Category Archives: brain/neurology

National media featuring Lola Muñoz raise attention for deadly brain cancer

Posted on September 28, 2018 by

BY AMBER SMITH Photographs of a 12-year-old patient of Melanie Comito, MD, accompanied recent stories in the Washington Post and National Geographic magazine. Lola Muñoz lived for 19 months after her diagnosis with a deadly brain cancer called DIPG, diffuse intrinsic … Continue reading →

Posted in brain/neurology, cancer, drugs/medications/pharmacy, health care, patient story, Upstate Golisano Children's Hospital/pediatrics | Tagged ,

Giving hope to youth affected by cancer

Posted on September 21, 2018 by

BY SUSAN KEETER Charlie Poole, 16, went hiking in Highland Forest last spring. It was an accomplishment for a young man who, 26 months earlier, was diagnosed with a brain tumor that left him with weakness in the right side … Continue reading →

Posted in adolescents, brain/neurology, cancer, drugs/medications/pharmacy, health care, patient story, Upstate Golisano Children's Hospital/pediatrics, volunteers | Tagged , ,

Putting heads together: Brain researchers collaborate to understand and battle dementia, addiction, schizophrenia and more

Posted on August 31, 2018 by

BY AMBER SMITH What do drug addiction, neurodevelopmental disorders and dementia have in common? All three disorders have origins in the brain, with causes and potential treatment methods that tend to overlap. For instance, they are all caused, at least in … Continue reading →

Posted in addiction, aging/geriatrics, Alzheimer's/dementia, brain/neurology, health care, psychology/psychiatry, research | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Clot-busting medicine saved her from stroke: Retired physician assistant knew something wasn’t right

Posted on August 22, 2018 by

BY JIM HOWE Eileen Rosecrants became alarmed during a phone call. “I couldn’t speak clearly,” she recalls of that evening last fall. It wasn’t that her speech was slurred. She couldn’t figure out what to say, so she abruptly hung up, … Continue reading →

Posted in brain/neurology, emergency medicine/trauma, health care, patient story, physical therapy/rehabilitation, stroke | Tagged , , , ,

A remarkable recovery: His stroke care included fast-moving, coordinated efforts by his wife, ambulance crew and specialists at Upstate

Posted on August 13, 2018 by

BY JIM HOWE Dave Cartner has a remarkable story to share. The patient The 50-year-old Marcellus resident had finished breakfast on Feb. 13 and was about to leave for his job as a meat supervisor for a local food chain. … Continue reading →

Posted in brain/neurology, emergency medicine/trauma, health care, HealthLink on Air, medical imaging/radiology, patient story, stroke, surgery | Tagged , , , ,

Off-duty nurse spots stroke in progress, springs into action at restaurant

Posted on August 8, 2018 by

BY JIM HOWE If an Upstate nurse had not decided to take a photo after dining out with a friend, another restaurant patron’s stroke could have turned out much worse. Cassandra “Sandi” Bradford, a diabetes nurse educator, was dining with … Continue reading →

Posted in brain/neurology, diabetes/endocrine/metabolism, health care, Joslin Diabetes Center, nursing, patient story, stroke | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

‘Living a miracle’: Recovering from rare disorder that causes nerve damage, paralysis

Posted on August 3, 2018 by

BY SUSAN KEETER March 16 was a typical day for Barbara King, 79. She cooked meals and did housekeeping for the brothers at Christian Brothers Academy. She took her huskies, Cody and Daisy, on a two-mile walk. That Friday evening, … Continue reading →

Posted in brain/neurology, health care, physical therapy/rehabilitation | Tagged

A change of plans: Stroke affects family routine, son’s career path

Posted on April 18, 2018 by

BY JIM McKEEVER John Licata had a decade of experience in TV/film, print and marketing when he made an abrupt career change. It was Father’s Day weekend of 2013. His father, John Licata Sr., suffered a stroke that left him … Continue reading →

Posted in brain/neurology, health care, health careers, physical therapy/rehabilitation, stroke

Understanding microRNA: Tiny keys could unlock treasure trove of medical knowledge

Posted on February 21, 2018 by

BY JIM HOWE Researchers at Upstate are looking at tiny bits of genetic material that could open up new ways of understanding diseases and how the mind and body work. The material is called microRNA and is present in saliva, … Continue reading →

Posted in autism, brain/neurology, health care, HealthLink on Air, research | Tagged , , , , , ,

A huge mission: Upstate scientist explores how stem cell therapy may repair brain damage from stroke or Alzheimer’s

Posted on February 14, 2018 by

BY AMBER SMITH Li-Ru Zhao’s father, Jintian Zhao, was in his mid-60s in 1973 when a blood clot clogged a vessel in his brain and he suffered a stroke. Doctors in China, where he lives, suggested acupuncture or physical therapy … Continue reading →

Posted in Alzheimer's/dementia, brain/neurology, health care, research, stroke