A cancer survivor. A heart attack victim. Pediatric patients. Be inspired by medical stories from ordinary people who’ve had extraordinary challenges. Hear about the health problems and transformations of our patients.
In May 2014, Heather — a 20-year-old biological systems engineering student at Virginia Tech — broke her foot while walking in a field. A dedicated horse rider, Heather found the incident unsettling. “I’ve never been the most graceful person but to break it just walking? That was a little weird.”…
Are your stomachaches acid reflux or could they be symptoms of celiac disease or gluten sensitivity? This winter's issue of our family health magazine, Vim & Vigor, is all about food and nutrition. Sanjay Gupta shares five reasons why food is the best medicine. [caption id="attachment_9184" align="alignright" width="350"] Health System…
Think about the support groups around you, the people you see and interact with most often. Your family and friends are the people you likely trust the most. But what about your coworkers? Would you trust them with your health? Ted M. Burns, MD, did, and he never once had a…
When Mary Nay turned 70, she celebrated by walking a mile at her gym. The next year, she turned 71 and walked two and a half miles. Her commitment to fitness would be impressive no matter what, but Mary has cerebral palsy and walks with two canes. She has muscular…
Denial and acceptance: two feelings Joe Thomas felt when he discovered he had a rare form of blood cancer called T-cell lymphoma. The local radio talk show host and program director for WCHV had noticed early warning signs but neglected to take a closer look. “I didn’t want it to…
If you knew your stem cells could save another person’s life, would you Be The Match? The Be The Match® registry is the world’s largest and most diverse bone marrow donor registry, offering patients potential cures for immune disorders and blood cancers. [caption id="attachment_8671" align="alignright" width="225"] Molly and her non-related…
Luck was not on Jim Bryant’s side. He was diagnosed with mantle cell lymphoma, a rare blood cancer that accounts for only about five percent of non-Hodgkin lymphomas. Although mantle cell lymphoma is most common in men over 60, and Bryant fell into that category, he was still told he…
From the nationwide spread of the Ice Bucket Challenge to the heartbreak of Robin Williams’ death, we featured some hard-hitting stories this past month. [caption id="attachment_8713" align="alignright" width="300"] UVA neurologists take the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge.[/caption] We’ve all seen the videos, but do you really know what the challenge is…
In 2012, Good Morning America anchorwoman Robin Roberts was diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), a rare blood disease resulting from chemotherapy treatments for breast cancer.
The past month we featured some remarkable and inspirational patient stories about rare conditions with big impacts: [caption id="attachment_8516" align="alignright" width="300"] Kathy Cundiff (center) and daughters Molly Winstead (left) and Emily Phillips[/caption] Cathy Cundiff protects her health as well as that of her daughters – she is aware of the…
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