, Stylianos said to us that ‘If it's my time, I will be near God.’ And that gave us the power.”

Despite the challenges, the treatment was successful and Stylianos’ cancer entered remission. However, this was not the end of his medical challenges. He was left with complex gastrointestinal complications including chronic inflammation within the digestive tract, recurrent pancreatitis and significant narrowing of the upper small intestine (duodenal stricture) leaving him unable to digest or pass food. Stylianos was malnourished and rapidly losing weight, relying on intravenous feeding and nutritional formula while his parents and four brothers continued daily meals around him.

“We were cooking for everybody, and he was just taking his milk because he didn’t have any other choice,” said Maria Kortas, his mother. “We were waiting for somebody to help us with this.”

Physicians in Cyprus made one unsuccessful attempt at a specialized procedure called ERCP to remedy the complications, followed by two more attempts in London. The coils placed to control bleeding had migrated into Stylianos’ small intestine, causing obstruction and making it impossible to advance the endoscope, a thin, flexible tube with a light and camera used to see inside the digestive tract. When hospitals across Europe declined to take on his complex case, the family expanded their search to the United States.

A Slice of Hope

In New York, the family met with a team of physicians that included Dr. Sethi. The team determined that endoscopic intervention was the best approach. This allowed Stylianos to avoid major surgery, but left it as an option should the minimally invasive approach not succeed. 

“When I first met Stylianos and his family, they were scared and concerned that their son had not been able to eat for many months,” said Dr. Sethi, now medical director of the Center for Advanced Endoscopy. “He had really lost so much weight. He had been an athlete before. He had a vibrant life. And now he was failing to thrive.”

Between January 2025 and August 2025, the Kortas family traveled to New York three times to continue Stylianos’ care. Through multiple endoscopic procedures, Dr. Sethi successfully dilated the narrowed portion of his intestine and removed some of the coils allowing food to pass again.

“She was the first doctor who could treat him and make him eat after two years,” said Maria. “He was about 55 kilos (121 pounds) when Dr. Sethi first took care of him. Now he's 68 kilos (150 pounds).”

For his first solid food in months, Stylianos chose a cheesy slice of New York-style pizza. The moment marked more than a return to eating. It symbolized hope.

“When he ate the first piece of pizza, I remember he smiled. I will never forget it. For me and Maria, it was like we’re going to cry,” said Georgios.

Following Care to Chicago

While Stylianos experienced significant improvement following the procedures, ongoing endoscopic interventions would be necessary to maintain his health. When Dr. Sethi informed the family that she was relocating to Chicago in August 2025 to help launch the new Northwestern Medicine Center for Advanced Endoscopy, the family decided they would follow her.

“She advised us to continue care [in New York] and assured us she would continue to assist when needed,” said Georgios. “However, we could no longer trust any other physician. She became our doctor and we wanted to continue with her. We have complete trust in her.”

Even when he experienced new episodes of pancreatitis back home in Cyprus, Stylianos declined to proceed with any other physician. His parents supported the decision.

“I know Dr. Sethi is an excellent doctor and that’s why I believe following her here was the right choice,” said Stylianos.

A New Path Forward

In June 2026, the family arrived in Chicago for Stylianos to resume care with Dr. Sethi at the new Center for Advanced Endoscopy at Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital. Designed to treat the most complex digestive conditions, the center offers a level of care typically only available at large, academic medical centers.

“This center was built specifically to help patients like Stylianos,” said Dr. Sethi. “We have the equipment, the space and, most importantly, the team, both in endoscopy and within the hospital, to support these very complex cases.”

The goal for Stylianos’ treatment was to unblock the pancreatic duct to control how fluid moved through his pancreas. Knowing that ERCP was not possible, Dr. Sethi used a more advanced method called EUS-guided ERCP to place a stent connecting the stomach and pancreas.

“The connection creates a new avenue for the pancreatic fluid to drain properly when the normal route is blocked or inaccessible,” said Dr. Sethi. “Our hope is that as things continue to drain, his pancreas function will return and he won't require additional help from enzyme supplements to digest food.”

Home, Away from Home

With the assistance of Northwestern Medicine Global Services, the family secured three weeks of housing at the Ronald McDonald House: Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital just across the street from the hospital. The House features all the comforts of home, including private bedrooms and bathrooms, daily meals prepared by volunteers, laundry facilities, a community kitchen, game rooms, play spaces, fitness equipment and more. 

“Families can stay as long as they are receiving treatment,” said Kelly Evans, regional director of programs and operations, west region for Ronald McDonald House: Chicagoland & Northwest Indiana. “We support our international families with the same comfort and care we do with any of our families. We communicate before they come so they're aware of all our amenities and prepared upon their arrival. When they arrive, we try to help them as much as we can for things like securing Ubers or finding grocery stores.”  

For the Kortas family, the proximity to the hospital and support offered at the Ronald McDonald House helped ease the stress of traveling far from home. 

“It’s not easy to leave your family and come here. It’s very far,” said Maria. “We didn’t know how far the House was from the hospital or what to expect. It’s very near and it’s very good.” 

Deep Dish & Best Wishes

Following the successful procedure, the Kortas family explored Chicago visiting iconic landmarks like “The Bean” and the “Home Alone House,” as well as enjoying an architectural boat cruise, a Segway tour, and river kayaking. They caught Chicago Wolves and Chicago Sky games and enjoyed the forest preserves around Winfield. Georgios and Maria focused on one of Chicago’s most recognized ambassadors.

“I played basketball and my wife played basketball. We grew up with Michael Jordan, so I would like to see his court,” said Georgios. “I think we learned Chicago from Michael Jordan.”

For Stylianos, his focus was on learning local history and trying Chicago’s iconic deep dish pizza, a meal that seemed impossible just months earlier. With Dr. Sethi’s blessing, the Northwestern Medicine team surprised Stylianos with a send-off celebration featuring both Chicago styles of pizza: deep dish and tavern‑style.

“Foods like pizza are what we use our pancreas for, but it can be very taxing on the pancreas,” said Dr. Sethi. “We'll always say ‘in moderation,’ but to see him eat pizza and know that he doesn't have to be in pain is wonderful. We've gotten him to a point where he can enjoy these small things and be a kid again.”

After starting his food journey with a New York slice, Stylianos gave his final verdict: Chicago-style deep dish reigns supreme.

“I think Chicago – the deep dish. The crust is amazing,” he said between bites of a cheesy slice.

Looking Ahead

Now stronger and continuing to regain weight, Stylianos is focused on resuming his life in Cyprus and planning his future. He will finish school next year and hopes to one day become a doctor. An ambition inspired by the woman who gave him his life and appetite back.

“When you go through these difficult situations, you're inspired by those people. Now he wants to be a doctor, like Dr. Sethi,” said Maria.

For Dr. Sethi, knowing the young patient she first met in a hospital bed struggling to eat is focused on his future is rewarding validation of what’s possible at the Center for Advanced Endoscopy.

“It's a gift to know that the work that you do has that kind of impact, not only immediately in helping somebody's health, but in their outlook and the way they think about how they can make an impact on others and give them purpose,” said Dr. Sethi. “Seeing young people be inspired in this way is the best outcome we can have as mentors and educators, roles that I can fulfill through the center.”

This journey has already delivered something simple and profound to the Kortas family: the ability to sit down together again and share a meal.

“We feel immense gratitude for the doctors and medical teams who helped our son. The doctors in Cyprus who kept him alive at the Pediatric Oncology Clinic, especially the director. As well as the intensive care doctor at Makario Hospital, who fought so hard to keep our Stylianos alive,” said Georgios. “They helped him beat cancer and emerge victorious through the challenging moments during his treatment. And when we needed further care, we found Dr. Sethi. She gave our son the chance to start eating again.”

The family hopes sharing their story can inspire others facing the same uncertainty.

“Without these doctors, but also without God's help and the prayers of so many people, our son would not be here today. We are deeply grateful,” said Georgios.

About the Northwestern Medicine Center for Advanced Endoscopy

Part of Northwestern Medicine’s Digestive Health Institute, the Center for Advanced Endoscopy is anchored by physicians who are leaders in their field, prominent researchers, and pioneers of endoscopic techniques used worldwide. As one of only a few stand-alone advanced endoscopy sites in the United States, the center is expected to draw individuals from around the globe seeking treatment for the most complex gastrointestinal conditions. 

For more information about the Center for Advanced Endoscopy at Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital, visit www.nm.org/cae. To make an appointment, call 630-933-4448.

Chicago, IL – June 24, 2026 – When Craig Conover of Chicago, Illinois, began experiencing discomfort from a bulge in his groin, he learned he had an inguinal hernia — a common condition that often requires surgery. The retired infectious diseases doctor knew it needed to be repaired but was concerned the standard approach with surgical mesh would not be a strong fit for his active lifestyle.

“The surgery with the best track record that doesn't involve mesh is called the Shouldice repair, and there's only a handful of surgeons in the United States that do this,” said Conover.

Luckily, he didn’t have to search far for a surgeon with the skillsets to execute such a technical repair. Megan Melland-Smith, MD, a gastrointestinal surgeon, joined the Northwestern Medicine Digestive Health Institute in October 2025, bringing with her a specialized expertise in hernia care, abdominal wall reconstruction and a track record for performing the tissue-based Shouldice repair.

“The overwhelming benefit is that you avoid a large piece of mesh in your groin,” said Dr. Melland-Smith.

Tissue-based technique with WWII roots

Most groin hernia repairs in the United States use surgical mesh, a permanent implant that reinforces the abdominal wall. The material resembles a flexible plastic net and remains in the body for life, but some patients prefer to avoid surgical mesh.

“Mesh has come a long way from an engineering standpoint and is very safe, but it is a foreign body. It's permanently implanted for the rest of your life,” said Dr. Melland-Smith. “Some people can get inflammation around the mesh, and others have a foreign-body sensation of their mesh. It can irritate nerves in the groin.”

The Shouldice technique offers a different option. Instead of mesh, surgeons repair the hernia using the patient’s own tissue. The procedure is performed through a small open incision in the groin and reconstructs the abdominal wall with a four-layer tissue closure. The method was developed during World War II at Shouldice Hospital in Toronto.

“Back then, there was no availability for surgeons to get a hold of any sort of plastic because all the plastic was being used for parachutes, so they couldn't use any mesh,” said Dr. Melland-Smith.

Today, the Shouldice repair remains an option for patients who want to avoid a permanent implant. The procedure is performed on an outpatient basis, allowing patients to return home the same day once awake and stable. Part of the patient appeal is that doctors can use a local numbing injection and light sedation, eliminating the need for a breathing tube and full anesthesia.

“It's an excellent repair for young, fit athletes because it avoids putting a piece of mesh into these young people, and that’s a huge advantage for them,” said Dr. Melland-Smith.

Returning to activity

Conover’s search for a team skilled in the Shouldice technique initially led him to a physician in Florida, but that physician in turn referred him to Dr. Melland-Smith at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.

“He said, ‘You know, you really don't have to come see me in Florida. Doctor Melland-Smith just left the Shouldice clinic in Canada, which specializes in this repair, and she's at Northwestern Medicine,’” said Conover. “So, I made an appointment and had surgery a few weeks later.”

A nerve block provides 12–18 hours of pain relief, and most patients experience groin tenderness for about two weeks. Patients may walk, climb stairs, and perform light cardio almost immediately after surgery. Long-term, patients like Conover will generally have no permanent activity restrictions and may return to full lifting and sports once healing is complete.

“I feel great and I’m ready to go back to all my normal activities,” said Conover. “My wife's ready for me to start mowing the lawn again!”

For more information on non-mesh hernia repair treatment options at Northwestern Medicine, visit nm.org.

Wheaton, Illinois – June 18, 2026 – After surviving a life-changing bicycling accident that left her with a traumatic brain injury and aphasia, Lemont resident Linda Budziak is back to running her in home daycare, a feat made possible with significant help from the Northwestern Medicine Aphasia Center at Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital.

When Budziak went out for a bike ride while visiting friends in Indiana in August 2023, she never expected it would change her life. Just minutes from finishing the ride, rain began to fall, and Linda lost control of her bicycle.

The crash left her with a traumatic brain injury, a brain bleed, and a broken hip and femur. She required emergency brain surgery and spent weeks hospitalized before starting rehabilitation.

When she woke from a coma more than a week later, Budziak realized the injury had affected her ability to communicate. “I could understand that my speech wasn’t right,” she said. “I’m a talking person, so that was hard for me.”

The Northwestern Medicine Aphasia Center at Northwestern Medicine Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital would play a critical role in helping Budziak regain her confidence, reconnect with others, and return to the life she loved.

What Is Aphasia?

Aphasia is a language disorder that affects a person’s ability to communicate. It can impact speaking, understanding, reading, and writing, even though the person knows what they want to say.

“At the core of it, a person with aphasia knows what they want to say, but they just have difficulty putting it into words,” said Michelle Armour, MS, CCC-SLP, founder and program manager of the Aphasia Center.

Aphasia is most commonly caused by stroke, but it can also result from a traumatic brain injury or other changes to the brain. The severity and presentation vary from person to person, often affecting daily life, relationships, and independence.

Why the Aphasia Center Is About Community

The Northwestern Medicine Aphasia Center at Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital is designed as a community-based program, a unique offering that is accessible to anyone in the community living with aphasia.

“Our main goal is to help individuals not only continue to improve their communication, no matter how long it’s been since their injury, but help them connect with other people who have similar experiences,” Armour said.

Group sessions bring together people living with aphasia to practice communication, socialize, and support one another.

According to Armour, this sense of connection is essential to long term recovery.

“When communication changes unexpectedly from a stroke or brain injury, social circles can shrink and people can feel isolated,” she said. “By providing this safe space where everyone understands what it’s like to have trouble communicating, it creates a new community and helps people avoid that isolating feeling.”

The program emphasizes what Armour describes as “living well with aphasia” by helping participants engage in meaningful activities and relationships, regardless of the severity of their language challenges.

How the Aphasia Center Helped Linda Budziak Get Her Life Back

When Budziak first joined the Aphasia Center program, she struggled with reading and was hesitant to speak in the group. “I literally sat there and I couldn’t even read a sentence,” Budziak said.

Armour remembers those early days clearly. “When Linda first joined our program, she was very quiet and a little nervous,” Amour said. “Over the course of her involvement, she has just blossomed.”

Within weeks, Budziak began to see dramatic improvement. “After three weeks, I was a different person,” Budziak said. “Talking to other people who had injuries or strokes helped me so much. I always told myself, ‘I’m going to get better. I’m not going to give up.’”

The program helped Budziak rebuild confidence in her communication skills, return to running her licensed in-home daycare full time, and discover a new love for reading. “I literally have a love for reading, which I never did,” she said. “It’s also given me a love to help people and to talk to people again.”

Today, Budziak volunteers weekly at Marianjoy and continues to participate in the Aphasia Center, welcoming new members and offering encouragement through her own experience. “If you’re having a hard time, you come here, you talk to other people, and you go home feeling better,” she said. “Being around other people keeps you motivated.”

About the Northwestern Medicine Aphasia Center at Marianjoy

The Northwestern Medicine Aphasia Center at Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital is designed for people experiencing aphasia who would like to improve their communication skills and connect with others also experiencing aphasia. In-person and virtual options are available.

Patients can participate in several different ways:

Intensive Comprehensive Aphasia Program (ICAP) — A four-week program comprised of intensive speech services. Participants work with a specialized speech-language pathologists one-on-one and in group sessions for six hours a day, four days a week.     

One-on-One Sessions — Held in person or virtual, one-on-one sessions are available for an additional fee.

Group Activities —  A speech-language pathologist leads small groups sessions where participants can practice their skills through real life activities including games, technology use, writing, books and music. These eight-week programs consist of three-hours sessions once a week. A variety of scheduling options are available.

Northwestern Medicine Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital is a nationally recognized specialty hospital dedicated to physical medicine and rehabilitation. The hospital provides comprehensive inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation services for individuals recovering from brain injury, stroke, spinal cord injury, orthopedic trauma, and other complex medical conditions.

Through innovative programs like the Aphasia Center, Marianjoy focuses on helping patients regain function, independence, and quality of life by addressing both physical and cognitive recovery, as well as the social and emotional aspects of healing.

“Age is just a number,” said Mohammed Javeed Ansari, MD, a nephrologist at Northwestern Medicine. “What we’re looking at is the functional status of the recipient. If someone is living their life at 87, just like a 67-year-old would, they deserve the opportunity to receive a life-saving transplant.”

Doctor Ansari presented Perry’s case to his colleagues at the Northwestern Medicine Organ Transplant Center and fiercely advocated for her treatment. Perry was accepted, and on March 6, Vinayak Rohan, MD, a transplant surgeon at Northwestern Medicine, performed her surgery. 

“When Sheila was presented to the committee, everybody was taken aback a little bit,” said Dr. Rohan. “It's not every day that we see an 87-year-old looking for a transplant. But after reviewing her health history and seeing how fit she was, we were confident we could do this successfully.”

Transplants in an aging population

By 2050, the number of people over 80 years old is expected to triple. Advancements in healthcare mean people are living longer, and the number of older adults is growing worldwide. As the population ages, Dr. Rohan expects organ transplants in older patients will become more common. 

“Surgery and immunosuppression are harder on the body of an older patient, so we’ll have to adapt,” said Dr. Rohan. “We can adjust immunosuppression, cut surgery times, and perform awake kidney transplants without the risks of general anesthesia. There are things we can do to achieve good outcomes and meet the needs of this population.”

The proportion of older donors is also increasing, which may improve wait times for older recipients.  

“Even donors in their 70’s are being considered,” said Dr. Ansari. “From a biologic perspective and a physical perspective, age should not be a contraindication for transplantation.”

Thriving at 87

Just three months after surgery, Perry is back to her normal life. She lives alone by choice, walks several miles each day, and spends most of her time immersed in the arts. Whether it’s the ballet, symphony, or browsing museums, Perry is thankful her new kidney is getting her back to what she loves. As soon as she’s cleared by her doctors, Perry plans to continue her passion of traveling the world. 

“This transplant was an opportunity to add a few more years to my life,” said Perry. “I was going to have to do more dialysis, and we know where that eventually leads. Although there were risks involved at 87 years old, I’m so glad I went through with it. I’m not done living my life yet.”

After making history with a kidney transplant at her age, Perry has a message for older patients in her shoes. 

“Find an advocate who will believe in you,” said Perry. “If it can save your life, you are worthy of someone else’s kidney, even if you’re in your 80’s. Just go for it.” 

For more information on kidney transplantation at Northwestern Medicine, visit nm.org.

CHICAGO, IL – June 16, 2026 – Through their foundation, Schreiber Philanthropy, Chicago philanthropists John and Kathy Schreiber are deepening their commitment to enhancing access to high-quality health care with a $35 million gift to Northwestern Medicine to launch an innovative community health institute. The new John and Kathy Schreiber Community Health Institute (SCHI) will partner with community leaders, nonprofit organizations, and community-based providers to build stronger, healthier communities through direct care for under-insured patients, increased care coordination and navigation, and innovative workforce strategies to improve the delivery of culturally-competent care.

This latest gift builds on a more than 30-year legacy of philanthropy from the Schreiber family, dating back to 1994, and brings their total support for Northwestern Medicine to nearly $50 million.

“This transformational gift from Schreiber Philanthropy will strengthen the Chicago area healthcare ecosystem, benefitting not only Northwestern Medicine patients, but also those living across Chicago and the surrounding communities,” said Howard Chrisman, MD, president and chief executive officer, Northwestern Memorial HealthCare. “We are proud of our decades long commitment to helping build stronger, healthier communities, and this gift will allow us to continue our mission to provide better overall access to healthcare and address critical healthcare needs for local communities across the region.”

The institute combines Northwestern Medicine’s clinical expertise and resources with community partners to reduce gaps in access to care, meet social-related health needs, grow the community health workforce and improve community trust and empowerment.  Through this gift, the institute will work to ensure that everyone can attain their highest level of health by reducing barriers to care.

“Every person, regardless of where they live, should have access to high-quality healthcare,” said Kathy Schreiber, Co-Founder of Schreiber Philanthropy. “This Community Health Institute will strengthen the healthcare ecosystem in Chicagoland by addressing health disparities, expanding care access at two Transitional Care Clinics in Chicago and Lake County, empowering patients in historically under-served communities, and enhancing access to care navigation and supports. This investment is a key part of Schreiber Philanthropy’s broader strategy to strengthen and fortify Chicago’s healthcare ecosystem, and we are hopeful that – with Northwestern Medicine’s leadership – the Community Health Institute will be a model for how philanthropy can catalyze the reimagination of systems to better serve people and communities.”

Through the Schreiber Community Health Institute, Northwestern Medicine will aim to strengthen the care continuum by:

• Expanding access to Northwestern Medicine Transitional Care Clinics for patients without adequate insurance who have complex medical needs, as well as expanding services offered, including more support for addiction and substance use disorders
• Providing increased training and support to federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) and free clinics
• Creating a Care Navigation Hub that will connect patients who are underinsured and do not have a medical home to FQHCs and resources from community collaborators
• Leveraging Northwestern Medicine expertise to provide strategic and operational support for hospital partners, FQHCs and community collaborators so they can elevate and expand services for their patients and community members
• Operating with data-driven insights to ensure patients are getting the care they need when they need it

Up to 80% of an individual’s health is determined by factors in the community, not the health care setting, yet social needs and obstacles to care are prevalent in neighborhoods across Chicagoland. If left unchecked, health inequities will fundamentally change the quality, efficiency, and accessibility of healthcare for all. This investment will drive meaningful change and build stronger, healthier communities now and for generations to come.

For more information about the strategic goals of the John and Kathy Schreiber Community Health Institute, please visit www.nm.org/community.

For more information about Schreiber Philanthropy, please visit Schreiber Philanthropy.

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Winfield, Illinois, June 15, 2026 — University of Illinois men’s basketball player Jason Jakstys is set to return to the court this summer, months after a season-ending diagnosis of venous thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS). The condition occurs when a blood vessel is compressed near the shoulder risking limited blood flow to the arm. Without treatment, the condition can make actions like shooting and rebounding difficult and potentially dangerous. Timely diagnosis and specialized care was critical to preserving Jakstys’ playing career.

"I was definitely devastated because I knew I had to sit out the rest of the season," Jakstys said. "I really wanted to be a part of the team and able to play March Madness."

Ahead of the team’s history-making run in the NCAA tournament, Jakstys underwent surgery performed by Andrew Arndt, MD, director of thoracic surgery with the Canning Thoracic Institute at Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital.

“Repetitive use is a very common contributor to venous TOS,” said Dr. Arndt. “It was probably building up over time and Jason didn't know about it. The problem itself tends to show up fairly acutely, but as long as it's promptly recognized and treated, it tends to be treated successfully.”

First Signs Something Wasn’t Right

Jakstys first realized something was wrong the day before the University of Illinois men’s basketball game against the University of Maryland on Jan. 21, 2026.

While sitting in class, Jakstys experienced discomfort in his left arm that stood out from typical soreness associated with basketball. Despite those symptoms, he played in the game the next day.

“I noticed my shoulder was kind of bugging me, but, being a basketball player, you play through it,” Jakstys said.

The day after the game, the pain had intensified, signaling that the issue was more serious than a routine injury. While weightlifting after a light practice, Jakstys’ left arm was discolored.

“My arm just starts bulging up, becomes red, veins were bulging,” Jakstys said. “Guys are looking at it, like that's kind of weird. I knew something was wrong, but I still finished practice and then coach said, ‘Yeah, we need to get this looked at.’”

An ultrasound determined it was a blood clot and Jakstys was immediately put on blood thinners. Further evaluation led to the diagnosis of venous thoracic outlet syndrome.

About Thoracic Outlet Syndrome

Thoracic outlet syndrome occurs when blood vessels or nerves are compressed in the space between the collarbone and first rib.

In Jakstys’ case, the condition involved compression of the subclavian vein, known as venous thoracic outlet syndrome. This can lead to blood clots, swelling and discomfort in the arm and shoulder. “Jason being an athlete, with repetitive overhead and upper body activity, contributed to this development,” Dr. Arndt said.

Venous thoracic outlet syndrome is rare, but it occurs more often in high-level athletes whose repetitive overhead movements can compress blood vessels and threaten their ability to compete.

“I was definitely surprised and devastated. I put in two years of hard work and then, in a matter of seconds, my season was over,” Jakstys said.

A Surgical Fix

While blood thinners targeted the existing clot, Dr. Arndt recommended thoracic outlet surgery to prevent future issues.

“The definitive management to prevent clot recurrence is a first rib resection, which means removing the uppermost rib, closest to the collarbone," Dr. Arndt said.

The first rib is not medically necessary for breathing or normal movement. During the surgery, the muscles that surround the rib are repositioned, without impacting arm or shoulder range of motion or mobility.

Jakstys didn’t even know that type of surgery existed. “Honestly, I was speechless. I was like, ‘How is this going to help me at all?’” Jakstys said.  “Then Dr. Arndt explained it to me and I was like, ‘OK, that makes sense. And my next thought was can I keep the rib? That's a cool thing to keep, but unfortunately, I couldn't.”

One aspect of Jakstys’ surgery that Dr. Arndt had to take into consideration is Jakstys’ height. The basketball player stands 6’10”, but his stature did not impact the plan for Dr. Arndt to operate robotically.

"The main concern with his size is surgical access," Dr. Arndt said. "The robot fortunately gives excellent reach, and the approach largely mitigates the concern of working in a deep cavity."

Remarkable Recovery and Return to Activity

Jakstys's recovery exceeded expectations. Immediately after surgery, he experienced far less discomfort than anticipated.

“After a little over a week, I was kind of getting the itch to start moving again,” said Jakstys. “Within a month I was shooting, doing everything I could besides weightlifting and playing.”

“He recovered phenomenally well, which is great. I think that's a testament to his own motivation,” said Dr. Arndt. “He wasn't about to let this hold him back or beat him down.”

Bittersweet March Madness Experience

As Jakstys recovered from surgery, the University of Illinois Fighting Illini basketball team made an exciting run in the NCAA tournament.  “One of my questions was how early can we get the surgery done because I wanted to go to all the March Madness games,” Jakstys said.

Jakstys was medically cleared to travel with the team to Houston for the Sweet Sixteen and then Indianapolis for the Final Four, creating a bittersweet experience for the sidelined player.

“Obviously you want to put on the jersey. You want to get in the game,” Jakstys said.

“But it was so great being a part of team. All the guys were super supportive. It was great to be there.”

Watching the games, Dr. Arndt says he was rooting for both the Illini and for his patient.

“I felt great and horrible for him at the same time. He was there. The team was there, but he wasn't a part of it, on the court at least,” Dr. Arndt said. “I loved following their run. I hope they have more to come and I hope he’s part of it.”

Looking forward to the 2026-2027 season

With full medical clearance and several weeks of conditioning under his belt, Jakstys is looking forward to the start of official summer workouts and the upcoming 2026-2027 basketball season.

“We got a lot of guys coming back, some new guys, some freshmen. I’m just looking forward to meeting everybody, getting back with the coaches and starting back up,” Jakstys said.

After experiencing March Madness from the sidelines, Jakstys is more motivated than ever to be on the court contributing to the team’s success, with his surgeon cheering him on. “Jason’s prognosis is excellent,” Dr. Arndt said.

For Dr. Arndt, Jakstys's story represents the best possible outcome for thoracic outlet surgery — a young athlete who received prompt diagnosis and treatment, recovered extremely well, and will return to doing what he loves at the highest level of college basketball.

For more information about thoracic outlet syndrome, visit https://www.nm.org/conditions-and-care-areas/pulmonary/thoracic-outlet-syndrome.

Chicago, IL – June 4, 2026 – Just three days before a volleyball match at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, the team’s captain, Kendall Schara, found out she had cancer.  

“I spoke to a lot of my teammates that night,” said Schara. “I spoke to one in particular and told her, ‘I’m just so glad we got to play together for one last day.’” 

In April 2025, the then 21-year-old from Crown Point, Ind., had her wisdom teeth removed. What was supposed to be a standard procedure developed into an infection at one of the surgical sites, the flu, and a rash of sudden health issues. A bone marrow biopsy would then reveal the cause of her symptoms -- Acute Myeloid Leukemia.  

“I'll never forget the moment I was told I had cancer and having to ask the question, ‘what is my survival rate?’” said Schara. “I've been a relatively healthy person my whole life. I never had any problems until I had my wisdom teeth removed.” 

An intensive treatment plan 

Twenty-four hours after being diagnosed in Green Bay, Schara arrived at the Lurie Cancer Center at Northwestern Medicine in Chicago to begin treatment close to home. 

Schara began a 24-hour chemotherapy drip and spent the next month at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. After completing chemo, she began preparing for a stem cell transplant to replace her diseased blood cells with healthy ones.  

In the United States, 70% of patients do not have a relative who is a match and must look outside the family for a donor. Schara’s younger sisters, Marley Schara (20), and Elle Schara (18), both got tested. While Marley wasn’t eligible, Elle was a perfect match.  

“Getting good news throughout all of this is something that keeps me on the positive side,” said Kendall. “Hearing that my sister was a perfect 12 out of 12 match, I was in shock. I didn’t think my sisters would be a match, let alone a perfect match.” 

On July 29, 2025, Kendall underwent a successful stem cell transplant using Elle’s donor cells. Kehinde Akekola, MD, a hematology and medical oncology specialist at Lurie Cancer Center, says Kendall’s athleticism and positive attitude worked to her advantage.

“Kendall works hard and is incredibly strong both mentally and physically,” said Dr. Adekola. “Both her young age and the absence of other medical conditions played a big role in how quickly she recovered.”

Before her transplant, Kendall underwent fertility preservation with Kara Goldman, MD, medical director of fertility preservation at Northwestern Medicine, in the hopes of one day starting a family.

“Fertility preservation is a critical part of comprehensive cancer care,” said Dr. Goldman.  “Infertility remains one of the most common complications of cancer treatment and all patients should have access to fertility preservation and the chance to build a family.”

Back on the court

Nearly one year after the transplant, Kendall is in remission. She returned to the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay in January 2026 and began practicing with her teammates.

“This semester had challenging moments, but watching the progress over the past few months makes it all worth it,” said Kendall. “I have grown so much mentally and physically, and I’m lucky to have my teammates right beside me.”

Meanwhile, Elle followed in her sister’s footsteps and began playing volleyball at Purdue University in Indiana. Through treatment and in sport, the girls are each other’s biggest fans.

“Not many people have gone through what Elle and I endured this past year,” said Kendall. I’m so grateful to call her my sister, my donor, and my best friend.”

Kendall’s volleyball season will begin in August, giving her a few more months of collegiate play before she graduates in December.

About Acute Myeloid Leukemia 

About 22,000 adults are diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) in the United States each year. This type of cancer causes bone marrow to produce abnormal blood cells, and if not treated, can quickly spread throughout the body. The average age for a diagnosis is 69 years old.  

At Lurie Cancer Center, a multidisciplinary team specializes in the research and treatment of AML and other types of cancer.  

For more information on cancer research and treatment, visit nm.org.

CHICAGO - June 1, 2026 - After Lisa Fasone had her first child in 2022, she knew she eventually wanted to have a second. But following the birth of her first daughter, Fasone started experiencing postpartum hormonal issues. She had persistent symptoms, including night sweats, continued lactation, no menstrual cycle and infertility while trying to conceive.

Bloodwork revealed her prolactin – the hormone produced by the pituitary gland that stimulates lactation and influences fertility – levels were elevated. Medication to reduce her prolactin levels worked at first, and her hormone levels went back to normal. But over time, her symptoms returned and stopped responding to the medication. Bloodwork continued to show elevated prolactin levels, and by winter 2023, her symptoms had not normalized.

An initial MRI was inconclusive and Vijay Eranki, MD, an endocrinologist at Northwestern Medicine Huntley Hospital, suspected the 32-year-old from McHenry, Ill., may have a pituitary tumor that was not being picked up by imaging.

“The medication isn’t well studied for pregnancy,” said Fasone, a urology physician assistant in the Chicagoland area. “I just didn’t feel comfortable trying to have a baby without good data to suggest it was safe. If you get pregnant, you must stop the medication right away because there’s no data to suggest it’s safe and if you stop taking the medication, there’s a chance the tumor could get worse. I was not comfortable accepting that risk."

After the medication stopped working, a repeat MRI found a visible tumor on her pituitary gland, located at the base of the brain, which is known as a prolactinoma. The tumor was causing her pituitary gland to make too much prolactin. While prolactinoma is not life-threatening and is the most common pituitary tumor, it can make it extremely difficult to become pregnant since it lowers the body’s levels of the sex hormones estrogen and testosterone. The condition is seen more commonly in women than men.

Medication is the first treatment for prolactinoma, but after exhausting all conservative treatments, Fasone’s only other option was surgery to remove the tumor.

“I had to make a decision,” Fasone said. “Do I continue increasing the dosage of this medication that’s not making me feel great and doesn’t seem to be working, or am I going to face the issue and have it surgically addressed?”

Doctor Eranki and Northwestern Medicine endocrinologist Wenyu Huang, MD, PhD, – who specializes in pituitary disorders - referred her to Northwestern Medicine neurosurgeon Stephen Magill, MD, PhD, to have the tumor surgically removed.  

“While removing a tumor on the pituitary gland is a common operation, removing one for a prolactinoma, like Lisa’s case, is less common,” Dr. Magill said. “We knew she really wanted to have another baby. We carefully counseled Lisa on the risks and benefits of the procedure, what the surgery would entail and what the expected outcome would be. We were hopeful her hormone levels would return to normal, and she would be able to have a child safely without having to be on medical therapy.”

On April 14, 2025, Fasone underwent brain surgery with Dr. Magill to remove the tumor and Northwestern Medicine otolaryngologist Kevin Welch, MD, who helped gain access to Fasone’s brain through her nose. A few weeks later, she got her menstrual cycle back and discovered she was pregnant. Her daughter, Natalie, was born on February 11 and is a happy, healthy baby. Fasone will continue to receive imaging every six to 12 months to make sure the tumor has not recurred.

“Dr. Magill really gave me my life back,” Fasone said. “I was able to get off the medication, my body returned to normal, and I was able to complete my family. I recently introduced Dr. Magill to my daughter, and that was such an emotional moment – one I certainly won’t forget.”

June is World Infertility Awareness Month, a time dedicated to raising awareness and educating the public that infertility affects approximately 1 in 6 people worldwide. To learn more about fertility and reproductive medicine at Northwestern Medicine, visit nm.org.  

WHEATON, Ill. — A specialized driving rehabilitation program at Northwestern Medicine Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital is helping teens and young adults on the autism spectrum learn safe driving skills and gain independence behind-the-wheel. Designed to address the unique learning styles, sensory needs and communication preferences often associated with autism spectrum disorders, the program provides comprehensive evaluation and one-on-one training to support individuals in preparing for the Illinois Road Test. 

“There is no single pathway to becoming a driver, and meeting each learner where they are can make a tremendous difference,” said Monica Scalise, MS, OTR/L, CDRS, occupational therapist and certified driver rehabilitation specialist at Northwestern Medicine Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital. “Our therapists already support individuals on the autism spectrum, but this program was designed to be even more specialized. By considering processing differences, sensory needs and even heightened anxiety, we create individualized plans that build confidence, independence and practical driving skills.”

 A Structured, Tiered Approach

Led by certified driver rehabilitation specialists with advanced training, the Driver Rehabilitation for People with Austim program begins with in-depth assessments to determine readiness and identify sensory or other processing needs. Each participant is then matched to a tiered level of support designed to meet their individual goals.

Training may include classroom instruction, visual scanning and rules‑of‑the‑road education, structured passenger activities and behind‑the‑wheel lessons. Participants typically start in controlled environments, such as parking lots or Marianjoy’s campus roadways, before progressing, when appropriate, to community driving and more complex traffic situations.

Parents and caregivers are an essential part of the process, with instructors providing guidance for supervised driving practice and structured home training to reinforce skills outside of sessions.

“Consistency across environments is critical,” Scalise said. “Using familiar routines, language and vehicles helps reduce anxiety and supports carryover.”

Preparing for the Road Test

Participants in the program follow the same permit and licensing process as any driver in Illinois. As individuals work toward road testing, Marianjoy’s team also provides preparation focused on predictability, confidence and familiarity with the testing process. When appropriate, the program helps coordinate accommodations allowed by the Illinois Secretary of State, such as use of a familiar vehicle during the road test.

Christian Callaway of St. Charles, a 22‑year‑old on the autism spectrum, recently passed the Illinois road test after completing training with Marianjoy’s driver rehabilitation team. Callaway enrolled in the program after demonstrating a strong interest in cars from an early age.

“As a child, Christian learned everything he could about cars – from diffrent makes and models to their mechanics and maintenance – so having access to this program was exciting for our family,”said Peter Callaway, Christian’s father. “The structure of the program helped break the process into manageable steps. We always knew what the focus was and how to practice between sessions.”

“I just love it,” Christian added, referring to his interest in all things cars.

Scalise led Christian through a hybrid training approach through 18 sessions,  working on everything from basic driving skills to navigating community roads and planning routes, with consistent involvement and encouragement from his family. 

Ahead of of his road test, Christian felt confident and excited. “I was ready for it,” he said.

Driving as a Pathway to Independence

For many individuals on the autism spectrum, driving represents increased independence, access to employment, and greater participation in their community. Marianjoy’s program is designed to support those goals without placing unnecessary pressure on timelines.

“Many families don’t realize specialized driver rehabilitation programs exist,” Scalise said. “We want people to know there are options and that driving preparation can happen in a thoughtful, supportive way.”

About Northwestern Medicine Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital

Northwestern Medicine Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital is a nationally recognized leader in medical rehabilitation, providing comprehensive inpatient and outpatient services for adults and children. Marianjoy’s driver rehabilitation program offers clinical evaluations, structured training and adaptive solutions to promote safe, independent mobility.Marianjoy Hospital’s state‑certified Driver Rehabilitation Program provides highly regarded, comprehensive driving education for individuals with disabilities, delivered by Illinois‑certified driver rehabilitation specialists and instructors using a customizable fleet of adaptive vehicles to support driving independence.

WHEATON, Ill. —  For a group of pediatric patients, this morning marked more than playtime. It marked their first experience behind the wheel and for many, their first opportunity to explore independently. At GoBabyGo, children with limited mobility took their first solo rides in custom‑modified electric toy cars built just for them. The annual event is hosted by Northwestern Medicine Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital.

During the event, 21 children received custom‑modified, battery‑powered toy cars designed to support their individual therapeutic and mobility needs. Adapted by a team of therapists and volunteers from across Northwestern Medicine, the cars give children who are unable to walk or crawl and are too young for a motorized wheelchair the ability to move, explore and play alongside their peers.

“GoBabyGo is more than a single day. It creates a life‑changing moment for both children and their families,” said Stephanie Salentine, manager of rehabilitation services at Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital. “For many of these kids, this is their first experience with independent mobility. Seeing the confidence and excitement as they take that first drive is incredibly meaningful for families and care teams alike.”

GoBabyGo focuses on improving mobility, socialization and developmental skills for young children with physical and medical challenges. Each car is customized with therapeutic modifications such as specialized seating, hand controls, five‑point harnesses and head supports to meet the unique needs of every child. The cars are donated and provided to families at no cost.

For families, watching their children experience independent play and movement, often for the first time, is what makes the GoBabyGo event such a powerful and memorable experience.

“I was not expecting this. Not at all. This is eyound words. It truly is,” said Steven Kosriog, of Carol Stream, Ill., who attended the event with his son Jack. “There’s no greater feeling than seeing your son have that independence, especially the independence that he looks for and we look for in him as parents. It means the world.”

Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital has hosted GoBabyGo events since 2015 with support physical and occupational therapists across the Northwestern Medicine health system who volunteer their time to build the cars, as well as community volunteers.

This was the first time the Simmons family, of Joliet, volunteered at GoBabyGo, but they aren’t strangers to the event. Last year, their son Glenn was a recipient of a modified toy car. After experiencing the event as participants, they were eager to come back to bring other children the same joy they experienced from Glenn. Jerome Simmons gathered a group of colleagues to join their volunteer team.

“Last year, it was so much fun. Glenn enjoyed his vehicle so much. We were so happy and overjoyed just to see him get to play and enjoy himself,” said Jerome. “This year, I brought volunteers with me. I’ll be here every year to participate and help increase mobility for other kids.”

Founded in 1972, Northwestern Medicine Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital delivers the most innovative rehabilitation solutions available with compassion. The hospital treats a wide range of injuries and illnesses with specialized rehabilitation programs for brain injury, neuromuscular, orthopaedic, pediatric, spinal cord and stroke. In 2024, Marianjoy achieved the prestigious Magnet® designation for nursing excellence. It is one of just a handful of freestanding rehabilitation hospitals in the U.S. to receive Magnet designation. To learn more, visit: https://www.nm.org/locations/marianjoy-rehabilitation-hospital. 

NAPERVILLE, Ill. – May 14, 2026 - She didn’t like the way it looked. That’s why Ashley Daly, a suburban mom of two, first made an appointment with Lauren Taglia, MD, PhD, a dermatologist, about removing a mole on her right calf.

Days later, the Wheaton mom and wife got a call from Dr. Taglia. The mole was malignant.

Daly was diagnosed with melanoma, the most serious type of skin cancer that can spread quickly if not detected and treated early.

The good news is the cancerous mole was caught early, surgically removed in 2020 and Daly was considered cancer-free.

What is this lump?

In 2023, Daly was watching television when she noticed a lump in her lower thigh on her right leg. This time she waited months to contact a doctor. The first doctor she saw at another institution dismissed her concerns, saying the lump was nothing.

In April 2024, at her annual exam, Daly showed the lump to her primary care physician, who ordered an MRI and eventually a biopsy, which confirmed a melanoma. The cancer was considered metastatic, having spread to another area on her right leg.

Dr. Taglia says patients with a significant history of melanoma need long-term follow up, given the increased risk of further skin cancer development.  A new lump or bump in the skin of a patient with known melanoma is particularly concerning and needs evaluation.

Turning to Northwestern Medicine for Advanced Care

Daly met with Ashley Hardy, MD, a surgical oncologist at Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital, who first recommended treatment to shrink the tumor, which had grown over time from the size of a dime to the size of a ping pong ball.

John Ayers, MD, a medical oncologist at the Northwestern Medicine Warrenville Cancer Center, prescribed three rounds of immunotherapy, medications that encourage the patient’s own immune system to recognize and attack melanoma cells.

The treatment worked so well Dr. Hardy had to put a marker on Daly’s thigh to make sure she could find the tumor to remove it during surgery. In October 2024, Dr. Hardy surgically removed the tumor and the surrounding tissue and lymph nodes, which were tested for cancer and came back cancer-free.

Immunotherapy proves to be a game-changer

For the next year, Daly continued immunotherapy treatments every four weeks, following a protocol from research that found melanoma patients who completed a full year of immunotherapy treatments did better long-term than those who did not.

 “In the past 10 years, immunotherapy and targeted therapy have dramatically improved life expectancy for patients with advanced melanoma,” Dr. Taglia said.

Daly’s immunotherapy treatments ended in July 2025. Now she undergoes regular scans to monitor for anything suspicious and she knows to act right away if something doesn’t look or feel right. Daly is encouraging others, especially those with a previous history of melanoma, to look for suspicious moles and other warning signs.

For a list of melanoma symptoms and treatment options, visit nm.org.

Chicago, IL – May 10, 2026 – A NASA engineer and mother of two is the first known patient from Houston to receive an innovative double-lung transplant to treat terminal lung cancer. Jodi Graf traveled to Northwestern Medicine in Chicago to participate in a clinical trial known as DREAM, where select patients with advanced lung cancers receive double-lung transplants. Northwestern Medicine is currently the only health system in the country offering this cutting-edge approach for patients with advanced lung cancers who have failed all other treatment options.

“This innovative technique involves putting the patient on full heart and lung bypass, delicately taking both cancer-ridden lungs out at the same time along with the lymph nodes, washing the airways and the chest cavity to clear the cancer, and then putting new lungs in,” said Ankit Bharat, MD, chief of thoracic surgery and executive director of the Northwestern Medicine Canning Thoracic Institute. “These patients can have billions of cancer cells in the lungs, so we must be extremely meticulous to not let a single cell spill into the patient’s chest cavity or blood stream. We believe this technique can help reduce the risk of recurrence, which we learned through our experience with pioneering COVID-19 lung transplants in 2020.”

From breathless to boundless

For nearly three decades, 61-year-old Graf, who is a robotic software developer at NASA, lived her life one breath at a time. In 1997, she began experiencing unexplained shortness of breath. Doctors in Houston initially diagnosed her with asthma, prescribing an inhaler. But instead of improving, her condition worsened.

In 2005, after a bout of pneumonia, doctors identified a more serious condition – interstitial lung disease (ILD), which causes scarring of the lungs, making it difficult to breathe. For 10 to 15 years, Graf remained relatively stable until her health began to rapidly decline and she came to rely on supplemental oxygen.

In December 2023, Graf entered a formal lung transplant evaluation with doctors in Houston, but during the testing, they discovered a mass in her lungs. Despite not having a history of smoking, Graf was diagnosed with advanced lung cancer. At most transplant centers around the world, patients with active cancer are no longer eligible for lung transplants. Instead of being listed for a transplant in Houston, Graf underwent radiation treatment while her lung function dropped to 30 percent.

“Basic activities required constant supplemental oxygen – sometimes as much as 10 liters. Just walking from my car to my office at NASA was a feat,” said Graf. “I would Google ‘lung transplant’ constantly, searching for hope. That online search led me to news stories in Chicago about the DREAM Program and when I called Northwestern Medicine, I found my people.”

Last November, Graf arrived at Northwestern Memorial Hospital where she underwent a transplant evaluation and she was listed for a double-lung transplant. Less than 24 hours after being placed on the wait list for new lungs, Graf received the call that a match was found, and her surgery took place on Thanksgiving Day – November 27, 2025.

Breathing freely again

After surgery, Graf walked on a treadmill – without oxygen – for the first time in years. Now she’s walking and breathing freely.

Graf has always loved national parks, but before transplant, high altitudes made many destinations impossible. Now, she’s dreaming big again. She hopes to hike in Yellowstone, explore the Canadian Rockies, and travel with her husband, John, and their two sons, ages 22 and 26, without oxygen tanks for the first time in decades.

“As best we can tell, Jodi is now cancer free and we are hopeful that it stays that way. Her interstitial lung disease is also gone and there’s minimal chance it will reoccur,” said Catherine Myers, MD, who is Graf’s pulmonologist at the Canning Thoracic Institute. “Jodi is doing wonderfully and our hope is that she will be able to live with these new lungs for many years to come.”

“I’m 61 years old and I’m not ready to lose my own mother – let alone have my boys lose me. With my new lungs, I’m so glad that I’ll be there for them a while longer. They’re grown up, but they still need their mom,” said Graf.

“As a new mom myself, I understand that special connection,” said Dr. Myers. “So many patients don’t get a lung transplant for themselves – they get it for their loved ones, for their children, for their spouses. Having the opportunity to help Jodi stay longer with her children is what this is all about – it’s why I love what I do.”

Lung cancer cases on the rise in women and never-smokers

Cancers of the lung are the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States with more people dying of lung cancer than colon, breast and prostate cancers combined, and doctors have noticed a startling new trend.

“On a daily basis, we’re seeing more women and never-smokers being diagnosed with lung cancer,” said Dr. Bharat. “Conventionally, lung cancer has been associated with smoking and older age. While smoking certainly increases your chances of developing lung cancer, we’re seeing an explosion of lung cancer cases in patients who have never smoked or had limited smoking exposure – like Jodi.”

In a study of nearly 1,000 consecutive patients treated for lung cancer at Northwestern Medicine, researchers discovered only 35% would have qualified for screening according to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) screening criteria. The two-thirds of patients who would have been excluded were disproportionately women and never-smokers. Currently, USPSTF recommends annual lung cancer screenings for adults ages 50-80 who have a 20 pack-year smoking history and currently smoke or have quit within the past 15 years – a narrow window that excludes many vulnerable individuals.  

Northwestern Medicine researchers recommend expanding the universal age-based screening to 40-85. They estimate this would detect 94% of lung cancers, preventing more than 26,000 extra deaths annually. In response to these findings, Northwestern Medicine has launched the Lung Health Center at the Canning Thoracic Institute to detect lung, heart and bone conditions earlier. For more information or to schedule a screening consultation, call 312.695.1800 and mention the Lung Health Center, or email lunghealthcenter@nm.org.

About the DREAM Program

To date, Northwestern Medicine surgeons have performed more than 50 lung transplants for patients with advanced lung cancers.

Since Northwestern Medicine’s Lung Transplant Program first started in 2014, they’ve performed more than 700 lung transplant procedures for patients with end-stage lung diseases such as COVID, lung cancer, cystic fibrosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and more. Northwestern Medicine has one of the shortest wait times for a lung transplant in the U.S. with a median wait time of three days.

Patients interested in being evaluated for a lung transplant can contact the 24-hour referral line at 312.695.5864 or 844.639.5864. For more information about the Lung Transplant Program or lung cancer screenings, visit nm.org. 

“There was no time for me to be scared,” said Cheveria. “I remember my husband saying, ‘you did it, I love you.’ Then I gave my daughter a kiss and it all went black.”

Blood pressure medication helped get Cheveria’s heart pumping again, but the life-threatening clots in her lungs, called a pulmonary embolism, were putting intense strain on her heart. Cardiologists at Northwestern Medicine Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute had to work quickly to remove the clots and keep her heart from stopping a second time. 

Keith Benzuly, MD, an interventional cardiologist at Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute, began an emergency thrombectomy to clear the clots. During the highly specialized procedure, a catheter was run from Cheveria’s leg up through a blood vessel, through her heart, and into her lungs.

“This was a life-threatening emergency,” said Dr. Benzuly. “It’s really difficult when you’re taking care of someone who is that sick and their life is in your hands. I tried to focus on the technical aspects of the procedure, because I knew that this was the best chance for Chelsea to survive and for her baby to have a mother.”

The procedure was a success, the blood clots were cleared, and Cheveria’s heart was finally stable. Shortly after, her baby girl was back in her arms, right where she belonged.

“Once I woke up and held her again, I was never letting go,” said Cheveria.

Pulmonary Embolism after C-section

A blood clot in the lungs is one of the most common causes of pregnancy-related deaths in the United States, and a cesarean section doubles this risk. While clotting is a known complication, Robbye McNair, MD, the obstetrics and gynecology specialist at Northwestern Medicine who delivered Cheveria’s baby, says it’s still rare.

“Everything was routine, the baby was out and Chelsea was holding her,” said. Dr. McNair. “We were about to close the next to last layer of the procedure when she went unresponsive. Chelsea had no risk factors, and this was unfortunately random. I want to reassure patients that these are rare events, and most deliveries are uncomplicated.”

A team approach

Before Cheveria’s thrombectomy could be performed, doctors had to first address another issue – life-threatening bleeding from an artery in her uterus. Daniel Schimmel, MD, director of the Pulmonary Embolism Response Team (PERT) at Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute, swiftly coordinated a treatment plan between interventional cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, pulmonologists, and interventional radiologists.

“When you think about the baby who might lose a mom, you are not just trying to save a patient, but you’re trying to protect a family,” said Dr. Schimmel. “This was all-hands-on-deck, everyone running to the bedside.”

Robert Lewandowski, MD, an interventional radiologist at Northwestern Medicine, first performed an emergency uterine artery embolization to stop the bleeding, allowing Cheveria to take the blood thinners needed for a thrombectomy.

“This was a unique situation that required significant multi-discipline collaboration,” said Dr. Lewandoski. “Chelsea urgently needed blood thinners to help fix the clots, but that would exacerbate her uterine bleeding. Expedited care in the right order was paramount.”

Because the PERT was already in place, Cheveria was able to get multi-disciplinary and life-saving care right when she needed it.

A family of four

Despite the harrowing hours she experienced after giving birth, Cheveria spent just five days in the hospital before discharge to her home in Chicago. She’s now adjusting to life with her new baby girl Zairah (zye-ruh), her 4-year-old daughter Annayiah (uh-nye-uh), and her husband, Scott. Cheveria is sharing her story to prove that happy endings are possible, even with some bumps along the way.

“I now have a hematologist, a cardiologist, and a therapist,” Cheveria said with a smile. “And I already want another baby, I'm not afraid to go again. I just love being a mom.”

For more information on heart care and women’s health, visit nm.org.

PALOS HEIGHTS, Ill. — May 4, 2026— When Ariana Del Valle began bleeding heavily at home on the morning of January 11, she knew something was terribly wrong. Twenty-nine weeks pregnant with her third child and diagnosed earlier in her pregnancy with placenta previa, Del Valle had been warned that severe bleeding could happen suddenly. Still, nothing could have prepared her for how quickly her condition deteriorated.

“The moment I sat up, I almost passed out. My blood pressure dropped, I felt hot, sick and nauseous — like my body was starting to shut down,” Del Valle recalled. “I was so sick and worried about my baby.”

Her husband called an ambulance and paramedics alerted Northwestern Medicine Palos Hospital en route triggering a Maternal Code, a specialized emergency response designed for critically ill pregnant or postpartum patients. By the time Del Valle arrived by ambulance, a multidisciplinary team was waiting.

“This is exactly why we train,” said Alexander Lin, MD, obstetrician-gynecologist at Northwestern Medicine Palos Hospital. “When something rare and catastrophic happens, you don’t have time to figure things out in the moment. Because we had practiced, everyone knew their role and we were able to act immediately for the best possible outcome.”

Preparing to Save Two Lives

When the ambulance carrying Del Valle arrived at Palos Hospital, she said the amount of people who jumped in to help was unbelievable.

“Within minutes, I was surrounded by a big team of people,” she said. “Everybody had a job. Everybody was getting it done. I was terrified, but everything was moving so fast.”

Del Valle was actively hemorrhaging due to placenta previa, a rare and life-threatening pregnancy complication in which the placenta blocks or covers the cervix.

Within eight minutes of arrival, she was taken to the operating room for an emergency cesarean section and placed under anesthesia due to the severity of her condition. Her son, Levi, was delivered at just 29 weeks and two days, weighing 3 pounds, 6 ounces.

“Everything escalated so quickly that by the time my husband got to the hospital, our baby was already born,” Del Valle said.

Both mother and baby survived, an outcome clinicians say depended on rapid coordination, preparation and repeated training.

A Different Kind of Emergency Response

Unlike a standard adult code blue, a Maternal Code activates a customized response team trained specifically for emergencies involving pregnant or newly post-partum women. Obstetricians, emergency medicine physicians, anesthesiology, intensive care specialists and neonatology assemble at the bedside, all focused on stabilizing both mother and baby. While Maternal Code teams are increasingly common in hospitals that provide maternity care, the practice is not universal.

“Obstetric emergencies are different,” Dr. Lin said. “You’re caring for two patients at once, and things can change in seconds. The Maternal Code brings the right expertise to the bedside without delay.”

Northwestern Medicine Palos Hospital implemented the Maternal Code program to strengthen readiness for high-risk, low-frequency events. Teams regularly participate in drills and simulations involving labor and delivery, the emergency department, the ICU and neonatology. Recently, the hospital added a high-fidelity simulation mannequin to further enhance training realism.

“All of that preparation paid off,” Dr. Lin said. “This was the first time we used the Maternal Code in such a truly life-threatening situation.”

A Long Road and Two Lives Saved

After birth, Levi was stabilized and transferred to Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago for specialized neonatal care, where he spent 85 days in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

Del Valle remained hospitalized for two days before beginning her own recovery. “I was grateful he was alive, but it was heartbreaking to see him that way,” she said. “It’s still a lot to process.”

Del Valle and her husband, Brian, were able to bring Levi home from the NICU on April 6, 2026. Levi is now thriving, alongside his two siblings, Lucia, age 4, and Noah, age 3.

“I feel very blessed that my son is well, I’m well, and we’re alive,” Del Valle said. “I don’t know why this happened to me, but I’ve learned so much from it. I’m focusing on the positives.”

She credits the Palos team, and their readiness, with saving her life.

“Dr. Lin told me if I had waited another 30 minutes, we would not be here,” Del Valle said. “I didn’t even realize how many people it takes to save one life — let alone two. They had blood ready, surgeons ready, everything prepared in case of a turn of events.”

Community Care, System-Level Expertise

While Northwestern Medicine Palos Hospital is a community hospital, it offers 24/7 in-house neonatology and follows the same evidence-based protocols used across the Northwestern Medicine health system.

“Patients receive the same standards of care they would at an academic medical center,” Dr. Lin said. “That preparation can be lifesaving, especially when emergencies unfold in minutes.”

As Mother’s Day approaches, Del Valle hopes her story emphasizes the importance of maternal emergency preparedness. “I wish I could thank every single person who helped me,” she said. “I can’t thank them enough.”

To learn more about Northwestern Medicine, visit https://news.nm.org.

WINFIELD, IL — April 30, 2026 — Northwestern Medicine is expanding access to highly specialized digestive health services with the opening of the new Center for Advanced Endoscopy at Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital in Winfield, IL. Supported by a $15 million investment, the center offers some of the most advanced gastrointestinal (GI) procedures available in the United States, bringing world-class endoscopic care to patients across the Chicago region and beyond.

The Center for Advanced Endoscopy marks a key milestone in Northwestern Medicine’s broader effort to bring advanced, academically driven care closer to home for patients across the health system’s 11 hospitals.

“Combining the convenience of community‑based care with the expertise of a major academic medical center, this opening is a significant leap forward in our commitment to deliver complex care directly to the communities we serve,” said Ken Hedley, president of Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital. “Local patients now have access to the most advanced endoscopic procedures right here in the western suburbs, without the added burden of traveling far from home.”

With an emphasis on innovation and cutting-edge research, the Center for Advanced Endoscopy is anchored by physicians who are leaders in their field, prominent researchers, and pioneers of endoscopic techniques used worldwide. As one of only a few stand-alone advanced endoscopy sites in the U.S., the center is expected to draw patients not only from the Chicago-area, but also individuals from around the globe seeking treatment for the most complex gastrointestinal conditions. 

“These physicians are some of the most recognized and respected interventional endoscopists in the world,” said Hedley. “They’re changing how and where this level of care is delivered and putting Central DuPage Hospital on the map as a leader for complex GI care, research and innovation.”

A Global Destination for Advanced Endoscopy

Led by Amrita Sethi, MD, an internationally renowned endoscopist and the center’s new medical director, the Center for Advanced Endoscopy features minimally invasive diagnostic and therapeutic options for complex GI, pancreatic, biliary, metabolic and early‑stage cancer conditions. Patients will benefit from clinical expertise and technologies that offer faster diagnosis, improved outcomes, reduced recovery times and often eliminate the need for surgery.

“Our vision is to make Central DuPage Hospital a destination for advanced GI care, not just for this region, but nationally and globally,” said Dr. Sethi, who is also medical director of innovation and training for the Northwestern Medicine Digestive Health Institute. “We are bringing innovative therapies, minimally invasive diagnostics, clinical research, medical training and comprehensive patient support together under one roof.”

Spanning 20,000 square feet, the center features next‑generation technologies, including advanced imaging, flexible robotics, AI-enabled diagnostics and a planned hybrid OR with GI and interventional radiology (IR) capabilities. Patients will have consultations, diagnostics, treatments, and follow-up care all in the same location from a comprehensive team that includes physicians, nurses, technicians, advanced practice providers, nurse navigators and fellows. The center offers comprehensive diagnostic and therapeutic services for a wide range of gastrointestinal conditions, including:

• Complex pancreaticobiliary endoscopy
• Interventional endoscopic ultrasound
• Endoscopic antireflux therapies
• Endobariatric and metabolic endoscopy
• Endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR), endoscopic submucosal dissection (EMD) and third‑space endoscopy (all POEMs)
• Endoscopic therapy for Barrett’s esophagus and early esophageal cancer
• Advanced tissue resection and closure techniques
• Hybrid GI/IR/OR–supported proceduresStreamlined inpatient transfers for advanced therapeutic intervention

Bringing Advanced Care Closer to Home

The Center for Advanced Endoscopy builds upon Northwestern Medicine’s continued investment in digestive health. In 2023, the Digestive Health Institute launched a liver transplant service at Central DuPage Hospital, improving local access to advanced liver care and helping the health system achieve record transplant volumes.

“This investment underscores Northwestern Medicine’s commitment to bringing leading-edge, academically driven digestive care to more patients,” said Sri Komanduri, MD, globally recognized interventional endoscopist at the Center for Advanced Endoscopy and director of system integration for digestive health at Northwestern Medicine. “By combining top-tier talent, advanced technology, and a focus on innovation, Northwestern Medicine is setting the new standard for what GI care can look like in a community setting.” 

With both patient and referring physician experience prioritized, the new center is designed to reduce the need to travel long distances to access complex procedures that diagnose early cancers, remove tumors endoscopically, and treat conditions such as GERD, obesity, and pancreatic and biliary disorders. From the first phone call through recovery and follow‑up, dedicated nurse navigators guide patients through every step of their care journey, coordinating scheduling, providing timely updates, and communicating closely with referring physicians. The center also features direct physician‑to‑physician consultation pathways, enabling prompt review of imaging and pathology and ensuring seamless coordination so referring providers remain closely connected to their patients’ care.

“Patients should not have to choose between convenience and expertise and referring physicians should not have to sacrifice communication or continuity of care,” said Faisal Khan, MD, interventional gastroenterologist at the Center for Advanced Endoscopy. “At this center, patients receive academic‑level care close with rapid access when urgent issues arise, while referring providers benefit from direct collaboration and timely clinical updates. Our goal is to serve as an extension of the referring physician’s care team and deliver the highest level of care to their patients without the added burden and stress of traveling far from home.”

Innovation, Research and Training

In addition to state-of-the-art clinical care, the Center for Advanced Endoscopy also aims to advance the science of digestive health through clinical research and professional training. The facility will host national and international training programs, support clinical trials, and foster development of new techniques and technologies.

“Active research is essential to bringing the latest advances directly to our patients,” said Dr. Sethi. “By participating in and generating new science, our patients benefit from what’s available now and what’s coming next.”

Enhancing GI Care Across Northwestern Medicine

The decision to build the center at Central DuPage Hospital reflects both community need and the hospital’s strong foundation of multidisciplinary care. While located in the western suburbs, the center’s leaders say the opening strengthens Northwestern Medicine’s Digestive Health Institute by making the highest level of GI care available to more patients.

“The western suburbs need this level of care and Central DuPage Hospital is well-equipped to offer it thanks to the robust surgical, oncology, radiology and pathology support required to treat complex cases,” said Dr. Komanduri. “The center enhances access to advanced endoscopy for patients across our health system, including those in the International Health program. It ensures that no matter how they receive care through Northwestern Medicine, patients have streamlined access to the most advanced endoscopic treatments available.”

For more information about the Center for Advanced Endoscopy at Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital, visit www.nm.org/cae. To make an appointment, call 630-933-4448.

About the Digestive Health Institute at Northwestern Medicine 

The Digestive Health Institute at Northwestern Medicine provides comprehensive, specialized care for a full range of gastrointestinal conditions including advanced diagnostics, innovative treatments, and access to leading research and clinical trials. With multiple convenient locations, Northwestern Medicine delivers high‑quality digestive care close to home. The program is ranked among the top gastroenterology and GI surgery specialty centers in the country 2025–2026 U.S. News & World Report.

Palos Heights, Ill. - April 8, 2026 — Northwestern Medicine is now using Cytalux, an FDA‑approved imaging agent that causes cancer cells to fluoresce under near‑infrared light, helping surgeons visualize and remove cancerous tissue more precisely during lung surgery. The first procedure with Cytalux was performed by Justin Karush, DO, surgical director of the Canning Thoracic Institute at Northwestern Medicine Palos Hospital, on patient Steven Evans, a longtime pastor whose calling depends heavily on his ability to lead his congregation in prayer and song.

Evans recently became the first patient in the Northwestern Medicine health system to receive Cytalux (pafolacianine) as part of his lung cancer surgery. The drug, administered prior to surgery, binds to folate receptors often found in high concentrations on cancer cells. Under a specialized camera in the operating room, those cells “glow,” allowing surgeons to identify and remove areas of concern that may not be visible to the naked eye.

“This technology gives us another layer of visibility during surgery,” said Dr. Karush. “Cancer cells can hide in plain sight, especially in complex areas of the lung. Cytalux helps us see what we might have otherwise missed, allowing for a more thorough and precise removal. Being able to offer this to our patients is an exciting step forward for our entire system.”

A Pastor’s Journey: From COPD to Lung Cancer

For Steven Evans, the technology didn’t just change his surgery — it changed his life. Evans, 70, had already been feeling the impact of significant Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), when he was diagnosed with adenocarcinoma, a type of lung cancer, in his right lung in October 2025.

His case is unique in that he had severe COPD damage in his right upper lobe, but his cancer was unfortunately found in his right lower lobe. That left Evans at increased risk of respiratory dysfunction after surgery, given a procedure to remove the tumor would involve removal of a large portion of his functional right lung.  

As a pastor, Evans’ responsibilities are community‑focused, from ministering to members to singing with his congregation during services. Evans expressed concern pre-operatively about his ability to sing after he fully recovered but chose to proceed with the surgery.

When Dr. Karush explained to Evans that he would like to use Cytalux for the first time, Evans welcomed its use. “Dr. Karush did an incredible job explaining it to me and I was eager to have him remove as many cancerous cells as possible,” Evans said.

How Cytalux Helped Pastor Evans

Evans underwent a successful robotic assisted right lower lobectomy. The use of Cytalux enabled Dr. Karush to determine the tumor was larger than previously identified by CT scan and he was able to adjust his surgical plan accordingly.

 One month after surgery, Evans was able to fully resume all of his pastoral duties at Leap of Faith Ministry in Park Forest, including leading worship and singing alongside his congregation — a milestone that seemed uncertain before his diagnosis and surgery. During a follow-up medical appointment, Evans ended the visit with the beautiful serenade for Dr. Karush and his thoracic surgery office staff, moving some staff members to tears.

“As a pastor, my ministry is built on connection, praying with people, encouraging them, and singing during worship services,” Evans said. “The fact that I was able to return to my full pastoral duties, including singing with my congregation, is truly a blessing. I’m grateful for the care and the technology that made that possible.”

The Future Impact of Cytalux

While Cytalux has been approved for use in ovarian and lung cancer surgeries, marks the first time the drug has been used at Northwestern Medicine. Its introduction represents a significant step toward more advanced, real‑time imaging capabilities in thoracic oncology.

“Bringing new technology like Cytalux into the operating room allows us to elevate the care we’re able to provide,” added Dr. Karush. “Our goal is always to offer our patients the safest, most effective treatment options available.”

About Canning Thoracic Institute at Northwestern Medicine

The Canning Thoracic Institute (CTI) at Northwestern Medicine is a patient-centered destination for the treatment of complex thoracic and pulmonary diseases. Anchored at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, CTI is integrated throughout the health system, including Northwestern Medicine Palos Hospital.

For more information about CTI, please visit https://www.nm.org/conditions-and-care-areas/pulmonary.

Winfield, Ill. – March 19, 2026 – When a stroke happens, every minute matters. To further enhance its stroke response, Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital has upgraded its Mobile Stroke Unit (MSU), unveiling a new state-of-the-art rig that brings life-saving stroke care to 20 west suburban communities.

The Mobile Stroke Unit is a specialized ambulance equipped with the personnel, equipment, and imaging capability to diagnose and treat stroke patients in a pre-hospital setting. In January 2017, Northwestern Medicine launched the MSU, collaborating with emergency medical services (EMS) to deliver advanced stroke care in the field.

In June 2025, the Northwestern Medicine MSU received a stroke certification from DNV, a worldwide accrediting body aimed at advancing safety and setting industry benchmarks. The Northwestern Medicine MSU accreditation is the second certification of its kind in the world.

Building on that success, Northwestern Medicine’s new custom-designed vehicle is significantly upgraded with more reliable technology, enhanced safety features, and smaller dimensions to better navigate narrow streets. Among the enhancements is a 32-slice, self-contained CT scanner that delivers high-resolution imaging with faster, more advanced scans.

“Having a 32-slice CT scanner on board is a game-changer because it allows for an immediate and accurate diagnosis in the field,” said Harish Shownkeen, MD, medical director of the Stroke and Neurointerventional Surgery Programs at Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital. “Once we’ve determined the type of stroke a patient is experiencing – whether it’s an ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke – then we can administer life-saving treatment, all before reaching the hospital.”

From wedding guest to stroke survivor

For Bill Riley, Jr., remembering his experience inside the original Mobile Stroke Unit is difficult, but its impact on his life is undeniable.

In July 2024, Bill and his wife Bridget were in the western suburbs for their nephew’s wedding. Bill loaded their truck and walked into the hotel to let Bridget know it was time to drive home to Des Moines, Iowa.

Shortly after entering the elevator, Bill’s right arm froze. As he leaned against the wall unsteadily and disoriented, the elevator doors opened and friends Scott and Jeannie walked in. Recognizing the signs of a stroke, Jeannie alerted the front desk employee to call 911.

Emergency responders arrived quickly. Suspecting Bill was having an ischemic stroke, they performed a stroke assessment and confirmed the need for the Northwestern Medicine MSU to continue to the scene.

The MSU team is comprised of a critical care nurse, a CT technician, an emergency medical technician driver and a critical care paramedic. A Northwestern Medicine neurologist and radiologist support the onboard team via audio and video link.

The team remained in constant communication with hospital staff, and by the time Bill arrived at Central DuPage Hospital, the surgical team was assembled and ready. He estimates that less than two hours passed from the moment he entered the MSU to when he woke up from surgery in the hospital’s recovery area.

“I am incredibly grateful that this happened in a community where the hospital system has a mobile stroke unit. I fear that I would not have recovered as well as I have, or worse, I may not have survived the stroke if it weren’t for the quick response,” Bill explained. 

How the MSU makes a difference when minutes matter

For patients treated in the MSU, the time from dispatch to thrombolytic therapy, which is when clot-busting medication is administered for ischemic strokes, averages 47 minutes, compared to 83 minutes via EMS. This translates to a nearly 35-minute quicker response.

Stroke occurs when blood flow to the brain is interrupted. When this happens, brain cells in the immediate area stop getting the oxygen and nutrients they need to function and begin to die.

The longer blood flow is blocked, the greater the damage. Certain treatments for stroke must be administered within a tight window, and if too much time passes, irreversible damage to the brain tissue can occur.

By receiving treatment in the MSU, a patient may experience less brain damage, a greater chance of full recovery, and a reduced risk of long-term disability or death.

“With the MSU, we are getting a more than 35-minute head start by essentially bringing the emergency room to the patient,” said Dr. Shownkeen. “Patients who are treated early are more likely to go home from the hospital instead of to a nursing home or rehabilitation facility.”

Recognizing the signs of a stroke

Every year, nearly 800,000 people in the United States have a stroke – one every 40 seconds, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Experts, including Dr. Shownkeen, recommend learning about stroke symptoms and sharing the B. E. F. A. S. T. acronym as a way to identify and respond to the signs.

• B - Balance: Sudden loss of balance or coordination 
  E - Eyes: Sudden vision changes, double vision, or blindness in one eye 
  F - Face: Drooping on one side of the face, difficulty smiling or showing teeth 
  A - Arm: Weakness or numbness in one arm
  S - Speech: Slurred speech, difficulty speaking, or understanding language
• T - Time: Call 911 immediately if you or someone you know experiences these symptoms

While stroke is the fifth leading cause of death in Illinois and the leading cause of serious long-term disability, Bill is in good health today and credits the quick response time for his recovery. He considers himself fortunate to be walking, talking, driving, and enjoying semi-retirement.

“I am grateful to Jeannie for realizing what was happening and taking immediate action, and I am indebted to the ‘angels’ on the Mobile Stroke Unit who started treatment quickly and continuously collaborated with specialists at the hospital. Their response impacted my recovery and quality of life today,” says Bill.

Northwestern Medicine Mobile Stroke Unit at Central DuPage Hospital

Every year, Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital’s MSU deepens its impact by improving outcomes and saving more lives. In 2017, when the original MSU debuted, 166 patients were treated in the rig. In 2025, 507 people received critical care in the MSU. 

Northwestern Medicine’s original MSU was fitted with a 16-slice CT scanner compared to units in other cities that were capable of eight slices. The new unit is customized with a 32-slice CT scanner and other cutting-edge tools and technologies for rapid assessment and immediate care.

Operating from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., 365 days a year, the MSU covers 138 square miles throughout the western suburbs. The MSU can be directly dispatched by 9-1-1 to patients within the hospital’s Emergency Medical Services (EMS) area, which includes Carol Stream, Bartlett, Glen Ellyn, Glenside, Hanover Park, Roselle, Warrenville, West Chicago, Wheaton and Winfield.

Designated intercept sites have been established to serve the people of St. Charles, Geneva, Batavia, Elburn, Big Rock, Sugar Grove, South Elgin, North Aurora, Fermilab and Fox River/Countryside. In these communities, EMS personnel transports patients to the intercept sites to meet the MSU where Northwestern Medicine trained staff can provide the most efficient stroke care.  

Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital has earned the Advanced Comprehensive Stroke Center designation by The Joint Commission. The highest level of stroke certification, this designation recognizes the significant resources in staff, training and state-of-the-art infrastructure that comprehensive stroke centers must have to treat complex cases.

CHICAGO – March 12, 2026 – In May 2024, 39-year-old Amy Piccioli walked into an emergency department in Los Angeles expecting treatment for dehydration after a stomach bug swept through her family. Instead, a CT scan revealed a mass in her colon and multiple lesions in her liver. When a biopsy confirmed stage 4 colorectal cancer, Piccioli was shocked. She had no symptoms at all.

“I had zero signs of colorectal cancer. No pain, no changes in bowel habits and no family history,” said Piccioli, now 41. “When a doctor tells you it’s stage 4, you think, ‘My life is over.’ Learning that a transplant could be an option for me changed everything.”

As Piccioli began to process her diagnosis, she learned that her experience reflects a troubling trend: colorectal cancer is increasingly affecting adults under 50, often at more advanced stages and with few or no warning signs. For patients like Piccioli, whose cancer had spread to the liver alone, advances in transplant oncology are opening options that didn’t exist a decade ago.

“Because transplant for colorectal liver metastases is still so new and offered at only a handful of centers, it’s not yet on the radar for every clinician and patient,” said Satish Nadig, MD, PhD, transplant surgeon and director of the Northwestern Medicine Comprehensive Transplant Center. “Amy was fortunate because her team in California recognized that possibility and sent her our way. Patients who meet the criteria should hear about transplant early enough in their journey to benefit from it.”

At the time of her diagnosis, Piccioli was a busy mom raising three young children in the South Bay region of Los Angeles. She worked as a CPA and spent weekends biking to the beach and attending Dodgers games with her family. Her medical team in California started chemotherapy, shrinking her disease to the point where liver transplantation could be considered and encouraged Piccioli to explore programs in the U.S. that were offering transplantation for colorectal liver metastases.

After learning about Northwestern Medicine’s innovative oncologic approach to liver and lung transplantation, Piccioli traveled to Chicago in September 2025, where a multidisciplinary team at Northwestern Memorial Hospital evaluated her and determined she was a strong candidate for a living‑donor liver transplant.

“Amy had disease confined to the liver and had responded very well to treatment,” said Zachary Dietch, MD, transplant surgeon at Northwestern Medicine. “For patients with unresectable colorectal liver metastases, chemotherapy alone historically results in a 10% five‑year survival. But in carefully selected patients who undergo liver transplantation, five‑year survival can reach 60% to 80%, and some patients achieve long‑term cure.”

A donor steps forward

When Piccioli shared the living‑donor screening link with friends and family, an unexpected match emerged: Lauren Prior, the daughter of longtime family friends who live in Chicago and have known Piccioli since she was a toddler.

“It felt like fate,” Piccioli said. “Lauren and her family had already told us we could stay with them in Chicago while I recover from the surgery. And then she turned out to be my perfect match. At that point, I had so much faith in my surgical team that I was more scared of a Chicago winter than a liver transplant.”

On Dec. 17, 2025, surgeons at Northwestern Medicine performed Piccioli’s transplant, removing the last of her cancer. Three months later, both Piccioli and Prior are recovering well. A blood test that detects residual cancer cells came back negative, confirming she has no evidence of disease.

Coordinating cancer‑related liver transplants

Successful transplantation for metastatic colorectal cancer requires meticulous coordination between oncology, hepatology and transplant surgery, said Andres Duarte‑Rojo, MD, section chief of hepatology and director of liver transplant at the Northwestern Medicine Comprehensive Transplant Center.

“We only enroll patients in whom we believe we can completely eradicate the cancer,” said Dr. Duarte‑Rojo. “That means patients with disease confined to the liver, and no invasion of nearby structures. The timing of chemotherapy, imaging, liver‑directed therapy and transplant must be planned precisely. That orchestration is the strength of our program.”

Unlike standard liver transplants, patients transplanted for colorectal cancer undergo more frequent and intensive imaging, including CT or MRI scans of the chest, abdomen and pelvis every three months to detect recurrence as early as possible.

Healing far from home

Piccioli will remain in Chicago through the end of March for close monitoring as she continues to recover from her transplant. She said she felt compelled to share her story during Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, especially as new data shows colorectal cancer has become the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in people under 50.

“I’m more committed to the cause than anything,” she said. “If your cancer has spread to your liver, ask your doctor about a transplant. It might be an option you didn’t know existed. That information could save someone’s life. I can’t express how grateful I am for my donor and the Northwestern Medicine transplant team for saving mine.”

Advancing the field of transplant oncology

Northwestern Medicine is among a small number of health systems in the United States pioneering transplantation for select patients with metastatic cancers of the colon or lung. In 2025, the Northwestern Medicine Comprehensive Transplant Center launched a clinical program called CLEAR to increase liver transplant opportunities for patients with colorectal cancer. The center now evaluates patients from across the country and has received international inquiries.

“Liver transplantation for colorectal cancer is still in its infancy, but the impact is undeniable,” said Dr. Nadig. “Our goal is to expand awareness so patients and physicians know this option exists, and to continue advancing transplant innovation so we can offer hope in situations where historically only hospice was offered.”

For more information about Northwestern Medicine’s transplant programs, visit nm.org.

Geneva, Ill. – February 24, 2026 – Northwestern Medicine has launched a new Mobile Integrated Healthcare (MIH) program to deliver proactive, in-home care for patients living with heart failure. Based at Northwestern Medicine Delnor Hospital, the initiative is a collaboration between the Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute and the Southern Fox Valley Emergency Medical Services (EMS) system. The MIH program aims to reduce hospital readmissions and improve patient confidence in managing their condition by bringing clinical support, education and remote monitoring directly to patients in the Geneva-area.

“The Mobile Integrated Healthcare program brings cardiovascular care directly to our heart failure patients removing barriers and enabling earlier intervention when issues arise,” said Jane Wilcox, MD, associate chief of cardiology and heart failure specialist at Northwestern Medicine Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute. “This work reflects the strength and collaboration of our interdisciplinary heart failure team and our emergency medicine colleagues, whose commitment makes programs like this possible and improves outcomes for our patients.”

Supporting Heart Failure Care at Home

Heart failure, a chronic condition, often impacts daily life and can lead to frequent hospitalizations when not properly managed. The MIH program aims to ease that burden by providing short term, structured follow up care at home, ensuring a smoother transition from hospitalization to outpatient management.

“Within the emergency medical services system, we often see heart failure patients return because managing symptoms at home can be overwhelming without the proper support,” said Parkson Lin, DO, EMS medical director of Southern Fox Valley EMS System based at Northwestern Medicine Delnor Hospital. “Partnering with the heart failure team through the Mobile Integrated Healthcare program is changing that. By bringing coordinated, in-home support to patients, we’re reducing repeat emergency visits and helping patients avoid inpatient hospitalizations.”

The MIH program serves as a bridge between hospitalizations and follow up appointments. By monitoring patients remotely, clinicians can identify issues earlier and keep treatment plans on track between clinic visits.

“Managing heart failure is challenging and the period after a hospitalization is when patients are most vulnerable,” said Ross VanDorpe, MD, cardiologist and medical director at the Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute at Northwestern Medicine Delnor Hospital. “Even small changes in symptoms can lead to serious setbacks. By providing structure, support and clinical oversight, this program empowers patients to take control of a complex condition with confidence. It’s an important extension of the high‑quality heart failure care we strive to deliver every day.”

How the Mobile Integrated Health Program Works

Eligible patients are referred to the MIH program by their clinician. Once enrolled, a specially trained heart failure paramedic visits the patient’s home three times over a four-week period, following this schedule:

• Visit 1: 1–3 days after referral
• Visit 2: Approximately two weeks after referral
• Visit 3: Approximately four weeks after referral

The program is designed to help patients better understand their heart failure diagnosis and feel more confident managing their symptoms at home. By offering timely education, personalized support and structured follow‑up care, the program improves continuity of treatment while lowering the likelihood of hospital readmission. Patients benefit from a more seamless and supportive heart care journey, gaining the skills, knowledge and confidence needed to manage their condition independently by the end of the program.

“During our home visits, we focus on listening and understanding how the patient is managing their heart failure at home. We also evaluate their current health status and determine if there is a need for any additional resources such as help with transportation to doctor’s appointments,” said Ken Snow, paramedic with the MIH program and Continuing Education Specialist for Southern Fox Valley EMS System. “The goal is to ensure the patient has the necessary education to understand their disease and their doctor’s care plan, as well as having the support they need so that they can have the confidence and the ability to improve their quality of life. Being able to help patients reach those goals is what makes this program so meaningful.”

During each visit, the paramedic provides personalized, hands‑on care tailored to the patient’s needs. This includes checking vital signs such as blood pressure and weight, reviewing medications and helping patients understand how to take them correctly, and providing individualized education to support heart failure self‑management. The paramedic also communicates regularly with the broader care team to share updates so they can adjust treatments as needed. Remote monitoring technology allows clinicians to track symptoms and deliver timely interventions between appointments.

For Geneva resident Paul LoCicero, the MIH program and remote cardiac monitoring have changed his life for the better. Before enrolling, the 82-year-old struggled with recurring hospitalizations and inconsistent management of his heart disease.

“Two years ago, I accepted that I was going to die – I even received last rites. But the team at Delnor had other plans for me,” said LoCicero, who was the first patient enrolled in the MIH program. “Before, I would struggle to breathe, then call the paramedics. I would stay in the hospital while they reduced the fluid around my heart. I would be fine and go home, but then the same thing would happen.”

LoCicero was in and out of the hospital every few weeks for blood draws and medication adjustments. Now, the heart failure team monitors changes remotely and updates his treatment plan without him needing to leave home.

“Now, they check in on me, help me adjust my medications, and keep an eye on things before they get out of control,” said LoCicero. “Instead of focusing on winning the battle, they’re focused on winning the war. It truly feels like having a guardian angel looking out for me, and it’s given me a whole new life.”

Program Eligibility

Patients may qualify for the MIH program if they are hospitalized or are considered high‑risk for heart failure readmission. Eligible patients must live within the Northwestern Medicine Delnor Hospital service area, be alert and able to make independent medical decisions, and be willing to participate in at‑home outpatient care. Participation is available to established patients of Northwestern Medicine Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute in Geneva.

A Community‑Centered Approach

By bringing services directly to patients in their homes, the MIH program improves access to specialized heart failure care and removes barriers such as transportation challenges and mobility limitations. The MIH program fills a gap in care for patients who do not qualify for home health care.

“This program is a powerful example of how we’re evolving care beyond the hospital walls and making it accessible to more patients,” said Emily Jakacki, president of Northwestern Medicine Delnor Hospital. “This initiative reinforces Northwestern Medicine’s commitment to delivering high‑quality, compassionate care within the community. It’s a meaningful step forward in improving outcomes for our neighbors living with heart failure.”

The program is supported through accreditation by the Illinois Department of Public Health. 

For more information about Northwestern Medicine’s top‑ranked cardiovascular care, visit nm.org/heart or call 312.NM.HEART (312.664.3278).

“About 15 to 20 minutes later, I heard a sudden grunt and out of the corner of my eye, I saw Derrick’s arm come up, pressed tightly against his chest,” said Zebedee, also a Waukegan resident. “I asked again, ‘Are you okay?’ but when I turned to look at him fully, he said nothing. The look in his eyes is something that still haunts me to this day.”

Recognizing the symptoms as a potential heart attack, Zebedee rushed to the nearest emergency department at Northwestern Medicine Catherine Gratz Griffin Lake Forest Hospital.

“I drove right up to the ER doors, telling the man behind the counter, ‘My son’s having a heart attack.’ Derrick walked in on his own, still holding his arm against his chest,” recalled Zebedee. “They took him into a room right away while I waited in what felt like an eternity of silence in the waiting room. From then on everything was overwhelming and unfamiliar.”

Hall was experiencing a non–ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI), a type of heart attack caused by a partial blockage in a coronary artery, the blood vessels that carry oxygenated blood to the heart. Clinicians also discovered that he had advanced coronary artery disease, far more extensive than typically seen in someone his age.

“When blood flow is reduced, the heart struggles to function; it’s unable to beat properly and becomes deprived of oxygen, which damages the heart muscle and can quickly become life threatening,” explained Ricardo Boix Garibo, MD, cardiac surgeon at Northwestern Medicine McHenry Hospital. “Time is critical during a heart attack. His mother’s quick recognition of symptoms and decision to get him to the hospital quickly likely saved Derrick’s life and prevented more extensive damage to his heart.”

After initial stabilization, Derrick was transferred to Northwestern Medicine McHenry Hospital for planned surgery later in the week. Within hours of arrival, his condition became urgent.

“Despite an intra‑aortic balloon pump and nitroglycerine drip, Derrick continued to have significant chest pain,” said Dr. Boix. “His risk was increasing quickly. We made the decision to take him for emergency surgery.”

Dr. Boix performed a coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) procedure with support from an extensive multidisciplinary team.

“Heart surgery requires a highly coordinated team effort — from the surgeon, cardiologists, anesthesia staff, physician assistants and perfusion teams to our nurses and ICU staff. Every individual plays a vital role,” Dr. Boix said. “At McHenry Hospital, we are privileged and fortunate enough to have an exceptional team prepared to respond rapidly in emergency situations. Their skill, dedication, and teamwork are reflected in outstanding patient outcomes such as this one.”

Hall’s postoperative recovery went smoothly and he continues to do well during follow‑up visits. While he is feeling good, he says he is still working to build back his strength and endurance.

“I know it will take time, but I’m feeling good and continuing to improve,” said Hall. “I am increasing my walking distance and I just had a stress test, which went well. I am looking forward to getting back to how I was before the heart attack.”

Family Praises Skill, Communication, and Compassion

For Zebedee, the experience was overwhelming from the moment her son was taken back for treatment. She credits the Northwestern Medicine McHenry Hospital team with bringing structure, calm, and clarity during the most frightening hours of her life.

“A room was ready the second he arrived. There were monitors, wires—people moving quickly but with complete control,” Zebedee said. “They allowed us to stay with him, talked us through everything, and never made us feel like we were in the way. Their compassion stayed with us.”

Meeting Dr. Boix gave both the patient and family a sense of immediate trust.

“He was calm, gentle, and honest,” said Zebedee. “He explained the plan without rushing, always giving us time to ask questions. After the surgery, he checked on Derrick regularly and walked us through every detail of what he had done. His patience and kindness meant everything.”

“Dr. Boix was incredible through the whole thing,” recalled Hall. “He always took the time to explain what was going on, what was going to happen and what I could expect. He listened to me and my family when we had questions.” 

The family was so moved by the care they received that they wrote letters to Dr. Boix and the ICU staff, delivering them in person. Hall’s nephew personally thanked Dr. Boix for saving his best friend. 

“We needed them to know what they did for us,” Lisa said. “They didn’t just care for Derrick, they cared for our family. Dr. Boix is our hero, and the entire team will always hold a place in our hearts.”

A Silent Risk That Often Goes Undetected in Younger Adults

Hall’s diagnosis also sheds light on a growing but often overlooked reality: coronary artery disease can develop at any age, and many people don’t know they have it until a cardiac event occurs. While undergoing testing for his heart attack, physicians discovered that Derrick had advanced coronary artery disease, far more severe than what doctors typically see in someone in their mid‑30s.

“I had no idea heart disease could happen to me, especially at 35,” said Hall. “There’s no heart history in my family, so we were all surprised.”

Coronary artery disease can progress silently for years. When arteries begin to narrow and reduce blood flow, the heart becomes deprived of the oxygen it needs to function properly, which can quickly become life‑threatening if not treated.

Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the United States. Nearly half of all Americans have some form of cardiovascular disease, often without knowing it. Understanding personal risk factors and staying proactive about screenings, blood pressure checks, and cholesterol management can help identify problems before a life-threatening event.

“Prevention and early detection are critical,” Dr. Boix said. “Derrick’s story is a powerful reminder that heart disease does not always look the way we expect. Knowing your personal risk factors, including family history, and focusing on a lifestyle that emphasizes exercise, healthy nutrition, and sleep are the first steps in keeping your heart healthy.”

The Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute offers risk reduction programs based on both lifestyle and genetic factors. To better understand your own heart disease risk, take the online Heart Risk Assessment. For more information about Northwestern Medicine’s top‑ranked cardiovascular care, visit nm.org/heart or call 312.NM.HEART (312.664.3278).

To learn more about Northwestern Medicine, visit https://news.nm.org/.

Northwestern Medicine Catherine Gratz Griffin Lake Forest Hospital recently opened two new patient pavilions, a transformative project designed to meet growing patient demand and expand access to advanced medical care for communities across the northern suburbs.

The project adds approximately 290,000 square feet of new space, including two modern pavilions that significantly increase inpatient and observation capacity. The expansion introduces 96 medical‑surgical beds and 18 observation beds, nearly doubling the hospital’s previous capacity and supporting a more comfortable healing environment with all private rooms.

“This expansion reflects our continued commitment to providing exceptional care close to home,” said Seamus Collins, president, Northwestern Medicine Catherine Gratz Griffin Lake Forest Hospital. “With more space, advanced capabilities, and a broader range of services, we are better equipped than ever to bring the world class care of Northwestern Medicine to patients across the area.”

The newly expanded hospital also includes a new state-of-the-art  emergency department, designed to accommodate increasing patient volumes and enhance the delivery of acute care. This includes additional diagnostic imaging capabilities, such as  x‑ray, CT, and ultrasound, improving the efficiency of emergency evaluations and treatment.

In addition, the expansion strengthens the hospital’s specialty care offerings. The hospital recently secured state approval for a cardiac surgery program, enabling patients to receive advanced cardiovascular procedures locally rather than having to travel to Northwestern Medicine’s downtown campus. The new, advanced procedures are expected to begin in late 2026 or early 2027. The expansion also supports the growth of complex and highly specialized services, broadening the scope of care offered on campus.

“Advancing cardiac care at Northwestern Medicine Catherine Gratz Griffin Lake Forest Hospital is not just about expanding services, it’s about elevating the standard of heart care for every patient who walks through our doors,” said Ian Cohen, MD, Charles and Barbara Strang Medical Director of Northwestern Medicine Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute at Catherine Gratz Griffin Lake Forest Hospital. “By integrating cutting‑edge technologies with a highly coordinated, patient‑centered approach, we are ensuring that our community has access to the most advanced cardiovascular treatments available closer to home.”

To improve access and convenience for patients and staff, the project included a new parking structure completed in 2024, adding 894 new spaces capacity to support increased hospital activity.

The campus enhancements also extend beyond clinical spaces. The design of the new pavilions integrates seamlessly with the surrounding natural landscape, featuring native plantings, expanded green spaces, and walking paths that contribute to a welcoming, therapeutic environment.

“We are proud of what this expansion represents—not only for our hospital, but for the communities we serve,” Collins said. “As we enter this next chapter, we continue to bring the clinical power of Northwestern Medicine to our residents, while still honoring our community roots. Our mission remains on delivering the highest quality care with compassion, innovation, and excellence.”

For more information about the expansion or available services, please go to Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital Campus Development.

CHICAGO, IL – February 11, 2026 – Chicago philanthropist Neil G. Bluhm and the Bluhm Family Foundation are underscoring their commitment to life-saving heart care with a $50 million gift to the Northwestern Medicine Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute (BCVI). The gift builds on two decades of generosity from Bluhm, bringing his total gifts to BCVI to $135 million. The additional funds will expand access to cardiac care and bolster what is consistently ranked among the top 10 heart programs in the nation and among the top 20 cardiac surgery centers in the world. 

“My main goal has always been to ensure that anyone who needs world-class heart care can get it,” said Bluhm. “We made this possible 20 years ago in downtown Chicago and built on that when we expanded care into the suburbs. It has been one of my greatest honors to watch this program touch so many lives and I’m humbled to continue supporting this mission.”

World-class care for all

Since Bluhm’s initial gift to establish BCVI in 2005, the institute has treated hundreds of thousands of patients and saved countless lives across Chicago and beyond. Subsequent contributions helped advance health equity by extending top-tier care throughout the region, closer to where people live and work. Bluhm’s generosity has supported research, recruited physicians, and established programs like the Center for Artificial Intelligence and the Bluhm Heart Hospital at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.

This latest $50 million gift will support the following initiatives:

• Further expand access to heart care by bringing new technologies and innovative therapies to Northwestern Medicine’s nine-hospital health network
• Increase the footprint of Bluhm Heart Hospital with more procedural space
• Support new research and clinical trials
• Develop breakthrough innovations for leading-edge advances in cardiovascular medicine
• Support fellowships to train the next generation of physician talent
• Recruit world-class physician leaders

“Generous contributions from the Bluhm Family have continuously fueled our commitment to saving lives and putting patients first,” said Howard Chrisman, MD, president and chief executive officer, Northwestern Memorial HealthCare. “By investing in the future of cardiac medicine, BCVI will continue to stand as a beacon of hope for patients all over the world and for generations to come.”

Building on better medicine

Because of Bluhm’s philanthropy, BCVI has sustained explosive growth since its inception. The institute went from treating 1,000 patients in its inaugural year to more than 48,000 new patients in 2025. Today, the institute spans 18 locations throughout the greater Chicago area and employs 2,400 clinicians. A team of more than 186 specialized cardiologists, cardiac and vascular surgeons take on some of the toughest cases that other health systems are forced to turn away. To date, BCVI has achieved milestones such as:

• Ranked among the top 10 cardiology, heart and vascular programs in the nation by U.S. News & World Report for the last 10 years
• Among the top 20 hospitals in the world for cardiac surgery as ranked by Newsweek
• Seventh ranked patient-preferred hospital in the nation for heart care
• Among the top 15 hospitals in the nation for heart attack survival
• 900% cardiac surgery growth since 2005
• 96% patient satisfaction
• Treated patients from at least 40 countries and all 50 states
• 3,100 cardiac and vascular manuscripts published over the last three years
• $100 million in funding from the National Institutes of Health since 2020

“As we conclude the celebration of BCVI’s first 20 years, this extraordinary gift ensures we are not only honoring our past, but shaping the next 20 years of cardiovascular care,” said Patrick M. McCarthy, MD, executive director of Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute. “This commitment keeps Northwestern Medicine at the forefront of cardiovascular medicine, empowering us to deliver superior outcomes for patients today and into the future.”

Thanks to Bluhm’s unwavering support, BCVI can continue making strides in the fight against heart disease by making care more accessible, supporting clinical talent, advancing infrastructure, and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in cardiac medicine. 

For more information about cardiovascular treatments at Northwestern Medicine, visit nm.org/heart.

CHICAGO — January 29, 2026 — Surgeons and critical care specialists at Northwestern Medicine have successfully supported a critically ill patient for 48 hours after removing both lungs, an extraordinary step taken to eliminate a life-threatening infection and stabilize the patient for a successful double-lung transplant. The case, published today in Cell Press journal Med, describes a “total artificial lung” (TAL) system designed to temporarily replace key functions of the lungs while also helping maintain stable blood flow through the heart and body.

In spring 2023, a Missouri resident was flown to Northwestern Memorial Hospital on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), a form of advanced life support used when the heart and/or lungs cannot provide enough oxygen to the body. What began as influenza-associated lung failure escalated into a rapidly progressive, necrotizing pneumonia and overwhelming sepsis despite maximal therapy. His condition continued to deteriorate, including an episode in which his heart stopped and the team performed CPR.

“He had developed an infection of his lungs that just could not be treated with any antibiotics because it was resistant to everything,” said Ankit Bharat, MD, chief of thoracic surgery and executive director of the Northwestern Medicine Canning Thoracic Institute. “That infection caused his lungs to liquify and then continued to progress to the rest of his body.”

For the sickest acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) patients, clinicians often rely on prolonged life support and time, hoping the lungs can recover. But in some cases, the lungs themselves become the source of relentless infection and inflammation, driving organ failure and leaving no path forward unless the diseased lungs can be removed and replaced. But in these scenarios the patients are also too unstable to go through removal and transplant in the same setting. That created a dilemma: taking out both lungs can stop the infectious source, but without lungs, the body also loses critical gas exchange and the normal circulatory buffering the lungs provide, placing the heart at risk of collapse or catastrophic instability.

To solve this problem, Dr. Bharat’s team designed a total artificial lung system intended to do more than oxygenate blood. The system was engineered to support circulation in the absence of lungs by helping maintain balanced blood flow through the heart, an essential requirement for survival after bilateral pneumonectomy (removal of both lungs). The design incorporated a flow-adaptive shunt that compensated for the loss of the lung’s blood vessel network, dual pathways to drain blood from the body and return oxygenated blood back to the heart.

Because an empty chest cavity can allow the heart to shift, the team used temporary internal supports, including saline-filled tissue expanders (breast implants) commonly used in reconstructive surgery, to help stabilize the heart’s position until transplantation.

“Just one day after we took out the lungs, his body started to get better because the infection was gone,” said Dr. Bharat.

Over the next 48 hours, the patient’s condition improved enough to proceed with transplantation. When donor lungs became available, the Northwestern Medicine team performed a double-lung transplant. More than two years later, the patient has returned to daily life with excellent lung function.

Molecular evidence of irreversible lung injury

Beyond the surgical and critical care advance, this new report includes a detailed molecular analysis of the removed lungs, data that may help physicians better understand when severe viral and infectious lung injury has crossed a threshold from “potentially recoverable” to “irreversible.”

The research team used advanced techniques, such as single-cell and spatial transcriptomic approaches, to study different parts of the removed lungs and discovered extensive scarring and damage caused by the immune system, similar to severe, irreversible lung disease. They found that the cells needed to repair the lungs were almost gone, cells that form scars were everywhere, and the normal structure of the lungs was completely gone. These results explain why just providing support wouldn’t have helped the lungs heal in this situation.

“With severe ARDS, the conventional strategy is to keep supporting the patient and hope the lungs improve,” said Dr. Bharat. “Using our approaches and data, we can show at the molecular level that some patients won’t recover unless they receive a double-lung transplant.”

The Canning Thoracic Institute researchers say these kinds of molecular maps may ultimately support the development of biomarkers and decision tools to identify, earlier and more confidently, when transplantation should be considered, particularly in acute settings where time is limited and patients can deteriorate rapidly.

A highly specialized approach, and a path toward broader options

This strategy requires extensive expertise in transplantation, extracorporeal support, and round-the-clock multidisciplinary critical care. Northwestern Medicine investigators hope the principles described in the study will accelerate the development of more standardized devices and protocols that can safely bridge selected patients to transplant.

“For severe lung damage caused by respiratory infections, even in acute settings, lung transplant can be lifesaving. Patients and families should know to ask about all available options,” said Dr. Bharat.

The pulmonology and lung surgery program at Northwestern Memorial Hospital is proud to be the highest-ranked in Illinois for 14 straight years and No. 7 in the U.S. For more information, visit nm.org/pulmonary.

WHEATON, IL — For Bartlett Police Sergeant Chris Johnson, 42, Thanksgiving is more than a holiday—it’s a celebration of life after the fight of his life. In March, Johnson was 2 millimeters from death after a rare and deadly Type A aortic dissection, a condition that kills nearly 13,000 Americans annually.

An aortic dissection is a sudden tear in the wall of the aorta, the body’s main artery. The condition can cause internal bleeding and is often fatal if not diagnosed and treated quickly.

Johnson’s survival depended on the rapid response and seamless teamwork of several Northwestern Medicine facilities—most of them close to his home in the Chicago suburbs.  When initial scans didn’t catch the tear, emergency physicians at Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital ordered a second scan that revealed the life-threatening condition. This triggered a coordinated effort that ultimately saved his life. After activating the Northwestern Medicine Code Aorta "Direct-to-OR" program, Johnson was airlifted to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where a surgical team was waiting to repair Johnson’s aorta during a six-hour open-heart surgery.

"An aortic dissection is a life-threatening emergency where every second counts. Most patients will die without immediate surgery" said Christopher K. Mehta, MD, his cardiac surgeon at Northwestern Medicine Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute. "In this case rapid diagnosis and transfer through our Corta Aorta program were critical to get him to definitive surgery so we could save his life."

Johnson’s fight didn’t end in the operating room. After 10 days in the ICU, he began intensive rehabilitation at Northwestern Medicine Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital with the goal of not only getting back on his feet, but ultimately back on the beat.

“I 100 percent would not have been able to come back like I did if it wasn’t for the help of Marianjoy,” said Johnson. “It was a lot of work—arm exercises, hand exercises, fine motor skills like putting pegs in holes with one hand. All that repetitiveness helped me get back to the job I love.”

Rehabilitation’s Crucial Role in Recovery
Beth Bosak, OTR/L, MHS, occupational therapist, at Northwestern Medicine Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital, developed a rehabilitaton plan focused on Johnson’s goals of returning to full duty, taking care of his family, and enjoying the things he loves.

“We look at roles—what’s important to them at home and at work,” Bosak explained. “For Chris, that meant simulating tasks that use the same muscles and cognitive skills he needs as a police officer. We break down every movement—what muscles, what coordination, what brain function—and rebuild it step by step. It was incredible to see him accomplish those things, even on days he left discouraged.”

With time and hardwork, Johnson regained the fine motor skills essential for police work—handling equipment, writing reports, and performing tasks under pressure. For Bosak, his success highlights the crucial role of  rehabilitation after a health crisis, not just for physical recovery, but for restoring a patient’s independence and identity.

A Family and Community That Rallied
Johnson’s determination wasn’t just for himself—it was for his family. At home in Carol Stream, he’s a husband and father to two children: an 11-year-old daughter and a 5-year-old son. Before his health crisis, Johnson loved playing basketball, hitting the gym, and staying active—habits that mirrored his demanding role as a detective sergeant with the Bartlett Police Department.

“Every day I take it one step at a time,” Johnson said. “I’ve changed my eating habits, I’m more cautious, but I’m grateful to be here for my wife, my kids.”

His comeback is more than personal—it’s a victory for the entire Bartlett community, where he is known for his joyful spirit and commitment to service. His experience has sparked conversations about officer wellness and preventive care.

“He’s one of those guys with a joyful spirit who wants to make an impact in the community,” said Bartlett Deputy Chief of Support Services William Naydenoff. “His goal from day one was to get back to work full duty. If you looked at him on a Monday, by Wednesday he was light years ahead.”

A Friendship That Spans Decades
Johnson’s story is also about friendship. Bartlett Chief of Police Ryan Conway has known Chris for more than 30 years, a bond that began in high school and grew through their careers in law enforcement.

“Chris and I have been close since high school,” Conway said. “When I heard what happened, I called and left a message: ‘I love you, dude. I know you’re going to be all right.’ We wanted his wife and kids to know they had a family behind them—bigger than they imagined. Law enforcement as a whole was pulling for them.”

Conway says Johnson’s return is nothing short of a blessing:

“I truly believe he was spared for a higher purpose. His strength and work ethic inspire all of us. Having him back is incredible—he’s my sounding board, my strength. He’s got your six—not just as a backup officer, but as a wellness officer, making sure everyone here takes care of themselves.”

Just 10 weeks after his ordeal, Johnson returned to active duty, astonishing colleagues and inspiring his community. Now, he advocates for hypertension awareness, especially among Black men and those in high-stress professions.

“We have to get away from that stigma of ‘I’m fine.’ Go get checked. Do your physicals, follow-ups, blood work. It could save your life,” Johnson said.

This Thanksgiving, Johnson says he’s grateful for more than turkey:

“I’m thankful for every doctor, nurse, therapist, and friend who worked together to give me a second chance—and for the chance to sit at the table with my family.”

To learn more about Northwestern Medicine, visit https://news.nm.org/.

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LAKE FOREST, Ill. — Nov. 24, 2025 — Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States, claiming more lives than breast, colon and prostate cancers combined.

While overall cases are declining thanks to reduced tobacco use, experts warn of a troubling trend: 10% to 20% of lung cancers — about 20,000 to 40,000 cases annually — occur in people who have never smoked.

“Historically, lung cancer was synonymous with smoking, but we’re seeing more cases in younger, healthy non-smokers,” said Daniel Dammrich, MD, an oncologist at the Northwestern Medicine Catherine Gratz Griffin Lake Forest Hospital.

“Environmental factors like air pollution, radon exposure and genetic mutations are likely contributors, but we don’t fully understand why. What we do know is that early detection saves lives,” Dammrich said.

A non-smoker and endurance athlete gets a stunning diagnosis

For Kevin Humphrey, a 39-year-old endurance athlete and father of two from Traverse City, Michigan, lung cancer was the last thing on his mind.

In early 2024, while training for an Ironman triathlon, Humphrey developed a persistent cough, shortness of breath and back pain. Initially treated for pneumonia, his symptoms persisted for months.

Seeking a second opinion, he scheduled an appointment with Jessica Johnson, MD, a pulmonologist with the Canning Thoracic Institute at Northwestern Medicine McHenry Hospital, not far from where Humphrey’s parents live in Crystal Lake. To better understand what may be causing Humphrey’s symptoms, Dr. Johnson performed a robotic bronchoscopy in April 2024.

On May 1, 2024, Humphrey received a shocking diagnosis — stage 4 non-small cell adenocarcinoma, a form of lung cancer.

“I almost blacked out when I heard the words ‘lung cancer,’” Humphrey said. “I’ve never smoked a day in my life. It wasn’t even on my radar.”

Developing a treatment plan

Further testing revealed Humphrey’s cancer carried an EGFR genetic mutation, enabling doctors to use a targeted therapy called Osimertinib, also known as Tagrisso. Prescribed in conjunction with chemotherapy, the treatments began shrinking the tumor that was in and around his left lung.

“We were able to shrink down the tumor considerably. When we looked at his scans, and because he's so young and robust, we thought that we may be able to go in and surgically remove the rest,” said Dr. Dammrich.

Dr. Dammrich referred Humphrey to Ankit Bharat, MD, chief of thoracic surgery and director of the Canning Thoracic Institute. The initial surgical plan involved removing Humphrey’s left lung.

“I think that was probably the second most shocking piece of it. The initial plan was to remove the entire left lung,” Humphrey said. “What I've loved doing for the last 10 years was endurance sports and running and biking. I had no idea if I'd be doing that ever again.”

Pivoting on the operating table

Imaging taken before the surgery showed the chemotherapy and targeted therapy had further shrunk the tumors, which led to a new surgical recommendation — removing the upper lobe of the left lung to allow Humphrey to maintain his quality of life.

On September 13, 2024 at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Dr. Bharat removed a large section of the upper lobe and a couple smaller cancerous sections.

It was a more complicated surgery than expected and it left Humphrey with a 20-inch incision on this back, but the surgery was successful.

Today, Humphrey shows no evidence of disease and continues on targeted therapy.

Determined to race again

Despite losing lung capacity and enduring a grueling recovery, Humphrey set an ambitious goal: to complete an Ironman triathlon one year after surgery.

On September 14, 2025, he crossed the finish line not far from his Traverse City home at the Michigan Ironman 70.3. He completed the endurance event in 5 hours and 27 minutes — just one year and one day after his surgery.

Several weeks later, on October 12, 2025, Humphrey ran the Chicago Marathon. While this was his 6^th time completing the 26.2-mile course, it was the first time he ran the race without a portion of his left lung.

“I have two young boys,” he said. “I wanted to show them that life throws challenges at you, but you push through. Setting those goals gave me something to fight for every day.”

The rise in lung cancer among non-smokers

While smoking remains the leading risk factor, the rise in lung cancer among non-smokers is concerning.

Adenocarcinoma, the most common type in non-smokers, accounts for nearly 60% of cases in women and 45% in men. Experts cite air pollution, radon and genetic mutations as key drivers of this trend.

“Listen to your body. If you have a persistent cough or unexplained symptoms, seek care,” Dr. Dammrich said. “Early detection is critical — and with advances in targeted therapies, there is hope.”

Humphrey echoed that message: “Advocate for yourself. Push for answers. There’s hope with today’s treatments, but you have to catch it early.”

About Northwestern Medicine

Northwestern Medicine is committed to advancing cancer care through research, innovation and patient-centered treatment. 

For more information on lung cancer screening and treatment options, visit nm.org.

CHICAGO – November 20, 2025 – In a new study of nearly 1,000 consecutive patients treated for lung cancer at Northwestern Medicine, researchers discovered only 35% would have qualified for screening according to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) screening criteria. The two-thirds of patients who would have been excluded were disproportionately women and never-smokers. Currently, USPSTF recommends annual lung cancer screenings for adults ages 50-80 who have a 20 pack-year smoking history and currently smoke or have quit within the past 15 years – a narrow window that excludes many vulnerable individuals.  

In the new study, published on November 21 in JAMA Network Open, Northwestern Medicine researchers recommend expanding the universal age-based screening to 40-85. They estimate this would detect 94% of lung cancers, preventing more than 26,000 extra deaths annually. The research also demonstrates that such screening would be remarkably cost-effective, with the minimal risks from radiation exposure or biopsies far outweighed by the potential to save lives.

“We moved to universal age-based screening for breast and colon cancer with tremendous success, and we need to move to the same approach for lung cancer. Chest screening offers something unique – with one low-dose scan, we can assess lungs, heart and bones comprehensively. This baseline scan becomes invaluable for monitoring their health over time,” said Ankit Bharat, MD, chief of thoracic surgery and executive director of the Northwestern Medicine Canning Thoracic Institute.

Lung cancer remains America’s deadliest cancer, claiming more lives than breast, colon and prostate cancers combined, accounting for one in every five cancer deaths among both men and women. The disease is particularly insidious: nearly 80% of cases aren’t discovered until they’ve reached advanced stages, largely because symptoms rarely appear until it’s too late. The widespread misconception that only smokers develop lung cancer, combined with limited screening access for those without tobacco history, contributes to these devastating statistics. Researchers at the Canning Thoracic Institute predict that a universal age-based screening (40-85) could enhance detection, improve cost-effectiveness and address health inequities. 

Providing low-dose CT screening to all eligible adults

In response to these findings, Northwestern Medicine has launched the Lung Health Center at the Canning Thoracic Institute to detect lung, heart and bone conditions earlier. The center, supported by a generous gift from John and Rita Canning, will encourage lung cancer screening for Northwestern Medicine patients and conduct studies to evaluate low-dose CT screening with necessary assessments in patients who might not qualify for lung cancer screening. In addition, scans from all patients will be evaluated for their ability to detect early pulmonary fibrosis, post- COVID lung damage, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis and other conditions affecting millions of Americans. The results of these screenings will be studied and published to inform changes to existing guidelines.  

The scan that takes less than 10 seconds and doesn’t need any intravenous dyes provides a complete picture of the chest cavity, creating a baseline image patients can keep for life. This approach also addresses critical gaps in preventive care, particularly for the growing number of patients experiencing lasting respiratory effects from COVID-19 and other environmental exposures.

"Nearly six years after the pandemic's start, we're seeing increasing numbers of patients with lung scarring and fibrosis from COVID-19, especially those who get reinfected with respiratory viruses," said Dr. Bharat. “The damage compounds with each infection. Early detection through comprehensive screening can help us intervene before these conditions progress to requiring transplantation.”

Health concerns beyond the lungs

The Lung Health Center addresses multiple health concerns simultaneously. Beyond respiratory conditions, the screening can detect coronary calcium deposits that indicate cardiovascular risk and can identify early signs of osteoporosis, which is particularly important for women's health. Currently, cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of non-cancer deaths nationally, while lung disease, including cancer, represents the top cancer-related mortality for both men and women.

"This initiative transforms how we approach chest health comprehensively," said Momen Wahidi, MD, interventional pulmonologist and medical director of the Canning Thoracic Institute. "Instead of waiting for symptoms to appear, we're giving patients and physicians a complete picture of chest health that can guide preventive care across multiple specialties."

The center particularly encourages screening for individuals who may have sustained lung damage from various sources:

·       COVID-19 survivors experiencing ongoing respiratory issues

·       People exposed to wildfire smoke, industrial pollution, or high radon levels

·       Individuals with family history of lung disease or pulmonary fibrosis

·       Those exposed to secondhand smoke, vaping, or marijuana use

·       Asian women and other demographics at elevated risk for lung conditions

·       Anyone seeking baseline chest health assessment

“We're seeing younger patients with respiratory problems from vaping, environmental exposures, and COVID-19 who would never qualify for traditional screening,” said Scott Budinger, MD, chief of pulmonary and critical care at the Canning Thoracic Institute. “This lung screening approach allows us to catch interstitial lung disease, pulmonary fibrosis, lung cancer, and other conditions years before they'd typically be diagnosed.”

Young mothers diagnosed with lung cancer

Danielle Hoeg

Danielle Hoeg, a 45-year-old mother of three from Chicago, knows the importance of comprehensive screenings. In March 2023, Hoeg had finished breastfeeding her son and felt like something was “off” in her body. She scheduled appointments for a mammogram, colonoscopy, skin check and bloodwork, but everything came back normal – still, Hoeg couldn’t help but feel like something was wrong.

In March 2024, Hoeg underwent a full body MRI scan and the findings revealed something was happening on her lung. She was urged to see Dr. Bharat who ordered a CT and PET scan and the results came back showing the spot on Hoeg’s lung was 99.9% cancerous. Hoeg was in disbelief as she had never smoked and was in picture perfect health. Soon after, she underwent a minimally invasive lung conserving surgery at Northwestern Memorial Hospital where Dr. Bharat removed the spot on her lung and confirmed the non-smoker had an aggressive stage 1 lung cancer. Today, Hoeg is cancer-free but still carries the experience with her.

“Every young person I see, I immediately think, ‘do they have lung cancer? How do I convince them to get checked out?’” said Hoeg. “With more women, never-smokers and young people being diagnosed with lung cancer, I’m a huge advocate for the Lung Health Center and encourage adults to get screened.”  

Carla Tapia

Carla Tapia, a mother of three from Beltsville, Md., was shocked to learn about her stage 4 lung cancer diagnosis at the age of 33. Tapia had some smoking exposure during her teenage years but quit when she was 18 and currently doesn’t meet the USPSTF screening criteria for lung cancer.

In December 2019, Tapia developed a fever and was diagnosed with pneumonia. Her symptoms progressed to a bad cough with mucus, but as the COVID pandemic hit, Tapia remained focused on her three kids and put her own health on the backburner.

By July 2020, she could no longer catch her breath and that’s when she was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer, which had spread to both lungs and was inoperable. For the next four years, Tapia underwent chemotherapy treatments, but the cancer kept growing. Out of options, she heard about the DREAM Program at Northwestern Medicine, which provides double-lung transplants to select patients with advanced lung cancers.

By the summer of 2024, Tapia’s health was quickly declining, and she flew to Chicago on supplemental oxygen for a transplant evaluation. On September 12, 2024, Tapia received a life-saving double-lung transplant at Northwestern Memorial, and the 38-year-old is now back home in Maryland.

“When I was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer, I was told there was no cure, but thanks to Northwestern Medicine, I’m alive today and no longer having to go to the hospital for weekly chemotherapy treatments. Instead, I just finished by bachelor’s degree and am hoping to go to law school,” said Tapia. “I keep hearing stories about young people being diagnosed with lung cancer, and if we could expand the screening guidelines, I believe more lung cancers could be caught at earlier stages, and more lives would be saved.”

To schedule an appointment

Patients can access the Lung Health Center through a simple process beginning with a phone consultation. Marisol Munoz, nurse practitioner for the program, guides patients through each step.

“We make this as seamless as possible for patients,” said Munoz. “From the initial call through receiving results in 24-48 hours, our team coordinates everything. We work with insurance when covered and ensure eligible patients have access regardless of coverage through the Canning's philanthropic support.”

The Lung Health Center also includes a research component where participants contribute de-identified data to help establish new screening guidelines. The center incorporates artificial intelligence to provide rapid, highly sensitive analysis of results, with the goal of delivering comprehensive health insights within seconds of scanning.

The Lung Health Center has already launched at Northwestern Medicine McHenry Hospital and is expanding systemwide by the end of the year. Anyone over the age of 21 is eligible, with particular emphasis on those over 40 or with risk factors.

For more information or to schedule a screening consultation, call 312.695.1800 and mention the Lung Health Center, or email lunghealthcenter@nm.org.

The pulmonology and lung surgery program at Northwestern Memorial Hospital is proud to be the highest-ranked in Illinois for 14 straight years and No. 7 in the U.S. For more information, visit nm.org/pulmonary.

ORLAND PARK, Ill. — October 31, 2025 —Northwestern Medicine Living Well Cancer Resources is proud to announce its expansion to the Northwestern Medicine St. George Cancer Institute in Orland Park, increasing access to supportive care services for individuals affected by cancer.

For more than 20 years, Living Well has been a beacon of hope, resilience, and community for tens of thousands of survivors, caregivers, and families. Over the past two decades, Living Well has grown from a small grassroots initiative to a nationally recognized endeavor, with locations in Geneva and Warrenville and the new satellite location in Orland Park.

Living Well offers a wide range of services including counseling and social work services; support groups; fitness, yoga, art and nutrition classes; medical presentations and a wig boutique. All programs are offered at no cost to those diagnosed with cancer and their families.

“The directors of the St. George Foundation have long realized the critical importance of supporting southwestern Chicago and the surrounding regional communities with advanced, academic level cancer care,” said Terrence Moisan, MD, president of the St. George Foundation. “This resource advances the entire spectrum of care from prevention through diagnosis, treatment and long-term support.”

“Cancer care isn’t just about medicine—it’s about healing the whole person. At the Northwestern Medicine St. George Cancer Institute, we’ve created a space where patients can find strength through movement, expression through art, and connection through community,” said Timothy Kuzel, MD, medical director for oncology at Northwestern Medicine Palos Hospital. “These supportive services are more than amenities. They’re lifelines that help people rediscover joy and resilience during one of the hardest journeys of their lives.”

Making an Impact

Amber Commodore turned to Living Well Cancer Resources after her breast cancer diagnosis in December 2024. The assistant principal who lives in Chicago’s Beverly neighborhood started attending some of the virtual breast cancer support meetings to help her navigate her unexpected diagnosis.

“Talking with others who are on the same path has helped me process all the new information and emotions I’m experiencing,” Commodore said.

Living on the south side of Chicago, Commodore chose to undergo her treatments at the St. George Cancer Institute in Orland Park because she says it is a convenient location with ample parking and incredible staff.

“I’m so excited that Living Well Cancer Resources is expanding its programming so I can attend some of the other offerings when I begin my radiation treatments in November,” Commodore said.

DeShunn Bray is also eager to experience more of Living Well’s programming in Orland Park. Bray was diagnosed with breast cancer in February 2025. During her weekly chemotherapy infusions, Bray took advantage of hand massage services.

“Those sessions were just everything,” Bray said. “They really helped with my neuropathy and there is nothing like the comfort the human touch provides during a challenging time.”

Bray also attended a Beautiful You Workshop, which included tips for those experiencing hair loss.

“I felt comfort being in a room with other women who looked like me, even if we are in different stages of our journeys,” Bray said.

Expanded Offerings in Orland Park

Services available at the Northwestern Medicine St. George Cancer Institute include:

• ·      Designated Wig Boutique — Living Well offers individual consultations to choose a wig, which is available at no cost to patients diagnosed with cancer. Since May 2025, 60 wigs have been distributed at the St. George Cancer Institute.

• ·      Exercise Consultations — Offered the second Friday of each month, Living Well’s Wellness Coordinator works with patients to develop a personalized exercise plan for cancer survivors during and after treatment.

• ·      Fitness Classes, including several of Living Well’s most popular and sought-after fitness classes — Tai Chi: Meditation in Motion and Chair Yoga. Chair Fitness for Lymphedema and Neuropathy classes will begin in January 2026, with additional sessions planned for summer 2026

• ·      Chairside Visits — Popular with patients undergoing treatment, trained professionals offer hand massages or a small art project in the infusion area

• ·      Art Therapy Classes — Available on a pop-up basis, will expand to monthly offerings in 2026

• ·      Beautiful You Workshops — For anyone experiencing hair loss from cancer treatment, patients will learn care techniques for scalp & hair regrowth, makeup lessons and how to accessorize with scarves and hats.

• ·      A respite area featuring an art table with puzzles and coloring pages for stress relief

About the Northwestern Medicine St. George Cancer Institute

Anchored by Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, the Northwestern Medicine St. George Cancer Institute provides patients and their families advanced care at all cancer stages, from early diagnosis through treatment and aftercare.

From diagnostic imaging to treatment and survivorship, patients can access leading-edge cancer care without traveling to Chicago, including:

• ·      Supportive Oncology service provided by Northwestern Medicine Living Well Cancer Resources

• ·      State-of-the-art infusion center, featuring private chemotherapy rooms

• ·      An on-site infusion pharmacy and lab

• ·      Radiation Oncology on site with access to proton therapy at Warrenville location

• ·      PET/CT/MRI imaging on site

About Northwestern Medicine Living Well Cancer Resources

Northwestern Medicine Living Well Cancer Resources is celebrating its 20^th anniversary this year. Founded on September 1, 2005, Living Well offers dozens of programs to help patients and caregivers navigate a cancer diagnosis.

With a goal of ensuring no one faces cancer alone, Living Well Cancer Resources has touched countless lives with compassion and care.

“In the cancer clinic, there often isn’t time to address all the holistic needs of cancer patients. Living Well more than fills that gap, providing patients and families with practical tools that improve well-being,” said Christopher George, MD, medical director of oncology.  

For more information about Living Well Cancer Resources, including the current program guide, visit nm.org.

OAK BROOK, Ill. — October 27, 2025 — Breast cancer affects 1 in 8 women in their lifetime, but early detection can make all the difference. For Michaela Del Barrio, a 37-year-old mother of two from Elmhurst, Ill., a high-risk breast cancer assessment led to the diagnosis she feared—but caught early enough to change her outcome.

“I have a family history that I was aware of,” Del Barrio said. “In my 20s, I brought it up to doctors and was usually told I was too young. But I kept asking.”

After she had her second child at the age of 35, Del Barrio brought up her family history again with her OB-GYN and primary care doctor. When she finished breast-feeding her son, they ordered her first mammogram.

That scan came back clear, but they also referred Del Barrio to a high-risk breast clinic at Northwestern Medicine Oak Brook Outpatient Center.

Getting a high-risk breast cancer assessment

Del Barrio made an appointment to see Spring Piatek, APRN, a clinical nurse specialist, who walked Del Barrio through an assessment and physical exam.

During a patient’s visit to the high-risk breast clinic, a risk assessment will begin with a review of medical and family history, as well as a clinical breast exam. A specially trained breast health specialist will use that information and assessment tools to estimate the risk for developing breast cancer and suggest a personalized screening program. Other services including breast imaging, genetic counseling or surgery can also be advised.

The Tyrer-Cuzick risk assessment tool, used in all of Northwestern Medicine’s high-risk breast clinics, calculates a woman’s lifetime risk based on family history and other factors. A score of 20% or higher qualifies for additional screenings.

Michaela learned her lifetime risk was 22%—qualifying her for enhanced screening, including a breast MRI.

Receiving a cancer diagnosis

Del Barrio underwent the breast MRI in January 2025, which revealed two suspicious masses that were not detected in her mammogram eight months earlier.

The masses were biopsied, and Del Barrio was diagnosed with early-stage invasive ductal carcinoma.

Annabelle Veerapaneni, MD, an oncologist at Northwestern Medicine Cancer Center Oak Brook says enhanced imaging through an MRI can make a difference, particularly for younger women with dense breast tissue.

“Breast imaging with an MRI is going to be much more sensitive and pick up things that a mammogram would not. Given the fact that she's premenopausal, when women are young, dense breast tissue can make it very challenging to identify lesions on a routine mammogram,” Veerapaneni said.

“When women meet the criteria for breast MRI imaging, it’s crucial they proceed with those recommendations,” she said.

Family history can lead to a high-risk assessment

Dr. Veerapaneni said it’s important for women to know their family history of cancer and other diseases.

“I have heard of instances where young women say their concerns were downplayed by other health care providers or even family members and other loved ones because they say, ‘You're too young to get it,” Veerapaneni said.

She stresses that women advocate for themselves and seek medical attention if they have concerns.

“That's the reason why we have these high-risk breast clinics,” Veerapaneni said. “Michaela did the absolute right thing. A lot of people are aware of a family history and want to make sure. Michaela recognized she was at higher risk and advocated for herself.”

Making mom’s health a priority

Del Barrio hopes her story encourages others to act. “I’m just trying to pay it forward,” she said. “If I had waited until I was 40, I don’t even know what would have happened.”

“For women under 40 with small children, it feels like there isn’t enough time to take care of yourself,” Del Barrio said. “But the most important thing you can do for your family is to prioritize yourself.”

Northwestern Medicine Breast Health Program

To help women determine when they should be screened for breast cancer, Northwestern Medicine offers an online assessment.

By answering a few questions, you can assess your risk for breast cancer and make an appointment with a Northwestern Medicine Breast Health specialist, if necessary. For more information or to find a high risk breast clinic near you, visit the Northwestern Medicine Breast Risk Assessment and Prevention Program website.

To learn more about Northwestern Medicine, please visit nm.org.

OAK BROOK, Ill. — October 20, 2025 — Just weeks after learning she was pregnant with her fourth child, Stephanie Wysaski of Naperville watched a segment on television about the importance of breast self-exams— something she rarely did.

“I thought, ‘I guess I should do that. Why not?’ And sure enough, I found a lump,” said Wysaski.

Still nursing her then-11-month-old and newly pregnant, Wysaski wasn’t worried.  Figuring it was hormones, but she brought it up to her OB-GYN at her pregnancy confirmation appointment.

“She wasn't concerned either but ordered an ultrasound as a precaution. And then, sure enough, the ultrasound showed something they didn't recognize, which led to a mammogram, biopsy, and then I got the diagnosis.”

At eight weeks pregnant, Wysaski was diagnosed with invasive lobular carcinoma in her left breast.

Treating breast cancer during pregnancy

Wysaski turned to Northwestern Medicine Cancer Center Oak Brook, where she met Annabelle Veerapaneni, MD, a medical oncologist.

“It's definitely not a common scenario, treating a pregnant woman who also has cancer, but it's one that we have seen in the past, and one that I'm familiar with, unfortunately,” Veerapaneni said.

She assured Wysaski there are treatment options that would not harm her baby.

“The only way out is through,” Wysaski said. “I have great doctors. They've been really supportive about the pregnancy and making sure that the baby's safe, that I'm comfortable, and we're doing all that we can and managing it as best we can.”

Understanding Invasive Lobular Carcinoma

Invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) accounts for approximately 10-15% of all breast cancer cases and is the second most common type of invasive breast cancer.

“The majority of invasive breast cancers that we usually see are considered invasive ductal carcinomas, and they present in a certain way where you can identify a discrete mass on breast imaging,” Dr. Veerapaneni said.

“Invasive lobular carcinoma can be very tricky to identify because it is not readily seen on mammograms, and there's an insidious nature in the way that it can spread throughout the breast tissue, so breast MRI is very helpful,” Dr. Veerapaneni said.

Wysaski’s pregnancy, however, left the clinical team unable to optimize imaging to learn the extent of her disease.

“It's very challenging to assess disease extent without the IV contrast, and we were unable to give it safely during her pregnancy,” Dr. Veerapaneni said.

Surgery and unexpected Findings

To remove the mass that was detected on standard imaging, Wysaski underwent a lumpectomy with Faaiza Vaince, MD, a Northwestern Medicine breast surgeon. While in surgery, Vaince unexpectedly found what looked like tendrils attached to the mass.

“The lump, or the mass, was a little bit bigger than we thought, but the imaging hadn’t shown those tendrils that were growing out from it as well,” Wysaski said.

 Once those tendrils were biopsied, it was determined they were cancerous as well.

Chemotherapy while pregnant

Wysaski is currently undergoing four rounds of two specific types of chemotherapy which are safe during pregnancy.

“We're treating her with doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide, which has been shown to be safe whenever we administer it after the first trimester. She's tolerated her treatment very, very well,” Dr. Veerapaneni said.

Wysaski has experienced hair loss and fatigue from the chemotherapy infusions which are spaced three weeks apart to maximize the medications’ effectiveness before the baby is born.

Dr. Veerapaneni is in regular contact with Wysaski’s OB-GYN and a local Maternal Fetal Medicine (MFM) team, which is monitoring the growing baby.

“It's unexpected and it's hard, but the baby's healthy and I'm going to be okay. We are doing what we have to do,” Wysaski said.

Planning for an early delivery

While the baby, a little girl, is not due until early December, the decision has been made for Wysaski to deliver early, at 34 weeks, enabling her to continue aggressive treatment. She’s expected to be induced in late October.

“Once the baby has been delivered, she will undergo diagnostic imaging to help clarify how much disease we're dealing with,” Dr. Veerapaneni said.

Already a mother to three children ages 6, 4 and 14 months, Wysaski acknowledges the uncertainty ahead is challenging.

“It's a lot thinking about having a newborn, possibly a preemie in the NICU, and then possibly surgery, probably more chemo and then radiation,” Wysaski said.

“She is being treated with curative intent. It will be incredibly challenging with a newborn and then a young family as well, but she definitely has exhibited the strength and the fortitude to be able to carry through with everything,” Dr. Veerapaneni said.

About Northwestern Medicine Cancer Center Oak Brook

Anchored by the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, the Northwestern Medicine Cancer Center Oak Brook brings together highly skilled caregivers at one west suburban location.

With a state-of-the-art infusion center, an on-site infusion pharmacy and lab, PET/CT/MRI imaging on site, the Cancer Center Oak Brook offers comprehensive care from early diagnosis through treatment and aftercare.

“The opportunity to be able to take care of patients in a multidisciplinary fashion with all of these resources available is something that's incredibly important to me, and especially whenever we’re able to do that for patients closer to their homes,” Dr. Veerapaneni said.

“It makes it a lot easier having to come to so many appointments. I'm here every week, sometimes twice a week, so it makes a big difference,” Wysaski said.

To learn more about the Northwestern Medicine Cancer Center Oak Brook, visit nm.org.

CHICAGO – October 20, 2025 – Tonni Richard of LeClaire, Iowa, spent her entire career caring for others. The 65-year-old was an army nurse for 20 years, before working as a visiting nurse, then in hospice care and orthopaedics. After retiring from the profession she loved, Richard found a new passion — Pilates — and credits the workout for shedding light on a recent cancer diagnosis in her lung.

“I started having muscle spasms on the right side of my back during Pilates classes. When the symptoms didn’t go away, I underwent a CT scan at a local hospital where they discovered a neuroendocrine tumor on my lower right lung,” said Richard. “The thoracic surgeon told me they'd need to remove the entire lower lobe of my lung which would cause me to lose 20% of my oxygen capacity. After the appointment, my husband and I agreed — there had to be a better option.”

Richard searched the Internet for a “lung preservation specialist” and found Kalvin Lung, MD, a thoracic surgeon at the Northwestern Medicine Canning Thoracic Institute in Chicago, who specializes in removing less lung tissue during surgery to preserve lung function and improve the quality of life for patients. 

From CT scan to surgical console: new 3D technology helps save lung

Using new state-of-the-art technology, Dr. Lung was able to convert Richard's CT scan into a 3D model that was integrated directly into the console of the da Vinci 5 surgical robot. The technology confirmed it was possible to perform a rare procedure for Richard without compromising cancer outcomes.

Previously, surgeons could only view 3D images of tumors on their phone or laptop, causing them to have to look away from the console during surgery to study the images. With the new technology, the 3D model now appears inside the console, so thoracic surgeons can look at it in real time as they operate with the robot. This allows surgeons to operate deeper into the lung without the risk of damaging the lung that is not removed.

On September 30, Richard was the first lung surgery patient to undergo a procedure with the new 3D model at Northwestern Medicine.

“When a normal CT scan is performed, it doesn’t give us all the details of the lung’s anatomy. For example, it’s kind of like looking at ‘Google Earth’ from far away — you can see the state of Iowa, but you can’t make out any cities,” explained Dr. Lung. “When we’re sitting at the robot with this new 3D technology, it provides us with remarkable precision, allowing us to remove the tumor while saving most of the lung. In Tonni’s case, her tumor was in a segment of the lung where surgery isn’t commonly done, and that’s why the 3D technology was so instrumental.”

Thanks to the new technology, Dr. Lung was able to remove Richard's tumor and only 5% of her lung. 

“I’m so lucky to have found the tumor when I did, and even more lucky to have found Dr. Lung at Northwestern Medicine who helped preserve my lung and my oxygen capacity,” said Richard. “I hope my story encourages others to seek a second opinion when they aren’t satisfied with the answer, and to undergo annual lung cancer screenings if they qualify."

Importance of lung cancer screenings

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States, accounting for one in five of all cancer deaths. Each year, more people die of lung cancer than of colon, breast and prostate cancers combined. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends annual lung cancer screenings in adults ages 50-80 who have a 20 pack-year smoking history and currently smoke or have quit within the past 15 years.

The Canning Thoracic Institute has pioneered several transformative minimally invasive thoracic procedures such as the A-PLUS program for lung cancer, robotic SAINT program for advanced stage lung cancer, the robotic PREMIER program for esophageal cancer, and the robotic lung volume reduction surgery for emphysema. The pulmonology and lung surgery program at Northwestern Memorial Hospital is proud to be the highest-ranked in Illinois for 14 straight years and No. 7 in the U.S.

For more information, visit nm.org/pulmonary or call 312-695-1800.

Lake Forest, IL — October 8, 2025 — Northwestern Medicine announced today that the Lake Forest Hospital will be named in honor of Catherine Gratz Griffin, a former Lake Forest resident, following a generous gift from her son Kenneth C. Griffin, founder and CEO of Citadel and founder of Griffin Catalyst. Among the largest in the health system’s history, the gift supports Northwestern Medicine’s Patients First mission. The hospital’s new name – Northwestern Medicine Catherine Gratz Griffin Lake Forest Hospital – was unveiled during a private ceremony.

“We are incredibly grateful to Ken Griffin for his generosity and support of our health system and our Patients First mission,” said Howard B. Chrisman, MD, president and chief executive officer, Northwestern Memorial HealthCare. “This gift will have a lasting impact on our physicians, nurses and staff throughout our health system and ensure our ability to support our caregivers and clinical offerings.”

“The extraordinary care provided at Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital is a reflection of the very qualities my mother has embodied throughout her life — selflessness, compassion, and an unwavering devotion to others,” said Mr. Griffin. “Our family is so proud to support the remarkable team at Northwestern Medicine, whose dedication helps countless people live healthier, more fulfilling lives.”

Ms. Gratz Griffin, a former Lake Forest resident, and her family have relied on Lake Forest Hospital for care across generations. She believes the hospital is distinguished by its patient-centric approach, blending clinical excellence of Northwestern Medicine with the community hospital feel that’s been the foundation of LFH for more than a century.

“Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital has always been a part of our lives, caring for my family and so many others with warmth and compassion. I feel so grateful to my son Ken for honoring this special place and supporting the people who make it what it is,” said Ms. Gratz Griffin. “I am so proud of him, not only for his generosity, but for the love and kindness behind it. It means the world to know that this tradition of caring will continue to touch families for generations to come.”

Opened in March 2018, the Northwestern Medicine Catherine Gratz Griffin Lake Forest Hospital is a state-of-the-art hospital, providing patients with convenient access to world-class physicians and when needed, seamless access to Northwestern Memorial Hospital. The hospital's five interconnected pavilions provide an integrated foundation for inpatient and ambulatory care. The hospital was designed for physicians and staff to take advantage of the resources of an integrated academic health system. The campus includes 116 acres of open space, with more than 7,000 feet of pedestrian and bicycle paths, nearly 700 new trees when the hospital opened and a six-acre pond to support storm water retention and reduce area flooding.

To meet the growing demand for world-class, compassionate health care and rising patient volumes, the hospital will open two new pavilions in February 2026. This expansion includes:

• 96 new inpatient beds, including an additional 12 dedicated ICU beds
• A relocated and expanded Emergency Department to better serve the community
• Enhanced clinical capabilities in cancer care, cardiac services, and neurosciences

This strategic expansion underscores the health system’s commitment to advancing and improving patient access to health care in Chicago’s northern suburbs.

“We are honored to have our hospital named in recognition of a longtime Lake Forest resident who understands and appreciates the importance of having access to world-class health care in a community setting,” said Seamus Collins, president, Northwestern Medicine Catherine Gratz Griffin Lake Forest Hospital. “Continuing to build on a legacy of community support and with the future expansion of our hospital, we look forward to serving our patients and community for generations to come.”

To learn more about the full offerings of the Northwestern Medicine Catherine Gratz Griffin Lake Forest Hospital, visit Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital | Lake Forest, IL | Northwestern Medicine.

For more information about Northwestern Medicine, visit https://news.nm.org/.

About Griffin Catalyst

Griffin Catalyst is the civic engagement initiative of Citadel founder and CEO Ken Griffin, encompassing his philanthropic and community impact efforts. Tackling the world’s greatest challenges in innovative, action-oriented, and evidence-driven ways, Griffin Catalyst is dedicated to expanding opportunity and improving lives across six areas of focus: Education, Science & Medicine, Upward Mobility, Freedom & Democracy, Enterprise & Innovation, and Communities. For more information, visit griffincatalyst.org.

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CHICAGO – September 30, 2025 – Northwestern Medicine has successfully performed the first known robotic lung transplant in Illinois, bringing this advanced minimally invasive surgical option to patients in the region. The sophisticated surgical approach uses small chest incisions and robotic precision instead of traditional open-chest surgery, offering select patients reduced surgical trauma and the potential for enhanced recovery.

Instead of sawing through the breastbone and spreading the chest open for 8-10 hours of surgery, surgeons with the Northwestern Medicine Canning Thoracic Institute used the da Vinci Xi robotic system to perform the entire lung transplant through small incisions on each side of the chest.

“A conventional lung transplant, where we cut through the breastbone and ultimately put it back together, is perhaps the most invasive, complex procedure performed at any hospital. We must open the chest like the hood of a car, so we have full access to the engine (lungs),” said Ankit Bharat, MD, chief of thoracic surgery and director of the Canning Thoracic Institute who performed the transplant. “A robotic approach allows us to dramatically reduce the invasiveness of the procedure, and we hope it will cut down on the recovery time for patients.”

The procedure was successfully performed in August on a 63-year-old Illinois man with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The patient was discharged from the hospital and continues to make an optimal recovery.

Advanced surgical benefits

The robotic approach allows surgeons to work with unprecedented precision using 3D visualization while seated at a console, rather than standing over an open chest for nearly ten hours. The robot’s micro-instruments navigate through 4-5 small incisions per side, carefully removing diseased lungs and implanting healthy ones.

“The precision we achieve with robotic surgery is remarkable. We can perform incredibly complex maneuvers in tight spaces that human hands simply cannot access as effectively,” said Samuel Kim, MD, thoracic surgeon and director of Robotic Thoracic Surgery at the Canning Thoracic Institute who performed the procedure with Dr. Bharat. “While more long-term data is still needed, we believe recovery time for these patients will be cut in half because they’ll have less post-operative discomfort. Robotic surgery is rapidly evolving, especially in the field of thoracic surgery, and we believe there’s a clear role for lung transplantation in carefully selected patients.”

Available for select candidates

The procedure is ideal for patients with emphysema or lung fibrosis who have large chest cavities, no prior chest surgeries, stable heart function, and appropriate anatomy for the robotic approach.

“Every lung transplant carries life-or-death stakes with zero margin for error. We carefully select patients where robotics offers clear advantages without compromising safety or speed,” said Dr. Kim. “I don’t think robotic lung transplant will completely replace conventional lung transplant, but I do think it will become more popular in the future.”

“At the Canning Thoracic Institute, we have pioneered several transformative minimally invasive thoracic procedures such as the robotic lung volume reduction surgery for emphysema, A-PLUS program for lung cancer, robotic SAINT program for advanced stage lung cancer, and the robotic PREMIER program for esophageal cancer, so developing a robotic lung transplant program was quite easy for us,” said Dr. Bharat.

Illinois’ leading lung transplant program adds robotic capability

The Canning Thoracic Institute performed 148 lung transplants in 2024 – more than any other transplant center in the United States – with the shortest wait time of just four days. The addition of robotic lung transplantation enhances the program’s comprehensive surgical options.

Since 2014, the Lung Transplant Program has completed more than 600 lung transplants and pioneered multiple innovative approaches, including the first COVID-19 lung transplants in the U.S. and the DREAM program for advanced lung cancer patients. The pulmonology and lung surgery program at Northwestern Memorial Hospital is proud to be the highest-ranked in Illinois for 14 straight years and No. 7 in the U.S.

Patients with end-stage lung disease interested in being evaluated for a lung transplant can contact the 24-hour referral line at 312.695.5864 or 844.639.5864. For more information about the Lung Transplant Program, visit nm.org/pulmonary. 

CHICAGO – September 23, 2025 – For the first time at Northwestern Medicine, doctors have successfully treated a patient with uveal melanoma — a rare form of eye cancer — using Hepzato Kit, an FDA-approved therapy that delivers chemotherapy directly to the liver. The treatment option could help patients with stage 4 uveal melanoma live longer by shrinking tumors that have spread to the liver and can not be removed surgically.

“This type of therapy has been shown to prolong survival for patients while also offering a very tolerable side effect profile, which are two things we want to prioritize,” said Sunandana Chandra, MD, medical director for melanoma and cutaneous oncology with the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. “It’s especially meaningful to have a therapy that helps us maintain a good quality of life for patients as we navigate a cancer that can be quite challenging to treat.”

On April 3, 66-year-old Bozena Wojtach of Niles, Ill., became the first patient at Northwestern Medicine to receive the new treatment. During the procedure, interventional radiologists use several small tubes to isolate the liver’s blood supply from the rest of the body before chemotherapy is directly administered to the liver for about 30 minutes. Once the chemotherapy is finished, the separated blood supply in the liver is filtered for an additional half hour before being returned to the patient’s body.

“This process removes more than 80% of the chemotherapy drug, significantly reducing the amount of chemotherapy that reaches other parts of the body,” said Robert Lewandowski, MD, director of interventional oncology at the Lurie Cancer Center at Northwestern Medicine. “While systemic chemotherapy targets widespread disease, this therapy is more effective for patients with the majority of their disease localized to the liver, as it minimizes overall toxicity.”

Originally from Cracow, Poland, Wojtach spent her youth flying planes and skydiving before pursuing a career in nursing. After immigrating to the United States in 1986 with her husband, Wojtach gave birth to twin sons and continued working as a nurse in the Chicago area, caring for cardiology, oncology and pediatric patients until her retirement in 2022.

In 2024, Wojtach began noticing flashing lights in her vision, which prompted a visit to her local optometrist. There, she learned that a mass had developed in her right eye and was referred to Northwestern Medicine ophthalmologist Randy Christopher Bowen, MD, who diagnosed her with uveal melanoma. While proton therapy was successful at treating her eye tumor, scans later revealed the cancer had spread to her liver, which is the most common site of spread for patients with uveal melanoma. If left untreated, liver tumors can continue to grow and may lead to liver failure.

Fortunately, the tumors affected less than half of her liver, making Wojtach a candidate for Hepzato Kit. If needed, patients may receive up to six cycles of the therapy, with treatment administered every six to eight weeks. However, after just two cycles, Wojtach’s tumors were reduced by more than 50 percent.

“I feel energetic and free of the pain and nausea that I saw in many patients receiving standard chemotherapy during my time as an oncology nurse,” said Wojtach. “I feel like I’m healthy – like I have no cancer at all.”

Due to her positive response, Wojtach’s medical team recommends she completes at least four cycles of the treatment. In the future, she hopes to continue traveling, working in her garden and spending time with her husband and adult sons.

“It has taken a big commitment from the health system and a significant team effort to bring this new therapy to patients,” said Dr. Lewandowski. “With collaboration from interventional radiology, medical oncology, anesthesia, perfusion, and many others, we are excited to provide new hope for patients who otherwise have limited options.”

Uveal melanoma is rare, accounting for about 5% of all melanoma cases in the U.S. Up to half of all patients with the eye cancer will develop metastatic disease, which can be life-threatening.

To learn more about Northwestern Medicine, visit nm.org.  

Chicago, IL – September 17, 2025 – At the age of 14, during the height of the COVID pandemic, Liliana “Lili” Castaneda thought she had her first menstrual cycle. At first, she was actually excited about it, but then, the monthly bleeding turned into daily bleeding. Castaneda was bleeding so much that she would soak through menstrual pads in 15 minutes and would get dizzy when standing up.

Castaneda went to a local doctor, who told her it was just stress due to the pandemic. But Castaneda insisted that something was wrong, and one month before her 15^th birthday, she was diagnosed with a rare vaginal cancer called clear cell carcinoma. When viewed under a microscope, the cancer cells look clear. It’s typically found in the female reproductive system in postmenopausal women. 

“In my 15 years of practicing medicine, Liliana is the youngest patient I’ve treated for clear cell carcinoma – most of my patients are in their 60s,” said Dario Roque, MD, a gynecologic oncologist at the Lurie Cancer Center at Northwestern Medicine.

Since clear cell carcinoma of the vagina isn’t a childhood cancer, pediatric hospitals in Chicago wouldn’t accept Castaneda as a patient. On top of that, her mom only speaks Spanish, so it was important to have a physician who could communicate with Castaneda’s mom during appointments. 

Northwestern Medicine was ready and willing to take on her case. Dr. Roque, who is from Cuba and speaks Spanish, was easily able to communicate with Castaneda’s mom during the course of treatment which included chemotherapy and radiation.

Jonathan Strauss, MD, was Castaneda’s radiation oncologist at the Lurie Cancer Center, and oversaw both external beam radiotherapy and brachytherapy, a specific type of internal radiation therapy where a radioactive implant is put inside the body to deliver radiation directly to the tumor. 

“Liliana’s tumor was about the size of a golf ball,” said Dr. Strauss. “At the time of her diagnosis, the tumor was too large for us to surgically remove it, so we had to use external and internal radiation therapies to help shrink it. It took a lot of radiation to get rid of her tumor, along with chemotherapy.”

Certain cancer treatments, like chemotherapy and radiation, can negatively impact a patient’s ability to have children, which is why fertility preservation prior to the start of treatment is essential for many patients. But, since Castaneda was born with Turner Syndrome, a genetic condition that affects females and causes infertility, preserving her fertility was not an option or a choice the family had to make. Castaneda’s doctors also don’t believe her Turner Syndrome diagnosis had anything to do with her cancer diagnosis. 

 Thanks to the chemotherapy and radiation, Castaneda had tremendous results and was officially declared cancer-free in March 2021. Inspired by her Northwestern Medicine medical team, Castaneda, who is now 19 years old, is going to college and taking nursing classes.

“I can’t wait to become a nurse and help other kids navigate their medical journey,” she said.  

“We knew Liliana was going to do great things no matter what, but when she told us she wanted to go to nursing school, the entire Northwestern Medicine team that took care of her was very touched,” said Dr. Strauss.

Castaneda and her doctors also want women to know that they should contact their physician if they’re experiencing abnormal bleeding, bleeding between periods or after menopause, along with pain or urinary symptoms. Those are the first signs of clear cell carcinoma of the vagina.

“If you feel like something is wrong, don’t hesitate and get it checked out,” said Castaneda.

For more information on gynecologic cancer care at Northwestern Medicine, visit nm.org.

CHICAGO – September 16, 2025 – Northwestern Medicine is the first health system in Illinois to adopt the da Vinci SP (Single Port) surgical system for thoracic surgery, marking a significant advancement in minimally invasive care for patients with lung and chest conditions. The new robotic platform enables thoracic surgeons to perform complex procedures through one small incision in the upper abdomen versus multiple incisions in the chest, allowing for improved outcomes and faster recovery times for patients undergoing thoracic surgeries involving tumors in the chest and lungs. 

“This robot is different from ones we’ve used in the past because it allows us to perform minimally invasive operations using one single port with a small incision, opposed to previously using several different ports at the same time with multiple incisions,” said Samuel Kim, MD, a thoracic surgeon and director of Robotic Thoracic Surgery at the Northwestern Medicine Canning Thoracic Institute. 

Traditionally, thoracic surgeons would perform these types of minimally invasive procedures by going in through the chest wall which has a lot of nerves and is associated with more pain. With the new da Vinci SP surgical system, Dr. Kim is able to make a single two-to-three-inch incision in the abdomen area, which causes less pain. The robot was designed to improve recovery and help patients return to their normal activities sooner. 

“For patients who have received this new type of procedure, their recovery has been much faster and less painful, allowing them to get home and get back to work easier. It’s especially a great option for elderly and more frail patients because it decreases their risk of falling post-surgery since they have a reduced need for opioid pain medications,” said Dr. Kim. 

For 74-year-old Rodolfo (who chose to keep his last name private), undergoing surgery with a new robot was a bit exciting, since he spent the majority of his career as a computer engineer, working with robots and fixing computers and electronics. After doctors discovered a rare, slow-growing tumor in his thymus gland called thymoma, Rodolfo was deemed a perfect candidate to undergo surgery at Northwestern Memorial Hospital with the new da Vinci SP surgical system.

“I’m very supportive of medical advancements – especially when they involve a robot – so when Dr. Kim told me the new robotic platform would help me recover more quickly with less pain, I was all for it,” said Rodolfo, who underwent his procedure in mid-August.

“Rodolfo’s surgery went extremely well and after removing the tumor, we determined it was non-cancerous. He could have went home the same day but preferred to stay one night in the hospital for monitoring,” said Dr. Kim. “Two weeks post-surgery, I saw Rodolfo in clinic, and he didn’t have any pain. He’s back to living a normal life, enjoying retirement.”

The da Vinci Single Port (SP) surgical system by Intuitive was recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for thoracic and chest cases. The system features a high-definition 3D camera, which allows surgeons to sit behind a console, visualize the surgical site and operate the robot with greater range of motion than the human hand. It can be used for procedures such as thymectomy, lobectomy and other chest surgeries.

 For more information on leading-edge lung and chest care from the Canning Thoracic Institute, visit nm.org.  

CHICAGO - Northwestern Medicine has once again earned gold-level recognition in 2025 from the American Medical Association (AMA) as a Joy in Medicine^® organization. The prestigious recognition from the country’s leading physician’s association honors health systems, hospitals, and medical groups that prioritize proven methods to reduce burnout and enhance the professional fulfillment of doctors that comes from patient care.

“This honor is a direct reflection of the commitment our health system has made to supporting the health and wellness needs of our physicians and clinical staff,” said Gaurava Agarwal, MD, Chief Wellness Executive, Northwestern Medicine. “Creating a positive work environment that enhances the professional fulfillment on our workforce will enable us to support the health care needs of our patients and the communities we are so proud to serve.”

Northwestern Medicine prioritizes the health and well-being of the health system’s physicians, nurses and staff. Under the leadership of Dr. Agarwal, the Office of Well-Being develops and delivers evidence-based programs to support and nurture clinicians and employees across the organization. For the fourth consecutive year, employee and physician burnout has declined across the system. One of the key programs that continues to serve as a driving force is the Scholars of Wellness program. Now in its seventh year, this professional development program equips physicians, advanced practice providers (APP) and pharmacists with the tools and expertise to lead impactful well-being projects within their teams.

Organizations that meet the rigorous criteria of the Joy in Medicine Health System Recognition Program are leaders in the national effort to transform health care work systems and address the root causes of burnout among care teams. Burnout among U.S. physicians peaked at 62.8% in 2021 during the Covid pandemic, according to research. But thanks to strides made to address burnout at the system level, the national physician burnout rate ebbed to 45.2% in 2023. Despite improvements, physician burnout levels remain much higher than other U.S. workers. Continued efforts are essential to ensure doctors receive the support they need to thrive and achieve national health goals.

“Joy in Medicine recognized organizations are leading the gains made against the physician burnout crisis and help clinicians rediscover the deep rewards and joy that comes from helping patients,” said AMA President Bobby Mukkamala, M.D. “The AMA distinction honors each organization’s commitment to not only the health and well-being of the care team, but also to patients. Quality care ultimately originates from a positive and purposeful work culture where health care professionals can flourish both mentally and physically.”

Since its inception in 2019, the AMA Joy in Medicine Health System Recognition Program has recognized more than 200 organizations across the country. Recognition levels are valid for two years. This year, a total of 109 health organizations nationwide earned recognition with documented efforts to reduce system-level drivers of work-related burnout and demonstrated competencies in commitment, assessment, leadership, efficiency of practice environment, teamwork, and support. Organizations that earned 2025-2026 recognition join a strong group of currently recognized organizations from the 2024-2025 program, bringing the currently recognized cohort to 164 recognized organizations.

CHICAGO – Bronzeville area residents now have the opportunity to receive the highest quality of care closer to home with the opening of the Northwestern Medicine Bronzeville Outpatient Center, now open for patient care. The new 120,000-square-foot outpatient center at 4822 South Cottage Grove Avenue offers more than 14 specialties, including immediate and primary care, oncology care and infusion services, pediatrics, cardiology, women’s health, dermatology and mental health services. The center also includes a 7,500 square foot community space and 3,000 square feet for local retail, as well as onsite patient parking at no cost.

​“Increasing access to world-class health care in Bronzeville will make a generational impact on the health and wellness of this community,” says Kimbra Bell, MD, FACP, medical director at the Northwestern Medicine Bronzeville Outpatient Center. “We are committed to help build stronger, healthier communities. For over 20 years, we have collaborated with local organizations in Bronzeville and surrounding neighborhoods that share our vision to make the center a reality. We are so excited to welcome patients and community members to our new outpatient center.” 

 The center is expected to serve more than 50,000 patients and family members from Bronzeville and nearby communities every year and is welcoming a workforce of more than 110 new employees. 

The Northwestern Medicine Bronzeville Outpatient Center clinical and community offerings include:

• Primary and specialty care 
• Immediate care 
• Cancer center with chemotherapy and infusion services
• Imaging and diagnostic services (MRI, CT, ultrasound, X-ray, DEXA and mammography)
• Mental health services 
• Pediatrics
• Cardiology
• Women’s Health
• Dermatology
• Physical Therapy
• Pulmonology
• Gastroenterology
• Ophthalmology
• Multipurpose and event spaces for community gatherings and educational workshops 
• A teaching kitchen and room for fitness classes

 To learn more about the Northwestern Medicine Bronzeville Outpatient Center, including community impact, project updates and the full floor-by-floor facility plan, please go to bronzeville.nm.org.

CHICAGO, IL – September 2, 2025 – Jessica Lopez doesn’t remember being able to see. The 32-year-old from Chicago, Ill., spent most of her childhood in a hospital, battling leukemia and retinoblastoma that would leave her completely blind. Although years of chemotherapy would help treat the cancers, it would lead to other health problems later in life.  

In November 2023, Lopez was engaged to be married when she found out she needed a new heart and a new liver. She was in heart failure from cardiomyopathy, a type of heart disease affecting the heart muscle, and the impact had spread to her liver. Lopez was listed for a double-organ transplant at Northwestern Memorial Hospital and spent one year on the waiting list. During that time, her condition began affecting a third organ. Lopez no longer needed just a heart and liver – she also needed a new kidney.  

Despite being considered high-risk for the procedure, Lopez says she was never scared. 

“I’ve always been a very positive person, and I don’t like to ever think negatively,” said Lopez. “I was confident from the very beginning that my doctors at Northwestern Medicine were going to do this successfully.”

Finding the right match

Triple-organ transplants are incredibly rare, with only 59 transplants of the heart, liver, and kidney recorded in the U.S. to date. Specialized teams with the Northwestern Medicine Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute (BCVI) and the Northwestern Medicine Organ Transplant Center had performed a successful triple transplant in the past and were ready to take on Lopez’s case.  

“From the day I met her in clinic, I knew we were going to pull out all the stops to do what we needed to do to get her feeling better,” said Benjamin Bryner, MD, a cardiac surgeon at Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute. “She has an attitude that’s really positive, she’s endearing, and has a great sense of humor. Just walking out of the clinic room, I thought, ‘this is going to be tricky, but we absolutely have to do this.’”

Wait times for triple-organ transplants are often longer than those for single-organ transplants since all three organs must come from the same donor. This can complicate the organ approval process, as sometimes two out of three organs may match but not the third. 

“When you have multiple failing organs, along with a patient who is young and has heart damage due to chemotherapy as opposed to the usual heart disease, it gets a lot more complicated,” said Dr. Bryner. “It’s unusual to find a recipient who can safely get through this complex of an operation.”

On February 24, three organs became available, and Lopez went in for her transplant. Lopez’s heart and liver were transplanted together before a different group of surgeons could move on to the kidney. 

“We transplanted the heart and liver in one block to limit the amount of time the organs go without blood or oxygen,” said Juan Carlos Caicedo, MD, transplant surgeon and surgical director of the Liver Transplant Program at Northwestern Medicine. “The heart and the liver stay connected the whole time from the donor to the recipient. While Dr. Bryner was doing the heart transplant, we were sewing the liver graft. You have two surgeons working simultaneously and that’s one of the advantages of our team.” 

Looking to the future

Lopez is now thriving with her new heart, liver, and kidney, and has been in remission from cancer for 20 years. 

“I feel like I was reborn again,” said Lopez. “I have more energy, my heart beats much stronger and my hands are even warmer. I’m incredibly grateful for my organ donor and their family. Because of their selfless decision, I’ve been given a second chance at life and can start planning for my future.”

Despite being blind with multiple medical challenges, Lopez never tells herself there’s something she can’t do.

“If I have to go somewhere I use landmarks when traveling on my own,” said Lopez. “My phone has accessibility to access rideshare and social media apps. When cooking for myself I use my hands to locate items on the stove. I cook things like rice, seafood, and spaghetti. It’s just about setting my mind to it.”

After recovering from surgery, she plans to attend Loyola University Chicago to study criminal investigation. She hopes to pursue a career in forensics and dreams of one day collecting evidence at crime scenes. 

Lopez and her fiancé, Christopher, are now planning a wedding in California and hope to tie the knot in 2026.  

Cancer’s toll on the heart

An estimated 18 million cancer survivors are currently in the United States and the number is expected to increase to nearly 22 million by 2030. Unfortunately, the same treatments that have improved outcomes for treating cancer can also damage the heart. 

According to the National Cancer Institute, adult survivors of childhood cancers are 10 times more likely to develop coronary disease and 15 times more likely to develop heart failure than their siblings. Treatment-related cardiovascular side effects – known as cardiotoxicities – are also common among survivors of adult cancers.

“When you think about life being unfair, Jessica was dealt a really difficult hand,” said Jonathan Rich, MD, a heart failure and heart transplantation cardiologist at Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute. “As an infant, Jessica was diagnosed with cancer and found a way to be a cancer survivor. But in her case, the treatment she needed to become a cancer survivor likely led to her developing heart failure. It feels really unfair. Unfortunately, we do see this and in her in case I think that’s exactly what happened.” 

The Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University at Northwestern Memorial Hospital and the Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute offer a collaborative Cardio-Oncology Program. The program provides seamless care between cardiology and oncology services for patients affected by cancer. 

To learn more about heart failure and transplant options, visit nm.org.

Chicago, IL – August 5, 2025 – For 28-year-old Dean Comstock of Syracuse, New York, music has always played an important role in his life. When he started playing guitar at the age of nine, one of his favorite songs was “Sweet Home Chicago,” but little did he know, 19 years later, that song would hold a whole new meaning.

In October 2023, Dean developed a cough that wouldn’t go away. At first, his doctors thought it was pneumonia or acid reflux, but on August 8, 2024, Dean was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. As an active community member who worked three jobs and didn’t have a history of smoking, Dean was shocked. He started chemotherapy, but his breathing got worse, and he soon had to rely on supplemental oxygen. Dean’s cancer was terminal, and he was quickly running out of options.  

That’s when his mom, Jill Comstock, who happened to receive a lung transplant in 2021 for pulmonary fibrosis at another hospital, asked her medical team if a lung transplant could be a possibility for him at their site. Her doctors told the family only one health system in the United States was known to perform lung transplants on patients with terminal lung cancer, and Dean would need to travel to Northwestern Medicine in Chicago to participate in a clinical trial known as DREAM, where select patients with advanced lung cancers receive double-lung transplants.

This March, Dean arrived at Northwestern Memorial Hospital where he underwent a transplant evaluation and met with Ankit Bharat, MD, chief of thoracic surgery and director of the Northwestern Medicine Canning Thoracic Institute.

By May 8, Dean was listed for a double-lung transplant and eight days later, he received his new lungs on May 16.

Making beautiful music together

One month later, on June 27, Dean celebrated his five-year wedding anniversary with his wife, McKayla Comstock, who is a music teacher at Jordan-Elbridge High School in Jordan, New York. In fact, the two first met in the same music room where McKayla now teaches, and they often play music together at weddings and special events.

Two months after his transplant, Dean and McKayla played for an audience in Chicago they’ll never forget – Dr. Bharat and members of the lung transplant team who helped save Dean’s life. Dean strummed his guitar in a clinic exam room as McKayla sang the lyrics to “Sweet Home Chicago.”

“The song has always been one of my favorite songs to play, and I really never knew why since I’m from Syracuse, New York, but now that a team of surgeons, doctors and nurses in Chicago saved my life, the city and the song will always hold a special place in my heart,” said Dean. “This is where miracles happen; right here at Northwestern Medicine.”  

Dean will remain in Chicago for one-year post-transplant so he can be near his medical team, and he’s looking forward to the future.

“I’m so thankful to be able to breathe fresh air every day. I’m thankful for my donor, my community, my family and everyone who has helped me along the way. I’m going to smell the roses a little bit more and enjoy life. Once you go through something like this, you learn how precious life really is,” said Dean.

Lung cancer cases on the rise in young people

Cancers of the lung are the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States with more people dying of lung cancer than colon, breast and prostate cancers combined, and doctors have noticed a startling new trend.

“On a daily basis, we’re seeing more young people being diagnosed with lung cancer,” said Dr. Bharat. “Conventionally, lung cancer has been associated with smoking and older age. While smoking certainly increases your chances of developing lung cancer, we’re seeing an explosion of lung cancer cases in patients who have never smoked or had limited smoking exposure – like Dean.”

The Canning Thoracic Institute has launched a universal lung cancer screening program where patients who meet certain criteria can get screened for lung cancer, even if their insurance doesn’t provide financial support. The goal is to share the findings with the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force and urge them to let all patients beyond a certain age receive an annual lung cancer screening.

“If lung cancer is causing the most deaths in this country, impacting smokers and nonsmokers, we need a universal screening program just like we have for breast and colon cancer,” added Dr. Bharat.

About the DREAM Program

To date, Northwestern Medicine surgeons have performed more than 50 lung transplants for patients with advanced lung cancers.

Using lessons learned from pioneering COVID-19 lung transplantation in the U.S., they developed the novel surgical technique to clear the cancer during surgery while minimizing the risk of spread that has plagued prior such attempts at other hospitals.

“We’re very proud of the DREAM Program. This innovative technique involves putting the patient on full heart and lung bypass, delicately taking both cancer-ridden lungs out at the same time along with the lymph nodes, washing the airways and the chest cavity to clear the cancer, and then putting new lungs in,” said Dr. Bharat. “These patients can have billions of cancer cells in the lungs, so we must be extremely meticulous to not let a single cell spill into the patient’s chest cavity or blood stream. We believe this technique can help reduce the risk of recurrence, which we learned through our experience with pioneering COVID-19 lung transplants in 2020.”

Since Northwestern Medicine’s Lung Transplant Program first started in 2014, they’ve performed more than 600 lung transplant procedures for patients with end-stage lung diseases such as COVID, lung cancer, cystic fibrosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and more. In 2024, Northwestern Medicine had the shortest wait time for a lung transplant in the U.S. with a median wait time of four days. They also performed 148 lung transplants, the most performed at any transplant center in the U.S. for 2024.

Patients interested in being evaluated for a lung transplant can contact the 24-hour referral line at 312.695.5864 or 844.639.5864. For more information about the Lung Transplant Program or lung cancer screenings, visit nm.org. 

“Every day our physicians, nurses and staff demonstrate their commitment to better medicine, better outcomes and better patient care” said Howard Chrisman, MD, president and chief executive officer, Northwestern Memorial HealthCare. “We are proud to be recognized by U.S. News & World Report Best Hospital rankings as one of the top hospitals in the U.S.”

Below are highlights for Northwestern Medicine hospitals in the 2025-26 U.S. News Best Hospitals rankings:

• In addition to retaining its position on the Honor Roll of Best Hospitals, Northwestern Memorial Hospital is ranked No. 1 (tie) in Illinois and metropolitan Chicago.  Northwestern Memorial Hospital is also nationally ranked top 10 in 8 specialties: Cardiology, Heart & Vascular Surgery (No. 7); Diabetes & Endocrinology (No. 7); Gastroenterology & GI Surgery (No. 10); Geriatrics (No. 9); Neurology & Neurosurgery (No. 6); Obstetrics & Gynecology (No. 6); Pulmonology & Lung Surgery (No. 7); and Urology (No. 10).
• Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital is ranked at No. 8 in both Illinois and the Chicago metropolitan area.
• Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital is ranked No. 7 in both Illinois and the Chicago metropolitan area.
• Northwestern Medicine Huntley Hospital, Northwestern Medicine McHenry Hospital and Northwestern Medicine Woodstock Hospital combined are ranked No. 10 in both Illinois and Chicago metropolitan area.
• Northwestern Medicine Palos Hospital is ranked No. 17 (tie) in Illinois and No. 16 (tie) in the Chicago metropolitan area.

To view the full U.S. News & World Report rankings, visit: Best Hospitals | U.S. News Hospital Rankings and Ratings

CHICAGO – July 9, 2025 – Weight gain isn’t just a result of what you eat and how you move your body. It’s also related to genetic, societal, and environmental factors. For many, obesity is a disease. But for those wanting to start a family, healthy behaviors and lifestyle choices are important to help achieve reproductive goals, which is why the Northwestern Medicine PEARL Program (Preconception and Early Assessment Care Rooted in Lifestyle Management) was launched to  support people with obesity who are planning a pregnancy.  

“Here at Northwestern Medicine, we receive a lot of referrals for patients with higher body mass index (BMI) that might not be cared for at other health systems, and with the PEARL Program, we’re eliminating that bias to help provide the obstetrics care they need,” said Christina Boots, MD, a reproductive endocrinology and infertility specialist at Northwestern Medicine who co-founded the PEARL Program. “We’re really proud to have established a multidisciplinary clinic to care for these women who are trying to get pregnant, want to reduce health risks during pregnancy, and manage their mental health and possible weight gain postpartum.”

The PEARL Program was designed for patients who have a BMI more than 27, are planning an immediate pregnancy or looking ahead to the future. Some women with higher BMI will have ovulatory dysfunction, a condition where the ovaries don’t release an egg during a menstrual cycle. A drop in weight can sometimes help women ovulate more consistently, thus increasing their rate of spontaneously getting pregnant. Weight loss can also help prevent the risk of health complications during pregnancy.  

“When we look at clinical obesity, we can’t just define the disease as having a BMI over 30, but we need to look at how the disease impacts one’s overall health,” said Veronica Johnson, MD, an obesity medicine specialist at Northwestern Medicine who co-founded the PEARL Program. “Excess body fat can impact a woman’s health including infertility, irregular menstrual cycles and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), but it can also cause other health-related conditions such as obstructive sleep apnea, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure and osteoarthritis of the knees or the hips. These are all things we really want to have the patient improve upon before getting pregnant.”

What to expect during a consultation with the PEARL Program

For each patient, a team of experts from reproductive endocrinology and infertility, obesity medicine, maternal-fetal medicine, psychology and more, design a personalized weight loss program to fit a patient’s needs and goals which may include nutrition, physical activity, mental health, lifestyle treatment options, and in some cases, using weight loss medications such as GLP-1 agonists.

During a patient’s first consult with the PEARL Program, a physician will typically ask questions such as:

-        How do you feel about your weight?

-        Do you think you’d benefit from extra nutrition counseling?

-        Do you need motivation to move your body more?

-        When do you think you might want to start a family?

-        What’s your ideal family size?   

Depending on answers to the questions, next steps will then be taken for planning a future pregnancy.

“Preconception counseling is so important because everyone’s prenatal care might be different, their delivery might be different and their postpartum care might be different,” said Michelle Kominiarek, MD, a maternal-fetal medicine specialist at Northwestern Medicine who co-founded the PEARL Program. “It takes time to have meaningful weight loss, which can result in some tough conversations.”

Obesity’s impact on fertility and pregnancy 

When it comes to a patient’s fertility, physicians with the PEARL Program emphasize that age, much more so than BMI, influences how likely a woman is to get pregnant, which is why it’s important for women to talk to a physician sooner rather than later.

“For example, if a woman first comes to us in her late 20s or early 30s, she should still generally have good egg quality and quantity left, but if a woman is approaching 40, that’s when she really needs to be worried about the decline in her fertility. For some women, that means we’re freezing eggs or creating embryos ahead of time and then making the weight loss goal a priority before she tries to conceive,” said Dr. Boots. “That’s why thoughtful, individualized conversations are needed to come up with a strategy.”

For patients with higher BMI who need to undergo in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatments, excess body fat can make it more difficult to administer fertility treatments because the ultrasound imaging is more challenging. Higher BMI may also play a role in egg quality, implantation, embryo development and increased risk of miscarriage. With higher BMI, physicians also see higher rates of thyroid disfunction, insulin resistance, diabetes, high blood pressure and hypertension.

“We see that having excess body fat and an energy imbalance can also influence how our hypothalamus talks to our pituitary, which talks to our ovary. It’s a really delicate system that can get interrupted,” said Dr. Boots. “The primary way a lot of weight affects getting pregnant is just not having regular menstrual cycles and not ovulating with consistency.”

Once pregnant, patients with higher BMI face several risks during pregnancy such as preeclampsia (high blood pressure) which can lead to organ damage, stroke, seizures or death; gestational diabetes; blood clots; premature delivery; longer labor; and possibly needing a cesarean section (C-section). The baby may also be at high risk for birth defects that affect the brain and spinal cord.

Are weight loss medications safe to use during pregnancy?

GLP-1 agonists can be used to lower weight which may improve pregnancy outcomes, however, there can be rebound weight gain after stopping the medication. Physicians are monitoring how that rebound weight gain will impact the pregnancy; does it blend in with the expected weight gain of pregnancy or does it magnify it? Currently, physicians with the PEARL Program don’t recommend patients stay on GLP-1 agonists during pregnancy.

“GLP-1 agonists shouldn’t be used during pregnancy because there isn’t enough research to show what they’ll do to a growing baby,” said Jacqueline Hairston, MD, a maternal-fetal medicine specialist at Northwestern Medicine who is part of the clinical team for the PEARL Program. “We also have to be really careful about recommending fast meaningful weight loss right before someone is trying to get pregnant because their metabolism is going to change so much. Diminishing a patient’s nutrition and energy imbalance isn’t the best time to be growing a baby, so we’ll tell patients they should wait a year or two from that massive weight loss before trying to get pregnant. Just telling patients, ‘Lose a bunch of weight and you’ll get pregnant,’ isn’t the right answer.”

Postpartum weight gain management

The PEARL Program is also working to help decrease weight bias in clinical settings; define clinical obesity and review the current treatment options; understand the data associating fertility outcomes with BMI; and improve preconception counseling in women with higher BMI. The program also monitors women postpartum to help them manage the weight gain from the pregnancy.

“Pregnancy is unique because it’s one of the few times people have a doctor say to them, ‘We expect you to gain weight.’ What that means for their mental health to see their body change after successful weight loss is certainly something that is a very individual experience,” said Dr. Kominiarek.

“The mental health piece is so important, so making sure we connect them with a mental health provider as they’re going through their weight loss journey, or weight gain that comes with pregnancy, is important. They need support from their physicians, psychologists, family and friends,” said Dr. Hairston.

For patients wanting to discuss how to optimize their health before pregnancy, a consultation can be scheduled with the PEARL Program by calling 312.695.7269. Additional information on obstetrics care at Northwestern Medicine can be found at nm.org.