Arizona - Mayo Clinic News Network https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/category/arizona/ News Resources Tue, 14 Oct 2025 14:26:25 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.3 Innovation in epilepsy care: Alternatives to medication seek to reset, repair brain, expert explains https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/innovation-in-epilepsy-care-alternatives-to-medication-seek-to-reset-repair-brain-expert-explains/ Tue, 14 Oct 2025 14:00:00 +0000 https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/?p=406871 November is Epilepsy Awareness Month PHOENIX — Medication has long been the cornerstone of treatment for people with epilepsy, but it doesn't stop seizures for everyone and may come with significant side effects. New options in use or under development include devices and gene and cell therapies aimed at resetting or rehabilitating the brain circuits […]

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Illustration of a brain with brain waves in epilepsy

November is Epilepsy Awareness Month

PHOENIX — Medication has long been the cornerstone of treatment for people with epilepsy, but it doesn't stop seizures for everyone and may come with significant side effects. New options in use or under development include devices and gene and cell therapies aimed at resetting or rehabilitating the brain circuits that cause seizures, explains Dr. Jonathon Parker, a neurosurgeon at Mayo Clinic in Phoenix and director of the Device-Based Neuroelectronics Research Lab.

The objective is a personalized approach that provides patients with the safest, most effective treatment options for them, Dr. Parker says.

"Epilepsy on its own is very impactful on quality of life. You have these intermittent, unpredictable events or spells — electrical storms in the brain — that can affect your ability to communicate and control your body. Often, people lose consciousness," he says. "It's a really challenging disease to live with."

Medication controls seizures in many patients, but it can come with side effects such as sleepiness, cognitive changes, mood changes and a feeling of mental fogginess, further affecting quality of life, Dr. Parker explains.

Epilepsy is one of the world's most common neurological diseases. Roughly 50 million people have it, global statistics show. It can affect anyone of any age. Possible causes include genetics, brain damage, brain tumors, stroke and other blood vessel diseases, and some infections. Often, the cause of a person's epilepsy remains unknown.

"In up to one-third of patients with epilepsy medications eventually fail to control seizures," Dr. Parker says. In those cases, surgery to remove or ablate the part of the brain causing seizures has typically been the next option explored, he adds. In ablation, laser energy is channeled to disable epileptic tissue.

"However, there has been a paradigm shift and now we have new options to try to electrically rehabilitate abnormal circuitry that's causing seizures, a type of treatment called neuromodulation," Dr. Parker says. "And we're investigating regenerative therapies to try to get to the root cause and repair the brain at the cellular or molecular level rather than remove brain tissue or reset the brain."

Neuromodulation

Using deep brain stimulation techniques, neuroscientists at Mayo Clinic are looking for early signals in the brain to help stop seizures. In their biomarker discovery initiative, a team of researchers assesses how different stimulation patterns affect different parts of the brain.

"We're looking for that brain signal fingerprint that yes, these are the right stimulation settings that are pushing the brain toward a state where seizures are less likely," Dr. Parker says. "For patients having multiple attacks, sometimes per day or per week, if we're able to dramatically reduce them, it allows them to live their life in a much more predictable fashion, easier for them to do the things that they like to do in life without having to live in fear of these uncontrolled neurological attacks."

Deep brain stimulation involves implanting electrodes in the brain that produce electrical impulses to treat certain medical conditions, such as epilepsy. The team includes engineers, clinicians and neuroscientists who analyze the brain's electrical signals and extract meaning for the right settings for an individual patient's deep brain stimulation device.

Neural cell therapy

Dr. Parker and colleagues are studying cell-based therapies to help the brain restore its ability to regulate its electrical activity.

"You can think of epilepsy at some level as a disorder of abnormal regulation of brain neurons. In a healthy brain, some things excite the brain, and some things inhibit the brain. There's a never-ending balance of exciting neurons and quieting neurons down that allows the brain to function normally," he explains.

In people with epilepsy, the brain sometimes loses interneurons, the neurons that slow things down.

"You have this tendency for neurons to get very excited and then draw other neurons into that, creating a rhythmic electrical activity in the brain known as a seizure," Dr. Parker says.

The idea behind cell therapy is to transplant interneurons into the area of the brain affected by epilepsy, the temporal lobe, so the interneurons persist and help to restore the normal balance, he says.

Gene therapy

Dr. Parker is co-leader of a Mayo research team investigating potential gene therapy for epilepsy.

The approach in gene therapy is to look at specific ion channels or proteins in cells that control whether a cell is going to be active or inactive, he explains. In epilepsy, some of those gatekeepers do not work normally.

"They open and close incorrectly, or they stay open or close too long. Neurons get excited, and that excitement spreads in an uncontrolled fashion and a seizure happens," Dr. Parker says.

The team is studying the use of an adenovirus, a common virus in the body, to deliver therapy to reduce the activity of genes in the part of the brain where seizures are coming from, he says. 

"The options that we have are changing," Dr. Parker says. "They're improving year after year."

For more information about innovations in epilepsy care, visit mayoclinic.org.

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About Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit organization committed to innovation in clinical practice, education and research, and providing compassion, expertise and answers to everyone who needs healing. Visit the Mayo Clinic News Network for additional Mayo Clinic news.

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Mayo Clinic Minute: MRI for dense breasts — what to know https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/mayo-clinic-minute-mri-for-dense-breasts-what-to-know/ Mon, 06 Oct 2025 12:27:00 +0000 https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/?p=395466 Nearly half of all women who have had a mammogram to screen for breast cancer have been identified as having dense breasts. This makes it more challenging to detect breast cancer because dense tissue and tumors both appear white on a mammogram. That's one reason why it's recommended to have an additional screening done. But which […]

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Nearly half of all women who have had a mammogram to screen for breast cancer have been identified as having dense breasts. This makes it more challenging to detect breast cancer because dense tissue and tumors both appear white on a mammogram. That's one reason why it's recommended to have an additional screening done. But which one?

Dr. Richard Sharpe Jr., a Mayo Clinic radiologist, says it's crucial to talk with your healthcare team to find the screening method that is right for you. An MRI is one option. Reporter Jason Howland has more.

Watch: The Mayo Clinic Minute

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"The first thing to know if you get notified is that dense breast tissue is completely normal. 

Half of all women will have dense tissue," says Dr. Sharpe.

He says dense breasts are identified through a mammogram. Additional testing is the next step.

"The most widely available supplemental screening test for women with dense tissues is probably an ultrasound of the breast or an MRI," says Dr. Sharpe. "There have been lots of studies showing that MRI is the most sensitive test for finding breast cancer."

An MRI is meant to be used along with a mammogram, not instead.

"MRI is the most sensitive test we have for finding breast cancer. It can see through density. It can find hard-to-see, small cancers," says Dr. Sharpe.

But it's not for everyone. You'll lie face down on a table and then guided into the MRI machine."Some patients that have challenges with claustrophobia might struggle to be comfortable in the smaller space of the MRI scanner," explains Dr. Sharpe.

Dr. Richard Sharpe looks at breast images from MRI screening
Dr. Richard Sharpe examines MRI breast screening images

The benefit is clear, he says.

"Women with dense tissue or high risk for breast cancer that undergo breast MRI, we are able to see cancers that would be hiding from the mammogram."

Supplemental screening options

Other supplemental screening options include molecular breast imaging (MBI), ultrasound and contrast-enhanced mammography. 

Dr. Sharpe says choosing what screening method works for you is an individual decision that should be made with your healthcare team, but he says it's important to start with your annual screening.

"The most important thing for women to know is that you should get your annual mammogram, starting at age 40. Also, if you have dense tissue, consider a supplemental screening, another imaging test looking at the breast tissues in a different way — and you should get that exam regularly as well," he says.

An ultrasound technician positions a patient for a mammogram
An ultrasound technician positions a patient for a mammogram

"The most important thing for women to know is that you should get your annual mammogram, starting at age 40. Also, if you have dense tissue, consider a supplemental screening, another imaging test looking at the breast tissues in a different way — and you should get that exam regularly as well," he says.

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(VIDEO) Robotic kidney transplant, when innovation meets family https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/video-robotic-kidney-transplant-when-innovation-meets-family/ Mon, 29 Sep 2025 12:52:01 +0000 https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/?p=406286 For the first time at Mayo Clinic in Arizona, surgeons have performed a robotic kidney transplant — a minimally invasive procedure designed to ease recovery with smaller incisions, less pain and reduced risk of wound complications. That innovation came at a critical moment for 74-year-old Joe Harris. His daughter-in-law, Brooke, made the extraordinary decision to donate her kidney, […]

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For the first time at Mayo Clinic in Arizona, surgeons have performed a robotic kidney transplant — a minimally invasive procedure designed to ease recovery with smaller incisions, less pain and reduced risk of wound complications.

That innovation came at a critical moment for 74-year-old Joe Harris. His daughter-in-law, Brooke, made the extraordinary decision to donate her kidney, and together with this new surgical approach, it gave Joe not just better health, but a renewed future.

Watch: Robotic kidney transplant, when innovation meets family

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"You're a match."

The words Brooke Harris was waiting for. Now, to share the news with her father-in-law.

Joe Harris had been on a kidney transplant waiting list since 2016. Worried about his age and ability to care for his wife, he was eager to find a match.

"I just was afraid that things were going to run out and I would get to a point that I could only be on dialysis, and then I wouldn't be, wouldn't be able to take care of her," says Joe.

Multiple setbacks in finding a kidney donor deeply affected Brooke.

The Harris family gather for a photo. Joe Harris recieved a kidney from his daughter-in-law, Brooke.
From left: Eric Harris, son; Brooke Harris, daughter-in-law; Joe Harris; and his wife, Marlene Harris.

"As soon as we found out and they told us that that second person didn't work, it was just this deep knowing in me that I need to test and find out. I didn't know why," she says.

And that test was a match. Dr. Michelle Nguyen, a Mayo Clinic transplant surgeon, explains how direct donation works.

"If you have a friend or a loved one who wants to donate a kidney to you, and you match them by blood type and by tissue typing, they can donate their kidney directly to you," says Dr. Nguyen.

Not only would Joe get the organ he had been hoping for, but he'd also be the first patient at Mayo Clinic in Arizona to undergo robotic kidney transplantation.

"I went, 'Good, let's do it.' I had no hesitancy about the robotic thing. The more I learned about it, the more I thought this is going to be kind of cool," Joe says.

"In patients who meet criteria to receive robotic kidney transplant, the goal is that it will provide improved outcomes for the patient — so smaller incisions, less pain, faster recovery, faster return to work or faster return to their day-to-day life," says Dr. Nguyen.

Robotic kidney surgery doesn't replace the surgeon. Instead, it gives surgeons advanced tools to operate, as Dr. Nitin Katariya, a Mayo Clinic transplant surgeon, explains.

Dr. Carrie Jadlowiec and Dr. Michelle Nguyen at console
Dr. Carrie Jadlowiec and Dr. Michelle Nguyen at console

"It is a console that has four arms that can be placed near the bed and then a separate sort of console where you sit apart from the patient, where you can control the arms. And these arms articulate in ways you can control the camera, and you have multiple different instruments that you can switch out to navigate the anatomy and perform your operation," he says.

Dr. Nguyen adds, "One important thing to note about robotic surgery, using this platform, is that at no point in time is the robot making any movements without the surgeons maneuvering the instruments."

For Brooke, she says the experience was easier than she thought.

"Honestly, even going back to the surgery, I have to say it's definitely not as scary as it seems. And recovery was a lot easier than I had anticipated," says Brooke.

And for Joe, his gratitude for his daughter-in-law's selfless donation is hard to put into words.

"How do you thank somebody for that? I don't know. It's so humbling. That's been hard for me, in a way, but I'm grateful. And she knows how I care about her," says Joe.

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Tomorrow’s Cure: Mind meets machine — the future of neurological care https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/tommorows-cure-mind-meets-machine-the-future-of-neurological-care/ Wed, 06 Aug 2025 12:27:08 +0000 https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/?p=404918 On this week's episode of Tomorrow's Cure, we explore brain-computer interfaces (BCIs), cutting-edge technologies that create direct communication pathways between the human brain and external devices. Once considered science fiction, BCIs are now transforming lives.  The podcast episode features Dr. Jonathon Parker, epilepsy and functional neurosurgeon, assistant professor of neurosurgery and neuroscience, and director of the […]

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Tomorrow's Cure future of neurological care

On this week's episode of Tomorrow's Cure, we explore brain-computer interfaces (BCIs), cutting-edge technologies that create direct communication pathways between the human brain and external devices. Once considered science fiction, BCIs are now transforming lives. 

The podcast episode features Dr. Jonathon Parker, epilepsy and functional neurosurgeon, assistant professor of neurosurgery and neuroscience, and director of the Neuroelectronics Research Lab at Mayo Clinic; and Dr. Allen Waziri, neuroscientist and neurosurgeon, and CEO and co-founder of iCE Neurosystems. Together, they discuss the science behind BCIs, current medical applications and the transformative possibilities they hold for the future.

BCIs offer groundbreaking possibilities in the treatment of neurological disorders, with the potential to restore mobility, communication and independence to people affected by severe neurologic injuries or conditions. Already, this technology is enabling users to control prosthetic limbs and digital interfaces through brain activity.

"The brain is a piece of hardware; the brain-computer interface is another piece of hardware we are connecting to the brain," says Dr. Parker. "We are used to communicating through speech, movement, understanding other sensory inputs, right? So this is digitizing those inputs to solve a problem." 

"BCIs, for several decades, is the translation of those electrical potentials that are coming off of the brain into something that we can understand on a computer side that will then functionalize whatever device — a robotic arm, a cursor on a screen, drive a wheelchair, so on and so forth," says Dr. Waziri.

BCIs are being used to assist people with neurological injuries that impair speech or movement. However, experts believe this technology has far greater potential. Beyond restoring motor function, BCIs could pave the way for continuous neurological monitoring and new forms of intervention, opening doors to transformative applications in brain health.

Dr. Parker emphasizes the broader clinical implications of the technology. "When delivered to clinicians so they can just monitor the brain signals overtime, (it) could have tremendous impact for epilepsy, depression, Alzheimer's — these conditions which are affecting huge swaths of our population. That's the future of this technology," he says. 

Don't miss this thought-provoking conversation on the evolving science of BCIs and the remarkable innovations that could redefine human-machine interaction. Listen to the latest episode of Tomorrow's Cure, and explore the full library of episodes and guests at tomorrowscure.com.

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Mayo Clinic in Arizona ranked No. 1 hospital in Arizona for 13th consecutive year by U.S. News & World Report https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/mayo-clinic-in-arizona-ranked-no-1-hospital-in-arizona-for-13th-consecutive-year-by-u-s-news-world-report/ Tue, 29 Jul 2025 04:02:00 +0000 https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/?p=405236 PHOENIX — Mayo Clinic in Arizona is again named the No. 1 hospital in the state and one of the nation's top hospitals in U.S. News & World Report's "Best Hospitals" 2025-2026 rankings. This is the 13th consecutive year Mayo Clinic in Arizona has been ranked the top hospital in the state. For the ninth […]

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Exterior image of Mayo Clinic in Arizona

PHOENIX — Mayo Clinic in Arizona is again named the No. 1 hospital in the state and one of the nation's top hospitals in U.S. News & World Report's "Best Hospitals" 2025-2026 rankings. This is the 13th consecutive year Mayo Clinic in Arizona has been ranked the top hospital in the state. For the ninth year, it also appeared on the magazine’s national Best Hospitals Honor Roll.

"We are honored to be recognized as the top hospital in Arizona and one of the top 20 hospitals in the country. This recognition is a testament to the dedication, expertise, and compassion of all our staff. It is through their daily pursuit of excellence that we are able to deliver the highest level of serious and complex care," says Richard Gray, M.D., CEO of Mayo Clinic in Arizona.

Mayo Clinic in Arizona has also ranked among the top 50 hospitals in the country across 10 specialties and claimed the highest position in the state for each of these areas:

Most of the U.S. News & World Report "Best Hospitals" specialties are measured on factors such as patient experience, patient survival, discharge outcomes, nurse staffing, advanced technology, patient services and reputation as determined by other medical experts. The remaining three specialties – ophthalmology, psychiatry and rheumatology – are measured on reputation only.

Mayo Clinic is a destination for patients seeking hope for serious and complex medical conditions. More than 155,000 patients come to Mayo's Arizona campuses from all 50 states and more than 60 countries each year. Mayo employs 11,000 staff in Arizona and trains the healthcare leaders of the future through allied health certificate programs, medical degrees, and post-graduate training programs as part of the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science.

In 2025, Mayo Clinic announced Bold. Forward. Unbound. in Arizona, a $1.9 billion strategic investment enabling new care concepts, physical spaces and integrated technologies on the Phoenix campus, further advancing Mayo's position as a Category-of-One destination for serious and complex care in the Southwest and beyond.

Mayo Clinic's Transplant Center in Arizona is the top transplant center in the U.S., performing more adult solid organ transplants than any other center in the country. In 2023, transplant teams performed a triple transplant (heart, kidney and liver), and in 2024, Mayo surgeons accomplished one of the first larynx transplants in the country. In 2025, the hospital announced the launch of its new Lung Transplant Program in Arizona, establishing the final cornerstone in its status as a comprehensive, fully integrated adult transplant center.

This year, Mayo Clinic in Arizona was awarded the "Triple Crown" by Healthgrades, one of only 10 hospitals in the country to earn simultaneous top scores for patient safety, experience and outcomes. The Leapfrog Group has recognized Mayo Clinic in Arizona’s patient safety with an A-grade in every grading cycle it has offered.

Since 1987, Mayo Clinic in Arizona has continued to transform healthcare through exceptional patient care, education and research. Development is now underway on Discovery Oasis, a 120-acre biotechnology innovation hub that will co-locate companies from around the world with clinicians, researchers, and educators to advance cures. The design supports a unique collaborative ecosystem that invites innovation and incorporates research facilities, biomanufacturing, and digital and artificial intelligence-based health solutions infrastructure.

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About Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit organization committed to innovation in clinical practice, education and research, and providing compassion, expertise and answers to everyone who needs healing. Visit the Mayo Clinic News Network for additional Mayo Clinic news.

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(VIDEO) When valley fever spreads: Meet Chris and his complex case https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/video-when-valley-fever-spreads-meet-chris-and-his-complex-case/ Tue, 15 Jul 2025 14:18:05 +0000 https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/?p=404778 Fifty-four-year-old Chris Sams of Arizona has been living with coccidioidomycosis, more commonly known as valley fever, for nearly a decade. When his symptoms worsened and standard treatments failed, he turned to Mayo Clinic's Cocci Clinic in Arizona — one of the few centers in the country that treats the most advanced and complicated cases. Now, on […]

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Fifty-four-year-old Chris Sams of Arizona has been living with coccidioidomycosis, more commonly known as valley fever, for nearly a decade. When his symptoms worsened and standard treatments failed, he turned to Mayo Clinic's Cocci Clinic in Arizona — one of the few centers in the country that treats the most advanced and complicated cases.

Now, on a more aggressive antifungal treatment, Chris says Mayo Clinic's multidisciplinary team approach has made all the difference.

Valley fever can be serious, especially when it spreads beyond the lungs. In rare cases, as it did with Chris, the coccidioides infection can reach the brain and cause neurological damage, requiring intensive treatments.

Watch: When valley fever spreads - Meet Chris and his complex case

Journalists: Broadcast-quality video (3:00) is in the downloads at the end of this post. Please courtesy: "Mayo Clinic News Network." Read the script.

"I think I was biking up to 150 miles a week. I was biking quite a bit, lot of wind, lot of sand, lot of dust," says Chris.

That dust may have carried fungal spores that infected Chris with valley fever — a lung infection caused by breathing in spores that live in the soil but can become airborne.

"I was always sick. I was worn down. I lost a massive amount of weight. And that's really what threw us over the edge, is that something was going wrong," he says.

He ended up in the hospital.

"They put me in isolation floor because they didn't know if I had cancer, tuberculosis or if it was the continuance of valley fever," he recalls.

Tests confirmed it was valley fever, also known as coccidioidomycosis or cocci. The majority of people who get cocci recover well on their own, but in a small number of people, like Chris, the fungal spores can spread beyond the lungs, causing severe or even life-threatening symptoms.

"Less than 5% of people have it spread outside of the lung. It can go to many different places: bones, soft tissues and potentially the central nervous system. And, unfortunately, while it is a small percentage of people, when it does get into the central nervous system, it causes potentially devastating consequences," says Dr. Marie Grill, a Mayo Clinic neurologist.

In Chris' case, the spores had spread to his brain. That's when he sought help at Mayo Clinic's Cocci Clinic in Arizona, where a multidisciplinary team of specialists treats the most serious and complex cases of valley fever.

Chris Sams with Dr. Marie Grill, neuro exam, for valley fever
Chris Sams with Dr. Marie Grill

"Now we have our roadmap. We have a direction on where we're going — because otherwise, everything is just spiraling out of control," says Chris.

He began undergoing a special treatment delivered every few weeks right to his brain.

"It's an antifungal medication which can be delivered intravenously but can also be delivered directly into what we call the intrathecal space, which is essentially directly into the spaces where we have the spinal fluid," explains Dr. Grill.

The good news is doctors say Chris is showing signs of improvement.

"They think that there is an end in sight and hopefully we will wean off the intrathecal treatments. I mean, we've weaned it down to every two weeks," he says.

Doctors have yet to determine how long the treatments will need to continue, but Chris is confident he's heading in the right direction, with the right team.

Dr. Marie Grill, Mayo Clinic neurologist, patient Chris Sams who was treated for valley fever in Arizona

"I have the best committed team around that talk to me, care about me, talk to me as a person and want me fixed."

While the Cocci Clinic cares for patients with serious cases of valley fever, Mayo Clinic is also advancing the field with a faster, more accurate test to speed up diagnosis and treatment.

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(VIDEO) A rare cancer. A rare weapon. Curtis Jackson’s inspiring story of survival https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/video-a-rare-cancer-a-rare-weapon-curtis-jacksons-inspiring-story-of-survival/ Wed, 02 Jul 2025 17:33:34 +0000 https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/?p=403352 Curtis Jackson was living his dream life — a loving and supportive wife, three wonderful kids, and a future that looked as bright as could be. Then, one day, without warning, the dream was shattered. At only 46, Curtis was diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma, one of the deadliest and most aggressive forms of cancer. It's a silent […]

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Curtis and Kim Jackson

Curtis Jackson was living his dream life — a loving and supportive wife, three wonderful kids, and a future that looked as bright as could be.

Then, one day, without warning, the dream was shattered.

At only 46, Curtis was diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma, one of the deadliest and most aggressive forms of cancer. It's a silent killer that strikes the liver. It is often diagnosed in later stages, leaving patients with few treatment options and little time to live.

The Jackson family turned to Mayo Clinic, where a team of experts fought the cancer with a weapon rarely used in the battle against this aggressive form of cancer.

Watch: A rare cancer. A rare weapon. Curtis Jackson's inspiring story of survival.

Journalists: Broadcast-quality video (2:17) is in the downloads at the end of this post. Please courtesy: "Mayo Clinic News Network." Read the script.

The rare cancer

Years before his cancer diagnosis, Curtis was diagnosed with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). PSC is a chronic liver disease that causes inflammation and scarring to the bile ducts, which work with the liver to help with digestion.

PSC put the Arizona man at higher risk for liver cancer, requiring him to get regular diagnostic screenings. As with most forms of cancer, but particularly cholangiocarcinoma, doctors say early detection is key to improving patient outcomes.

However, with cholangiocarcinoma, there are often no warning signs or symptoms alerting patients of the need to consult with their doctor about getting screened, until it's too late. In Curtis' case, the cholangiocarcinoma was detected in one of his routine screenings at Mayo Clinic, which doctors say likely helped save his life.

Curtis and Kim Jackson consulting with Dr. Aqel Bashar;cholangiocarcinoma,  a rare cancer led to a treatment at Mayo Clinic.
Curtis and Kim consulting with Dr. Bashar Aqel, director, Mayo Clinic Transplant Center in Arizona

"It's a very rare cancer that tends to grow unnoticed," says Dr. Tanios Bekaii-Saab, an oncologist with the Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center in Arizona. "If the cancer gets to the point where it's too advanced for surgery or transplantation, universally this is a noncurative or noncurable cancer."

The rare weapon

Doctors say a liver transplant can sometimes be an option for some patients. However, not many transplant centers perform liver transplants on patients diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma. Mayo Clinic is one of the few centers that do offer liver transplantation for some patients who meet certain criteria.

In Curtis' case, doctors at Mayo Clinic determined a liver transplant was his best chance for survival.

"We're not just here treating the cancer. We're also treating the disease that led to the cancer."

Dr. Tanios Bekaii-Saab, Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center in Arizona

"It is a unique form of therapy that is based on research that started at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota," says Dr. Bashar Aqel, director of the Mayo Clinic Transplant Center in Arizona.

"We developed some protocols that helped us improve the outcome of transplant in these patients, and without these protocols, a lot of patients with this type of cancer would not make it to transplant," says Dr. Aqel.

"Mayo Clinic's ability to offer this curative option for rare cancers like this has differentiated us from many other transplant centers."

Dr. Bashar Aqel, Director, Mayo Clinic Transplant Center in Arizona

The treatment

Curtis first underwent chemotherapy and radiation at Mayo Clinic. He was then placed on the liver transplant waiting list for a donor organ. While waiting, Curtis says he kept his focus on his family.

"I spent all the time I could with my wife and kids, like basketball practices, homework, anything we could do to help our kids," says Curtis.

When Curtis got the call a donor organ was found, he immediately reported to Mayo Clinic to undergo his lifesaving liver transplant. The surgery was a success. Four weeks later, Curtis was back at home with family recovering well and feeling a deep sense of gratitude for his organ donor and his team at Mayo Clinic.

Curtis with his children following his successful liver transplant, due to his rare cancer.
Curtis with his children following his successful liver transplant Photo courtesy: Jackson family

"Thank you because now I get to see my daughters get married, go to college, I get to see my son live his dreams and go to college and get married," says Curtis. "I get to live and grow old with my wife. I can't say this enough to everyone, 'thank you.'"

"What Mayo has done to make these transplants happen is a miracle."

Curtis Jackson, liver transplant recipient and cancer survivor
Curtis and Kim following his liver transplant Photo courtesy: Jackson family

"We're already observing excellent function from Curtis' new liver, with the majority of his liver tests returning normal results," says Dr. Aqel. "His recovery has been remarkably swift and impressive."

"A lot of love goes out to the people in that family," says Gwyn Jackson, Curtis' oldest daughter in reference to the organ donor's family. "They allowed us to have our dad back and we're so grateful because we love him so much."

Doctors at Mayo Clinic are monitoring Curtis' progress closely. Meanwhile, Curtis' future is back to looking bright, only now with even deeper gratitude in his heart.

"This truly is the gift of life," says Curtis.


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(VIDEO) Breathing easy thanks to the gift of life and new Mayo Clinic Lung Transplant Program in Arizona https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/video-breathing-easy-thanks-to-the-gift-of-life-and-new-mayo-clinic-lung-transplant-program-in-arizona/ Thu, 26 Jun 2025 18:26:37 +0000 https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/?p=404214 Craig Scherer takes a deep breath and a bold step into his second chance at life Lung disease is a condition that affects millions of people worldwide. Some of those diseases, like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, are among the top leading causes of death globally. COPD alone affects over 16 million people, like […]

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Craig Scherer takes a deep breath and a bold step into his second chance at life after a lung transplant at Mayo Clinic.

Craig Scherer takes a deep breath and a bold step into his second chance at life

Lung disease is a condition that affects millions of people worldwide. Some of those diseases, like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, are among the top leading causes of death globally.

COPD alone affects over 16 million people, like Arizona resident Craig Scherer. Craig got treatments to manage his condition, but there's no cure. The disease is progressive, meaning it gets worse over time, making it harder and harder for a person to breathe.

Craig's disease progressed until treatments no longer worked, leaving him gasping for air and facing death. Doctors said his only hope for survival was a lung transplant. 

Craig turned to Mayo Clinic in Phoenix, where doctors just launched a new multidisciplinary, specialized lung transplant program. Craig became the new program's first patient, and today he is breathing easy.

Watch: Breathing easy thanks to the gift of life and Mayo Clinic's new lung transplant program in Arizona

Journalists: Broadcast-quality video (2:43) is in the downloads at the end of this post. Please courtesy: "Mayo Clinic News Network." Read the script.

It was love at first sight for Craig and Nanci Scherer.

They met at a little league game in the spring of 1992. Eight months later, they were married. This year, Craig and Nanci celebrated their 32nd anniversary. 

Their smiles today are just as radiant as on their wedding day.

Nanci and Craig Scherer on their wedding day in 1993. Photo courtesy: Scherer Family

Happiness turns to heartache

The couple raised four children. Their family grew to include 14 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. They planned for retirement and looked forward to the day when they could travel and enjoy their future together.

But when Craig turned 60, life took a sharp turn. He was diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. COPD is a progressive disease that causes damage to the lungs, making it hard to breathe. Treatments can help manage the disease, but there's no cure. As the disease continues its silent assault, quality of life often slowly slips away. 

"I couldn't do things, and even if I could do things, I didn't have the strength to do it or the stamina because my lungs would wear out," says Craig.

Craig's COPD continued to get worse. Eventually he couldn't breathe, walk or even talk. "It was silent at our house. We didn't talk because he couldn't talk. He didn't have the oxygen," says Nanci. "We lived in silence and isolation."

Craig Scherer's lung condition  had frequently landed him in the hospital.
Craig's lung condition frequently landed him in the hospital Photo courtesy: Scherer family

Last hope for survival

Eventually, Craig reached end-stage lung disease. Treatments no longer worked and his health continued to decline. Craig was left with only one last hope for survival, a lung transplant. Craig and Nanci turned to Mayo Clinic in Arizona.

"We see this with patients, when there are no other options, no medical interventions you can do at that point," says Dr. Jonathan D'Cunha, surgical director of the Mayo Clinic Lung Transplant Program in Arizona transplant center

For six years, Dr. D'Cunha had been working on building a multidisciplinary team of medical and surgical experts to create a new lung transplant program at Mayo Clinic in Arizona. 

The transplant center is the largest in the country, performing more adult solid organ transplants than any other center in the U.S. The addition of the lung transplant program establishes Mayo Clinic in Arizona as a comprehensive transplant destination medical center.

The program will provide transplantation for the full range of patients with end-stage lung disease. "This is the beginning of a remarkable new era for lung transplantation in Arizona," says Dr. D'Cunha. "We are excited and honored to offer patients and families renewed hope and a second chance at life through Mayo's unrivaled expertise in comprehensive adult organ transplant care."

Craig became the new program's first patient to receive a lung transplant.

Giving the gift of life

On May 30, 2025, Dr. D'Cunha led a team of surgeons in performing Craig's lung transplant. The surgery was a success, and soon after, Craig was slowly starting to breathe with his new lungs. 

"It is surreal to be able to breathe and not gasp for air when I talk," says Craig, who was up and walking within days of surgery. "I told the doctors when I got here that I will do whatever it takes. I'm 100% committed. If you want me to walk six times a day, I'll walk seven," says Craig.

Craig Scherer walking two days after his lung transplant
Craig two days after his lung transplant Photo courtesy: Scherer family

"He did phenomenal," says Dr. D'Cunha. "His optimism and energy he brought with him is absolutely critical because the stronger you are going into these big operations, the better you are on the other side.

"I'm very proud of Craig. He always amazing me throughout the journey of transplant," says Ashraf Omar, M.B., B.Ch., medical director of the transplant program. "He is a special person. Motivation is the cornerstone of his success."

A fighter's farewell

A joyful farewell from the transplant team as Craig heads home

Two and a half weeks after his transplant, Craig was heading home. The transplant team bid him farewell with a victory celebration with pom-poms waving and confetti raining down.

Watch: Craig crosses the finish line of his journey with a breathtaking victory celebration from Mayo's transplant team.

A few days later, on June 23, Craig returned to Mayo to join his transplant team for a news conference announcing the official launch of the lung transplant program.

It was also Craig's 67th birthday.

"The lungs are my birthday gift, the best birthday gift I could get in the world"

Craig Scherer

In honor of his organ donor and the donor family, Craig used his new lungs to blow out the candles on his birthday cake.

Watch: Craig's heartfelt moment in honor of the gift of life

Craig and Nanci are back at home and looking forward to beginning the next chapter of their story. 

"I have a lot of life left to live in me. Everything is a motivator — my wife, my kids, my grandkids, my health," says Craig. "Before, I had no quality of life and couldn't do anything. Now, there's nothing I can't accomplish." 

Craig and Nanci holding a lung transplant pillow signed by everyone on the transplant team

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Mayo Clinic in Arizona announces launch of new lung transplant program offering hope and restored function to patients facing advanced lung disease https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/mayo-clinic-in-arizona-announces-launch-of-new-lung-transplant-program-providing-life-saving-hope-and-restored-function-to-patients-battling-advanced-lung-disease/ Tue, 24 Jun 2025 01:48:16 +0000 https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/?p=404010 First patient celebrates 67th birthday using his new lungs to blow out candles on his birthday cake in honor of receiving the gift of life PHOENIX — Mayo Clinic in Arizona announced it has added lung transplantation to its nationally recognized solid organ transplant program. The program delivers world-class care to critically ill patients battling […]

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First patient celebrates 67th birthday using his new lungs to blow out candles on his birthday cake in honor of receiving the gift of life

PHOENIX — Mayo Clinic in Arizona announced it has added lung transplantation to its nationally recognized solid organ transplant program. The program delivers world-class care to critically ill patients battling end-stage lung disease who need a lung transplant to survive and restore their quality of life. 

The new Mayo Clinic Lung Transplant Program in Arizona offers a multidisciplinary team of medical and surgical experts in the Southwest, supported by clinical innovation from across Mayo Clinic, bringing unparalleled experience and the latest in research-driven care to every patient.

Dr. Jonathan D'Cunha, program surgical director (L), Craig Scherer, and Dr. Ashraf Omar, program medical director (R)

"With the launch of our new lung transplant program, we are reinforcing our commitment to providing category-of-one care to patients with serious and complex medical needs. This new program strengthens our nationally acclaimed solid organ transplant program in Arizona, giving more patients access to the transformative gift of renewed life," says Richard Gray, M.D., CEO of Mayo Clinic in Arizona. 

Jonathan D'Cunha, M.D., Ph.D., surgical director of the transplant program, says the team of experts will provide transplantation for the full range of patients with end-stage lung disease.

"This is the beginning of a remarkable new era for lung transplantation in Arizona," says Dr. D'Cunha. "We are excited and honored to offer patients and families renewed hope and a second chance at life through Mayo's unrivaled expertise in comprehensive adult organ transplant care."

Craig Scherer became the new program's first patient to undergo a lifesaving lung transplant on May 30. Soon after surgery, Craig was already beginning to breathe slowly on his own for the first time in years. He was discharged June 18 and is now back at home.

The lung transplant teams on Craig's discharge day sending him home with a big celebration

"It is surreal to be able to breathe again and not gasp for air. The reality has not even set in yet. I'm putting a lot of thought into finding the right words to express how deeply grateful I am for this gift," says Craig. 

Craig is one of the millions worldwide who have suffered loss of lung function due to chronic respiratory diseases, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD. 

Over the years, the progressive disease slowly robbed the Arizona man of his ability to breathe, leaving him dependent on oxygen tanks for survival. "I couldn't go places, couldn't do things. My quality of life was zero. I was always very anxious and afraid the tanks were going to run out," says Craig. 

Chronic lower respiratory diseases (CLRDs) are the fifth-leading killer in the U.S., according to a 2024 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The report cited CLRD as the cause of death for approximately 145,000 people in the U.S. in one year. 

Craig's wife, Nanci, says he also lost the ability to speak. "He didn't have the oxygen to talk. We lived in silence and isolated," says Nanci. The couple has been married for 32 years.

Eventually, Craig reached the final stage of lung failure. Oxygen tanks were no longer enough to help him breathe. "We were truly desperate. We were down to weeks," says Nanci. "I didn't think he would make it to his next birthday." 

Dr. D'Cunha led the team of surgical specialists that performed Craig's transplant. He said patients like Craig all too often reach a point where supplemental oxygen is no longer sufficient to meet their respiratory needs.

"There are no medical interventions at that point. They have run out of time," he says. "Lung transplant becomes the patient's only option. In Craig's case, without the transplant, it likely would have resulted in his death."

Craig relied on continuous supplemental oxygen for years until it was no longer enough to sustain him. Photo courtesy: Scherer family

Three weeks after his transplant, with daily physical therapy, Craig is back to walking and talking like he did years ago. "It is not an easy journey," says Dr. D'Cunha. "But it's a journey that gives patients like Craig hope — to see his grandchildren, the next milestone, or whatever his goals may be."

Ashraf Omar, M.B., B.Ch., medical director of the lung transplant program, took note of Craig's determination from the start. "I'm proud of Craig. He has always amazed me," says Dr. Omar. "He's a special person. Motivation is the cornerstone of his success." 

Mayo Clinic's new program in Arizona will offer the latest advancements in lung transplant innovation, including ex vivo lung perfusion (EVLP), which is considered one of the most transformative breakthroughs in lung transplantation in recent years. EVLP improves the success of lung transplantation by helping preserve and evaluate donor lungs prior to transplant.  

Mayo Clinic Transplant Center, with integrated programs in Minnesota, Florida and Arizona, is the nation's largest provider of adult solid organ transplantation. Mayo Clinic in Arizona is on target to surpass its 2024 record number of nearly 900 transplants.

In the first week of June alone, the Arizona program successfully performed a record-breaking 36 transplants. The addition of the lung transplant program establishes Mayo Clinic in Arizona as a comprehensive transplant destination medical center.

"As the leader in organ transplantation in the country, we are committed to our vision where no patient dies while waiting for a lifesaving transplant," says Bashar Aqel, M.D., director of the Mayo Clinic Transplant Center in Arizona. "Our new program meets an urgent need for so many patients fighting to survive end-stage lung disease."

On June 23, Craig celebrated his 67th birthday. He joined the team of surgeons who performed his lifesaving transplant for a news conference announcing the launch of the new transplantation program.  

The highlight of the event came when Craig addressed the crowd sharing what the transplant means to him. "These lungs are my 67th birthday gift," said Craig, his hands resting on his chest. "This is the best birthday gift I could get in the world. It gave me life." 

Craig shares his gratitude for Mayo Clinic, staff, doctors, his family and his organ donor

Craig also expressed his gratitude for the staff at Mayo, the doctors, his family, his organ donor and the donor's family. "My heart goes out to the family. One day I hope I get to communicate my gratitude to them for giving me life. Most people don't get a second chance. I do," said Craig.

Dr. D'Cunha lit candles on a birthday cake for Craig in the shape of a set of lungs. In honor of the gift of life, Craig used his new lungs to blow out the candles with one single breath. Watch the emotional moment that was met with cheers and applause in recognition of the gift of life.

Craig and Nanci returned home to spend the rest of his birthday with family. Together they share four children, 14 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.  

"I have a lot of life left to live in me. Everything is a motivator — my wife, my kids, my grandkids, my health," says Craig. "Before, I had no quality of life and couldn't do anything. Now there’s nothing I can't accomplish."

Photo courtesy: Scherer family

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About Mayo Clinic 
Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit organization committed to innovation in clinical practice, education and research, and providing compassion, expertise and answers to everyone who needs healing. Visit the Mayo Clinic News Network for additional Mayo Clinic news.

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Cancer before 40: Mayo Clinic expert shares 3 topics that younger patients often want to discuss https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/cancer-before-40-mayo-clinic-expert-shares-3-topics-that-younger-patients-often-want-to-discuss/ Mon, 16 Jun 2025 12:00:00 +0000 https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/?p=403594 PHOENIX — Dr. Allison Rosenthal's experience facing a leukemia diagnosis while in medical school inspired her to pursue a career fighting cancer. It also gave her insight into aspects of life with cancer for people under 40. Now, Dr. Rosenthal is among the leaders of an effort at Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center to help […]

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Dr. Allison Rosenthal talking with patient

PHOENIX — Dr. Allison Rosenthal's experience facing a leukemia diagnosis while in medical school inspired her to pursue a career fighting cancer. It also gave her insight into aspects of life with cancer for people under 40. Now, Dr. Rosenthal is among the leaders of an effort at Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center to help younger adults and older teens receive age-appropriate care and support. In this expert alert, Dr. Rosenthal shares three topics that younger people with cancer often want to discuss with their healthcare teams.

"I have a very big passion and motivation to take care of our younger cancer patients," Dr. Rosenthal explains. "These are some of the people who need the most support after treatment."

Advances in cancer treatments have made many of the cancers most common in younger people highly treatable and often curable, Dr. Rosenthal says.

Worldwide, roughly 1.3 million people ages 15 to 39 were diagnosed with cancer in 2022, the most recent statistics available, according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer. The most common cancers in that age group were breast, thyroid, cervical, testicular, ovarian, blood cancers (leukemias and lymphomas) and colorectal, agency figures show.

While long-term disease control or a cure is the objective, completing treatment doesn't necessarily mean that a younger person's experience with cancer is over, she adds.

"That means many adolescent or young adult cancer patients go on to live long lives, leaving them to navigate cancer survivorship for decades," says Dr. Rosenthal, a hematologist and oncologist at Mayo Clinic in Phoenix. "There is the emotional impact that comes along with having experienced cancer, and that can be significant as they try to move forward in life. And there are also the physical effects and the long-lasting impact of that."

In addition to being a time of transition from pediatric medical care to adult care, the late teens and young adulthood typically are times of major life changes, adding challenges on top of cancer. The adolescent and young adult cancer program "is predicated on the idea that centering care around their unique needs improves their experience and outcomes," Dr. Rosenthal explains. In addition to individual feedback from patients, the program has a patient advisory council whose participants share what is important to them.

"We've tried to prioritize what we're working on based on the feedback we're getting from our patients who are in the midst of this experience," she says.

Dr. Rosenthal has observed that questions on these three topics are often on the minds of patients in their late teens, 20s and 30s during and after cancer treatment:

"There are guidelines and recommendations for lifestyle choices including exercise, but it's a little bit hard to access those and to hold themselves accountable to pursue them," Dr. Rosenthal says.

"And when their peers move on, to feel that they aren't left behind," Dr. Rosenthal explains.

"It's difficult for people to navigate," Dr. Rosenthal says. "It can be uncomfortable to ask about. It's hard to tell their peers about. There's a lot of work going into what we can proactively do to best support them."

Fertility can be impacted by cancer and its treatment, making conversations about fertility preservation important.

Another priority for the Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Program is advance care planning. For older people with advanced cancers, involving palliative care earlier often helps them live longer and have a better quality of life, Dr. Rosenthal notes. That same approach could help younger patients.

"We're working on an advance care planning project specifically for young people with advanced cancers, to empower them to have a voice when they have time to have a voice, and not have that taken from them as well," Dr. Rosenthal says. "I know there's so much that can be done. Long-term outcomes, survivorship, quality of life — all of that is very important."

The program takes a multidisciplinary approach, including cancer specialists, social workers, health psychologists, and financial and vocational counselors.

"We're really fortunate that the majority of young adult patients who get cancer care are going to do well in the long term; there's going to be a lot of long-term survivors," Dr. Rosenthal says. "But if we aren't paying attention to the long-term treatment side effects, quality of life and the monitoring and maintenance of health, then we aren't providing the full service for these patients that they really deserve."

JOURNALISTS: Global, regional and national statistics on cancer in people ages 15 to 39 are available here.

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About Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit organization committed to innovation in clinical practice, education and research, and providing compassion, expertise and answers to everyone who needs healing. Visit the Mayo Clinic News Network for additional Mayo Clinic news.

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