GENEVA, Ill. — September 2, 2025 — Northwestern Medicine Living Well Cancer Resources, a center dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for individuals affected by cancer, proudly marks its 20^th anniversary in September.

Since its founding in 2005, 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 two locations in Geneva and Warrenville, and a satellite location in Orland Park, opening this fall.

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 and their families.

“This milestone is a testament to the strength of our community and the unwavering commitment of our volunteers, staff, and supporters,” said Candy Domke-Hochberg, operations administrator, Northwestern Medicine Living Well Cancer Resources. “We are honored to have walked alongside so many individuals on their cancer journeys and remain dedicated to providing hope and healing for years to come.”

“Support from Living Well has been enormously helpful to my patients,” said Christopher George, MD, medical director of oncology. “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.”

Inspiring those with cancer to live well

When Living Well first opened on September 1, 2005, its mission was to instill people living with cancer with knowledge, optimism and the inspiration to live well.

That mission statement came directly from the experiences of the Living Well founders, Fred Dornbach, Joanne Hansen, Susan Lyons and Terry Murphy.

Joanne Hansen was diagnosed with lung cancer in 1984, at the age of 44. Drawing from her own experience, she recognized the need to pull support services for cancer patients and their families under one roof.

“You can’t go through a cancer journey alone. Often your spouse and loved ones don’t understand and, truthfully, your spouse and your family need support as well, which is why creating Living Well was so important to me,” Hansen said.

Terry Murphy, another co-founder, believed in the project after witnessing his wife, Rosemary “Posey” Murphy, live with breast cancer for 12 years before passing away in 2003.

He watched Posey work to find resources to help manage the side effects of chemotherapy through diet and nutrition, exercise classes to help improve stamina, counseling services for Terry and their children, and rehabilitation therapy services to help her move when her body began to fail.

“Our aspirations were to be able to make these services available in the Fox Valley area. That's what our original charter said,” Murphy said. “The fact that we're able to look at all of Northern Illinois and say that our footprint encompasses all of that, that exceeds my wildest dreams.”

“After 20 years, the enthusiasm for Living Well is still so great. So many people believe in the mission. I often say it is more than I dreamed of and all that I hoped for,” Hansen said.

Living Well expands its reach

The mission continued when Living Well programs became part of Northwestern Medicine in 2012. With a goal of ensuring no one faces cancer alone, Living Well Cancer Resources has touched countless lives with compassion and care. 

Through virtual and in-person offerings, Living Well has supported people living in 287 counties across the United States and in countries around the world.

Celebrating 20 years of Living Well

To commemorate the 20^th anniversary of Living Well, a celebration will be held at the Northwestern Medicine Walk & 5k on October 11, 2025. The event is an opportunity to celebrate cancer survivors with a 5k run and 1-mile walk, followed by a family-friends festival.

Net proceeds from the event will go toward the educational and clinical support programs and services provided by Northwestern Medicine Living Well Cancer Resources. Registration information can be found here.

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CHICAGO – June 15, 2025 – Fifteen years ago, Andrew Wagner received a life-saving liver transplant. A relatively common autoimmune disease known as primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) had damaged the bile ducts in his liver, causing it to fail.

After six weeks in a medically induced coma, Wagner received his new liver at a Florida hospital in October 2010. Despite facing major blood loss, post-surgical complications and multiple follow-up surgeries, he went on to work as a recruitment manager at a local blood bank in Orlando, where he shared his personal story of how organ and blood donation had saved his life. However, in 2022, a routine abdominal and chest CT scan revealed new cause for concern: stage 1 lung cancer.

“I was completely shocked. I had no symptoms at all and this was found incidentally,” said Wagner, a 55-year-old non-smoker from Winter Garden, Florida. “Little did I know that even with a positive outcome, this cancer diagnosis was going to lead to one of the biggest roadblocks of my life.”

A year after surgeons in Florida removed his cancerous lung nodule and declared him cancer-free, Wagner began experiencing a build-up of fluid around his lungs. To his surprise, the symptom wasn’t his cancer returning – his transplanted liver was starting to fail.  

“When you get cancer after a transplant, you’re really between a rock and a hard place,” said Satish Nadig, MD, PhD, transplant surgeon and director of the Northwestern Medicine Comprehensive Transplant Center. “When Andrew was diagnosed with lung cancer in Florida, some of his anti-rejection medications likely had to be reduced to give his immune system a chance to fight the disease, which may have contributed to rejection of his transplanted liver.”

The search for a second opinion

As Wagner’s condition worsened, his wife, Nicole Wagner, sprang into action. In the spring of 2024, she reached out to transplant centers across the country hoping that someone would agree to a second transplant. However, because Wagner had not been cancer-free for three to five years, they were told repeatedly that a retransplant wasn’t an option.

While searching for answers online, Wagner’s wife came across the story of Gary Gibbon, MD – a California physician who traveled to Northwestern Medicine to receive the first double-lung and liver transplant for advanced lung cancer in the U.S.

Since Dr. Gibbon had been transplanted with active lung cancer, the Wagners figured the transplant team at Northwestern Medicine might be willing to take on Wagner’s case. In October 2024, the couple traveled to Chicago to get Wagner evaluated for a second liver transplant at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. There, they received the ‘yes’ they had been searching for.

“Andrew was really on the brink when he first got to Chicago. He likely had months to live,” said Northwestern Medicine hepatologist Andres Duarte-Rojo, MD. “After presenting his case to our multidisciplinary selection committee, we determined that even with immunosuppression, the risk of his lung cancer relapsing was very low. Though we knew the surgery would be difficult, as retransplants tend to be, we were excited to offer him this critical chance for survival.”

On Dec. 16, 2024, surgeons at Northwestern Medicine began the complex process of retransplanting Wagner’s liver. Previous surgeries left him with a significant amount of scar tissue, making his old liver difficult to remove. To minimize blood loss during the extraction, surgeons placed Wagner on bypass to ensure he’d have adequate blood flow to his heart. While surgeons removed his old liver, his new liver was kept functioning outside the body in a device called “liver in a box,” which pumps warm, oxygenated blood through the organ to keep it healthy.

“Having access to this wide range of techniques allowed us to navigate Andrew’s transplant effectively,” said Northwestern Medicine transplant surgeon Zachary Dietch, MD. “It was an interesting blend of old and new – traditional methods like bypass used alongside the latest advancements in transplant such as ‘liver in a box.’”

A father heads home

Five months after surgery, Wagner’s new liver is functioning well and he remains cancer-free. Since returning home to Winter Garden, he has been focused on staying active with walking, weightlifting, swimming and biking around his neighborhood. He is looking forward to spending Father’s Day with his blended family including his wife and two biological daughters, Estella Wagner (16) and Ava Wagner (19), two step-daughters, Riley Swartz (20) and Taylor Castillo (23) and the family’s newest addition, granddaughter Isla Castillo, who was born in April 2025.

“This particular Father’s Day will be so incredibly joyous,” said Wagner. “Receiving the greatest gift of life from the most generous organ donor has given me the opportunity to witness all the future milestones in our daughters’ and granddaughter’s lives. Thanks to my donor and my incredible transplant team at Northwestern Medicine, I still get to be a dad and grandfather.”

“Andrew not only connected with me as a daddy, but as a daughter-daddy,” said Dr. Nadig. “A few days after his transplant, I was talking to Nicole about a trip to Disney World my wife and I had planned for our daughter’s eighth birthday. Living close to the theme park, the Wagners were able to gift me with ‘Mickey ears’ for us to surprise her with. It’s families like that who remind you why you got into medicine in the first place, and why we are willing to take on the most complicated cases at Northwestern Medicine.”

Advancements in transplant oncology

Northwestern Medicine is one of the few known health systems in the country focused on redefining the criteria for transplant eligibility, especially for patients with lung or colorectal cancer. To date, the Northwestern Medicine Canning Thoracic Institute has performed more than 50 lung transplants for patients with advanced lung cancers through a first-of-it’s-kind clinical program called DREAM (Double Lung Transplant Registry Aimed for Lung-Limited Malignancies).

In March 2025, the Northwestern Medicine Comprehensive Transplant Center launched a clinical program called CLEAR (Colorectal Metastasis to Liver Extraction with Auxiliary Transplant and Delayed Resection) to expand liver transplant access for patients with stage 4 colorectal cancer.

“It’s a very exciting time for the field of transplantation,” said Dr. Nadig. “What we’ve learned in the past is not necessarily what we’re taking with us into the future. I think it’s time to re-examine what we think we know about the indications for transplant, and become more inclusive of those who have recently faced or who are facing cancer. Northwestern Medicine should not be a stop along a patient’s journey – it should the destination.”

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

CHICAGO – February 18, 2025 – How much can the eyes reveal about a person? A first-of-its-kind study from Northwestern Medicine and published in the Journal of Imaging is giving experts an idea how long COVID affects the body by looking through the eyes. The research could help doctors diagnose and track how the condition impacts people over time and provide insight into the cause of long COVID.

In the study, researchers used advanced imaging techniques to examine the retinas of non-hospitalized long COVID patients from the Northwestern Medicine Neuro COVID-19 Clinic and found that patients with long COVID experienced a significant reduction in the density of blood vessels in the back of the eye, compared to healthy individuals.

“This finding bridges gaps between ophthalmology, neurology, and COVID-19, helping us better understand how inflammation affects different organs in the body,” said Manjot K. Gill, MD, senior author of the study and ophthalmology lead of the Northwestern Medicine Comprehensive COVID-19 Center. “The change in blood vessels in the deep part of the retina supports the hypothesis that long COVID affects similar blood vessels in other parts of the body, like the brain, which can potentially contribute to the symptoms of long COVID such as memory loss, brain fog and fatigue.”

In patients with long COVID, researchers found that the most significant change was a decrease in blood flow in the smallest blood vessels in the deeper layers of the retina. Researchers believe this decrease in circulation may be reflective of decreased blood circulation in the brain, which may lead to neurologic symptoms.

“In oculomics – the field of study that examines the relationship between eye health and systemic diseases – we are understanding the power of the retina as a biomarker for disease, identifying early signs of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and neurodegenerative disorders. It’s exciting to see how long COVID could fit into this framework,” said Dr. Gill. “Retinal imaging allows us to see the blood vessels that we cannot readily image elsewhere, so in this context, the eyes really are the ‘window to the soul.’”

Building on these findings, researchers are launching a longitudinal study that will examine how the changes in the deep retinal blood vessels relate to patient symptoms and other established markers of long COVID. They hope to determine if retinal imaging could be used as a tool to diagnose, manage and predict the progression of long COVID over time, as well as identify its cause.  

“Even though the immediate threat of the COVID-19 pandemic has decreased, approximately one-third of COVID-19 survivors experience lingering effects. This issue affects an estimated 17 million adults in the U.S. and comes with significant healthcare and economic burdens, costing about $600 million in lost wages,” said Igor Koralnik, MD, chief of neuroinfectious diseases and global neurology at Northwestern Medicine, who oversees the Neuro COVID-19 Clinic and is the co-director of the Northwestern Medicine Comprehensive COVID-19 Center. “There are currently no specific treatments for long COVID, and this research helps to advance our understanding of the condition. By studying the effects of COVID-19 on the body, we can improve diagnosis, management, and support for those affected.”

To date, the Neuro COVID-19 Clinic has cared for nearly 3,000 long-haulers from 44 states. For more information, visit nm.org and to schedule an appointment, please call 312.695.7950.

CHICAGO – Jan. 7, 2025 – COVID-19 vaccinations have protected people from severe complications, hospitalizations and death, but their impact on long COVID has been unknown.

According to new research published in Brain Communications, Northwestern Medicine researchers found that vaccination prior to COVID-19 infection did not significantly affect neurological symptoms in long COVID patients, both in patients who had a severe infection that required hospitalization and those with a mild infection who did not require hospitalization. Common neurological symptoms of long COVID include brain fog, numbness and tingling, headache, dizziness, problems with smell and taste and intense fatigue.

“Since COVID-19 vaccines reduce the severity of the infections, we hypothesized that vaccines may also affect the neurological manifestations of subsequent long COVID,” said Igor Koralnik, MD, chief of neuroinfectious diseases and global neurology at Northwestern Medicine, who oversees the Neuro COVID-19 Clinic and is the co-director of the Northwestern Medicine Comprehensive COVID-19 Center. “We aimed to identify what effects – if any – vaccination prior to infection has on neurological symptoms of long COVID, as well as the quality of life and cognitive function of our patients. These findings are sobering since it shows that vaccination prior to infection does not reduce the neurological manifestations of long COVID.”

STUDY HIGHLIGHTS

·       The study included the first 1,300 patients at the Northwestern Medicine Neuro COVID-19 Clinic with neurologic long COVID symptoms between May 2020 and March 2023.

·       Among those patients, 200 had been previously hospitalized for severe COVID-19, while the rest had mild initial COVID symptoms and never required hospitalization.

·       The study is a first-of-its-kind at Northwestern Medicine looking at whether vaccination prior to infection affects neurological symptoms of long COVID.

·       The study used quantitative metrics to assess quality of life and found patients had impaired quality of life in cognitive, fatigue, sleep, anxiety and depression with no differences between the breakthrough infection and pre-vaccination groups.

·       The study assessed cognitive function and found that patients performed worse on a range of cognitive tests compared to the general population with no difference between the patients who had a breakthrough infection after vaccination and those who were infected before being vaccinated.

“Long COVID is a debilitating condition that can affect multiple organ systems and can have considerable impact on an individual’s daily function and quality of life,” Dr. Koralnik said. “Because vaccination prior to infection does not decrease the neurological manifestations of long COVID, it is critical to keep our communities safe from both acute COVID-19 infection and potential long-term neurological manifestations.”

To date, the Neuro COVID-19 Clinic has treated more than 2,800 long-haulers from 44 states. For more information, visit nm.org and to schedule an appointment, please call 312.695.7950.

To read the full study, click here.

OAK BROOK, ILLINOIS – Over the Fourth of July holiday weekend, Alex Timchak, 47, had a deep cough. Days later, the cough went away, but pain in his left side did not.

“That was new. I never had that before and after about a week, I decided I needed to reach out to my primary care doctor,” said Timchak, a psychiatrist who lives in River Forest, Illinois.   

Timchak says his primary care doctor told him imaging showed his pancreas was inflamed and the pancreatic duct was enlarged. He referred Timchak to a gastroenterologist at another health system. During an endoscopy, no mass was detected, but a biopsy was obtained near the area where the pancreatic duct looked abnormal. The biopsy results came back normal, and the gastroenterologist recommended follow-up imaging in a month.

“That didn't seem to make the most sense to me, so I made an appointment at Northwestern Medicine for a second opinion,” Timchak said. 

Getting a second opinion

Timchak went to see interventional gastroenterologist Sri Komanduri, MD, at the Northwestern Medicine Oak Brook Outpatient Center and underwent another biopsy.

While waiting for the results, Timchak and his wife visited their son, who attends college at the University of Alabama. They had just sat in the stadium for their first Alabama football game, when Dr. Komanduri called with the results.

“Fortunately for Alex, we did repeat that endoscopic ultrasound and what we saw was a small growth in the pancreas. However, when we took the biopsy of this lesion, this came back as what is called a neuroendocrine tumor, which is very different than a typical cancer of the pancreas or what we call adenocarcinoma,” Dr. Komanduri said. “The reason this is so different is it has a much slower growth rate and doesn't spread to adjacent organs anywhere nearly as quickly as the standard cancer of the pancreas.”

“I am not going to lie, I jumped up and pumped my fist and screamed loudly, ‘Yes’, because I knew that this was a completely different picture than what I was most fearing,” Timchak said.

Fearing the worst

Timchak had been worried he would suffer the same fate as his father, who died of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma at age 70. 

“I've got four amazing kids, a beautiful wife and a job that I love, and the thought of having to fight a really aggressive cancer that has a very low, five-year survival rate that was a lot to have to think about and work through,” said Timchak.

Learning he had a different form of cancer that was highly treatable was a gamechanger. 

Dr. Komanduri recommended a referral for consideration of surgery to remove the cancerous lesion. 

Moving forward, cancer-free

Surgical oncologist David Bentrem, MD, with the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, discussed surgical options with Timchak. They determined a Whipple procedure, which involves removing the head of the pancreas, the first part of the small intestine and the gall bladder and a portion of the bile duct, was the best course of action.

“By removing the lesion completely, we are eliminating the need for any further treatment. Alex will need monitoring and surveillance, but there’s no need for chemotherapy or radiation. The cure rate is over 90%,” Dr. Bentrem said. 

Two weeks before Thanksgiving, on November 14, the procedure was performed at Northwestern Memorial, successfully removing the cancerous tumor.

The tumor had clear margins and 24 lymph nodes were negative for cancer. Timchak said the operation and recovery all went as planned.

“To be able to get back to a point where I am almost back to my pre-surgical level of functioning is just such a blessing and a gift and it's because I have a supportive family and supportive colleagues, but also an amazing medical team here at Northwestern Medicine,” Timchak said.

Understanding pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors

Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) are less common than other types of pancreatic cancer and often misdiagnosed, which can delay diagnosis and treatment. 

Northwestern Medicine offers a multidisciplinary team of experts who specialize in NETs with care available at locations across Chicagoland, including pathologists with experise in identifying and diagnosing these rare tumors.

“Neuroendocrine tumors are rare in general,” said Dr. Komanduri. “With that said, when we're talking about all the growths that we see in the pancreas, even amongst that, the vast majority are adenocarcinoma, or cancers of the pancreas. However, a small percentage of them can be these neuroendocrine tumors which make the proper testing and diagnosis very critical, in terms of which direction you take the patient moving forward,” Dr. Komanduri said.

For more information about NETs and treatment options for pancreatic cancer, visit nm.org.

CHICAGO – Just three weeks before getting married, Annesley Clark (they/them/theirs) had to cancel their wedding. The 33-year-old from Chicago, Ill., had a life-threatening infection and a mass growing on their heart. Clark needed open-heart surgery right away.  

Because of the infection, the risks from surgery increased significantly and their outcome was uncertain. Clark and their partner, Christine Corso (they/them/theirs), were determined to say their vows before it was too late. 

The nursing staff at Northwestern Memorial Hospital had formed a special bond with the couple and despite not having much time, they pulled together a wedding in less than 24 hours.   

“Annesley is one of the most positive people I have ever met and constantly uplifts others,” said Tien Mai, a clinical nurse on 11W Feinberg at Northwestern Memorial. “They asked if it was possible to have a wedding the next day before surgery, and the moment I heard that, I made all the calls necessary. From blowing up balloons at the nurses' station to safely preparing them to walk down the aisle, my whole team made all the details perfect. Seeing Annesley smile as they walked down the aisle was the best feeling.” 

On October 9, one day before heart surgery, the nurses transformed the hospital waiting room into a wedding venue with balloons, decorations, flowers, and a makeshift altar. Clark’s close family, friends, and dozens of hospital staff gathered to celebrate their big day. 

“I am so grateful for the care that I’ve received from these doctors and nurses,” said Clark. “I have spent more than a third of the past 15 months at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. Many of the nurses at our hospital wedding were invited to our planned wedding in November. We’ve built such a great relationship with these people, and I have come to feel so cared for and seen by them. They’ve seen me in times that are really rough and scary, and I’m so glad they got to witness the enormity of the joy today.” 

A race against the clock 

The wedding allowed Clark and Corso to enjoy a few hours of bliss during an otherwise unnerving time. While most couples look ahead to a honeymoon on their wedding night, Clark was preparing for open heart surgery.  

Benjamin Bryner, MD, a cardiac surgeon at Northwestern Medicine Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute, says he normally opts for a minimally invasive way to operate, but in Clark’s case, the mass on their heart was too big. Despite the infection and a suppressed immune system making Clark a poor candidate, open heart surgery was the only option.  

“We wanted to get this mass out as quickly as we could because we were worried about a bloodstream infection,” said Dr. Bryner. “The infection was not going to go away until we got the mass out. We have to try not to disturb other structures, and we don’t want pieces of the mass to break off and get sent to other parts of the body. So, we settled on opening the heart up and taking the mass out directly. The safest way to do that was through cardiopulmonary bypass, which is like a safety net that cardiac surgeons build for themselves. That allowed us to open the heart and salvage all of the blood that was coming out. We could then see this mass really clearly, lift it out of the heart, and then close it back up. Everything went very smoothly just like we had hoped.” 

Clark underwent surgery on October 10 and the mass was successfully removed. They spent a few weeks recovering in the hospital and are now enjoying their new married life with a healing heart.

The newlyweds are looking forward to their first holiday season as a married couple, with a lot to be thankful for.

To learn more about heart surgery and other cardiac treatments, visit nm.org.  

Naples, FL — October 28, 2024 — Naples Comprehensive Health (NCH) announced today a strategic collaboration with Northwestern Medicine with a focus on enhancing and expanding cancer care services. Leveraging the expertise of Northwestern Medicine, NCH will establish a comprehensive cancer program to support the growing clinical needs to treat and care for cancer patients in Southwest Florida.

As part of the collaboration, NCH will have access to a variety of clinical resources offered by Northwestern Medicine including the ability to consult with oncology experts, refer patients for second opinions and the opportunity to leverage the latest in clinical trial offerings. Northwestern Medicine is also home to the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University. Designated by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), Lurie Cancer Center is one of only 57 Comprehensive Cancer Centers in the nation and one of the first centers to receive a Merit Extension Award from NCI.

“This is a unique opportunity to leverage our expertise and share best practices with the goal of enhancing the cancer care offerings in Southwest Florida,” said Howard Chrisman, MD, president and chief executive officer, Northwestern Memorial HealthCare. “Backed by a nationally ranked cancer program and leading oncology experts, we believe this collaboration has the potential to have a lasting impact on current and future NCH patients.”

For years, NCH has worked diligently to transform itself into an Advanced Community Healthcare System^TM committed to bringing more comprehensive and acute care to Southwest Florida, so residents won’t have to travel far to get it. To that end, this collaboration will advance cancer screening programs aimed at ensuring early detection and introduce patient navigation programs to support cancer patients through their journey.

Dr. Ed Grendys, a gynecologic oncologist, has been named Medical Director to lead the advancement of the NCH Women’s Cancer Program. This effort will include the opening of a women’s cancer center on the NCH North Naples campus, offering comprehensive gynecologic oncology surgery and treatment.

“NCH is proud to collaborate with Northwestern Medicine - one of the premier healthcare organizations in oncology. Through this partnership, our patients will gain access to leading-edge clinical trials, cancer specialists and experts who define the national treatment guidelines for cancer,” said Paul Hiltz, president and chief executive officer, NCH. “We will continue to recruit new physicians and nurses to Southwest Florida to support our growing oncology program. These expanding services allow cancer patients the opportunity to receive the best possible care right here in Southwest Florida with the world’s best cancer specialists.”

Northwestern Medicine is Chicago’s premier integrated academic health system. Dedicated to providing the most advanced health care to patients, the health system is anchored by Northwestern Memorial Hospital. For 13 consecutive years, Northwestern Memorial has been named to the Best Hospital Honor Roll by U.S. News and World Report, with 11 specialties ranked nationally. Most noteworthy being, Northwestern Memorial is one of only three hospitals in the nation to receive a U.S. News rating of High Performing in all procedures and conditions. The health system’s cancer program is nationally ranked by U.S. News & World Report and provides patients with access to state-of-the art therapies, highly specialized cancer care teams, specialized research and clinical trials.

“Through the continued generosity of our community, NCH will continue to rapidly expand cancer treatment and prevention services,” said Scott Lutgert, board chair, NCH. “NCH’s vision is to open a comprehensive cancer center that incorporates the best practices of leading cancer centers in the U.S., including Northwestern.”

CHICAGO – Nov. 20, 2024 – Northwestern Medicine, West Health, and the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute have announced a new collaboration that will make accessing care to evidence-based mental health services faster and easier for primary care patients across Northwestern Medicine.

This $8.6 million multi-year initiative from West Health will establish the Northwestern Medicine West Health Accelerator, which will provide access to comprehensive psychiatric services for primary care practices throughout Northwestern Medicine, expanding access to mental health care and promoting earlier intervention.

“Across the United States and Chicagoland, the demand for high-quality treatments for the most common mental health conditions continues to grow,” said Sachin Patel, MD, PhD, chair of the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Northwestern Medicine. “This collaboration with West Health will help transform mental health care by delivering efficient, effective and equitable behavioral health services to patients, while expanding access to care.”

It is estimated that more than one in five U.S. adults or 59.3 million people were living with a mental illness in 2022 and little more than half (50.6%) received treatment within the prior year.

To address the growing problem for demand in mental health services, Northwestern Medicine started its Collaborative Behavioral Health Program (CBHP) in 2018, which integrates mental health care into primary care settings to help manage population health across all generations, and scale and optimize equitable treatment for patients. Since 2018 CBHP has expanded and now is available to patients who are seen in any of the 75 different primary care locations across the NM System.

The success and recent expansion of CBHP has led to West Health collaborating with Northwestern Medicine and the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute to increase utilization of the program and help facilitate expansion of similar programs across the United States.

“We believe in taking bold moves and this collaboration could be transformative,” said Shelley Lyford, CEO and Chair, West Health, which includes the West Health Institute and Gary and Mary West Foundation, which have funded and helped shape more than $500 million in initiatives that lower healthcare costs and improve aging in America. “We will leverage the unique resources, technologies, capabilities and expertise of each organization and design a robust evidenced-based care model that can be optimized across health systems and regions throughout the country.”

 "The Meadows Institute is honored to partner with Northwestern Medicine and West Health to expand access to quality mental health care,” said Andy Keller, the President and CEO, Meadows Institute. “The integrated care model is a proven, effective way to ensure people receive the treatment they need as early as possible.”

 The Northwestern Medicine West Health Accelerator – which is backed by national experts in primary care, psychiatry and psychology – will bring new capabilities and expertise to include patient care, technology, business development and data management to develop best practices and resources.

About Northwestern Medicine

For learn more about Northwestern Medicine, visit NM.org.

About West Health

Solely funded by philanthropists Gary and Mary West, West Health is a family of nonprofit and nonpartisan organizations including the Gary and Mary West Foundation and West Health Institute in San Diego, and the West Health Policy Center in Washington, D.C. West Health is dedicated to lowering healthcare costs and enabling seniors to successfully age in place with access to high-quality, affordable health and support services that preserve and protect their dignity, quality of life and independence. Learn more at westhealth.org.

About Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute

Independent and nonpartisan, the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute works at the intersection of policy and programs to create equitable systemic changes so all people in Texas, the nation, and the world can obtain the health care they need. The Meadows Institute provides state and national leaders with data-driven, trusted policy and program guidance, and works to shift the focus of new investments toward early intervention for children and families, address the mental health crisis in our jails and emergency rooms, and help all people with mental health needs recover and be well. Learn more at https://mmhpi.org. 

London and Chicago – [19^th November] – The London Clinic, the UK’s largest independent charitable hospital and Northwestern Medicine, a leading U.S. based academic healthcare organisation, have announced a ground-breaking international collaboration. It is a wide-ranging agreement that will accelerate The London Clinic’s infrastructure improvements and growth ambitions in the years ahead.

 With a combined 250 years of delivering healthcare in the community, and sharing a not-for-profit ethos, this strategic agreement is a natural extension of both organisations’ commitment to improving healthcare and enhancing lives worldwide.

The London Clinic will draw on Northwestern Medicine’s experience in healthcare innovation, technology and research, alongside operational efficiency. It will greatly strengthen The London Clinic’s long-term position as the leading independent charitable hospital in the UK, defined by patient outcomes and community impact.

By leveraging The London Clinic’s exceptional reputation, Northwestern Medicine aims to expand its international reach, build partnerships with other healthcare systems, and develop patient-centred pathways with world-renowned consultants. This collaboration will further Northwestern Medicine’s mission to make people better by making medicine better.

The collaboration will focus on four key areas:

1. Enhancing Patient Care: By combining clinical expertise to deliver better care through increased access to innovative treatments.
2. Amplifying Charitable Impact: A shared commitment to philanthropy to enable both organisations to expand their community outreach and increase access to care.
3. International Collaboration: Consultants/physician leaders will collaborate in patient care, research and innovation to deliver advances in the care of rare and complex conditions.
4. Maximising Performance: Sharing best practice to optimise operational efficiency which will allow more resources to be directed towards patient care and charitable initiatives. 

Al Russell, CEO of The London Clinic, shared his excitement for what the new relationship will bring, “This is an incredibly defining moment in our history, and we’re thrilled to be working with the team from Northwestern Medicine as we embark on this next chapter together to set a new world-class standard in healthcare. Not only have we found a partner that shares the same not-for-profit values, but one with the scale that will give our charity access to the resources we need. We are determined to do as much as we can to support the health challenges our country faces. This collaboration with Northwestern Medicine will take this support to a new level, allowing us to further fulfil our charitable purpose.”

Remarking on the importance of the relationship, Howard Chrisman, MD, President and CEO of Northwestern Memorial HealthCare said, “Driven by our Patients First mission, we believe this strategic collaboration has the potential to redefine patient care and accelerate our ability to learn and share from a like-minded organisation with an exceptional reputation for clinical care. Leveraging the expertise of both organisations will enhance our collective ability to implement innovative healthcare solutions and drive breakthrough research for the betterment of all patients.”

About The London Clinic
The London Clinic is a leading independent charitable hospital, situated in Harley Street, in the heart of London’s medical district. Opened in February 1932, it has been at the forefront of healthcare for nearly 100 years. Her Majesty The Queen is the Patron. As a charity, The London Clinic reinvests all its surplus to further its mission of advancing healthcare for the benefit of the wider community, through programmes including clinical education, scientific PhD’s, innovation and community outreach.

About Northwestern Medicine
A leading U.S. based academic healthcare organisation, Northwestern Medicine offers patients access to world-class, compassionate care at 11 hospitals and more than 200 diagnostic and ambulatory sites. The health system is anchored by Northwestern Memorial Hospital. For 13 consecutive years, Northwestern Memorial has been named on the Best Hospital Honor Roll by U.S. News and World Report, with 11 specialties ranked nationally; and is one of only three U.S. hospitals to receive a U.S. News rating of High Performing in all procedures and conditions. To learn more about Northwestern Medicine, visit NM.org.

CHICAGO – November 15, 2024 – Can lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic help treat cancer? A new study led by researchers at the Northwestern Medicine Canning Thoracic Institute and published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation has revealed a connection between COVID-19 infection and cancer regression. The team’s discovery could pave the way for novel cancer treatments.

In an unexpected twist, researchers observed that the RNA from the SARS-CoV-2 virus – responsible for COVID-19 – triggered the development of a unique type of immune cell with anti-cancer properties. These cells, dubbed “inducible nonclassical monocytes (I-NCMs),” were found to attack cancer cells and could potentially be harnessed to treat cancers that are resistant to current therapies. These findings possibly explain the mechanism behind the reported regression of certain cancers following COVID-19 infection.

“This discovery opens up a new avenue for cancer treatment,” said Ankit Bharat, MD, chief of thoracic surgery and director of the Canning Thoracic Institute. “We found that the same cells activated by severe COVID-19 could be induced with a drug to fight cancer, and we specifically saw a response with melanoma, lung, breast and colon cancer in the study. While this is still in the early stages and the effectiveness was only studied in preclinical animal models, it offers hope that we might be able to use this approach to benefit patients with advanced cancers that have not responded to other treatments.”

The study, conducted using both human tissues and animal models, found that these unique immune cells could be pharmacologically stimulated using small molecules, potentially creating a new therapeutic option for cancer patients. This discovery could have significant implications, particularly for patients with aggressive or advanced cancers who have exhausted traditional treatment options such as immunotherapies.

How the Body’s Response to COVID-19 Could Help Fight Cancer
The researchers discovered that during COVID-19, a special subset of immune cells can be stimulated in the body. This process begins when the RNA from the virus activates certain signals in the immune system. These signals cause the transformation of common monocytes – an ordinary type of white blood cell – into I-NCMs. These newly formed cells have the ability to move into both the blood vessels and the surrounding tissue where tumors grow, something most other immune cells can’t do.

“What makes these cells so special is their dual capability,” said Dr. Bharat, who is also professor of surgery at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. “Typically, immune cells called non-classical monocytes patrol blood vessels, looking for threats. But they can't enter the tumor site itself due to the lack of specific receptors. In contrast, the I-NCMs created during severe COVID-19 retain a unique receptor called CCR2, allowing them to travel beyond blood vessels and infiltrate the tumor environment. Once there, they release certain chemicals to recruit body’s natural killer cells. These killer cells then swarm the tumor and start attacking the cancer cells directly, helping to shrink the tumor.”

What’s Next?
While this research is promising, Dr. Bharat cautions that more work is needed before this approach can be used in clinical settings.

“We are in the early stages, but the potential to transform cancer treatment is there. Our next steps will involve clinical trials to see if we can safely and effectively use these findings to help cancer patients,” added Dr. Bharat.

The team hopes that, with further research, they can develop therapies that specifically target these cells to treat cancers that are currently difficult to manage. This could lead to new treatment options for patients who have exhausted all other possibilities.

The research could potentially play an important role with the Canning Thoracic Institute’s Double Lung Replacement and Multidisciplinary Care (DREAM) Program, a first-of-its-kind clinical initiative at Northwestern Medicine that provides double-lung transplants to select patients with advanced lung cancers who are not responding to conventional treatments. To date, more than 40 patients have received double-lung transplants through the DREAM Program.

“While the program has been highly successful, we do anticipate that some patients might have recurrence. Since we’re using monocytes with our research, we could potentially treat DREAM patients without risking rejection of their new lungs,” said Dr. Bharat.

The research was funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Canning Thoracic Institute, and conducted by a team of scientists from Feinberg School of Medicine and clinicians at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. For more information about Northwestern Medicine, visit nm.org. 

CHICAGO – November 12, 2024 – At six years old, Luke Bucciarelli already knows he wants to be a surgeon when he grows up. But not just any surgeon – a thoracic surgeon; someone who operates on organs in the chest, including the lungs, esophagus, trachea and heart.

“I want to be a thoracic surgeon because we need lungs to breathe, and when the lungs get sick, I want to help make people feel better,” said Luke.

The kindergartner from Brentwood, Tenn., loves watching surgical videos on YouTube and when he stumbled across an “Inside the OR” video of Sam Kim, MD, a thoracic surgeon at Northwestern Medicine Canning Thoracic Institute, performing robotic lung cancer surgery, Luke couldn’t stop watching. In fact, Luke started performing “surgery” on a banana with surgical tools he borrowed from a retired surgeon and family friend, and was able to attend an educational event where he could test out a surgical robot. (Photos of the banana and surgical robot linked here.)

“The da Vinci® surgical robot that Dr. Kim uses for his cancer cases has different joystick levers, so it’s like watching a video game, which is very cool,” Luke said. 

“We created that ‘Inside the OR’ video several years ago for our patients who have lung cancer, because many patients get scared and don’t know what’s going to happen inside the operating room,” explained Dr. Kim. “With the video, we’re able to demystify the process and make patients feel more comfortable before surgery.”

Dr. Kim Surprises His Biggest (Little) Fan

Wanting to thank Dr. Kim for inspiring her son to become a thoracic surgeon, Luke’s mom, Katherine Bucciarelli, called Northwestern Medicine and left a message – anticipating maybe an email response. To her shock, not only did Dr. Kim want to talk to Luke, but he had a very special surprise for him.

“Dr. Kim called Luke via FaceTime and took him virtually inside his operating room, letting Luke see the surgical robot up close and personal. Dr. Kim also told us that if we’re ever in Chicago, we need to stop by Northwestern Memorial Hospital and he would give us a personal tour,” said Katherine. “Dr. Kim went above and beyond. Luke still hasn’t stopped talking about it!”

“It was so neat to see Dr. Kim’s operating room, and now I know how to wash my hands for surgery – you have to scrub past the elbows!” said Luke.

“I don’t have a lot of fans who are six years old, but when I heard that a kindergartner from Tennessee was watching our robotic lung cancer surgery video and it inspired him to one day become a thoracic surgeon, I knew I wanted to do something special for him,” said Dr. Kim. “Many kids want to grow up to be rockstars or athletes, but working in health care is a very fulfilling, rewarding job that does good for a lot of people. I hope videos like this inspire even more kids out there and demonstrates that if you apply yourself and are dedicated to your work, someday you can join me inside the operating room.”

Thoracic Surgeons in Demand

As the population grows and ages, demand for cardiothoracic surgeons is expected to increase. By 2035, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) projects 900 cardiothoracic surgeons will retire while demand for surgeries will increase by 20 percent, resulting in a 31 percent shortfall of surgeons within the specialty, which is the largest projected shortfall of any physician specialty.

“The demand for cardiothoracic surgeons is why it’s so important to inspire and invest in the next generation – like Luke,” added Dr. Kim. “While we’ve made strides in treating lung cancer, the disease is still the most commonly diagnosed cancer, and we need more surgeons who are willing and wanting to help these patients.”

Lung Cancer Awareness Month

November marks Lung Cancer Awareness Month. Lung cancer is the third most common cancer in the United States, and cancers of the lung are the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the U.S. in both men and women with more people dying of lung cancer than colon, breast and prostate cancers combined.

While smoking is a major risk factor for developing lung cancer, it can also affect those who have never smoked. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in the U.S., about 10 to 20 percent of lung cancers (20,000-40,000 cases) happen in people who have never smoked or smoked fewer than 100 cigarettes in their lifetime. Exposure to secondhand smoke, radon, air pollution, asbestos and having a family history of lung cancer are all contributing risk factors.

Symptoms of lung cancer can include:

-        Frequent cough

-        Shortness of breath

-        Chest pain

-        Coughing up blood

-        Wheezing

-        Feeling tired or not well all the time

Those at high risk for developing lung cancer should ask their primary care physician about scheduling a low-dose chest CT scan. For more information about lung cancer treatment options and scheduling a low-dose chest CT scan, visit nm.org.

CHICAGO – After serving 21 years in the U.S. Army, Louis Smith’s heart only functioned at 10 percent. The father of three from Country Club Hills, Ill., had been visiting the Advanced Heart Failure Clinic at the Jesse Brown Veterans Affairs Medical Center (JBVA) for about one year before his symptoms suddenly got worse. Just before Thanksgiving 2023, the then 65-year-old was told he needed a new heart.  

Louis was transferred to Northwestern Memorial Hospital where he waited just two weeks for his new heart. Before his transplant surgery on December 31, 2023, he wasn’t nervous, wasn’t scared, but did have one request for his surgeon.  

“Can you do me a favor? When you cut me, can you try to save the tattoo on my chest?” said Smith. “It’s a saying that me and my late father used to say. We would listen to ‘I did it my way’ by Frank Sinatra. That’s our saying. If you can please not destroy the tattoo, I’ll be just fine.” 

Benjamin Bryner, MD, a cardiac surgeon at Northwestern Medicine Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute, made sure both the incision and stiches would preserve every inch of Smith’s tattoo.  

“Mr. Smith had some tattoos that we were eager to save as best we could,” said Dr. Bryner. “There’s no way to do a transplant without leaving a scar behind, but we did our best to make sure the tattoos would at least line up and we were happy with the final results.”

Serving His Country and Needing a New Heart

Smith enlisted in the Army when he was just 17 years old, following in the footsteps of his father. His more than two decades of service took him through tours in Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Germany, and Korea, but feeling his heart begin to fail was something this soldier was not prepared for.  

“I used to wake up every morning around two o’clock,” said Smith. “It felt like somebody was either choking me or standing on my chest. And I couldn’t breathe. It was like somebody just turned off my air.” 

Smith suffered from cardiac amyloidosis, an underdiagnosed disease that causes heart failure. It occurs when protein builds up and is deposited in tissues where it isn’t supposed to be. This can lead to organ damage, notably in the heart. Cardiac amyloidosis impacts up to 25 percent of people over the age of 80, with African American patients at a higher risk.  

During his time in the Army, Smith was active and never had any issues with his health. He was 63 years old by the time he learned about the genetic condition he’s had since birth. Because his case was so advanced, not only did he need a heart transplant, but Sarah Chuzi, MD, a heart failure and heart transplantation specialist at Northwestern Medicine Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute and JBVA, recommended he be moved up on the list.  

“I went to visit him in the hospital and noticed he was short of breath just walking from his bed to the bathroom,” said Dr. Chuzi. “That was so out of character for him, so unlike him. I could tell that he really felt like things were changing rapidly. So, we recommended that he not only be listed for heart transplant but that he be listed at a very high status which gave him priority on the heart transplant list.”

Almost one year later, Smith is doing well and is back to his old routine. He enjoys spending time with his wife of 47 years, Jacquelyn, his three children, six grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. Smith is an avid biker, and often takes cross-country trips with friends on his motorcycle. He’s even taken one trip with his new heart.  

“I’m a soldier and a heart transplant survivor,” said Smith. “And I love my new heart.” 

More about the Advanced Heat Failure Clinic at the Jesse Brown Veterans Affairs Medical Center 

For more than 77 years, Northwestern Medicine has partnered with the Jesse Brown Veterans Affairs Medical Center (JBVA) in Chicago. Medical residents from the hospital system rotate through the VA clinic during their medical training, and it’s the longest-running academic affiliation in the VA system.  

In 2022, Sarah Chuzi, MD, a heart failure and heart transplantation specialist at Northwestern Medicine Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute, established an Advanced Heart Failure Clinic at JBVA. Dr. Chuzi rotated through JBVA during her medical training and since then, she’s dedicated her career to helping veterans.

“The JBVA is very unique,” said Dr. Chuzi. “We serve about 62,000 veterans and about 70 percent of those veterans identify as Black. That is a population that is very underserved for a number of reasons. They face a lot of health barriers but also a lot of structural barriers to health like systemic racism, a lot of trauma, and PTSD. The combination of all these factors really does adversely affect their health.”

The clinic offers evidence-based heart failure care that includes medical therapy, devices, and other diagnostic tests and procedures. Patients from the heart failure clinic are often referred to Northwestern Medicine for specialized surgeries and treatments. Dr. Chuzi and her team will soon participate in heart failure clinical trials out of JBVA, including ones looking at new medications to improve patient outcomes.

To learn more about heart failure treatment options, visit nm.org. 

PALOS HEIGHTS, IL – August 19, 2024 – In the continued quest to provide local patients with the highest level of care, staff at Northwestern Medicine Palos Heights Hospital is celebrating an exciting milestone for one of its surgeons. Samer Rajjoub, MD, surgeon at Northwestern Medicine Palos Hospital, recently celebrated his 500^th robotic surgery. The state-of-the-art da Vinci robots allow surgeons to perform complex minimally invasive procedures with more precision, often leading to less pain for the patient post-surgery and quicker recovery times. 

“It’s a blessing that I’ve been able to do such a high volume of cases, and I think it correlates with a certain level of proficiency that I’m thankful to have achieved,” said Dr. Rajjoub. “For me to provide that level of care with this technology for my patients has been great.”  

To use the da Vinci robots, surgeons sit at a nearby console to view 3-D images of the surgical site. Using the controls, the surgeon moves the robotic instruments with accuracy and stability through small surgical incisions. This often leads to better outcomes and quicker recovery times for patients. The hospital is currently equipped with four da Vinci robotic surgical systems. 

 “The robotic camera magnifies the surgical field 10 times larger, so if I can see something better, I can absolutely do better,” said Dr. Rajjoub. “Think about virtual reality glasses. You feel like everything is right there. And that’s how the robot is. When your head is in the console, you can see the relationship of structures much better.”

 Dr. Rajjoub often uses the robot to perform surgeries for hernias, colectomies, and cholecystectomies. He says not only does the machine give him more dexterity, but it gives him a better view of the anatomy.

 One patient who benefitted from the innovative surgery was Daniel Heidegger from Oak Lawn. After abdominal hernia surgery, he spent some time recovering and within a couple hours was able to go home. 

 “I am so appreciative of how Dr. Rajjoub explained everything to me and how the procedure would go. He was very professional and concerned about my well-being. Due to my quick recovery, I felt well and was able to be present when my granddaughter was born.”

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

CHICAGO - Aug. 7, 2024 - Northwestern Medicine surgeons have performed an awake kidney transplant for the second time. The patient, 74-year-old Harry Stackhouse of Zion, Ill., felt no pain during the procedure and was home 36 hours after surgery. General anesthesia inherently poses a risk to anyone, but when older patients with end stage kidney failure go under general anesthesia, they tend to have more significant cognitive impairment, heart and lung issues and decreased return of their gastrointestinal tract. Stackhouse fit the criteria for what Northwestern Medicine is hoping to do as it establishes the AWAKE Kidney Program (Accelerated Surgery Without General Anesthesia in Kidney Transplantation).

“Patients like Harry are exactly who the AWAKE Kidney Program was built for,” said Satish Nadig, MD, PhD, transplant surgeon and director of the Northwestern Medicine Comprehensive Transplant Center who performed Stackhouse’s transplant. “Patients who have cardiopulmonary disease may be at higher risk for general anesthesia. There are also some patients around the country who have had complications from their intubations in the past and do not want to be intubated. An awake kidney transplant procedure could be their best option.”

Stackhouse’s surgery was on July 15 and took a little over an hour. He could have been discharged 24 hours after surgery, but Northwestern Medicine doctors elected to keep him in the hospital a little longer due to his age and because his kidney was working so well they wanted to make sure he could stay hydrated. 

“Not one time did I feel pain during surgery – not even the spinal shot – I didn’t feel anything,” Stackhouse said. “My recovery has been very smooth. I was walking and eating solid foods the same day as my surgery, and I walked a half mile around my neighborhood the day I got home from the hospital. Currently, I walk a mile every day, take my medications and get my blood drawn to make sure everything looks good. I haven’t had any downtime with this procedure.” 

Stackhouse – a father of six and grandfather to 17 – began feeling ill in December 2019 and thought it was the flu. He fought through it for about three months, but after he could hardly walk or breathe, his children told him something was wrong and took him to the emergency department at Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital. 

Not only was Stackhouse diagnosed with COVID-19 in the early days of the pandemic, but one of his kidneys was failing and the other was only working at two percent. Stackhouse was immediately put on dialysis, and he remained on it for four years until the option of a kidney transplant was presented to him.

His daughter, 45-year-old Trewaunda Stackhouse of Waukegan, Ill., stepped up to donate one of her kidneys. Harry Stackhouse was content with being on dialysis and his daughter had to convince him to get a kidney transplant.

“I didn’t want a transplant because I didn’t want to intrude on any of my kids’ lives,” explained Harry Stackhouse. “I told them, ’Live your life; your dad can handle this,’ but Trewaunda insisted. I am so thankful, and I can’t say ‘thank you’ enough. I give all the praise to her and my medical team at Northwestern Medicine.” 

“I wanted my dad to get a kidney transplant so he could go back to living the way he was before his renal failure and go back to work,” said Trewaunda Stackhouse. “From the beginning, when he was diagnosed with renal failure, I thought to myself that he should have a kidney transplant. I didn’t like seeing the downside effects of his dialysis three times a week. I wanted him to get back to doing the things he enjoyed without being tired.” 

Not only did Harry Stackhouse need be convinced to get a kidney transplant, but his daughter convinced him to be awake during the transplant procedure after Dr. Nadig suggested the idea.  

“Dr. Nadig said it would be a much better procedure for me due to my age and potential side effects from general anesthesia. I was skeptical at first, but Trewaunda assured me it would be okay. She said, ‘Dad, this is the same type of anesthesia that’s used when women have C-sections; you can do this,’” said Harry Stackhouse, who also remembers seeing his daughter’s kidney during surgery before it was transplanted into him. “Dr. Nadig showed it to me and the first thing I said was, ‘That kidney is big!’”

With his new kidney and new lease on life, he hopes to return to one of his favorite hobbies: fishing. 

“By using a spinal anesthetic for kidney transplantation, we’re able to bypass the risks associated with general anesthesia. Additionally, older patients like Harry won’t have the recovery period associated with intubation and being on a ventilator, which improves the patient experience,” said Dr. Nadig. “Harry’s surgery took less than two hours, and he was discharged 36 hours later. The AWAKE Program opens the door for countless patients like Harry who can get home and get back to doing what they love with the people they love much quicker.” 

Northwestern Medicine surgeons performed their first awake kidney transplant on May 24. The patient, 28-year-old John Nicholas of Chicago, was discharged less than 24 hours after surgery and continues to do well. 

To learn more about Northwestern Medicine’s kidney transplant program, visit nm.org.

CHICAGO – July 30, 2024 – Known as the “woman who doesn’t like to sweat at the gym,” 70-year-old June Furlan of Arlington Heights, Ill., credits dead bugs for saving her life.

 In February 2022, Furlan noticed she was getting weaker, had less energy and struggled to stand up or walk normally. At times, she’d have to rely on her husband to help her get dressed or comb her hair. At first, Furlan blamed her age. She was 68 years old, and thought to herself, “Is this just part of getting older? It must be!”

 But, the avid gym-goer, who exercised every day and worked out with a personal trainer twice a week, knew it was more than just her age when she couldn’t lift her legs in the middle of a dead bug exercise – something she had perfected over the years.

 “On an average day, I could easily do three sets of 15 dead bugs pretty quickly, but when I couldn’t lift my legs at all, I knew something was seriously wrong,” said Furlan.

Furlan turned to Rachel Amdur, MD, an internal medicine specialist at Northwestern Medicine, who took one look at Furlan and immediately called Arjun Seth, MD, a neuromuscular specialist and co-director of the Northwestern Medicine Myositis Clinic. After running several tests, Furlan was diagnosed with a rare autoimmune muscle disease called HMGCR necrotizing myopathy (also known as myositis), which affects the muscles connected to Furlan’s bones, making it more difficult to move.

It’s estimated that approximately 50,000 to 75,000 people in the United States have myositis. Symptoms include muscle weakness, pain and fatigue. While there’s no cure for myositis, which is a type of myopathy, there are medications and physical therapy exercises to help manage the disease.

 “When my insurance company denied one of the medications I needed, Dr. Seth worked really hard to find an alternative. I currently receive monthly infusion treatments at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, which allows me to feel immediate improvement so I can get back to the gym for my daily workouts,” said Furlan.

 Myositis, also known as inflammatory myopathies, includes dermatomyositis, inclusion body myositis, anti-synthetase syndrome, immune-mediated necrotizing myopathy, and overlap syndromes. These rare and complex diseases require care across multiple disciplines. Established in 2021, the Northwestern Medicine Myositis Clinic combines the expertise of specialists in neuromuscular medicine/neurology, rheumatology, pulmonology, dermatology, and physical medicine and rehabilitation to provide the best outcomes possible through comprehensive, coordinated myositis care. Rheumatologist Christine Hsieh, MD, and Dr. Seth are co-directors of the clinic.

“Most patients are first referred to us for weakness – whether it’s not being able to lift their arms above their head or stand up. These diseases are rare, so it’s important to create a comprehensive, multidisciplinary clinic to provide the best care. We’re also enrolling patients in a clinical registry (observational study) and clinical trials to see if new drugs and therapies can help,” said Dr. Seth. “In June’s case, she’s on medications to help manage her symptoms, is back to working out and is largely back to normal in terms of her strength.” 

“Dead bugs and Dr. Seth saved my life, paving a path for me to recover,” said Furlan. “I hope my story serves as a lesson for others that sometimes symptoms aren’t related to our age, but instead, a more serious problem that should be checked out by a physician.”

To learn more or make an appointment, patients can call 312.695.7950.

CHICAGO – May 22, 2024 – On Sunday, June 2, the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University and Northwestern Medicine will welcome more than 3,000 cancer survivors and supporters back to Grant Park for the 31^st Annual Cancer Survivors’ Celebration Walk & 5K.

Held on National Cancer Survivors Day, this community event features a non-competitive walk or chip-timed 5K run along Chicago’s lakefront, T-shirts, refreshments, music and entertainment, skin cancer screenings, activities for the family and a chance to share a message on the Dedication Wall.

“There are more than 18 million people living with a history of cancer in the United States,” says Leonidas Platanias, MD, PhD, director of Lurie Cancer Center at Northwestern Medicine. “Thanks to the physicians and scientists taking bold steps to detect cancer earlier and develop new therapies, that number is expected to grow. This annual event gives us the opportunity to celebrate survivors and their families and renew our commitment to defeating this devastating disease.”

The celebration is an opportunity for cancer survivors — wearing purple shirts — to connect and celebrate milestones with the friends, family members and medical professionals who have supported them along the way. The event is open to everyone whose life has been impacted by cancer, regardless of where they were treated.

The Walk route is approximately three miles, but participants are welcome to enjoy the lakefront path at their own pace and return to Grant Park’s Arvey Field (northeast corner of Columbus Drive and Roosevelt Road) whenever they choose.

Advanced registration is available online and is strongly encouraged. Runners must register for the 5K race in advance and can pick up their race bib with timing chip in Grant Park on the day of the event, starting at 8 a.m.

Day-of registration for walkers will also begin at 8 a.m. The 5K run will commence at 9:15 a.m., followed by the walk at 10:00 a.m., rain or shine.

All funds raised will directly support Lurie Cancer Center’s innovative research and survivorship programs. Fundraising is optional, and there is no minimum donation required. For more information on event activities, fundraising and registration, click here.

WHAT: 31^st Annual Cancer Survivors’ Celebration Walk & 5K 

WHEN: Sunday, June 2 (National Cancer Survivors Day)

• 8 a.m. — Event-day registration and t-shirt pick-up opens
• 8:30 a.m. — Welcome, warm-up and celebration begins
• 9:15 a.m. — 5K run starts
• 10 a.m. — Walk starts

WHERE: Grant Park’s Arvey Field, Chicago (northeast corner of Columbus Drive and Roosevelt Road)

WHO:  Cancer survivorship experts and oncologists from Lurie Cancer Center are available for interviews as well as the following cancer survivors:

• David Berwanger, a 59-year-old head and neck cancer survivor who transformed his radiation therapy masks into superheroes, funny faces and popular movie characters. David will attend this year’s walk as a “Face of Cancer” honoree.
• Mike Hlavin, a three-time cancer survivor who found out he had melanoma after getting a free skin cancer screening at the 2023 Cancer Survivors’ Celebration Walk & 5K. Since 2010, the 58-year-old has faced prostate cancer and multiple myeloma in addition to melanoma. 

CHICAGO – May 22, 2024 – As cicadas emerge across the United States, the harmless insects are bringing their traditional “sounds of summer” with loud, high-pitched noises that sound like a buzz, shrill or shriek. Cicadas have a lifespan of approximately four weeks, so while their noises are short-lived, another sound continues for millions of Americans long after summer has ended.

Tinnitus is a buzzing, ringing, hissing, whistling or clicking sound in one or both ears, which occurs in the absence of external noise for nearly 20 million Americans. Some people refer to tinnitus as sounding like “cicadas in their heads.” Five million Americans with tinnitus have pulsatile tinnitus, a rhythmic pulsing noise in one or both ears that tends to synchronize with their heartbeat. The noise is often described as a “whooshing” sound heard when the heart beats. The Northwestern Medicine Pulsatile Tinnitus Clinic is one of a few clinics in the U.S. dedicated to evaluating and treating patients with pulsatile tinnitus.

“While cicadas bring loud noises for a short period of time, it’s nothing compared to what patients with pulsatile tinnitus are hearing every single day. Some describe it as a ‘whooshing’ sound or very similar to a baby’s heartbeat on an ultrasound machine pulsating through their ears,” said Ali Shaibani, MD, interventional neuroradiologist at Northwestern Medicine who sees patients in the Pulsatile Tinnitus Clinic. “For many patients, the noise interferes with everyday life and can be debilitating. I’ve had patients come to me with suicidal thoughts or even compressed their own jugular vein to try and make the noise stop.”

Patient Story

In October 2022, Dana Pulciani woke up with a horrible “heartbeat noise” or “whooshing noise” in her left ear. If she wanted to hear people talk, she’d have to push on her jugular vein. Pulciani had been a medical assistant for 20 years before moving into an administration role at a pain management clinic, so she knew something was wrong.

The then 38-year-old scheduled an appointment with Alexander Schneider, MD, an ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist at Northwestern Medicine, who immediately thought she might have pulsatile tinnitus, telling her he had only seen a handful of cases in his career. Dr. Schneider ordered an MRI, which showed a narrowing of the artery next to a small aneurysm in her brain. 

Meanwhile, Pulciani started taking yoga classes to try and train her brain to ignore the “whooshing” noise. She also joined a Facebook group called the “Whooshers” and one of the group members recommended Dr. Shaibani. That same week, Dr. Schneider was able to get Pulciani an appointment with Dr. Shaibani. 

In November 2023, Pulciani underwent minimally invasive surgery with Dr. Shaibani who placed one stent in her artery and another in the aneurysm. Immediately after waking up from surgery, the “whooshing” noise was gone. 

Pulciani is back to living a normal life and can’t thank Drs. Schneider and Shaibani enough for their care. 

Causes of Pulsatile Tinnitus

Pulsatile tinnitus occurs due to issues with blood vessels in the head and neck. Conditions range from harmless to dangerous. The causes of pulsatile tinnitus are diagnosed through a series of hearing, physical examination and imaging tests to show what’s happening inside the patient’s skull.

One of the most common causes of pulsatile tinnitus is idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIHTN), where the pressure inside the head is elevated. Many patients with this condition have a narrowing involving the two main veins that relieve the pressure in the head, by taking blood and cerebrospinal fluid back to the heart.  

“When the two large veins that bring blood out of the brain are narrowed, it can cause the ‘whooshing’ sound. It’s similar to how a whistle works – it pushes air through a narrowed space. In most cases, this can be treated with medication, but in severe cases where the patient’s vision is threatened or the medications aren’t adequate, we must open up the vein through minimally invasive endovascular surgery to reduce the pressure and relieve the tinnitus,” said Dr. Shaibani.

Aside from hearing the “whooshing” noise, the most common symptoms associated with IIHTN include daily headaches and vision issues. Symptoms can increase or decrease when a patient lies down or turns their head. Symptoms can also change when pressure is placed on the jugular vein. Pulsatile tinnitus can often be cured once the underlying cause is treated.

A less common but potentially more dangerous cause of pulsatile tinnitus is the development of a short circuit connecting arteries directly to veins (arteriovenous shunt) close to the base of the skull. The battery of tests ordered by the Pulsatile Tinnitus Clinic staff is designed to also look for this cause. Fortunately, this condition is also treatable in the vast majority of cases using minimally invasive endovascular techniques.

Treatment Options

- Medication used to tread underlying conditions such as hyperthyroidism, anemia, elevated intracranial hypertension or high blood pressure.

- Endovascular minimally invasive surgery such as stenting, can correct certain underlying conditions, including an aneurysm.

- Self-management techniques may help ease symptoms if there’s no underlying cause. These may include sound therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy and tinnitus retraining therapy.

Very few clinics in the U.S. have a multidisciplinary team of pulsatile tinnitus specialists. The Northwestern Medicine Pulsatile Tinnitus Clinic is made up of experts in many fields, including neurointerventional surgery, otolaryngology (ear, nose and throat), neurology and neuroradiology. 

To schedule an appointment, call 312-926-3185 or visit nm.org for more information.

CHICAGO – May 19, 2024 – Since July 2023, Dancing With Parkinson's – a collaborative program from Northwestern Medicine and The Joffrey Ballet – has helped more than 90 people with Parkinson’s disease and their care partners stay active while confronting the social and emotional challenges of this progressive brain disorder. On Sunday, May 19, participants from the program will take the stage for their first-ever public performance at Joffrey Tower’s Black Box Theatre. The 30-minute show will feature dances from both the Chicago and Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Health & Fitness Center classes, and will include performances from The Joffrey Ballet’s JAM (Joffrey Abilities in Motion) program, created for individuals with disabilities and neurodivergent children and teens.

“Coming out of COVID, many people with Parkinson's felt very isolated, but Dancing With Parkinson’s has created a wonderful sense of community for our patients,” said Katie Fagan, senior program coordinator and clinical social worker for the Northwestern Medicine Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders Center. “In the beginning, many participants felt some initial trepidation about joining the program, either because they don't have a dance background, or because of where they are in their Parkinson's journey. The success of this class shows how willing our participants are to explore new ways to help themselves when given a supportive environment to do so.”

Attendees can expect to see the groups perform synchronized routines in both jazz and lyrical dance styles. Tom Dobrinski, a Dancing With Parkinson’s participant who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2021, says he is looking forward to the performance highlighting much of what his class has worked on over the last year.

“It’s been fun,” said Dobrinkski. “At first, I didn’t know what to expect. I’m not much of a dancer, but my balance and movement feel more fluid after class, so I keep coming back. Who knew a year later we’d be performing on a Joffrey stage. My wife and I are so fortunate to have a program like this available to us. The sense of community and camaraderie have been a plus for us in this journey.”

“As Dancing With Parkinson’s turns a year old this summer, it’s amazing to look back and think about all the people who never thought of themselves as a dancer completely embrace the artform,” said Carly Liegel, community engagement program coordinator with The Joffrey Ballet and Dancing With Parkinson’s instructor. “Between this program and our JAM classes, this show will celebrate a diverse range of ages and movement abilities. I hope it serves as a reminder that there is no right or wrong way to move. Any body is a dancing body.”

General admission tickets are free and can be reserved here. Doors to the theatre will open at 12:30 p.m., performances begin at 1:00 p.m. There is no planned intermission.

More information about Dancing With Parkinson’s

Built for individuals with Parkinson’s disease (PD) and their care partners, Dancing With Parkinson’s aims to enhance physical, mental and emotional well-being through the joy of dance. This research-backed program connects the mind to movement, in conjunction with others and with music, to address both physical and social-emotional symptoms of the disease. Whether dancing in a standing or seated position, participants engage in movements tailored to their abilities, fostering strength, flexibility and creativity.

“Dance involves highly coordinated and controlled movements, which might help with the stiffness, slowness, and postural instability associated with Parkinson’s disease,” said Danny Bega, MD, movement disorders specialist at Northwestern Medicine. “Dance is proposed to offer cognitive and social benefits as well. The sense of community and enjoyment that comes from dancing and listening to music with other people may also address common PD-related problems such as depressed mood, fatigue, and isolation.”

The class series explores various dance styles including ballet, jazz, tap, modern and improvisation. All Dancing With Parkinson’s teachers have completed at minimum an introductory training through Dance For PD, a New York City-based program that pioneered dance classes for people with the movement disorder.

Classes are currently offered downtown at The Joffrey Ballet’s South Loop Studios and at the Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Health & Fitness Center. There is no cost for patients and their care partners to attend. Summer sessions will begin in Lake Forest, Ill., on June 24 and downtown sessions will begin on August 6.

To register for classes, or to learn more about offerings for Northwestern Medicine Parkinson’s patients, please contact movementdisorders@nm.org.

CHICAGO, IL – February 13, 2024 – February is Heart Month, a time when people are encouraged to focus on heart health. But what happens when the heart stops? Inside the Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU) at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, the nurses are going above and beyond with a simple gesture that involves a “heartbeat in a bottle.”

In the summer of 2023, Northwestern Medicine clinical nurses Hira Malik and Lydia Hillary were caring for a patient who was actively dying. The patient had been in the MICU for several days, and the patient’s family was extremely grateful for everything the nurses were doing. As the patient was nearing their final breath, Malik remembered something she learned in nursing school called “heartbeat in a bottle,” where the patient’s last few steady heartbeats from the EKG machine are printed off, placed in a glass bottle, and a name tag is attached with ribbon.

“In the ICU, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, we saw death much more frequently, and a lot of the deaths were lonely due to visitor restrictions at the time,” said Malik. “I remember thinking, now that family is able to come and be with loved ones, is there anything we can give them to remember them by?”

At the time, Malik and Hillary didn’t have a glass bottle or ribbon on hand, so they improvised and used a clean, empty pill bottle, along with the strings from a surgical mask to attach a name tag. They gave the “heartbeat in a bottle” to the patient’s spouse who was extremely grateful for the gesture, and it offered closure to the patient’s family. 

“The family really enjoyed it and gave Hira a hug when she presented it to them,” said Hillary. “A lot of times, the ICU can be a scary place for patients and their loved ones. That’s one of our main roles as ICU nurses, is to help walk our patients and their families through this transition.”

Khalilah Gates, MD, a pulmonary and critical care specialist in the MICU, noticed Malik and Hillary’s kind gesture. Dr. Gates spoke with other physicians on the unit, and they agreed to purchase the necessary supplies for “heartbeat in a bottle” so the nurses could continue doing it for families in the future.

“Our nurses are really the heart and soul of what we do here in the MICU, in fact, they’re what critical care medicine is all about,” said Dr. Gates, who is part of the Northwestern Medicine Canning Thoracic Institute. “The nurses are always at the bedside, taking care of patients and interacting with families during some of the darkest moments. ‘Heartbeat in a bottle’ demonstrates the empathy and sympathy our nurses have during the transition from life to death, which is very important.”

To date, the MICU nurses have created approximately three dozen “heartbeat in a bottle” keepsakes with the new supplies, which includes glass bottles, purple name tags and string. 

“There have been so many beautiful memories, but one that stands out, is when we presented a ‘heartbeat in a bottle’ to a patient’s family, and they were so moved by the keepsake that they requested ten more bottles for the rest of their family,” said Hillary. “It helps me to know that the family of my patient will remember the care their loved one received during those final moments.”

“No two deaths are ever the same, and from an ICU nursing perspective, we want each patient to die with dignity, in the most painless manner, surrounded by familiar voices and family. It’s one of the greatest comforts we can offer them,” added Malik. “My hope is that when families look at that little keepsake, it reminds them of all the precious, happy memories that define their loved one.”

Chicago – August 31, 2023 –  It was an emotional moment for Dan Spees of Lakewood, Ill., as the sound of the trumpet filled his Northwestern Medicine hospital room. Before receiving his double-lung transplant, Spees wondered if he would ever play again.

“I am so pleased to have this option back because I thought it was gone,” said Spees.

In 2018, the 64-year-old husband and father was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis (scarring of the lungs) caused by hypersensitivity pneumonitis, a rare immune disorder that triggers an allergic reaction when specific allergens are inhaled.

As the director of information technology for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association and an avid trumpet player, Spees found it increasingly difficult to keep up with his career and hobbies as his dependence on supplemental oxygen grew. By April 2023, he had to put down the trumpet altogether.

Four months after retiring his instrument, on August 3, 2023, Spees underwent a double-lung transplant at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. When Northwestern Medicine occupational therapist Brittany Hatlestad, OTR/L, learned of Spees’ musical ability, she suggested involving the trumpet in his rehabilitative care.

“Playing trumpet requires the patient to take deep breaths in and forceful exhales out through the mouth, which is reintroducing the breathing pattern that we want our transplant patients to utilize,” Hatlestad said. “It was wonderful to know that what he loved to do was also improving those foundational skills.”

“Recovery after a lung transplant is a journey of rebuilding both physical strength and confidence,” added Catherine Myers, MD, pulmonologist with the Northwestern Medicine Canning Thoracic Institute. “Occupational therapists like Brittany are essential in this process, guiding patients to regain their independence and engage in activities that matter most to them. I am so happy Dan’s medical team could help him return to the life he loves.”

Hatlestad monitored Spees’ blood oxygen levels as he played. His nurses and family watched as he warmed up with a few scales. Then Spees played Joy to the World at an ideal blood oxygen level of 98 percent. After hugging his wife, Spees shared that he texted his band director and told him to expect him back in the first chair by January 2024.

“I was able to do much more than I thought I would be able to do,” said Spees. “It’s still a long way to get back to where I want to be, but I know I’m going to make it. I’m very, very happy.”

Patients interested in being evaluated for a lung transplant can contact the referral line at 844.639.5864. For more information about Northwestern Medicine’s lung transplant program, as well as advanced therapies, visit nm.org. 

CHICAGO -  With a demanding and stressful job, Alex McKeown made exercise a priority for his health. The 33-year-old works in investing, where he negotiates and closes deals for large retail companies. On average, McKeown was working 65 to 70 hours per week, until a routine trip to the gym changed everything.  

On May 9, McKeown was participating in a workout class at a downtown Chicago fitness center when he started feeling lightheaded, hot and sweaty. He sat down on the floor, and the fitness instructor offered McKeown water and orange juice. By the time paramedics arrived and determined he should go to the hospital, McKeown was losing control of his left arm and left leg and couldn’t stand up on his own.

“I originally told myself to just push through it, but I had two women around me – the fitness instructor and another employee – and I’m so thankful they were there and kept a watchful eye on me, because they called 911,” said McKeown. “Without them, I likely would have gone home to sleep it off, and I probably wouldn’t be talking or walking right now.”

McKeown was rushed via ambulance to Northwestern Memorial Hospital where a CT scan confirmed he was having a stroke. Even while he was in the emergency department, McKeown tried taking a work call about an impending deal he was negotiating.

“I told the medical team, ‘One second – I need to take this call.’ When they realized it wasn’t important, they told me, ‘You’re having a stroke, you need to get off the phone.’”

McKeown was taken into emergency surgery where Ali Shaibani, MD, chief of neurointerventional radiology at Northwestern Medicine, performed a minimally invasive procedure called a thrombectomy to remove a blood clot blocking blood flow into the right side of McKeown’s brain and quickly restore circulation. McKeown’s brain function returned to normal immediately after the procedure. Six days after his stroke, McKeown was discharged from Northwestern Memorial with a new lease on life, and new learnings about his health.

“Alex’s case is remarkable because we typically don’t see strokes in his age group,” said Dr. Shaibani. “You lose about 1.9 million brain cells per minute with a stroke, so we moved very quickly to clear out a large blood clot that was blocking his artery. Additionally, Alex was found to have some cardiac issues and a dilated aorta. So, this plugged him into care that he may not have otherwise received for these other conditions.”

“During his stroke workup, Alex was found to have an aortic root aneurysm and a bicuspid aortic valve (BAV), which affects about 1% of the population. We have already scheduled him for surgery to address this life-threatening condition,” said Chris Mehta, MD, cardiac surgeon at Northwestern Medicine Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute.  

BAV, the most common congenital heart disorder, is twice as likely to occur in men than women. While the cause of BAV is unclear, experts believe that it develops in the earliest stages of pregnancy and can be hereditary. Like McKeown, many patients with BAV have an enlargement of the aorta, the major blood vessel that carries blood from the heart to the rest of the body. If left untreated, the aneurysm can enlarge to the point of rupture. 

McKeown had open heart surgery this summer with S. Christopher Malaisrie, MD, director of the comprehensive center for aortic disease at the Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute, a national destination for BAV treatment, and the source of the stroke was determined.

“Alex's aortic valve was congenitally abnormal and he had a very rare malformation called unicuspid aortic valve. The valve had a mass that was likely the cause of his stroke. The valve was not repairable as originally planned, so I did a Ross procedure for him, where we give patients a new heart valve using parts of their own body," said Dr. Malaisrie.

McKeown is now being treated by a comprehensive care team at Northwestern Medicine. He started drinking more water, eating more vegetables and established a healthier work-life balance by slowing down and taking more breaks. He even returned to the gym and is regaining his strength and momentum. 

“People think, this won’t happen to me, but guess what? I thought that too,” said McKeown. “The biggest lesson I learned from this experience is that if you think something is wrong, seek medical attention right away. Trust me, it’s worth it. If it wasn’t for the fitness staff at Studio Three – River North, and my incredible care team at Northwestern Medicine, I wouldn’t be here today.”

“It’s important to get your annual checkups. If your doctor hears a heart murmur, that should be followed up with an echocardiogram. If someone else in the family has bicuspid aortic valve, that’s also an indication to get further cardiac workup,” said Dr. Malaisrie.

“The important message here is that it’s almost never normal to not be able to move your arm, move your leg, or have a facial droop or vision problems. You should never ignore it,” said Dr. Shaibani. “Alex likely wouldn’t have made what is essentially a normal, neurologic recovery if he hadn’t made it to the hospital and been treated so quickly.”

For more information about Northwestern Medicine’s neurology and cardiovascular programs, visit nm.org.

CHICAGO – January 5, 2023 – Northwestern Memorial HealthCare (NMHC) named Howard Chrisman, MD, as the health system’s new chief executive officer, succeeding Dean Harrison as of January 1, 2023.

“Dr. Chrisman has the perfect blend of clinical experience and executive leadership,” said John Canning, lead independent director, Northwestern Memorial HealthCare Board of Directors. “We expect that under Dr. Chrisman’s leadership Northwestern Medicine will continue to advance its tripartite mission and remain Chicago’s premier academic health system.”

Since joining the organization in 1997, Dr. Chrisman has served the health system in numerous leadership roles, including executive vice president of clinical operations and president of the Northwestern Medical Group.  Most recently, Dr. Chrisman was the health system’s chief operating officer and president, a role he will continue to hold as CEO.

“I am truly honored to accept this role and have the opportunity to lead a world-class health system. In partnership with the Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine and driven by our Patients First mission, Northwestern Medicine will continue to provide world-class care, educate the next generation of physicians, and advance science and new knowledge,” said Dr. Chrisman.

Dr. Chrisman, 57, a native of New York, holds a Bachelor of Science from Cornell University, a Doctor of Medicine from SUNY Upstate Medical University, and a Master of Business from the University of Colorado. He completed his residency in diagnostic radiology at the University of Virginia and a fellowship in vascular and interventional radiology at the Feinberg School of Medicine. Dr. Chrisman has published numerous peer-reviewed journal articles and has given numerous scientific and invited oral presentations. He remains clinically active with primary expertise in treating fibroid disease using endovascular techniques.

During his tenure, Mr. Harrison was instrumental in the creation, growth and increasing recognition of Northwestern Medicine as a great academic health system. Anchored by Northwestern Memorial Hospital, one of ‘America’s Best Hospitals’ according to U.S. News & World Report, today Northwestern Medicine includes 11 hospitals, over 200 sites of care, and more than 5,500 aligned physicians. Mr. Harrison will remain as executive chair, NMHC Board of Directors, supporting Dr. Chrisman and the health system.

“Northwestern Medicine’s people, many who have been with the health system for 25 years or more, make it a great place to provide and receive care. In this new role, I look forward to supporting Dr. Chrisman to advance Northwestern Medicine’s strategic goals and Patients First mission,” said Harrison.

For more information about Northwestern Medicine, please visit NM.org.

Chicago, IL – Northwestern Medicine surgeons have successfully performed the health system’s first successful combined lung-liver transplant. The patient, 63-year-old Patricio Collera of Vernon Hills, Ill., is a retired nurse who worked at Northwestern Memorial Hospital for several years before being diagnosed with interstitial lung disease and nonalcoholic liver disease, which caused scarring of the lungs and liver cirrhosis. Less than 10 days after being added to the waitlist for new organs, Collera received the call on Aug. 24 that a new lung and liver were available. Thanksgiving Day marks three months since Collera received the lifechanging news, and he’s grateful to those who helped give him a second chance at life.   

“Without my transplant team and donor, I wouldn’t be here today,” said Collera. “Being the first Northwestern Medicine patient to successfully receive a combined lung-liver transplant will be my legacy, and it’s even more special receiving my new organs at the same place where I once worked as a nurse.”

Born in the Philippines, Collera trained to become a nurse and moved to the United States in 1988 with his family. For 25 years, he worked as a PICC line nurse, including two years at Northwestern Memorial, where he inserted catheters into veins for medications, fluids, nutrition and blood transfusions. In 2017, Collera developed a terrible cough, and by 2019 his breathing was so bad that he relied on supportive oxygen 24/7 and had to stop working.

“My life was miserable. I had to drag 50 feet of tubing and oxygen tanks with me everywhere I went. One tank would only last 30 minutes, so I’d have to bring two tanks with me to the grocery store,” said Collera.  

In February 2022, Collera was evaluated for a lung transplant, and testing showed his liver was fibrosed by 75 percent. This meant, Collera would also need a liver transplant to withstand the transplant medications he’d be on for the rest of his life.

“I immediately sent messages across the country to top-tier transplant centers and was informed that a lung-liver transplant wasn’t possible due to my age or their team’s lack of experience. One doctor told me, ‘Don’t do it – you’re going to die,’” said Collera. “But when I turned to Northwestern Medicine, I started crying tears of relief when they said, ‘Yes – we can do it.’”  

Collera was listed for a double-lung and liver transplant on Aug. 15, and by Aug. 24 he received the call that a single-lung and liver were available. Even though he was listed for a double-lung transplant, the team encouraged him to take the organs.

“A lung-liver transplant procedure is very rare. To date in the United States, only ten have been performed in 2022,” said Rade Tomic, MD, pulmonologist and medical director of the Northwestern Medicine Lung Transplant Program. “Patricio was in desperate need of a lung, and we didn’t have much time to keep waiting for a double-lung transplant. The outcomes of a single-lung transplant versus a double-lung transplant are very similar, so we decided to proceed with one lung because it was an excellent match.”

Once Collera was in the operating room, surgeons were in a race against the clock.

“With two different organs, you have to work twice as fast. You can’t start the second transplant until the first is completed and perfect. There’s zero margin of error. Many people are working closely to make this a success: lung team, liver team, anesthesiologists, nurses, perfusionists, donor team, etc. It’s an elegant and closely coordinated dance,” said Ankit Bharat, MD, chief of thoracic surgery at Northwestern Medicine Canning Thoracic Institute. “Patricio’s lung transplant was the fastest one I’ve ever done in my career, and the new lung is working great. In fact, his old left lung, new right lung and new liver are all very happy together.”

“Transplant is the ultimate team sport, and honestly, it’s one of the only fields I can think of that depends on humanity. Somebody has to give up their organs, either in life or in passing, to save someone else – often, someone they don’t know,” said Satish Nadig, MD, PhD, chief of organ transplantation at Northwestern Medicine. “With all the things happening in the world, it’s not only amazing to be able to replace someone’s lung and liver and they go on to live a normal life, but to also know we’re honoring the gift that someone has given up themselves.”

This Thanksgiving, Collera is looking forward to spending quality time with his wife, Evelyn, their children and grandkids. He’s now on a mission to share his story and bring hope to other patients.

“Look at me! No supportive oxygen and I’m free of tubing,” said Collera. “Because of Northwestern Medicine and my donor, I’m home for the holidays and doing well. I will not waste this lung and liver. I will live a good life and do something meaningful with it. Thank you from the bottom of my heart – you let me live.”

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

CHICAGO -  Guns are the leading cause of death for kids. Thirteen children die from firearms every day. To help address this crisis and encourage parents to take action by asking about gun safety, Northwestern Medicine along with Advocate Aurora Health and Advocate Children’s Hospital, Loyola Medicine, NorthShore University HealthSystem, Edward-Elmhurst Health, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, OSF HealthCare and OSF Children’s of Illinois, Rush University System for Health, UChicago Medicine and Comer Children’s Hospital joined more than a thousand hospitals, health systems and associations in communicating a public awareness campaign.

“No child should lose their life from a firearm not stored properly in a secure location,” said Dean M. Harrison, Chief Executive Officer, Northwestern Memorial HealthCare. “These senseless deaths can and need to be prevented. Our hope is this effort sparks a nation wide discussion on the safe storage of firearms and creating a safe environment for our children to live and play.”

By asking about safe gun storage, the campaign is meant to help parents and caretakers feel empowered to ask other parents about access to guns. Broadcast, print and digital ads and a website highlight that access to unlocked guns can lead to death, suicide and gun violence, making it more likely that children die from guns than cancer or automobile accidents. The website provides tips on how to have a conversation with other parents about safely stored firearms, and encourages parents and caregivers to normalize this conversation.

To learn more, visit HospitalsUnited.com.

About Hospitals United

Impetus for this and other public service campaigns comes from over 100 healthcare marketing and communications executives representing the nation’s most prominent health systems, children’s hospitals, and hospital and health associations. Meeting regularly for a decade, they share knowledge, experience, best practices and resources, knowing they can accomplish more together. Founded and led by national healthcare leader Rhoda Weiss, Ph.D., the expanded coalition is partnering with Northwell Health, its Senior Vice President Ramon Soto and its Gun Violence Prevention Learning Collaborative for Hospitals and Health Systems for this effort. Many participants are also forming regional coalitions to offer messages of prevention and safety, hope and healing.

“It was awesome seeing Jason run the Chicago Marathon,” said Dr. Jahromi. “Three years ago, he was half-paralyzed with a large and dangerous brain aneurysm, and now he just finished the Chicago Marathon with a personal best. It’s an incredible comeback, and as his neurosurgeon, I couldn’t be prouder of Jason.”

“I almost had a shirt made up that said, ‘If found on road, please return to Dr. Jahromi,’” joked DePetris. “I just kept telling myself to keep my legs moving, keep my legs moving. I ran the entire race without having to walk and finished with a personal best of 4:10:37. Chicago and I had unfinished business, and I’m very happy with the outcome.” 

In October 2019, DePetris was 41 years old and preparing for his second marathon of the year – the Chicago Marathon. Jason was healthy with no history of medical conditions. 

On October 12, 2019, the morning before the marathon, DePetris was grabbing breakfast at a Chicago restaurant with his husband and mother, when suddenly his left hand went numb. As the numbness spread up his arm, DePetris’ mouth started to droop, and his speech was slurring.  

DePetris’ family called 911, and luckily, he didn’t have far to go. The restaurant was connected to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in downtown Chicago. 

DePetris was brought into the emergency department, where doctors told him he was having a stroke. Dr. Jahromi was working that morning, and quickly performed a thrombectomy, which is a type of surgery to remove a blood clot from a blood vessel using a catheter. Thrombectomies can reduce the risk of death or permanent disability in stroke patients. 

Not only did the thrombectomy save DePetris’ life, but it led to the discovery of a large brain aneurysm.

“Jason’s blocked artery had a brain aneurysm in the middle, which made it much more complex to open the artery and not bust open the aneurysm at the same time,” said Dr. Jahromi. 

The next day, DePetris couldn’t run the Chicago Marathon. Instead, he was recovering in a hospital room at Northwestern Memorial.

After returning to California, DePetris’ recovery continued. Due to the stroke, he suffered weakness on the left side, causing his left knee to sometimes collapse. DePetris also had a lack of dexterity in his left hand and some minor visual problems. However, he was determined to get back to running – especially the Chicago Marathon. 

During the COVID pandemic, DePetris slowly ramped up his physical training, so when it came time to really train for Chicago, his body would be able to handle a real marathon training plan – and it worked. On Sunday, Oct. 9, DePetris set a personal best at the Chicago Marathon of 4:10:37 with Dr. Jahromi cheering from the sidelines and greeting DePetris at the finish line.

“Dr. Jahromi is more than just a doctor; he truly cares and is invested in his patients,” said DePetris. “Be grateful for everything you have – it can change in a split second. I was in good shape and had never even spent the night in the hospital before my stroke. I’ve learned I can take a lot more punches than I thought I could.”

DePetris signed up as a charity runner for the Chicago Marathon, raising money for the Brain Injury Recovery Foundation, which supports those who have suffered brain or spinal cord injuries. He also wrote a book about his experience, and 100% of proceeds are donated to the Brain Aneurysm Foundation.

CHICAGO, IL -  At 34-years-old, firefighter Frank Nunez has spent the past few days saying his final goodbyes from a hospital room at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago.

In 2019, after experiencing pain in his left leg, Frank was diagnosed with a rare form of soft tissue cancer called synovial sarcoma. Frank was treated with chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery, and went into remission.

But in 2021, the cancer returned in his left lung. Frank participated in several clinical trials, and during his treatment he never stopped working at the Itasca Fire Protection District in Itasca, Illinois. 

Frank loved being a firefighter and had an incredibly strong work ethic. He started his career in 2014 and joined the Itasca Fire Protection District in 2018. Frank responded to fire alarms and medical emergencies and participated in fire prevention and training. He recently finished a fire inspector training class before being admitted to Northwestern Memorial in late September with terminal cancer.

During this hospitalization, Frank’s fellow firefighters have never left his side, rotating visits every day. Because Frank is intubated, the team communicates with Frank via text messages and dry erase boards. When asked to describe Frank, his colleagues told him:

• They wish they could have his personality
• He was admired
• A warrior
• Intelligent
• An incredible human

On Wednesday, Sept. 21, Frank celebrated his 34^th birthday with a commitment ceremony to his fiancé, Christina, inside his hospital room at Northwestern Memorial. Frank and Christina, who live in Crystal Lake, Illinois, met two months before Frank was diagnosed with cancer in 2019. From the moment they started dating, Frank knew Christina was “the one.” They got engaged in June 2022, and share a dog, Max, who still waits by the door for Frank to come home.

“All of my patients are absolutely wonderful, but every so often we get these phenomenal people like Frank who you just know would walk in a room and light up the room and make everyone feel safe,” said Khalilah Gates, MD, pulmonary and critical care specialist at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. “To provide care for Frank means a lot.”

“When you talk about someone who is dedicated and loves life, you're talking about Frank,” said Itasca Fire Chief Jack Schneidwind. “He has not missed a day and always came in with a great attitude wanting to make a difference to the people that we serve. When you talk about somebody who looked forward to living each day, that was Frank.”

Frank continues to provide counsel to other loved ones battling cancer – including his own mother, who just received a stem cell transplant for leukemia at Northwestern Memorial. Frank’s mother was able to visit him in the Medical Intensive Care Unit where the two shared their final goodbyes via messages on the dry erase board.

On Tuesday, Sept. 27, Frank went home on hospice care with a special escort. Itasca firefighters transported Frank in the very same ambulance he once used to transport patients. Members of the Chicago Fire Department were also there to salute Frank as he was lifted into the ambulance. As a first responder, Frank took his final ride home with his fellow firefighters, his fiancé, and furry friend Max – who couldn’t wait any longer for his best friend to come home. 

UPDATE: Frank died at his home on Sunday, Jan. 22, 2023. 

In June, the 20-year-old from Geneva, Ill., was diagnosed with an extremely rare and catastrophic epilepsy condition called FIRES (febrile infection-related epilepsy syndrome), caused by inflammation in the brain after fevers, which can lead to severe neurologic and cognitive injury. One in a million kids are affected by FIRES, and only 15-20% of FIRES patients return to a normal life.

“The odds are incredible; I’m literally one in a million,” said Hinchman. “You never think something like this will happen to you, and when it does, it’s really scary.”

In early June, Hinchman developed headaches and high fevers, which led to multiple seizures per day. When she stopped following commands and conversing intelligibly between seizures, Hinchman was intubated and sedated in the Neuro Intensive Care Unit at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. Test results came back consistent with FIRES – a rarity for the neurology team.

“I have taken care of patients who had previously been diagnosed with FIRES, but this was truly the first time where we made the diagnosis and had to make that decision to implement therapy,” said Ayush Batra, MD, neuro critical care specialist at Northwestern Medicine. “These are one in a million type cases that present every now and then, and many of our residents and fellows will just see one or two throughout their training.”

The medical team started Hinchman on an off-label medication called anakinra, which has been shown to be effective in small case series to control the devastating disease. After receiving the medication, Hinchman was able to communicate and function normally within 48 hours. She was discharged from the hospital on July 2 and received medical clearance to return to volleyball practice with her teammates.

“Grace is doing phenomenally well, and she’s stopped having seizures,” said Stephen VanHaerents, MD, epilepsy specialist at Northwestern Medicine. “These novel treatment options weren’t available 10 to 15 years ago, but thanks to active research, we can now treat FIRES very differently. Grace has responded beautifully to these medications, and her story is important for the epilepsy community because it shows you can get control of your seizures and get your life back.”

Hinchman will also follow the ketogenic (or keto) diet to help lower her risk of seizures. Research shows, after three months on the keto diet, 87% of patients with epilepsy report an improved quality of life. Hinchman hopes her comeback story inspires others.    

“Before this happened to me, I knew nothing about FIRES,” said Hinchman. “By sharing my story, I want to help doctors and researchers learn more about the disease, and hopefully lead to more successful outcomes. Thanks to my medical team at Northwestern Medicine, I’m able to return to my volleyball team and play the sport I love. I will forever be grateful.”

This funding initiative, which is just one facet of Northwestern Medicine’s community giving campaign, offered grants to local agencies supporting specific health and wellness projects. Northwestern Medicine awarded more than $1.7 million to 49 organizations that offer a wide range of services including housing, nutritional needs, transportation, childcare, mental health and primary care.

“Northwestern Medicine is committed to making our community as healthy as it can be,” said Posh Charles, senior vice president, Northwestern Memorial HealthCare. “This initiative, which is just one way Northwestern Medicine contributes to the community, enhances our ability to provide highly targeted support to partners addressing priority health concerns in their individual locales.”

In fiscal year 2021, Northwestern Memorial HealthCare provided more than $1.14 billion in community benefits including charity care and the unreimbursed costs incurred caring for Medicaid and Medicare patients, training tomorrow’s health care workforce, conducting medical research, and other community benefits that help preserve access to care for the residents of Chicago, its suburbs and Northern Illinois.

The beneficiaries of the community grants range in size and scope from the YMCA of Metro Chicago to the Oak Forest Chapter of Sleep in Heavenly Peace, an organization that provides fully furnished twin beds for children who sleep on floors, couches and other situations without beds.

“Our goal is to collaborate and support local agencies to address healthcare disparities across all socioeconomic backgrounds,” said Charles. “We sought out organizations that are making a difference by removing barriers to better health.”

For example, consistent access to nutrition is the very basis for a healthy child and adult. Northern Illinois Food Bank will use the funds to focus on two initiatives. “Take 50 Foods to Encourage” provides an incentive for pantries to select more highly nutritious food.  The “Build Healthy Communities Screen & Intervene” connects local food banks with patients who screen as food insecure during healthcare visits.

“Our neighbors continue to struggle to meet the needs of their families across Northern Illinois. We are grateful to have partners, like Northwestern Medicine, who invest in our programs, which helps us ensure that our neighbors have access to the nutritious food that they need to thrive,” said Maeven Sipes, chief philanthropy officer, Northern Illinois Food Bank.

Kelly Hall YMCA in Chicago's West Humboldt Park neighborhood is using grant funding to expand its roster of popular group exercise classes. In addition to step classes, hip-hop aerobics and line dancing, the center is exploring options for tumbling classes, martial arts and other ways to meet members’ health and wellness needs. Beyond physical fitness, Kelly Hall Y hopes to use the funding to kick start programs for behavioral health, chronic disease prevention and nutrition, all to support a holistic approach to healthy living.

“As an organization, Kelly Hall YMCA, under the umbrella of the YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago, is working to set a higher standard for health and wellness in a neighborhood historically afflicted by significant health disparities,” said Andre Goode, executive director, Kelly Hall YMCA. “Through this partnership with Northwestern Medicine, we have the chance to make significant strides on that front. The sky’s the limit for the impact we can have on our neighbors’ lives.”

In addition to grant funding, as part of Northwestern Medicine’s Team NM initiative, Northwestern Medicine employees build healthier communities through volunteer service and thoughtful actions. Team NM volunteers weed and water the Aurora Food Pantry’s Essential Garden, help sort and label food at the Northern Illinois Food Bank, collected coats for Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago, put together beds for Sleep in Heavenly Peace, and assembled heart-healthy care packages for patients at Tri-City Health Partnership.