JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Mayo Clinic researchers have developed an experimental drug with the help of artificial intelligence (AI) to target the "undruggable" PDZ-domain of GIPC1 protein that helps different types of cancer, including pancreatic cancer, to grow and resist treatment. In laboratory studies, the drug slowed tumor growth, improved survival and enhanced the effects of the chemotherapy drug gemcitabine.

The findings, published in Cell Reports, also demonstrate how AI could help develop a small molecule inhibitor of a target protein that can be less toxic and speed the discovery of new cancer treatments.

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most difficult cancers to treat because it is often diagnosed after it has spread and is resistant to many current therapies. While survival rates remain low, advances in research are creating new opportunities to develop more effective treatments. This study represents one of those promising advances, offering a potential new strategy for targeting pancreatic cancer.

Using AI, in collaboration with Sravathi AI Technology for IP Sharing, a company based in Bangalore, India, the research team screened nearly 40,000 potential compounds before identifying one that blocks GIPC1. The experimental drug also showed early signs of changing the environment around tumors in ways that could improve future combination therapies. Additional studies are needed before it can be tested in people.

"Pancreatic cancer has remained exceptionally difficult to treat because tumors rapidly adapt and become resistant to many available therapies," says Debabrata (Dev) Mukhopadhyay, Ph.D., senior author of the study and a cancer researcher at Mayo Clinic in Florida. "Our study demonstrates that AI can help us identify entirely new therapeutic opportunities against targets that have historically been considered undruggable. While these findings are preclinical, they provide a strong foundation for the next phase of research."

The therapy remains experimental, and additional studies are needed to evaluate its safety and determine whether it can advance to clinical trials.

This research was supported in part by the National Institutes of Health, the Florida State Fund for the Casey DeSantis Cancer Research Program and the U.S. Department of Defense. For a complete list of authors, disclosures and funding, review the study.

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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.

Media contact:

• Julie Ferris-Tillman, Ph.D., Mayo Clinic Communications, newsbureau@mayo.edu

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For patients waiting for a kidney transplant, finding a compatible donor can take time. A paired kidney donation program can make transplantation possible, even when a donor isn't a direct match. That's what reunited two former high school classmates, now teachers, and gave one of them a new kidney and a new lease on life.

Watch: Teachers connect beyond the classroom through paired kidney donation

Journalists: Broadcast-quality video (2:33) is in the downloads at the end of this post. Please courtesy: "Mayo Clinic News Network." Read the script.

"I kind of always knew I needed a new kidney," says Shannon Williams, a 50-year-old elementary school teacher in Leesburg, Florida.

Shannon Williams spent 15 years living with polycystic kidney disease. When dialysis became a reality, she knew she couldn't wait any longer for a transplant.

"I've got to find my own match, so I started looking," says Shannon.

Then, a social media post reached an old friend.

"I didn't know that she had been sick initially," says Kelly Harrington.

"I went to school with Kelly back in high school. We twirled together, and I was a senior; she was a freshman," says Shannon.

"Shannon and I both teach in the same school district," says Kelly.

"Kelly called me, and she said, 'I want to see if I'm a match for you.' She was a match, except for the antibodies," says Shannon.

Although Kelly couldn't donate directly to Shannon, a kidney paired exchange program offered another path.

"Someone may not be appropriate to donate to a particular recipient, but they are a fantastic donor to someone. And so the kidney goes into a national matching pool," says Dr. Shennen Mao, a Mayo Clinic transplant surgeon. "Once a match is found, the kidney is donated to an intended recipient, and our recipient gets a kidney in return."

"When I realized that I could still help Shannon, potentially save her life, give her a longer life, give her a healthier life, it was a bonus," says Kelly.

Then, in January 2026, there was a life-changing phone call.

"(Transplant coordinators) called and said they had a match," says Kelly. "I don't recall ever crying so hard in my life. It was overwhelming, absolutely overwhelming."

Shannon and Kelly drove two hours from their homes in Central Florida to Jacksonville, where the surgeries took place at Mayo Clinic. One of Kelly's kidneys was sent to someone else in need.

"Shannon received a living donor kidney back through the kidney paired exchange program," says Dr. Mao. "It worked right away on the operating room table."

Not long after surgery, Shannon and Kelly were reunited.

"They wanted me to walk right away," says Shannon. "Kelly and I were two doors down from each other, so we got to walk the halls together — just us and our walkers strolling down the hallway."

"That first walk, we felt like superstars," says Kelly. "All of the staff members were just helping us and supporting us."

"The ability and the impact that we can make on our patients is what drives me, both as a transplant surgeon and also as a scientist, to think about the solutions for the future, so that we can help more patients like Shannon," says Dr. Mao.

Before the end of the school year, Shannon and Kelly returned to their classrooms.

"To know that she literally saved my life, I will always be grateful to her," says Shannon. "I always tell her she's my angel."

The post Teachers connect beyond the classroom through paired kidney donation (VIDEO) appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

After serving others for 40 years through a legal career and now as a pastor and yoga teacher, Sandra Hedrick has led a life helping people. 

"I don't know what draws me to want to help people," she says. "I'm sure it's in my genes, but I really don't know."  

A self-described joyful yet introverted person, Sandra felt her busy life of mindfulness and gratitude stall three and a half years ago when an unexpected sinus issue developed. That fall, she and her husband were on a trip to see the changing leaves in North Carolina when she realized she could not breathe out of her right nostril.   

After her trip, Sandra visited internal medicine physicians about her sinus problem, who referred her to Dr. Osarenoma Olomu, an otolaryngologist at Mayo Clinic in Florida, for further evaluation.  

After a biopsy, pathology results showed the mass was esthesioneuroblastoma (ENB), a rare cancer also known as olfactory neuroblastoma (ONB). According to the National Cancer Institute, ONB affects approximately 1 in every 2.5 million people.   
 
Surgery was scheduled immediately following MRI confirmation of the size and location of the mass. 
 
"ONB is a fairly challenging mass to deal with because of where it lies: right at the base of the nose between the nasal airway and the brain," explains Dr. Olomu.  
 
As one of the nation's highest-volume centers for advanced head and neck cancers, Mayo Clinic in Florida manages complex and rare cases with precise, minimally invasive procedures. 

For Sandra's surgery, Dr. Olomu partnered with Dr. Kaisorn Chaichana, a neurosurgeon at Mayo Clinic in Florida, to perform an endoscopic resection and reconstruction through the nose.  

"This advanced approach allowed us to precisely remove the tumor while protecting the rest of the brain," explains Dr. Chaichana. "We worked together to resect and reconstruct at the same time." 

After surgery, Sandra had a course of radiation and two rounds of chemotherapy to conclude her initial treatment. Despite the physical discomfort she felt during this time, Sandra looks back on her postoperative treatment with fondness for her care team.  

"I experienced kindness in every way," she says. "The staff were highly professional and kind. They were just a joy to be with, even under the circumstances." 

Mayo Clinic care teams solve complex medical challenges, like Sandra's, by taking an approach that puts the patient at the center and incorporates experts from multiple medical disciplines. 

"When you work with a high-level team, you can make rare things not so rare," says Dr. Olomu. "Our team works together all the time as part of a nationally recognized center, so for a disease like ONB, we know a care pathway." 

After treatment, Sandra returned to her vocation as a pastor with reaffirmed compassion and a keener listening ear. She also participates in online ONB forums and conferences, connecting with others who share this uncommon bond and encouraging one another.  

Sandra approaches her follow-up scans with confidence that she is supported by a kind, caring and knowledgeable team. She is happy to return to life as a wife, friend and grandmother.   

"Being alive is nice, of course," says Sandra. "But I am not on any mission to accomplish anything. I want to thrive in my ordinary life. And that's what Mayo Clinic gave me." 

The post Rare cancer diagnosis affirms life committed to helping others appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

After years of living with Crohn's disease and trying treatments that didn't work, Amy Marshak felt she was running out of options. The chronic illness affected her career, her energy and the everyday family moments she cherished most. At Mayo Clinic, she found a new treatment approach and renewed hope for the future.

Watch: A mom's journey beyond Crohn's disease and back to the moments that matter

Journalists: Broadcast-quality video (2:35) is in the downloads at the end of this post. Please courtesy: "Mayo Clinic News Network." Read the script.

"I first started noticing symptoms of my Crohn's disease in the fall of 2018," Amy recalls.

She is a lawyer, a wife and a mom of two.

"It was about six months after my younger daughter was born," Amy says. "She's really never known me as a parent without Crohn's."

Crohn's disease is a chronic inflammatory condition that can cause abdominal pain, weight loss and digestive issues.

"It's really difficult day-to-day living with Crohn's because of the amount of pain I experienced," Amy says. "It really felt like I could do one or the other, be a lawyer or be a mom, to have the energy to do either of those things."

Amy had a portion of her colon and small bowel removed, then went through a series of medications.

"Some of them worked for a short period of time, and then I developed antibodies to them and would never work again," Amy says. "I was sort of at the end of all the options that exist because my Crohn's disease is spread throughout my small intestine."

Months turned into years.

"I worked so hard to find a solution to make Crohn's disease livable but felt no closer to a solution than I was before," Amy says. "I did some research, spoke with my doctor, and they suggested coming to Mayo Clinic." 

In July 2024, Amy traveled to Jacksonville, Florida, to meet Dr. Jana G. Al Hashash, a Mayo Clinic gastroenterologist.

"She really did want something cutting-edge and something different," recalls Dr. Al Hashash, who has collaborated closely with colleagues, including Dr. Ernesto Ayala, a hematologist and oncologist, to treat refractory Crohn's disease.

"What we're performing here is a newer protocol," says Dr. Al Hashash. "This stem cell transplant program is for patients like Amy who have failed multiple medical therapies and whom we want to try to reset the (immune) system."

The process uses chemotherapy followed by the body's own stem cells to reset the immune system and reduce the effects of Crohn’s disease.

"If Crohn's disease comes back, we'd like to see that it's coming back weaker than it was before, with less inflammation and less impact on the body," says Dr. Al Hashash.

"This was really both the best and the only option there was, and that there was another option that had such promise was really exciting," Amy says.

In addition to getting back to her family and career, Amy had another milestone in mind: to be able to sit through a whole family dinner without pain.

"I love family dinners," Amy says. "I think they're a wonderful way to connect with my kids. It just feels frustrating not to be part of that family moment."

Amy's treatment began in early 2025 and kept her in the hospital for nearly two months. She recorded herself reading bedtime stories to her children nightly, who were nearly 1,000 miles away.

About 100 days after treatment, tests confirmed that the stem cell transplant was successful.

"Amy is a beacon of hope for people with Crohn's disease who failed multiple therapies," says Dr. Al Hashash. "She's done fantastic."

Amy's care team continues to monitor her progress. Since returning home, Amy has been able to get back to the things she loves, starting with that family moment around the dinner table.

"I'm excited to be able to play with them more, to be with them more, to have more energy for their projects and ideas," Amy says. "And also, to be able to balance work-life in a way that I haven't been able to balance in the past few years because of my Crohn's."

The post A mom’s journey beyond Crohn’s disease and back to the moments that matter (VIDEO) appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

What started as a way to stay active and take his mind off a rare diagnosis became a mission for Christopher Edgerton. 

For three weeks this summer, he'll be cycling all 21 stages of the Tour de France one week ahead of the professional race in a 2,000-plus-mile event to raise awareness for blood cancers. 

Watch: A rare diagnosis fuels one man's cycling mission to complete pre-Tour de France event 

Journalists: Broadcast-quality video (2:45) is in the downloads at the end of this post. Please courtesy: "Mayo Clinic News Network." Read the script. 

"I think when you're on a bike, you have to live in the moment," says Christopher. "You've got to keep your eyes on the road, but at the same time, you've got a lot of time in your own head."  

For Christopher, cycling became more than an escape. It gave him space to process and heal. 

"I had my annual visit to the doctors," Christopher says about a 2018 visit. He remembers being asked if there was anything else. "I would have said, 'No, no, I'm fine,' but I just felt a little bit tired. So (my doctor) sent me for some (bloodwork). When I saw the results, they were all red. I sort of knew enough to be dangerous. I knew it wasn't good." 

"Chris has a very rare diagnosis called Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia," says Dr. Sikander Ailawadhi, a Mayo Clinic oncologist. "It could range from numbness or tingling in hands or feet to cancer-type tumors or the blood becomes so thick, it can lead to clots and cause strokes, heart attack, etc."  

"It's not curable, but it's treatable," says Christopher. "I sort of came to terms with the idea of: 'You've got a second chance at life.'"  

His care team built a plan around what mattered most to him. 

"He wanted limited-duration treatment, something that gave him his quality of life, his independence," says Dr. Ailawadhi.  

Christopher turned to cycling, pushing himself physically and mentally. A year after his diagnosis and buying a bike, he rode from Los Angeles to Boston and raised more than $50,000 for Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia research. 

"I felt like I needed to do something to prove I wasn't done," says Christopher.  

"He has his disease under very good control," says Dr. Ailawadhi. "He's not requiring active treatment right now, but that could change. He can travel, he can do what he wants to do and excels in his passion," says Dr. Ailawadhi.  

Now, he’s taking that passion even further, riding the full route of the 2026 Tour de France one week ahead of the professional race in an event that raises awareness for blood cancers. On June 27, he will begin riding from Barcelona, Spain, to Paris, France. The 21-stage event spans more than 2,000 miles and 175,000 feet of total elevation.

"Each day I'm going to ride for somebody," he says. "Each day I can tell somebody's story." 

And for Christopher, every mile comes with a reminder of what matters most. 

"I'm just very conscious about time," he says. "Everybody's limited on time, and I want to feel like I can get as much out of the time I've got." 

The post A rare diagnosis fuels one man’s cycling mission to complete pre-Tour de France event (VIDEO) appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Mayo Clinic researchers have identified a previously unrecognized way the kidneys regulate water balance — an advance that could lead to improved treatments for polycystic kidney disease (PKD) and other disorders. The study, led by Fouad Chebib, M.D., a nephrologist at Mayo Clinic, is published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.

The findings build on decades of scientific understanding by revealing an additional pathway the kidney uses to control water balance. Until now, the body's ability to concentrate urine — and prevent dehydration — has been thought to depend primarily on the hormone vasopressin. Dr. Chebib's team discovered an alternative mechanism that operates independently of that system.

"The kidney's ability to regulate water is one of the most fundamental processes in the body," Dr. Chebib says. "It's not every day that you uncover a new way it carries out that function."

Polycystic kidney disease is a common inherited condition that causes fluid-filled cysts to grow in the kidneys over time, gradually reducing kidney function and often leading to kidney failure. It affects millions of people worldwide, including an estimated 140,000 people in the U.S. with the most common form, autosomal dominant PKD (ADPKD). Many patients eventually require dialysis or a kidney transplant.

Watch: 1940s-era drug shows new promise for kidney disease

Dr. Chebib's team studies how kidney cysts grow in PKD using lab-grown cell models. As part of that work, they tested compounds expected to worsen the disease process by increasing cellular signals linked to cyst growth. One of those compounds was probenecid, a drug first used in the 1940s to conserve limited supplies of penicillin by reducing its urinary excretion.

"We thought this drug would make the disease process worse," Dr. Chebib says. "Instead, it did the opposite."

Rather than promoting cyst growth, the drug slowed it. After repeating the experiments multiple times, the team realized they had uncovered something important.

Further investigation revealed that probenecid affects how kidney cells handle urate, a molecule commonly associated with gout. Inside the cell, urate acts as a signal — triggering a chain of events that helps move water channels to the cell surface. This allows the kidney to reabsorb water and concentrate urine without relying on vasopressin, the hormone traditionally thought to control this process.

"This represents a distinct pathway from what is described in traditional physiology models," Dr. Chebib says. "It demonstrates that the kidney has an additional mechanism to preserve water."

For patients with PKD, the discovery could address one of the biggest challenges of current treatment. The only approved therapy, tolvaptan, works by blocking vasopressin, which slows cyst growth but causes patients to produce very large amounts of urine — often 6 to 7 liters a day. That side effect can be difficult to live with and leads some patients to stop treatment.

In preclinical studies and a small clinical trial, adding probenecid reduced urine volume and nighttime urination while preserving the treatment's effectiveness.

After taking probenecid, patients' urine volume dropped by about 30% on average, and they went from waking up several times a night to urinate to about once per night. Many also reported improved quality of life.

"The goal is to preserve the therapeutic benefit of tolvaptan while reducing its burden," Dr. Chebib says.

Despite these promising results, researchers are not planning to rely on probenecid as a long-term solution. The drug is decades old, affects multiple systems in the body and is not widely available today. Instead, the team is using what they learned to design more targeted therapies.

"Probenecid helped us uncover the mechanism," Dr. Chebib says. "Our goal is to take this insight and develop therapies designed specifically for this pathway."

For Dr. Chebib, the work is rooted in early inspiration. He was drawn to kidney research after his father developed PKD.

"This has been a long and deeply purposeful journey," he says. "It started with a personal motivation and led to something that could ultimately benefit patients."

For a complete list of authors, disclosures and funding, see the study.

JOURNALISTS: Soundbites with Dr. Chebib are available in the downloads below.

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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.

Media contact:

• Sharon Theimer, Mayo Clinic Communications, newsbureau@mayo.edu

The post Researchers identify new kidney pathway with help from 1940s-era drug, may improve polycystic kidney disease treatment (VIDEO) appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Hormone therapy use among women in the U.S. remains low, even though it's an effective treatment for many menopause symptoms, according to a new Mayo Clinic study published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings.

Menopause affects more than 1 million women each year in the U.S., and up to 75% experience symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats that can last for years. Yet researchers found that use of menopausal hormone therapy has steadily declined over time.

The study found that hormone therapy use dropped from 4.4% in 2007 to 1.7% in 2023. Even among women most likely to benefit — those ages 50 to 59 — only about 3.5% were using hormone therapy in 2023.

"We have strong evidence that hormone therapy is safe and effective for many women, but that hasn't translated into how it's used in clinical practice," says Stephanie Faubion, M.D., the Penny and Bill George Director of Mayo Clinic's Center for Women's Health and study author.

Researchers expected hormone therapy use to rebound in recent years as awareness of menopause has increased. Instead, rates remain at their lowest level since the early 2000s, following concerns raised after the Women's Health Initiative trial.  

The new study analyzed nationwide trends in hormone therapy use among women 40 and older between 2007 and 2023 using a large U.S. health database. Hormone therapy use was defined as having at least 180 days of filled prescriptions within a given year.

In addition to the overall decline, researchers found differences across racial and ethnic groups. Use was consistently higher among white women compared with Black, Hispanic and Asian American women. Oral therapies remained the most common, although both oral and transdermal treatments declined over time.

Despite growing public conversation about menopause, the findings suggest that increased awareness has not translated into greater use of the effective treatment.

Researchers say several factors may have contributed to the findings, including ongoing misconceptions about risks, limited menopause training among clinicians, and patient concerns or lack of awareness.

"The abundance of misinformation around hormone therapy is one reason some women are not getting treatment," says Dr. Faubion. "Many are seeking care for symptoms but aren't receiving therapies that could help."

Watch: A recent hormone therapy study for women entering menopause

Journalists: Broadcast-quality sound bites are available in the downloads at the end of the post. Please courtesy: "Mayo Clinic News Network." Name super/CG: Stephanie Faubion, M.D./ Women's Health /Mayo Clinic.

Hormone therapy is not appropriate for every patient. However, for many women — particularly those younger than 60 or within 10 years of menopause — it remains a safe and effective option for symptom relief. Even low-dose vaginal estrogen, which has a favorable safety profile, remains underused.

Untreated menopause symptoms can affect sleep, mood and overall quality of life. Some women may seek care from multiple specialists without a clear diagnosis or treatment plan. Symptoms also may affect workplace productivity.

Researchers say the next step is to better understand and address the barriers preventing women from receiving appropriate care.

"Despite increased attention on menopause, we still have a long way to go," says Dr. Faubion. "Improving education for both patients and clinicians will be key to closing this gap."

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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.

Media contact:

• Tia Ford, Mayo Clinic Communications, newsbureau@mayo.edu

The post Hormone therapy use for menopause declines despite proven benefits, study finds appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Stroke remains a leading cause of serious disability and death in the U.S., but recognizing symptoms quickly and seeking immediate medical attention can dramatically improve outcomes. Mayo Clinic experts emphasize that knowing the warning signs of stroke and acting fast can save brain function and lives.

"Time is brain when it comes to stroke treatment," says Josephine Huang M.D., a Mayo Clinic neurologist. "The sooner a person receives medical care, the greater the chance of reducing long-term disability and improving recovery."

Stroke occurs when blood flow to the brain is disrupted, either by a blockage in an artery or by bleeding in the brain. Mayo Clinic experts say both types of stroke require immediate medical evaluation because prompt treatment can significantly improve recovery and reduce long-term disability.

Symptoms

Stroke symptoms often appear suddenly and may include facial drooping, arm or leg weakness, slurred speech, language difficulty, vision problems, dizziness or loss of balance. Mayo Clinic experts encourage the public to remember the acronym BE FAST:

 • B — Balance: Sudden onset of loss of balance or coordination.
 • E — Eyes: Sudden vision problems or loss of vision in one or both eyes.
 • F — Face drooping: One side of the face appears uneven or numb.
 • A — Arm weakness: Sudden weakness or numbness in one arm.
 • S — Speech difficulty: Trouble speaking or understanding speech.
 • T — Time to call 911: Immediate medical attention is critical.

Treatment

Rapid treatment can restore blood flow to the brain and reduce permanent damage. Mayo Clinic experts stress that emergency evaluation should begin as soon as symptoms appear, not after they worsen or disappear. If a stroke is caused by a blood clot, doctors may use clot-busting medications or perform minimally invasive procedures to remove the clot and reopen blocked blood vessels in the brain.

"These are what we call endovascular procedures," says Dr. Huang. "Doctors thread a guidewire through a blood vessel to remove the clot and restore blood flow to the brain."

For hemorrhagic strokes caused by bleeding in the brain, treatment focuses on controlling blood pressure, reversing blood-thinning medications if needed, and sometimes relieving pressure on the brain surgically.

Prevention

Certain risk factors can increase stroke risk, including high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking, obesity, high cholesterol, sedentary lifestyle and atrial fibrillation. Mayo Clinic experts note that nearly 90% of strokes may be preventable through risk factor management and healthy lifestyle changes.

Experts encourage regular health screenings, physical activity and healthy eating habits to help lower stroke risk. "Identifying these risk factors and making sure they are treated appropriately goes a long way toward preventing stroke from happening in the first place," says Dr. Huang.

Additional Resources

• Mayo Clinic Minute: Recognize the sudden warning signs of stroke
• Mayo Clinic Minute: Know the risk factors to prevent stroke
• Mayo Clinic Minute: Lifesaving treatments for stroke

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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.

Media contact:

• Tia Ford, Mayo Clinic Communications, newsbureau@mayo.edu

The post Recognize the sudden warning signs of stroke — and BE FAST appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Inspired by the memory of their infant son and Mayo Clinic’s vision for the future of healthcare, Paula and Randy Ringhaver of St. Augustine, Florida, have made a $75 million gift to Mayo Clinic in Florida. The gift will support Bold. Forward. Unbound., Mayo Clinic’s investment across the organization to transform healthcare through integrated digital and physical spaces.

In 1980, the Ringhavers’ son, Randal “Lee” Ringhaver, Jr., passed away at 8 1/2 months old from an aggressive form of leukemia. Their daughter, Bree, was 2 1/2 years old at the time of Lee’s passing. To honor his memory, the family has chosen to name the newly expanded hospital tower at Mayo Clinic in Florida the Lee Ringhaver Tower.

“When we walk into the tower, we feel optimism and confidence,” says Paula Ringhaver. “It symbolizes growth and progress. We believe in what Mayo Clinic is building here, and we trust that Lee’s legacy will live on through the care and hope this tower represents.”

The Ringhavers’ connection to Mayo Clinic spans generations. Randy Ringhaver’s father, L.C. “Ring” Ringhaver, received care at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, and became an ardent advocate. Over the years, other members of the Ringhaver family and employees of Ring Power — the family-founded heavy equipment company — have received life-changing care at Mayo Clinic in Florida.

“We’ve seen firsthand the value of having Mayo Clinic’s expertise close to home for our family and for Ring Power employees,” says Randy Ringhaver. “This gift reflects the values our company was built on, including giving back to the communities we serve, and it demonstrates our confidence in Mayo Clinic’s future.”

Lee Ringhaver Tower is a central component of Bold. Forward. Unbound. in Florida, the initiative the Ringhavers’ gift supports. A five-story expansion of the tower began serving patients in 2025, adding 121 new rooms and integrating digital technologies that empower patients and support more personalized care. The tower also includes shell space for future growth and capacity for three additional stories.

“Philanthropy makes it possible for us to build the future of healthcare,” says Kent Thielen, M.D., CEO of Mayo Clinic in Florida. “We are deeply grateful to Paula and Randy for their extraordinary generosity and trust. Their gift will change lives — now and for generations to come — in our community and around the world.”

Including the Lee Ringhaver Tower expansion, Bold. Forward. Unbound. in Florida encompasses more than 725,000 square feet of new clinical, research and education space. It includes the Duan Family Building, which contains the Americas’ first carbon ion therapy system; a biomanufacturing expansion; and a soon-to-be-constructed research and education building. Along with adding more capacity, these facilities feature innovative digital technologies that help them function like members of the care team. Across Mayo Clinic, Bold. Forward. Unbound. will add more than 4 million square feet of transformative spaces to the campuses in Arizona, Florida and Minnesota.

Together, these investments advance Mayo Clinic’s Bold. Forward. strategy to transform healthcare through cures, data and new care delivery models that enable patients to access Mayo Clinic’s expertise anytime, anywhere.

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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.

Media contact:  

• Tia Ford, Mayo Clinic Communications, newsbureau@mayo.edu

The post Paula and Randy Ringhaver give $75 million to Mayo Clinic in Florida appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

Lung surgeries, when performed by opening the chest to spread the ribs or divide the sternum, can be effective but highly invasive procedures that lead to weeks of significant pain and recovery.  

Guided by the principle that "the needs of the patient come first," Mayo Clinic thoracic surgeons have begun using a single-port robotic system for surgeries that was recently cleared by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This minimally invasive approach enables surgeons to operate with enhanced precision and builds upon Mayo Clinic's leadership in advancing lung cancer care.

"What we have noticed is that Mayo Clinic is one of the few institutions that is starting to roll this out," says Mathew Thomas, M.B.B.S., M.D., a thoracic surgeon at Mayo Clinic in Florida who performed Mayo Clinic's first single-port robotic lung resection.

The evolution of thoracic surgery

As medical technology evolves, minimally invasive methods have emerged as alternatives to traditional lung surgery, including the multiport robotic system. 

Multiport robotic systems require surgeons to make several small incisions between the ribs to place a camera and instruments, allowing them to operate with greater visualization and precision.

However, operating between the ribs can still present challenges for both patients and surgeons, like considerable postoperative pain and anatomical variance. Factors such as tight rib spaces or reduced rib density can lead to intraoperative complications, including rib fractures.  

The single-port approach allows surgeons to operate through a single incision using similar robotic technology. In many cases, the procedure can be performed from beneath the rib cage, avoiding the need to work between the ribs.

Single-port robotic surgery has been used in other specialties for several years, such as for lymphedema and prostate cancer care. The FDA cleared its use for thoracic surgery in 2025.

At Mayo Clinic in Florida, where more than 90% of thoracic surgeries are performed using minimally invasive techniques, early experience with single-port lung resection has been positive.

"Many patients are able to go home the next day or a day or two later," says Dr. Thomas. Recovery times are shorter, with patients often returning to baseline in about seven to 10 days, compared with several weeks for other approaches.  

Bringing single-port robotics into practice

Introducing new surgical techniques supported by advanced tools — such as 3D imaging, virtual reality and navigation systems — demands careful preparation and coordination across the care team.

"We're so used to multiport and open surgery approaches, but single-port robotic surgery is a completely different way of operating," says Dr. Thomas. "The way we visualize the operation changes, and the instruments are also quite different from a multiport setup."

Dr. Thomas and his team met weekly for a month to complete simulation-based training, practicing with the single-port robotic system in a controlled environment before starting to perform these procedures on patients.

Their training also included hands-on experience in cadaver and animal labs, observing experienced surgeons and working with a proctor during initial cases to support safety. Dedicated operating room staff trained together throughout the process, building the coordination needed to perform the procedure effectively.

Next-generation thoracic care

For Dr. Thomas, single-port robotic surgery reflects a broader shift toward less invasive, precision-based care, offering faster recoveries and fewer intraoperative complications for patients with lung cancer.

The approach is also part of a larger effort across Mayo Clinic to integrate advanced technologies into thoracic surgery. 

As experience with single-port surgery grows, the team continues to expand its use and refine the technique.

"It's exciting to be at the forefront of innovation with my colleagues and to know Mayo Clinic supports its growth," shares Dr. Thomas. "We're rapidly expanding the number of patients who can benefit from this approach. I take great pride in what we've accomplished."

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