FALL 2021
Health, Science & Wellness COVER STORY
‘I was going to thrive’ Erica Langley’s hard-won comeback as a competitive bodybuilder after breast cancer ALSO IN THIS ISSUE PAGE 2
Exceptional primary care, closer to you PAGE 6
The doctor some patients call the ‘Colon Whisperer’ PAGE 13
COVID-19 vaccine myths vs. facts
Insights from the President Tom Jackiewicz
On a path toward hope and better health — together We have had many opportunities as a nation to talk about what the COVID-19 crisis has taken away from us. One facet of the pandemic that has surfaced is the heightened awareness of mental health and its connection to physical health. I’ve been intrigued by studies that have shown that hope can reduce physical pain, improve circulation and respiration, and boost cardiovascular health. There is a proverb that says, “He who has health has hope; and he who has hope has everything.” For me, this represents what our teams across our academic health system do, as they strive to keep the patients we serve in good health and bring them hope about their future. We know that accessing services to stay mentally and physically healthy can be challenging. For decades, patients had to travel to a hospital’s main campus to get world-class medical care. This often added to the burden for patients and their families already grappling with illness. At UChicago Medicine, we have made convenient access to our care a top priority.
Here are just a few of the initiatives under way that focus on bringing the very best care to your community: Primary care: We have opened two new primary care facilities: one at Dearborn Station in Chicago’s Printer’s Row neighborhood and the other in south suburban Homewood. You may read about these locations on Page 2. Specialty care: We are exploring
opportunities in Northwest Indiana where our specialty care not only would complement services already being offered but also increase access to the services needed in that area. You will be hearing more about our plans in the coming months. In addition, we are looking to enhance the healthcare ecosystem on Chicago’s South Side. Decades of poverty, food insecurity, violence — and resulting trauma — have led to significant health inequities and chronic illness among residents. It’s past time for meaningful change to improve the healthcare delivery systems for these communities.
That’s why UChicago Medicine helped to launch and lead a coalition of 13 area hospitals, health systems and federally qualified health centers to address the health challenges on the city’s South Side. We were thrilled to recently learn that our proposal was awarded funding as part of the state’s healthcare transformation efforts in communities across Illinois. This means the coalition will implement a model that expands primary, specialty and preventive care and develops a technology platform to connect South Side healthcare providers to better coordinate and provide care. While the pandemic has brought its many challenges, it also has helped us better understand and appreciate how truly interconnected we all are. We hope UChicago Medicine will play a critical role in connecting you to the care you need, closer to where you live and work. On behalf of UChicago Medicine, I wish you and your family hope and good health.
While the pandemic has brought its many challenges, it also has helped us better understand and appreciate how truly interconnected we all are.”NELSON MANDELA
The Forefront magazine features stories about life-changing care and breakthroughs in medical research at the University of Chicago Medicine and Biological Sciences. Kenneth S. Polonsky, MD Dean of the University of Chicago Biological Sciences Division and the Pritzker School of Medicine and Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs Thomas E. Jackiewicz President of the University of Chicago Medical Center
VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR MORE INFORMATION: Adult and children’s care UChicagoMedicine.org Science, health and wellness news UChicagoMedicine.org/Forefront Main number 1-773-702-1000 Appointments 1-888-824-0200
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Editor: Anna Madrzyk Assistant Editor: Angela Wells O’Connor Designer: Ken Rickard Contributing writers: Emily Ayshford, Jamie Bartosch, Stephan Benzkofer, Thea Grendahl Christou, Kate Dohner, Natalie Helms and Angela Wells O’Connor Contributing photographers: Mark Black, Wendy Heise, Jean Lachat, Sandro Miller, Jordan Porter-Woodruff, Ken Rickard, Oscar Sanchez and Nancy Wong Contributing designer: Carmine Calabrese
Email us at imagine.editor@uchospitals.edu Facebook.com/UChicagoMed Instagram.com/UChicagoMed Twitter.com/UChicagoMed This publication does not provide medical advice or treatment suggestions. If you have medical problems or concerns, contact a physician, who will determine your treatment. Do not delay seeking medical advice because of something you read here. For urgent needs, call 911 right away.
FALL 2021
The Forefront
IN THIS ISSUE
2
ON THE COVER
CLOSER TO YOU Learn about our new primary care locations and meet some of our new doctors.
Zachary Kurek and his mother, Amanda Morey
14
GAMECHANGING SURGERY
Cover photo by Mark Black
8 9 READ ONLINE
Erica Langley (above) achieved success as a competitive bodybuilder after surgery and chemotherapy for breast cancer.
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TRUE OR FALSE?
Al Brown
More comfortable mammograms, quicker biopsies and other innovations in breast cancer diagnosis.
HEALING HEART A young father’s road to recovery following COVID-19 and a heart transplant.
Clearing up common misconceptions about the COVID-19 vaccine.
Laser surgery to disconnect the two sides of his brain put an end to a young boy’s seizures.
INSIDE BACK COVER STUDYING ‘BRAIN FOG’ Family’s donation supports research on the neurological impact of celiac disease.
COVID-19 UPDATES
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Convenient primary care at Dearborn Station and in Homewood
The University of Chicago Medicine’s new primary care hubs in Dearborn Station in Printer’s Row and in south suburban Homewood offer convenient, exceptional primary care for the whole family. With these new locations, UChicago Medicine has more than doubled its number of primary care providers from the year before. “Our goal is to improve patient access to the best possible care and to find new and convenient ways of delivering care,” said Les Stern, President of the UChicago Medicine Care Network. “We can better meet the primary care needs of our patients, who then would have easy access to UChicago Medicine’s network of specialists and full array of services.” At UChicago Medicine, primary care includes family medicine, geriatrics, gynecology, internal medicine and pediatrics. Primary care providers offer checkups and wellness exams, immunizations, school and sports physicals, and health screenings. They also provide care for urgent medical issues, such as upper respiratory infections, urinary tract infections, sprains and bronchitis, as well as for common chronic conditions like diabetes, allergies, high blood pressure, asthma, arthritis, anxiety and depression. In addition to primary care physicians, UChicago Medicine’s primary care practices also employ advanced practice practitioners; these include nurse practitioners, physician assistants and other highly skilled care providers. Primary care providers can efficiently leverage UChicago Medicine’s technology and data resources and population health tools, which include registries, tracking systems and patient portals designed to help patients get needed preventive healthcare services and effectively manage chronic diseases. These tools are also used to measure quality and assure health equity. “We put an equity lens on all of our metrics,” said Rajlakshmi Krishnamurthy, MD, Chief Clinical Transformation Officer and Vice President of Population Health. “Whether we are screening for cancer, hypertension or diabetes, for example, we look at whether there are differences in how well we are reaching patients by race and ethnicity.” This information helps Krishnamurthy and her team design targeted, culturally appropriate outreach programs, for example, to make sure patients are taking their medications or staying on track with their children’s vaccinations. Her team also ensures patients’ electronic records are updated and accurate, incorporating information from past providers and insurance companies. “We are making sure new primary care providers are well-equipped with the tools and skills of UChicago Medicine at their fingertips,” said Krishnamurthy.
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UChicago Medicine Dearborn Station 47 W. Polk St., Chicago • 888-824-0200 UChicagoMedicine.org/Dearborn » Family medicine, Internal medicine, Pediatrics, Primary care Housed in a designated historic landmark built in 1883, UChicago Medicine’s Dearborn Station outpatient center is a state-of-the-art facility with 16 exam rooms. Dearborn Station, which opened in August, is located in the heart of the Printer’s Row neighborhood in Chicago’s South Loop area.
The new outpatient center is staffed with seven providers in pediatrics, family medicine and internal medicine. Obstetrics and gynecology will also be available here this fall. With a focus on access and convenience, Dearborn Station offers on-site laboratory testing, with immediate results available for A1C, glucose and urine pregnancy tests; sameday appointments; free 90-minute parking with validation; and virtual visit options. The location offers user-friendly kiosks for check-in and payments, as well as work desks complete with charging outlets throughout the waiting area. Mobile check-in is offered on the MyChart app.
UChicago Medicine Medical Group Homewood* 17805 S. Halsted St., Homewood • 773-834-6254 UChicagoMedicine.org/Homewood » Family medicine, Primary care
UChicago Medicine Medical Group - Homewood’s 10,000-square-foot primary care facility opened in July. Services include primary care and family medicine. The clinic accepts walk-ins and offers many of the same conveniences as at Dearborn Station, including same-day appointments.
Meet some of UChicago Medicine Medical Group’s new primary care providers UCHICAGO MEDICINE DEARBORN STATION PHILLIP AHN, MD* FAMILY MEDICINE
I grew up on the North Side but have worked on the South Side for all of my professional career, so I am very familiar with the various cultures that make up Chicago. I taught myself Spanish so that I can communicate with my patients and their families. I like meeting my patients’ unique needs. The 12-story clock tower at Dearborn Station in Chicago’s Printer’s Row was completed in 1885. The historic building served as a train station until 1971 and is now our latest home for primary care.
I really try to emphasize preventive health. In addition to actually preventing chronic illnesses such as diabetes and hypertension, preventive health means avoiding complications from such conditions. Prevention entails healthy habits such as a healthy diet, exercise and keeping up with recommended vaccines and exams. JENNIFER ANGELES, MD* INTERNAL MEDICINE
Chicago is known for its diversity. It comes with its own greatness and challenges in healthcare. I love that I can make my own mark as a primary care physician in this city I love and have an impact on the lives of the people. I want my patients to understand and be truly involved and proactive in our plan of care. I always tell my patients that as a primary care physician, I am supposed to grow old with them. I want to build a lasting, trusting relationship. There will be teaching. There will be evidence-based medicine. There will be adjustment if need be. We are a team. We can’t win if we both aren’t in the game. (CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE) *UChicago Medicine Medical Group is comprised of UCM Care Network Medical Group, Inc., and Primary Healthcare Associates, S.C. UChicago Medicine Medical Group providers are not employees or agents of The University of Chicago Medical Center, The University of Chicago, UChicago Medicine Ingalls Memorial, UChicago Medicine Dearborn Station, UChicago Medicine Medical Group – Homewood, UChicago Medicine at Ingalls – Tinley Park, UChicago Medicine River East, or UChicago Medicine Orland Park.
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UCHICAGO MEDICINE DEARBORN STATION
UCHICAGO MEDICINE RIVER EAST
JING BO WU, DO* INTERNAL MEDICINE
MARIA J. FERRERA, MD* INTERNAL MEDICINE
As a primary care doctor, I am the first doctor for my patients. I ask what my patients need and try my best to help patients and families to achieve their goals. During my training, I saw many patients whose hospitalizations were preventable if the patients had good access to the healthcare system. I will be the advocate for my patients and their families.
Doing my internal medicine and geriatrics training in Chicago has exposed me to its diverse population, which is one of the things I love most about this city. I’ve had the good fortune of being in contact with people from varied cultural backgrounds, which has allowed me to grow not only as a physician, but as a person.
Each patient is an individual, a member of a family and a member of a community. I believe each patient has basic needs, rights, privileges and preferences, which must be respected regardless of race, color, age, national origin, economic status or physical disability.
My philosophy is that preventive medicine is the best medicine. I always encourage my patients to take baby steps in order to achieve their desired lifestyle, so that they can maintain these healthy changes long term. I’ve had the opportunity to treat a wide range of chronic medical conditions, but the ones that I usually find most prevalent are diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Thus, there has been an emphasis in my practice to discuss lifestyle changes that will reduce cardiovascular risk as much as possible.
SHAN SHAN XIE, MD* FAMILY MEDICINE
I grew up on the South Side and enjoy working and speaking with the people of different ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds who live in our city. I provide holistic care with a focus on prevention, and treat the entire family from newborns to grandparents. Some of the conditions I treat include diabetes, asthma, high blood pressure, COPD, thyroid disorders and ear and urinary tract infections. I provide age-appropriate health screenings, including cervical cancer screening, and school and sports physicals. UCHICAGO MEDICINE AT INGALLS - TINLEY PARK MOHANAD JOUDEH, MD* INTERNAL MEDICINE
The ability to solve a person’s medical concerns and at the same time help to improve that person’s overall health is very satisfying. I believe in working together with the patients and with other physicians in order to provide the highest quality of care. It is also important that physicians help their patients understand their medical recommendations and plan of care. When patients see that their physician is genuinely concerned about their health, they are more likely to take an active role in their own healthcare. In my experience, this leads to better patient compliance, better health and a better patient-physician relationship.
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AZALEA VICENTENO, APN, MS* FAMILY MEDICINE
Living in Chicago my entire life allows me to deliver care to diverse populations with compassion, respect and integrity. My goal is to develop a relationship with patients and provide education so we can make an informed decision together and develop a plan of care that maximizes health and wellness. Some of the conditions I treat include high blood pressure, asthma and diabetes, and my practice includes wellness visits for children and adults, including women’s health. UCHICAGO MEDICINE ORLAND PARK JULIA PHILIP-KULI, MD* FAMILY MEDICINE
My goal is to help people achieve the best version of themselves — be it through improving their diet and exercise, or treating their acne or depression, or keeping them abreast of the latest health screening recommendations. Shared decision making leads to better outcomes, as people are more willing to try a solution that they were a part of creating. I like to explain as much as I can so people understand the logic and rationale behind the treatment approach. I care for patients as young as newborns up through nonagenarians and beyond. I see patients with acute illness, minor injuries and anxiety/depression, and for school/wellness exams, along with some women’s health and sports issues.
NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED FOR ADULT
GENES LINKED TO METABOLISM,
AND CHILDREN’S CARE
FOOD PREFERENCES
Six University of Chicago Medicine specialties are ranked among the top 50 in U.S. News & World Report’s 2021-22 Best Hospitals survey results. The specialties and rankings are: diabetes and endocrinology (No. 14), gastroenterology and GI surgery (No. 14), cancer (No. 21), gynecology (No. 22), urology (No. 35), and pulmonology and lung surgery (No. 45).
Why are some people more likely to be significantly overweight? Certain genes affect how cells store and use fat. Others work through the brain to regulate obesity-related behaviors. University of Chicago researchers investigated both types of genes and found that variations and interactions in these genes greatly increase the risk of obesity. Over 40% of humans have one copy of genetic variants in the gene FTO most strongly associated with obesity, and 16% have two copies, which increases their risk of becoming obese by 70%. “When multiple independent genetic variants in these gene groups are inherited together, they affect fat tissue and the brain, leading to differences in both metabolism and food preference,” said Marcelo Nóbrega, MD, PhD, a professor of human genetics at UChicago and senior author of the study published in Science.
BEST
UChicago Medicine was ranked high-performing in CHILDREN’S cardiology and heart surgery, geriatrics, neurology HOSPITALS and neurosurgery, and orthopaedics. U.S. News also evaluates performance for common adult procedures and conditions by hospitals that treat enough patients aged 65 and older. UChicago Medicine received high-performing marks in aortic valve surgery, COPD, colon cancer surgery, diabetes, heart attack, heart bypass surgery, heart failure, kidney failure, knee replacement, lung cancer surgery, pneumonia and stroke. To view U.S. News’ full results and methodology online, visit usnews.com/best-hospitals. UChicago Medicine Comer Children’s Hospital has been ranked as the No. 2 pediatric hospital in Illinois and rated among the best in the nation in two specialties — gastroenterology and GI surgery (No. 34) and diabetes and endocrinology (No. 46) — by U.S. News & World Report. A full list of the rankings can be found at usnews.com/childrenshospitals.
OLDER ADULTS HAVING FEWER ABDOMINAL SURGERIES
Recent advances have made surgeries safer for older adults, and the number of senior citizens is growing. Nevertheless, fewer abdominal surgeries are being performed on older adults — especially those over age 85. “This suggests we’re getting better at determining who would benefit most from surgery, and that we’ve developed better alternatives,” said Daniel Rubin, MD, anesthesiologist and critical care specialist at UChicago Medicine and author of a study published in Journal of the American Geriatric Society. For example, the results indicate that improvements in medical treatments and cancer screening for older adults may be reducing the need for invasive surgeries. Major academic medical centers were the only hospitals reporting more surgeries among older adult patients, possibly due to increased specialization and the unavailability of certain procedures at smaller or rural institutions.
READ MORE AT
UChicagoMedicine.org/Forefront
NEW HOPE FOR TREATMENT-RESISTANT MULTIPLE MYELOMA
UChicago Medicine is the first Chicago hospital to offer a “game-changing” therapy extending hope to patients with multiple myeloma. While several effective treatments exist for this cancer of the blood’s plasma cells, most patients will experience relapses. With each relapse, treatment becomes less effective. Abecma, the first cellbased gene therapy for multiple myeloma, works by targeting specific receptors on the myeloma cells. Patients who have undergone four or more other therapies are eligible and should discuss the treatment with their doctors. “We were desperate without this treatment,” said hematologist-oncologist Andrzej Jakubowiak, MD, PhD (pictured), director of UChicago Medicine’s myeloma program. “That’s why this type of therapy is a game changer.” UChicago Medicine was chosen to offer Abecma because of its expertise in cellular therapy and its strong program for treating and researching multiple myeloma.
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The
‘COLON WHISPERER’ Physician-scientist David T. Rubin, MD, devotes his career to improving the lives of patients with inflammatory bowel disease Patients come through his door looking for answers and relief. The symptoms that began as a nuisance have turned painful and chronic. Their bodies have turned on them. University of Chicago Medicine gastroenterologist David T. Rubin, MD, is a world-renowned expert on the treatment and research of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which includes Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. He’s a tireless educator — in classrooms, at conferences and on Twitter, where he’s known as @IBDMD — and an ardent advocate for people living with IBD. His pre-eminence was recognized in 2020 with the Sherman Prize. Becker’s Healthcare recently named him to its list of “10 GI Leaders to Know.” “The first thing I tell my patients, especially those who have been newly diagnosed, is that we’re going to treat it early, and we’re going to treat it hard, because after we do that I would like you to be in remission the rest of your life,” said Rubin, who created and is Co-Director of the University of Chicago Medicine Digestive Diseases Center. Rubin explains that while recent advances provide doctors and patients with the tools to manage these diseases, none is perfect, and there are no cures. But he is also sure his patients hear one final thought: This disease will not ruin your life. It does not define you. These are particularly comforting and important ideas to hear, because Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis typically first develop in teens and young adults between the ages of 15 and 30. Which likely explains a coffee mug he received as a gift: “Keep calm and call Dr. Rubin.”
WHAT’S NEW IN IBD CARE Gastroenterologist Russell Cohen, MD, answers questions about the latest advances in IBD treatment. UChicagoMedicine.org/RCohen
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As many as 70,000 Americans will be diagnosed with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis next year, joining more than 3 million others in the U.S. who live with these chronic conditions. To understand IBD, it is necessary to explore one of the most underappreciated parts of the human body. The gastrointestinal tract harvests the nutrients from everything you eat and drink, breaks them down to be absorbed through the cells lining the system, and then packages the waste for subsequent elimination. MICROBIOME CONNECTION
But scientists now know that the system does so much more. There is a growing appreciation that a key player in human health is the microbiome — the collection of microbes, be they bacteria, fungi, protozoa or viruses, that lives in and on the human body, with the largest concentration in the gut.
DR. RUBIN REALLY IS AMAZING. WHEN YOU’RE IN THAT APPOINTMENT WITH HIM, YOU FEEL LIKE YOU’RE HIS ONLY PATIENT.
specific enzymes or other mechanisms of inflammation. These molecules are small enough to be delivered as pills and be absorbed into the bloodstream. And finally, 5-ASA therapies, which Rubin has been studying for years, were first developed in the early 1950s to treat arthritis. These therapies don’t suppress the immune response, but are believed to affect the immune activity in the lining of the bowel. QUEST FOR A CURE
With so many options, it would seem that patients with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis can live worry-free, even if a cure isn’t found. But then the human body proves again why it is such a marvelous example of biological engineering.
R ACH E L H E N DE E
“Remember that we’re not treating the cause of IBD, we’re treating the result of it,” Rubin said. “The immune system of the gut is there The microbiome is essential for such to protect us. It still thinks there is a threat. wide-ranging tasks as brain development, inflammation. Patients can experience pain So, it can be just a matter of time before it nutrition and fighting infection. Scientists tell and cramping, more frequent bowel finds a new pathway and the inflammation us the microbiome also plays a role in obesity, movements, diarrhea, bleeding and weight loss. returns.” As a clinician-scientist, Rubin food allergies, and such diseases as diabetes, attacks these problems from all angles, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and, “Treatments are aimed at turning off the pushing the understanding of biology and of course, IBD. inflammation,” Rubin said. “And we’ve made disease in his research while analyzing and great progress in managing these conditions.” assessing the stream of information coming The gut is exposed to the environment more from his patients. Each patient’s unique than any other part of the body except the Today, there are more than 15 effective and biology might provide a special insight into skin. “So, every time you eat, you’re exposing safe treatments for Crohn’s disease and how IBD works. your intestines to what’s coming from the ulcerative colitis. Biological therapies — outside world,” Rubin said. proteins that are made in living cells — Rachel Hendee, diagnosed with severe include anti-TNF therapies that block the Crohn’s disease 25 years ago when she was Normally, this sophisticated system becomes body’s signals that fight infection or cause just 14, has been Rubin’s patient for the past mildly inflamed after a meal and then shuts inflammation; a therapy that selectively seven years. A physician assistant in colon itself off and goes back to a resting state, targets white blood cells on their way to the and rectal surgery at a Chicago hospital, distinguishing between nutrition and pathogens. bowel; and a therapy that targets an Hendee said her own expertise in the field has “What happens with IBD is that the inflammatory protein called IL-23, and only increased her admiration for the IBD inflammatory system of the gut is turned on but works in IBD and psoriasis. specialist, to whom she once gave a mug that doesn’t turn itself off, either because the patient reads “Colon Whisperer.” “The strategy is to turn down the overactive has lost the ‘off switch’ or because there is immune response long enough so that the ongoing stimulation by something we have yet “Dr. Rubin really is amazing,” she said. “I body can take over and then heal,” Rubin to discover,” Rubin said. “Either way, when the think that quite possibly he is the busiest explained. inflammation continues, it causes damage.” person I know, but when you’re in that appointment with him, you feel like you’re The newest treatment focus is on synthetic Symptoms can be extremely uncomfortable his only patient.” targeted small molecules, which work on and vary based on the location of the
WHERE TO FIND US FOR IBD CARE
CHICAGO Duchossois Center for Advanced Medicine (DCAM) 5758 S. Maryland Ave. UChicago Medicine River East 355 E. Grand Ave.
HINSDALE UChicago Medicine — Hinsdale 12 Salt Creek Lane, Suite 106
TINLEY PARK UChicago Medicine at Ingalls 6701 W. 159th St.
ORLAND PARK UChicago Medicine Orland Park 14290 S. La Grange Road
Learn more about IBD treatment at UChicagoMedicine.org/ibd
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TREATMENT» «TRIUMPH Bodybuilder overcomes challenges of breast cancer surgeries
»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»» When Erica Langley walked into the gym for the first time after her breast cancer surgeries, she felt overwhelmed. Two years earlier, the Bronzeville woman had begun pursuing her dream of being a competitive bodybuilder. A surprise breast cancer diagnosis derailed her plans, and then the COVID-19 pandemic closed her gym. When she finally resumed bodybuilding training in November 2020, she was 50 pounds heavier, weakened from chemotherapy and two surgeries, and unable to take the same supplements as her competitors because they negatively interacted with her cancer medications. “Mentally, I still really wanted to do this, but my body was struggling. After the first few workouts, I didn’t think I’d ever be competition-ready,” she said. “So, I made up my mind that I was going to do this. I decided I wasn’t just going to survive cancer, I was going to thrive.” And she did. In May 2021, after six months of intense training, Langley entered two bodybuilding competitions and won multiple medals, placing first in one category and even surpassing competitors who had spent years competing and training. “She showed courage and resilience, both mentally and physically,” said University of Chicago Medicine oncologist Olwen Hahn, MD. Langley first noticed a hard lump the size of a peach pit in her breast after a workout in 2018. She figured she just
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pulled a chest muscle while weightlifting. When it didn’t go away, she visited a neighborhood health clinic, and they sent her immediately for a mammogram. It detected HER2-positive cancer in two different locations in her left breast. The breast cancer team at UChicago Medicine devised an aggressive and comprehensive treatment plan for Langley. Because she was only in her late 30s, she was referred to UChicago Medicine’s Cancer Risk and Prevention Clinic for genetic testing. It found a common mutation in the p53 gene, which can be inherited or acquired. It’s unclear if her mutation was inherited. While there is a history of gastrointestinal cancer in Langley’s family, there is no breast cancer history. Plus, genetic testing showed neither of Langley’s parents had the mutation. “When a young woman gets breast cancer, we always want to ask why. For Erica, having cancer at a young age signaled that she needed to undergo genetic testing. And it turns out, she had a well-known mutation that puts her at higher risk for breast cancer and other cancers,” Hahn said. For this reason, Langley’s doctors ordered several cancer screening tests, including a colonoscopy and an upper endoscopy to examine the lining of the esophagus, stomach and duodenum, as well as extensive blood work. All came back negative for cancer. Next, Langley met with UChicago Medicine’s oncofertility specialists to explore her options for having a biological child in the future, in case chemotherapy damaged her ovaries or negatively impacted her reproductive health. RETURNING TO THE GYM
Langley’s treatment plan included 20 weeks of chemotherapy, followed by a double mastectomy in April 2019, further intravenous targeted therapy, and then reconstructive surgery on both breasts. Due to Langley’s high level of physical activity and bodybuilding plans, plastic and reconstructive surgeon Rebecca Garza, MD, put silicone implants over her large pectoral muscles rather than under them, so as not to impact her strength or appearance as a bodybuilder. It also enhanced the physique she sought for competitions. Garza said her goal for every patient is to make them feel like their body is restored and complete. Langley was definitely pleased with her results. (CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE)
UCHICAGO MEDICINE LOCATIONS OFFER NEW ADVANCES, TECHNOLOGIES IN BREAST CARE Breast-shaped compression surface To make mammograms more comfortable, UChicago Medicine uses SmartCurve, developed by Hologic, in partnership with Solis Mammography. This unique technology offers a curved compression surface, shaped like a woman’s breast. SmartCurve is integrated with 3D to deliver an accurate and more comfortable mammogram. UChicago Medicine upgraded all of its mammography machines to high-tech 3D models in August 2019, and added SmartCurve paddles to most of them. They are now offered at: • Duchossois Center for Advanced Medicine (DCAM) in Hyde Park • UChicago Medicine at Ingalls - Calumet City • UChicago Medicine at Ingalls - Flossmoor • UChicago Medicine Ingalls Memorial - Harvey • UChicago Medicine at Ingalls - Tinley Park • UChicago Medicine: Solis Mammography Orland Park • UChicago Medicine: Solis Mammography River East
Upright AFFIRM biopsy system A faster, less-intimidating breast biopsy is now offered at UChicago Medicine locations in Hyde Park, Harvey and Tinley Park. Hologic’s new AFFIRM biopsy system allows patients to sit upright in a chair as a high-tech machine is centered over the breast, calculating the precise spot where the needle needs to be inserted. AFFIRM cuts the test time in half, to about 15 to 30 minutes. Plus, doctors say it makes the whole procedure easier and more comfortable for the patient.
SAVI SCOUT
REBECCA GARZA, MD
OLWEN HAHN, MD
This new technology — a wireless device roughly the size of a grain of rice — is inserted into the breast to help surgeons accurately locate masses and tumors. It saves time and allows tumors to be removed with smaller incisions. SAVI SCOUT also reduces the amount of healthy breast tissue removed, while increasing the probability of complete tumor removal. It's now being used at UChicago Medicine Ingalls Memorial locations in Harvey and Tinley Park.
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“These breasts look good! I wanted them to be even bigger than what I got!” she said, laughing. “After everything I went through, they were my consolation prize.” Langley’s return to the gym in November 2020 was the next obstacle. Daniel “Bolo” Young, her trainer at Chi-Town Fitness in Melrose Park, said Langley would show up and train hard for 90 minutes, four times a week. This was after her long and stressful workdays as the manager of a microbiology lab in the northwest suburbs. At first, Langley got tired easily and could barely do a 55-pound squat. Within six months, she worked up to a 275-pound squat. She also stuck to a strict low-carb, high-protein diet that included eating plain chicken six times a day. She constantly bargained with Bolo to change the diet, but he would tell her, “Are you eating for taste, or are you eating for a goal?” So, she stuck with it. Langley wanted to take bodybuilding supplements like creatine, for building and repairing muscle, and ginseng, for pre-workout energy boosts. She brought the supplement bottles to Hahn, who studied the ingredients and researched how they would interact with her estrogenblocking cancer drug, tamoxifen. Hahn ruled out almost all of them. A few weeks before the competition, Langley decided to take a few of the supplements that posed the least risk. Hahn insisted on monitoring her liver function closely with extra tests. “It’s not necessarily something I recommend for my patients, but I knew this competition was important to her, and it was important in her recovery. After she and I had a discussion, she accepted that there was a risk involved in taking these supplements,” Hahn said.
Erica Langley works out with her trainer, Daniel “Bolo” Young.
‘A TRUE INSPIRATION’
Garza said it’s been wonderful to see Langley thrive, and praised her positive attitude and intense focus. “She knew she was going to get there, even if the journey was going to be difficult,” she said. “The most important thing is that her cancer is treated and that she’s at decreased risk for another cancer. But she worked really hard to be even better than she was when she started this journey.” Langley credited her parents, Isaac and Alisa Langley; her fiancé, Vermine A. Matthews; and his parents, Vermine D. and Shirley Matthews, for showing love and support throughout her treatment and training.
Without supplements, Langley feared she would not be able to compete with other female bodybuilders who take them, and who also Bolo called Langley “a true inspiration and hero.” He believes her may be enhanced by steroid use. Langley competes as a natural athlete bodybuilding career has a bright future. and does not use steroids. But by the time the competition day arrived, “She shows that no matter what you’re going through, if you put your she looked just as muscular as her competitors and won more medals mind to it, you can accomplish it,” he said. than she ever thought she could.
STATE-OF-THE-ART BREAST HEALTH SERVICES As the provider of choice for generations of women, Solis Mammography is known as the home of the “peace of mind mammogram.” Now, as part of a partnership with the University of Chicago Medicine, patient experience is combined with clinical excellence to deliver a better mammogram for patients. The Solis Mammography sites are located in UChicago Medicine’s Orland Park and River East outpatient locations.
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Staffed with UChicago Medicine radiologists who specialize in comprehensive breast care and technologists with expertise in breast imaging, the mammography centers offer screening and diagnostic mammography, breast ultrasound, stereotactic breast biopsy, ultrasound-guided biopsy and bone density screenings in a spa-like environment designed for patient care, convenience and comfort.
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“Adding Solis Mammography’s services to our River East and Orland Park locations continues our health system’s efforts to bring important services closer to where our patients live and work,” said Hiroyuki Abe, MD, PhD, Chief of Breast Imaging at UChicago Medicine. Patients can schedule a screening appointment online, enjoy quick in-center tablet registration, and receive emailed results within two business days for screening mammograms. To learn more about Solis Mammography or to
‘I feel extremely lucky’
common form of breast cancer diagnosed in women and when diagnosed early, the most treatable. With her physician’s advice and with the help of the team at Solis Mammography, she decided to stay with UChicago Medicine for treatment and surgery. “I did have other choices, but when I started looking at everything they do, I felt instantly comfortable with my decision,” she said. “It’s not only the right care when you’re getting the mammogram itself, but you want to make sure you’re getting the right follow-up should something happen.”
Early detection and timely care key to breast cancer treatment Bonnie Svoboda spent 10 years caring for her father, who suffered from dementia and other medical issues. When he died last year, it was time to pay better attention to her own health. She lost weight, made her regular care appointments and was feeling healthy. The one thing she still needed to do was schedule a mammogram.
Bonnie Svoboda
she said. “And I was able to make an appointment online. I didn’t have to place any phone calls and I got in immediately.”
Breast surgeon Nora Jaskowiak, MD, Surgical Director of the UChicago Medicine Breast Center, recommended a lumpectomy and sentinel node biopsy with reconstructive surgery. “After the biopsy, it was really terrifying for me,” Svoboda said. “But since I’ve been diagnosed, I had the lumps removed, and then the breast reconstructive surgery. I feel extremely lucky that I acted upon it when I did.”
Like many women, she tried to ignore it at first. “I thought it was likely hormonal – but this was different,” said Svoboda, who lives in Orland Park. “Some days it was there; some days it wasn’t. Then I thought ‘It’s a lump, get it checked out.’”
After her screening mammogram at UChicago Medicine Orland Park showed something suspicious, she was referred for a follow-up sonogram. The staff at Solis Mammography scheduled her within a few days. “The woman who called said, ‘Don’t panic – just come in on Monday. We’ll take more pictures and get to the bottom of it.’ It was a really quick turnaround where I wasn’t driving myself crazy thinking, ‘What’s happening?’”
Jaskowiak said Svoboda’s case, which had a positive outcome, illustrates the importance of yearly mammograms. “Screening mammography saves lives through early detection. We have data to support this,” Jaskowiak said. “If you suspect that there is a problem in your breast, please get it checked out as soon as possible. The earlier the better. Help is here.”
After doing research, she chose Solis Mammography, the mammography partner of UChicago Medicine. “They had the things that I was looking for in a mammogram, with the 3D technology and the comfort,”
On her return visit, the radiologist found three lumps in her left breast. She was able to get a biopsy the same day, which confirmed ductal carcinoma in situ, stage 1A. Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is the most
Today, Svoboda goes in for routine follow-up visits and says she feels great. “I want other women to know there is help out there, and that they shouldn’t ignore signs from their bodies.”
She did, however, perform regular breast self exams and in December of 2020, she felt a lump.
book an appointment online, visit solismammo.com. The new Chicago-area mammography centers are located at: Solis Mammography Orland Park (inside UChicago Medicine Orland Park) 14290 S. La Grange Road, Suite 4200 Orland Park
The Orland Park care team: Irene Prewitt, patient service representative, left, and Bridget Mutter, lead technologist
Solis Mammography River East (inside UChicago Medicine River East) 355 E. Grand Ave., Suite 202 Chicago
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New heart for a young COVID-19 survivor Al Brown thought he’d won the battle against COVID-19 when he was discharged after a week at University of Chicago Medicine Ingalls Memorial Hospital. But a few weeks later, the 31-year-old started having chest pains. His legs and ankles swelled, and even small tasks made him unusually tired. Brown was readmitted and received a shocking diagnosis: heart failure caused by COVID-19. Doctors at UChicago Medicine immediately listed him for a heart transplant, and after only 12 days on the waiting list, he underwent successful transplant surgery in October 2020.
Brown had no risk factors, no other medical conditions and no family history. “We tested him for a number of things and he was not positive for any of them,” said Bow (Ben) Chung, MD, Brown’s cardiologist. “We just knew there was general damage to the heart. There were signs on his MRI of chronic myocarditis that he may have developed in May (2020), when he had COVID-19.
“When they told me it was my heart, I was more shocked than anything,” Brown said. “I had no previous health issues. I’d never even taken medication for anything before this, so I didn’t know why COVID-19 was affecting me so much.” What happened to Brown is also occurring worldwide. In a small and seemingly random group of people with COVID-19, the virus travels into the organs and damages them, sometimes so severely that a transplant is required. “I don’t think we understand yet the exact mechanisms for why this happens, but I know we will in the near future,” said heart transplant surgeon Valluvan Jeevanandam, MD, Director of the UChicago Medicine Heart and Vascular Center. “I think it’s going to lead to increased demand for organ transplants. We will start seeing more people with COVID myocarditis, and, if it lingers, they will need a heart transplant.”
Exercise physiologist Tyler Lawrence, left, assists patient Al Brown during a recovery workout.
myocarditis — inflammation of the heart muscle — and Co-Director of the Heart and Vascular Center, said this happens to less than 3% of patients hospitalized with COVID-19.
UChicago Medicine cardiologist Sean Pinney, MD, an expert on COVID-19
“There does not seem to be a specific risk profile to identify patients who are more or less likely to suffer myocarditis,” said Pinney, who also leads UChicago Medicine’s Post-COVID Recovery Clinic. “Anecdotally, it does seem more common in younger patients, particularly those in their 20s to 40s.”
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“Because he was young and healthy, he could hide the symptoms of heart failure. Young people like Mr. Brown who have heart failure can seem like they’re well for a long period of time, but when they get sick, they can fall off a cliff,” Chung said. “By the time he was back in the hospital, his heart was functioning at only 10% capacity.” Starting in March, Brown began doing a customized, cardiac rehab program three times a week at UChicago Medicine. His program includes an hour of walking and running on a treadmill, biking and weight lifting. He also attends educational sessions about his heart, nutrition, stressors, medication and anatomy. His exercise physiologist said the young father of two has been a rehab “star.” “I feel like a brand-new person,” Brown said.
COVID-19 VACCINE
MYTHS
VS.
FACTS
Myth: I had COVID-19, so I don’t need the vaccine. Fact: With natural infection there is a level of uncertainty on how the antibodies will respond, and immunity is really specific Antibody to that particular variant. On the other hand, we do know that the vaccine is very protective for most variants. In most people, getting vaccinated generates a lot of antibodies. Virus
Myth: The vaccine will expose me to the virus and could allow me to spread it other people. Fact: mRNA and vector-based vaccines do not contain COVID-19, living or dead. They won’t give you COVID-19 or cause you to shed the virus to others. Myth: I’m young and healthy—I don’t need the vaccine. Fact:
The way people respond to COVID-19 is unpredictable, and this includes those who don’t knowingly have high-risk conditions. Getting vaccinated protects not only you, but also those who are close to you and people who aren’t able to get vaccinated.
The vaccine is like a seatbelt. You don’t think you’re going to be in an accident, but it’s worth wearing so you have protection just in case.
Myth: There’s still a chance of getting COVID-19 after the vaccine, so there’s no point in getting vaccinated. Fact: No vaccination is 100% effective. However, your chances of getting COVID-19 are much lower after vaccination, and you are much less likely to be seriously ill or have complications after vaccination. This is because your immune system is primed and ready to fight off the virus before it can cause a lot of damage.
Learn more about the COVID-19 vaccine:
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A new challenge Groundbreaking surgery stops 11-year-old’s seizures Zachary Kurek’s epilepsy, caused by a stroke at birth, was getting worse as he got older. Anything startling — a loud noise or a barking dog — could trigger a seizure.
Zachary Kurek
The seizures caused the 11-year-old Northwest Indiana boy to suffer countless bad bruises, and even a few broken bones and teeth. Medication didn’t help. He was becoming depressed, his mother said, and having trouble sleeping. With Zachary facing a lifetime of seizures, his family turned to the epilepsy experts at the University of Chicago Medicine. After studying Zachary’s case, surgeons proposed disconnecting the two sides of his brain using a new laser technique. That way, if seizure activity occurred in the left side of his brain — damaged by the stroke — it would be unable to send signals to the right side of the brain or to the fibers that transmit seizure activity. Neurosurgeon Peter Warnke, MD, performed the eight-hour, minimally invasive laser functional hemispherectomy surgery in February 2021 — only the second time the surgery was performed worldwide. A laser hemispherectomy is a highly complex, risky and challenging operation to help people with epilepsy. UChicago Medicine, which is a Level 4 Pediatric Epilepsy Center, has performed about 250 laser surgeries, Warnke estimated. But to completely disconnect a whole hemisphere with implanted laser fibers was a new challenge. Rather than remove a portion of the skull to access the brain, Warnke and his team drew on their previous research, which they were first to publish, suggesting that interstitial lasers could be used to disconnect the two hemispheres of the brain. During the procedure, five small holes about the size of coffee stirrers were drilled into Zachary’s head and catheters were inserted. Five laser fibers were inserted into those catheters and moved deep into Zachary’s brain. Constant guidance from an MRI scanner, which provided the exact location and temperature of the laser fibers every seven seconds, allowed Warnke to use the laser’s heated tip to ablate and seal off the connections between the two brain hemispheres. “If we could replace open surgery with this, that would be a major breakthrough,” said Warnke, UChicago
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Medicine’s Director of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery. Future laser epilepsy surgeries at UChicago Medicine Comer Children’s Hospital will be done using a new state-of-the-art robot, which will be able to insert the laser fibers in the brain with greater speed and precision, shortening the surgery time. Julia Henry, MD, Zachary’s neurologist and epileptologist, encourages parents whose children are not having success with seizure medications to talk to their doctors about surgical options.
JULIA HENRY, MD
“Disconnecting half my child’s brain? That’s a lot for any parent to process. But the results can be so dramatic,” Henry said. “The kids come to us so impaired. They have bad, frequent seizures. Life is really a struggle. There are a lot of patients who might be good candidates for this, and this minimally invasive approach might open up the option for them.” Zachary hasn’t had a seizure since the surgery, though he remains on antiseizure medication for now. Mother and son were getting out of the car recently when a wind gust suddenly slammed the car door shut. Instinctively, Zachary braced himself for a seizure, but then realized nothing was happening. He looked at his mom, smiled and said, “Oh yeah! I don’t have seizures anymore!”
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PETER WARNKE, MD
FINDING ‘ PEACE OF THE MIND, BODY AND SOUL’
It took 30 years for Calumet City resident Edward Murray, 73, to decide he needed a higher level of care for his lifelong struggle with depression. Recently, he sought treatment at University of Chicago Medicine Ingalls Memorial Hospital. After group therapy as part of the Intensive Outpatient Program, he came out with permanent, grounding solutions to keep his depression in check. The retired Army veteran struggled with feelings of anger and sadness throughout his life. A mental health evaluation through his company’s employee assistance program decades ago resulted in a depression diagnosis. “I couldn’t catch myself before I snapped on people,” Murray said. “I thought I was a jolly person, but I could go off like a rocket. The evaluation still shocked me. At the time I thought I had a pretty good hold on my life.” While Murray sometimes denied he had a problem and also struggled to find the time for long-term treatment, his biggest hurdle was a stigma that, as a Black man, getting help for mental health meant he was weak.
primary care physician referred him to psychiatrist Joseph Beck, MD,* at UChicago Medicine Ingalls Memorial. Murray participated in the Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP), offered through UChicago Medicine at Ingalls - Tinley Park, virtually amid the pandemic last year. The program provides support and treatment through group therapies focused on counseling, education and medication management during sessions lasting three hours each, three days a week, for six to eight weeks. “IOP is by far the hardest ‘sell’ for my patients. They have a fear of commitment, yet they get the greatest reward,” said Beck, Executive Medical Director for Behavioral Health at UChicago Medicine Ingalls Memorial. He described the program as a “mental health boot camp.” Murray said he thinks of the tools he learned at group therapy, such as mindfulness and meditation, like wrenches and hammers in a tool box. “When I was working, I didn’t use every tool in my tool bag every day, but I took comfort in knowing I had them,” he said.
He wished he had learned these techniques “I knew the folks I hung out with wouldn’t take much earlier in life and encourages others it well. I thought, ‘Don't real men just shake it struggling with mental health to reach out for off? What would my homies think?’ I wasn’t help. going to admit that I needed professional help,” “This is your chance to get out from under the Murray said. weight of your thoughts, to get what you came After his retirement in 2011, Murray noticed for,” he said. “This is your opportunity. I lived his mental health deteriorating, and he began a life hunting for this: peace of the mind, body having intrusive, negative thoughts. His and soul.”
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CARE UCHICAGO MEDICINE AT INGALLS Calumet City | Flossmoor | Tinley Park Outpatient behavioral health services for adults Ingalls Memorial Hospital, Harvey Inpatient care for adults Outpatient behavioral health services for adults and adolescents Learn more: UChicagoMedicine.org/behavioral-health
Edward Murray
*Joseph Beck, MD, is a UChicago Medicine Medical Group provider. UChicago Medicine Medical Group is comprised of UCM Care Network Medical Group, Inc., and Primary Healthcare Associates, S.C. UChicago Medicine Medical Group providers are not employees or agents of The University of Chicago Medical Center, The University of Chicago, UChicago Medicine Ingalls Memorial, UChicago Medicine Dearborn Station, UChicago Medicine Medical Group – Homewood, UChicago Medicine at Ingalls – Tinley Park, UChicago Medicine River East, or UChicago Medicine Orland Park.
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Learning from local communities The University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine’s Graduate Medical Education (GME) department’s new Community Champions program gives resident physicians the chance to work with and learn from local underserved communities. “Our hope is that once medical residents get involved in the community, they’ll commit to staying,” said GME Associate Dean Anita Blanchard, MD. In 2020, of 330 residency program graduates, 55 chose to practice in Chicago. And only eight decided to practice on the South Side, where scarcity of healthcare providers — particularly those of color — contributes to health disparities and affects health outcomes and life expectancies for predominantly Black and brown communities. The first group of Community Champions included 33 participants from 19 residency programs, including 21 people of color and 25 women. Participants primarily supported COVID-19 vaccine outreach efforts organized by the Urban Health Initiative (UHI), UChicago Medicine’s community health division. UHI has been working to overcome vaccine hesitancy and promote access and education in South Side neighborhoods hard hit by the pandemic. As part of this outreach, Community Champions
2021 Community Champions Jessica Long, MD, Ruth Tangonan, MD, and Hasanga Samaraweera, MD, at a COVID-19 vaccine clinic on the South Side.
served as panelists at virtual community meetings, guest hosts on a community health radio program, spokespersons for public service announcements, and even participants in a community cooking demonstration. Champions also volunteered to administer vaccines at a pop-up clinic serving the Roseland and Washington Heights communities. Chidimma Acholonu, MD, MPH, a thirdyear pediatric resident, said she appreciates
the opportunity to serve and learn beyond the medical campus. “What makes residency at UChicago Medicine unique is the identity of the neighborhoods we serve — not just the need, but the rich history and unique potential to impact change,” Acholonu said. “The long hours of residency can make it hard to remember the humanity of the work that we do, but the Community Champions program has created a space where community engagement is more intentionally part of my purpose as a physician.”
Supporting summer programs that keep kids safe Through Southland RISE — the University of Chicago Medicine’s violence prevention and trauma recovery partnership with Advocate Health Care — 30 grassroots organizations on the South Side have received $350,000 for their summer youth programs since 2019.
Abril Garcia participates in a Youth Leadership Council event with grant recipient Alliance of the SouthEast (ASE). ASE provides leadership training to African American and Latinx youth to give them a voice in the community, engage them in positive activities, and unite them around anti-violence initiatives.
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This year, Southland RISE (Resilience Initiative to Strengthen and Empower) awarded $150,000 to 15 organizations for their youth programs. These programs are centered on such activities as reading, education enrichment, training in conflict resolution, digital storytelling, community building, mentoring, music instruction and sports.
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“The summer months present a critical safety challenge for many of the youth we serve, so we are intentional about creating opportunities to keep them engaged,” said Christa Hamilton, Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director of Centers for New Horizons, a 2021 grant recipient. “The grant will help us address some of the challenges our community faces.” Launched in 2019, Southland RISE works to strengthen and integrate existing violence recovery and trauma care services for the areas served by the two medical systems.
PURSUING NEW RESEARCH DIRECTIONS Gift supports study examining celiac disease’s neurological impact After giving birth, Catharon “Cat” Miller noticed changes in her ability to focus. She struggled to read simply written materials, including a basic spreadsheet she created to track her daughter’s feeding and sleep schedule. A business school graduate who was normally incredibly productive, Miller knew something was wrong, but couldn’t pinpoint the cause, so assumed it was connected to being a new mother. It wasn’t until two years later that she considered whether something she was eating might be affecting her ability to focus. Through family friends Laura Davis, Inaugural Chair of the newly formed Celiac Disease Center’s Leadership Council, and Tony Davis, Miller learned about the University of Chicago Celiac Disease Center, where she was diagnosed with celiac disease. An autoimmune disease, celiac disease is triggered by the ingestion of gluten, which leads to damage in the small intestine. While researchers have long understood the physical symptoms of celiac disease, including nausea and abdominal pain, they have only recently begun to explore its neurological impact. To further understand how celiac disease might contribute to the “brain fog” symptoms reported by Miller and others, which can range from difficulty focusing to anxiety, depression and panic attacks, Bana Jabri, MD, PhD, the center’s Director of Research, is conducting a first-of-its-kind research project in collaboration with Jean Decety, PhD, Irving B. Harris Distinguished Service Professor of Psychology, and Sonia Kupfer, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine. Encouraged by the promise of this research, Cat and her husband, Brian Miller, a University of Chicago Medical Center trustee, made a generous donation to advance the project.
Bana Jabri, MD, PhD, left, and Sonia Kupfer, MD
Based on mounting evidence, Jabri suspects that cytokines, small proteins released following gluten exposure in people with celiac disease, not only cause gastrointestinal distress but may also alter brain function. The study will determine if cytokine release is the culprit behind brain fog. This research may also shed light on neurological issues reported by patients with other conditions, such as cancer, COVID-19 and inflammatory bowel disease. Identifying brain fog as a true phenomenon could help validate patients’ experiences and allow them to get the support they need. Jabri is especially grateful to the Millers. “This is a perfect example of why philanthropy is needed to advance science,” she said. “If I went to the National Institutes of Health with this project tomorrow, there’s no chance it would get funded, because we don’t yet have the preliminary data. Philanthropic funding is the driver that allows us to explore innovative ideas and opens the pathway for new research directions.”
We are excited to support this foundational research, which will not only advance our understanding of the mechanisms underlying brain fog among celiac patients, but could also lead to larger studies and new therapies that target this at a neurological level.” B RIAN M ILLE R
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