Author Archive
Pancreatic Cancer Takes the Lives of Beloved U.S. Icons
Alex Trebek and U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg brought awareness to the disease that is the 3rd leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the U.S. that has a 5-year survival rate of 10%.
An Act of Kindness that Changed a Life
When Curtis Exum, 62 of Torrington, was admitted to the Oncology Unit at UConn John Dempsey Hospital, his diagnosis was not good and his spirits were worse. “As soon as I came here, I wanted to go home,” says Exum. “I was really low and my sanity was in a bad place.” Sammy Myers, a […]
I Think of Strokes Happening in Older People, Not Me
A sunny, hot day on the golf course in July, Karen Walsh’s life as she knew it changed. Having the greatest round ever and working toward a new personal best, she was getting ready to drive the ball when she had a sudden onset of dizziness. Thinking she was just dehydrated, she drank liquids but […]
UConn Center on Aging Study Seeks to Decrease COVID-19 Severity by Improving Immune Health in Older Adults
During the COVID-19 pandemic, older adults have been among the most impacted groups. People over the age of 65 are particularly vulnerable, developing more severe disease, worse outcomes, and a nearly 100-fold increased risk of dying when compared to younger individuals. UConn Center on Aging at UConn Health will be leading an NIH-funded clinical trial […]
3D Printed Prosthetic Breast Grant Awarded to UConn Health
The Connecticut Breast Health Initiative has awarded a $50,000 grant to the Biomedical Engineering Department at UConn Health. The grant announced during Breast Cancer Awareness month is the largest of three to be awarded. It will be used to fund its Personalized 3D Printed Breast Forms Project, which will create personalized 3D breast forms for […]
Genetic Testing for Breast Cancer Reveals Rare Disorder
An odd lump on Elizabeth Cowles Johnston’s breast prompted a Friday morning call to her primary care physician Rebecca Andrews at UConn Health. Dr. Andrews quickly fit her in, and upon checking the lump sent her to Dr. Alex Merkulov, Section Head of Women’s Imaging at the Beekley Imaging Center at UConn Health for a […]
Earlier Detection with Low-Dose Mammograms
While mammograms have been proven necessary screening for early signs of breast cancer, women typically don’t look forward to the uncomfortable annual visit. But now, new low dose mammography technology available at UConn Health captures clearer images with less time in compression and half the dose of radiation. In the past year, the Beekley Imaging […]
Ovarian Cancer Caught Early with Genetic Testing
Lisa Baxter of Stafford Springs was 51 when she started having issues that were attributed to pre-menopause. When her niece who was seven years younger than her was diagnosed with a genetic form of ovarian cancer she decided that she should undergo genetic testing. Some ovarian cancers cluster in families. These cancers are described as […]
World Alzheimer’s Day Raises Awareness of Alzheimer’s Disease
Every 65 seconds someone in the U.S. develops Alzheimer’s disease. There is no treatment or cure for the clinical progression of the disease. Current treatments temporarily improve symptoms of the disease. As the sixth leading cause of death, 1 in 3 seniors dies with Alzheimer’s disease or another dementia. It kills more than breast cancer […]
How a Hip Study may have Prevented a Fatal Heart Condition
Connie Ali, 88 of Farmington, came to the UConn Center on Aging for her final appointment as part of the STEP-HI clinical trial that she had taken part in after she had broken her hip. However, during this final visit, the study team would catch a condition that, if undiagnosed and untreated could have led […]