Watch: The Mayo Clinic Minute

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"Stroke is a term that refers to disruption of blood flow to the brain, and that can either be a blockage in an artery where the brain is deprived of oxygen and nutrients, or it can also refer to a bleed in the brain, where one of the arteries in the brain breaks open and causes bleeding into the brain itself," says Dr. James Klaas, a Mayo Clinic neurologist.

Both types of stroke present similar symptoms, but the treatments are very different.

"It's very important to get medical attention very quickly because the only way we can often sort that out is by doing an imaging study of the brain," says Dr. Klaas.

If the stroke is caused by a blockage, there are two primary treatments. The first is a clot-busting medication. The second is a procedure to physically remove the clot.

"These are what we call the endovascular procedures," says Dr. Felix Chukwudelunzu, a Mayo Clinic neurologist. "We use a guide wire through the blood vessel in the groin and thread it up to that blood vessel in the brain and snag out the blood clot and reopen the blood vessel."

For a hemorrhagic stroke caused by a burst or leaking blood vessel, the blood increases pressure on brain cells and damages them.

"We're going to make sure that the blood pressure is not too high. We're going to make sure the patient's blood is not too thin — whether from a medical condition or from a medication — and then we're going to treat that accordingly," says Dr. Klaas. "If there's too much blood flow in the brain, there might be pressure, and we might need to relieve that pressure surgically."

Related post:

• Mayo Clinic Minute: Recognize the sudden warning signs of stroke

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The Rochester Epidemiology Project (REP) has served as a cornerstone for population health research for six decades, providing the longitudinal data essential for predicting health outcomes. Today, the REP functions as a resource in helping to study medical conditions, including heart failure, dementia, cancer and bone health.  

Because it maintains decades of history on a stable population, the REP allows investigators to identify long-term trends such as early warnings of rising disease incidence that would be difficult to capture in shorter, isolated studies. 

This year, as the REP celebrates its 60th anniversary, Mayo Clinic is highlighting how this historic medical records linkage system remains a powerful tool that helps scientists study population health over many decades. 

"The REP is a unique collaboration between health care providers, patients and scientists to use medical record information to study health and health outcomes," says Jennifer St. Sauver, Ph.D., co-principal investigator of the Rochester Epidemiology Project. 

"Since 1966, the REP has supported research on virtually every health condition, including studies of what causes different diseases, how patients respond to surgeries and therapies, and how diseases change over time." 

Dr. St. Sauver notes that the REP has been instrumental in understanding the pathogenesis of so many different conditions that it is difficult to name only a few. 

"The REP has supported major research programs to understand bone and joint conditions; Alzheimer's disease and related dementias; lupus; rheumatoid arthritis; kidney stones; heart failure; (and) breast, prostate, blood and pancreatic cancers," says Dr. St. Sauver.  

The next phase: AI-driven research 

By combining 60 years of history with tomorrow's technology, the REP continues to find new ways to help people live longer, healthier lives.  

Today, the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to accelerate these discoveries even further.  

"The REP is uniquely positioned to evolve into a next-generation, AI-enabled population health platform," says Cui Tao, Ph.D., the Nancy Peretsman and Robert Scully Chair of Artificial Intelligence and Informatics at Mayo Clinic. 

"Key opportunities include leveraging linked longitudinal data to simulate interventions, accelerate clinical research and support real-world evidence generation." 

Dr. Tao notes that the REP can also help bridge population-level insights with individualized risk prediction and precision intervention strategies. 

"As AI methods continue to mature, the REP provides an exceptional foundation for integrating multimodal data and enabling scalable translational research," says Dr. Tao.  

"With nearly 2.9 million patient records and decades of follow-up data, the REP represents a rare scientific resource with the potential to help shape the future of precision medicine and AI-driven healthcare discovery." 

Dr. Tao shares that Mayo Clinic Epidemiology and REP collaborators will participate in workshops and lightning talks at the upcoming AI Research Summit taking place June 4-5, which will include an evening commemorating the program's 60th anniversary.  

The post How 60 years of health data helped shape modern medicine appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

Eight Mayo Clinic hospitals have maintained A grades from the Leapfrog Group since spring 2022, reflecting consistent high performance across national quality measures.

At Mayo Clinic, it’s not a single achievement, it reflects a sustained pattern of performance.

Patients may see a letter. What they are really seeing is a commitment to putting the patient first, every time. Because at Mayo Clinic, safety is not a score to achieve. It is a way to practice.

It looks like:

• A nurse who double-checks, even when she’s certain.
• A physician who pauses and asks one more question.
• A housekeeper who knows infection prevention is part of patient care.
• A team that doesn’t work in parallel, but in lockstep.

Over time, those choices add up. And they show up, again and again, in the Leapfrog Safety Grades.

Grade A hospitals

Eight Mayo Clinic hospitals again earned an "A" from The Leapfrog Group this spring.

Not once. Not occasionally. Every grading cycle since spring 2022. 

And in Arizona, something even rarer. A perfect record. An "A" in every cycle since 2012, when Leapfrog began assigning safety grades — earning an all-time Straight A Distinction. One of just 11 hospitals in the country to do so.

Leapfrog evaluates hospitals using 32 measures across multiple domains: structure, process and outcomes.

Important, yes. But behind every measure is something harder to quantify.

It reflects consistency, discipline, and a shared belief that safe care isn’t situational. It is standard.

As Dr. William J. Mayo said, "The best interest of the patient is the only interest to be considered."

You can see that idea in these results. Not as a principle alone, but as a practice, carried out in thousands of decisions, every day.

The hospitals earning an "A"

• Mayo Clinic in Arizona 
• Mayo Clinic in Florida 
• Mayo Clinic in Rochester 
• Mayo Clinic Health System in Albert Lea and Austin, Minnesota 
• Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire, Wisconsin 
• Mayo Clinic Health System in Fairmont, Minnesota 
• Mayo Clinic Health System in La Crosse, Wisconsin 
• Mayo Clinic Health System in Mankato, Minnesota 

Mayo Clinic Health System in Red Wing, Minnesota received a "B."

Related post:

• Eight years running: Newsweek names Mayo Clinic ‘World’s Best Hospital’

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Regenerative Medicine Minnesota (RMM) has awarded funding to 10 high-impact projects aimed at accelerating the development of breakthrough therapies that restore, replace or regenerate damaged cells, tissues and organs.

Co-led by the University of Minnesota and Mayo Clinic, Regenerative Medicine Minnesota brings together the state's leading research institutions to advance regenerative medicine and improve patient care.

The 2026 awards are advancing innovative therapeutic approaches alongside critical tools and technologies that improve how these therapies are discovered, developed and delivered to patients. These projects build on Minnesota's strengths in regenerative medicine while targeting key challenges that must be overcome to bring transformative therapies to patients faster.

To learn more about these projects, see here.

The projects receiving funding this year are:

• Gene Therapy to Treat Neurofibromatosis using a Foamy Viral Vector — David Deyle, M.D., Mayo Clinic.
• OPROTAC Degraders of C/EBPα to Promote AT2 Regeneration and Lung Repair — Douglas Brownfield, Ph.D., Mayo Clinic.
• Molecular Therapies for Alport Syndrome and Chronic Kidney Disease — Michael Barry, Ph.D., Mayo Clinic.
• Harnessing the Regenerative Microenvironment of the Liver Surface: A Perihepatic Niche for Stem Cell Integration and Survival — Melanie Graham, Ph.D., University of Minnesota, and Quinn Peterson, Ph.D., Mayo Clinic.
• Engineering Human Heart Models to Advance Minnesota-Grown Therapeutics and Prevent Radiotherapy-Induced Cardiac Degeneration — Andrew Khalil, Ph.D.; Brenda Ogle, Ph.D.; and Anna Kellner, Ph.D., University of Minnesota.
• Bispecific T-cell Engager for Immune Reset in Systemic Sclerosis — Andres Crane, Ph.D., Luminary Therapeutics.
• Physically Optimized Immune Cell Therapy for Fibrotic Disease — Paolo Provenzano, Ph.D., University of Minnesota.
• Phenotypic Biosensors for Testing Cellular Fitness and Disease Risk using Tissue- Specific iPSC Organoids — Jonathan Sachs, Ph.D., University of Minnesota.
• Manufacturing and Testing of Tissue-Engineered Pre-Aligned Muscle Fibers for Regenerative Therapies — Angela Panoskaltsis-Mortari, Ph.D., University of Minnesota.
• Cryopreservation of Human 3D-engineered Heart Tissue (3D-EHT) for Myocardial Regenerative Therapy — Bhairab Singh, Ph.D.; John Bischof, Ph.D.; and Brenda Ogle, Ph.D., University of Minnesota.

Together, these projects advance Regenerative Medicine Minnesota's goal to accelerate the availability of safe, effective and accessible regenerative therapies to patients in Minnesota and beyond while also strengthening Minnesota's leadership in a field poised to redefine the future of medicine.

About Regenerative Medicine Minnesota
Regenerative Medicine Minnesota was established in 2014 by the Minnesota State Legislature to improve the health of Minnesotans by advancing regenerative medicine. This statewide initiative opens new economic opportunities through commercialization of technologies and leverages the strengths of Minnesota institutions to position the state at the forefront of regenerative medicine. The initiative distributes approximately $4 million in funding statewide every year for research, commercialization and clinical translation initiatives that improve or increase access to scientifically proven regenerative medicine throughout the state. Learn more at www.regenmedmn.org.

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What began as a routine check for swelling quickly turned Randy Ramey's life upside down. When pneumonia and swelling were diagnosed as stage 4 cirrhosis of the liver, Randy, of Denton, Texas, struggled to understand how it was all connected. 

A series of visits with local specialists revealed a fatty liver disease called metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis, or MASH. For Randy, the diagnosis set off a cascade of life-or-death decisions that led his wife and him to Mayo Clinic, where he underwent a complex series of three lifesaving procedures, including a double coronary artery bypass surgery, liver transplant and, just months later, a kidney transplant. They found themselves navigating one health obstacle after another.

Randy is sharing his story to raise awareness during Donate Life Month.

Watch: 3 lifesaving surgeries and a second chance

Journalists: Broadcast-quality video (1:47) is available for download at the end of this post. Please courtesy: "Mayo Clinic News Network." Read the script.

"I was shocked. I mean, we didn't see that coming at all. It's right out of left field. You know, at that point, I wasn't physically sick. I was just swollen," says Randy.

When pneumonia and swelling became a diagnosis of stage 4 cirrhosis. Randy came to Mayo Clinic for a liver transplant evaluation. What doctors found made his situation far more urgent and far more complex.

"I went into the lab for a chemical stress test, but that's where they confirmed the two blockages. So what they ended up deciding, we're going to do two surgeries in one day. We're going to do your heart surgery — your double bypass — and we're going to do the liver. The worst I felt was the day before I got transplanted. The next morning when I woke up and had to do the walk, I still felt better than I did before the surgery," he says.

From the hospital window, Randy's wife, Elise, watched the mountains outside and saw their journey ahead — every peak, every valley — another procedure, another decision, another climb.

"We're going to have to climb every one of those mountain ranges," Elise says as she recalls their journey. "We're going to have to ascend and descend and ascend and descend every one of those mountain ranges."

"I'm getting rebuilt from the ground up," Randy says. "My kidney took off running, and it hasn't stopped. I don't know how you pay somebody for saving your life. I get emotional because you can't put it in words, but I've tried."

And with smiles as big as Texas, Randy and Elise are home after 27 weeks in Arizona. 

Related stories:

• From donation to Kilimanjaro: Living kidney donor defies limits (VIDEO)

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Mayo Clinic in Florida recently performed its first robot-assisted shoulder arthroplasty, marking the arrival of enhanced, precision orthopedic care for patients in the Southeast and bolstering Mayo Clinic's commitment to advancing models of care across the organization.

Shoulder arthroplasties — also known as shoulder replacements — are reserved for patients with shoulder osteoarthritis whose symptoms are not manageable with nonsurgical treatments such as physical therapy, injections and medications. Shoulder replacements have traditionally been performed using manual instrumentation and surgeon-estimated alignment. While this approach has been effective, it is inherently limited by visual estimation and anatomic variability in patients. 

"What's happened over the past 10 to 15 years in orthopedics is we've started using computer navigation and now robotic assistance," says Dr. Erick Marigi, a Mayo Clinic orthopedic surgeon. "In the hip and the knee, they've been doing robot-assisted replacements for years, but for the shoulder (because it’s a smaller complex joint), it's just been harder to develop, until now."

In manual shoulder replacements, surgeons make an incision and use guides to position implants. Though 3D computer planning has been available and is helpful, execution in the operating room has remained manual.

"We're no longer limited by our eyes and using a guide, which has a few millimeters of variance," says Dr. Marigi. "Now it's one degree of variance and under a millimeter of precision."

Another key advantage of robot-assisted shoulder replacements is improved consistency and reproducibility, particularly in complex cases. The technology simplifies procedures for patients with significant bone wear or other challenges that make conventional techniques difficult, allowing surgeons to achieve more predictable results. 

Long-term efficacy data for robot-assisted shoulder replacements are emerging, but evidence from robot-assisted hip and knee replacements is promising. Cases once considered highly complex can now be approached more like standard procedures.

Innovation and integration

Dr. Marigi says the adoption and integration of robot-assisted surgery is a testament to Mayo Clinic's spirit of bridging innovation into action.

"It is the spirit of Mayo Clinic in general: constantly pushing the envelope and providing solutions that help patients," he says.

Dr. Marigi's mentors, Drs. Joaquin Sanchez-Sotelo and John Sperling, both orthopedic surgeons at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, laid the foundation for robot-assisted orthopedic surgeries across Mayo Clinic. 

"Collaborative efforts have never been better across Mayo Clinic as a healthcare enterprise," says Dr. Sanchez-Sotelo. "The implementation of robot-assisted shoulder arthroplasty across all campuses allows us to offer the same quality care to all our patients, regardless of geography. It also facilitates lines of collaboration for innovation and research across our institution."

Dr. Sperling, who in April 2024 completed the world's first robot-assisted shoulder surgery, says, "Robotic shoulder arthroplasty has the potential to significantly improve our ability to enhance the quality of care for our patients worldwide."

Later that year, Dr. Sanchez-Sotelo also performed a robotic total shoulder replacement. 

"Our new generations will embrace robot-assisted surgery and enjoy iterative processes through which digital enabling technology will only continue to improve," says Dr. Sanchez-Sotelo.

Among that new generation is Dr. Jeff Hassebrock, an orthopedic surgeon at Mayo Clinic in Arizona, who performed the first robot-assisted shoulder replacement in the Southwest, extending the site's leadership in robotic orthopedic surgery. He believes that the intersection of artificial intelligence, preoperative planning and robotic procedural execution will lead to a renaissance in how standard shoulder replacements are performed.

"Mayo Clinic's investments in advanced technologies reflect our commitment to providing innovative, patient-centered care," says Dr. Hassebrock. "Robotics improves the precision and execution of surgical plans that meet the evolving needs of orthopedic care. The era of pre- and postoperative measurement is at hand."

Dr. Marigi believes Mayo Clinic surgeons will continue shepherding this next phase of innovation in orthopedic care. Now, for patients in the Southeast, the technology offers access to innovation closer to home.

"Patients will all have access to this internationally renowned technology locally. That was a big deal for our team," says Dr. Marigi. "I think this is going to be one of our pillars in the future, and the people leading that charge will be Mayo Clinic surgeons."

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The findings offer new insight into how the immune system and gut microbiome interact in this chronic condition and point to potential new therapeutic strategies.

IBD, which includes Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, affects millions of people worldwide. The condition is driven in part by the immune system reacting to normally harmless bacteria in the gut, reflecting a breakdown in what is known as immune tolerance. Symptoms of ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease usually include belly pain, diarrhea, rectal bleeding, extreme tiredness and weight loss.

While many current therapies focus on reducing inflammation, less is understood about how to restore balanced interactions between the immune system and the gut microbiome.

"This study suggests vitamin D may help rebalance how the immune system sees gut bacteria," says lead author John Mark Gubatan, M.D., a gastroenterologist at Mayo Clinic in Florida. "That's an important step toward understanding how we might restore immune tolerance in IBD."

In the study, researchers evaluated 48 people with IBD who had low vitamin D levels. Participants received weekly vitamin D supplements for 12 weeks. Blood and stool samples collected before and after treatment were analyzed using advanced sequencing to map interactions between immune responses and the gut microbiome.

Vitamin D supplementation was associated with increased levels of immunoglobulin A (IgA), which is typically linked to protective immune responses, and decreased levels of immunoglobulin G (IgG), more often associated with inflammation. The researchers also observed changes in immune signaling pathways and increased activity of regulatory immune cells that help control inflammation.

Together, these findings suggest vitamin D may help promote a more balanced, protective immune response to the gut microbiome.

Vitamin D supplementation was also associated with improvements in disease activity scores and a stool-based marker of inflammation. However, the researchers emphasize the study was small and not designed to establish cause and effect.

"We saw encouraging signals, but this was not a randomized trial," Dr. Gubatan says. "These findings need to be confirmed in larger, controlled studies."

The researchers caution that patients should not change their vitamin D use without medical guidance.

“Vitamin D is widely available, but dosing needs to be individualized, especially in patients with chronic inflammation,” Dr. Gubatan adds. “Patients should work with their healthcare team.”

This work was supported by a grant from Doris Duke Physician Scientist Fellowship Award (Grant #2021091), Chan Zuckerberg Biohub Physician Scientist Scholar Award, and National Institutes of Health (NIH) NIDDK LRP Award (2L30 DK126220). For a complete list of authors, disclosures and funding, see 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:

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

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Donna J. Gainer fuels her active lifestyle of hiking, bicycling and gardening with a health-conscious diet of mostly whole foods. So, when the 64-year-old received news that she had colorectal cancer in autumn 2025, a wave of emotions hit her.

"My first thought was the heartbreak I felt knowing I would have to call my son to tell him about the cancer diagnosis," recalls Donna. "My second thought was shock that I could have developed cancer with my lifestyle. A cancer diagnosis did not make sense."

Colon cancer screening

Donna's journey began in June 2025 after a colon cancer screening returned abnormal results. Her primary care physician then referred her to Mayo Clinic's Gastroenterology Department for a diagnostic colonoscopy, which identified two polyps in the bends of her colon and one near her appendix.

The complexity of Donna's colonoscopy results prompted further consultation with Dr. Michael Wallace, a Mayo Clinic gastroenterologist. Dr. Wallace shared that, in many cases around the world, large polyps at difficult-to-reach locations in the colon are typically removed surgically.

"Fortunately, here at Mayo Clinic, we have sophisticated techniques for removing even these advanced and large polyps through endoscopy or colonoscopy," says Dr. Wallace.

A review of Donna's case with a multidisciplinary care team led to a plan using two advanced treatments that reduced the risk of recurrence while mitigating the need for more intensive surgery: endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) and endoscopic mucosal resection.

Dr. Vivek Kumbhari, a Mayo Clinic gastroenterologist, partnered with Dr. Wallace on Donna's care.

"Care like this is never delivered in isolation. Before the procedure, Dr. Wallace and I carefully reviewed her case and determined that a comprehensive, single-session approach was in her best interest," says Dr. Kumbhari. "That level of collaboration ensures that every decision is thoughtful, evidence-based and tailored specifically to the patient. It's one of the defining strengths of Mayo Clinic."

Donna underwent her comprehensive endoscopic resection at Mayo Clinic in November 2025. She recalls feeling less apprehensive about undergoing the resection than the colonoscopy, citing the thorough yet compassionate care from Dr. Wallace and confidence in Dr. Kumbhari's expertise and ability to operate inside the colon.

"I felt really special that (Dr. Kumbhari) was the one doing my surgery," says Donna. "What meant the most was how warm and reassuring he was when he sat with me before surgery and explained everything. I felt truly blessed to have him as my surgeon."

During the single outpatient procedure, Dr. Kumbhari removed all three polyps without incisions, preserving Donna's organ function and quality of life.

"That is exactly what modern, patient-centered cancer care should look like," says Dr. Kumbhari. 

In a final review of Donna's case, her care team concluded that since Dr. Kumbhari removed all three polyps in one outpatient procedure using advanced techniques, further surgery and its associated risks — including sphincter injury, incontinence or colostomy — were not needed. Donna remains under close surveillance by Dr. Wallace, undergoing endoscopic ultrasound, CT scans and lab work every 90 days.

Since her procedure, Donna has returned to the lifestyle she enjoys, including her outdoor activities.

"I continue to live each day with gratitude, and I am humbled to have two brilliant and skilled surgeons who truly saved not only my colon, but my life," says Donna. "I was back to my daily routines within 24 hours, sometimes forgetting that I underwent a 3-hour procedure."

Donna raises awareness about colorectal cancer by sharing her story in the hope of inspiring even one person to get a screening colonoscopy, even if they consider themselves healthy.

"I want people to know that colon cancer is one of those diseases that can grow silently, without symptoms," says Donna. "Imparting that message is worth sharing a personal and private part of my life."

The post When a healthy life meets an unexpected colon cancer diagnosis appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

Amir Lerman, M.D., a cardiovascular physician-scientist, mentor, research leader and active Mayo Clinic staff member, passed away Feb. 23 at age 69. During his nearly 40 years at Mayo Clinic, he became one of the world’s foremost authorities on microvascular function and cardiovascular disease.

Dr. Lerman earned his doctor of science degree and M.D. in Israel before joining Mayo Clinic in 1987 as a resident. His research reshaped the understanding, diagnosis and treatment of vascular injury and ischemic heart disease. Focusing on early detection, he and his teams developed novel diagnostic tests, imaging and regenerative therapies to treat and cure patients with these conditions around the world.

Distinguished career of innovation

Dr. Lerman established essential cardiovascular infrastructure at Mayo, including the Mayo Clinic Cardiovascular Research Center and coronary physiology and imaging, among many others. Under his direction, the Mayo Clinic Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory pioneered in vivo testing protocols for endothelial and microvascular function that became best practices worldwide.

A Barbara Woodward Lips Professor of Medicine, Dr. Lerman authored nearly 1,000 peer-reviewed publications that have been cited more than 69,000 times, making him among the most influential cardiovascular investigators in the world. He served as vice chair for research in the Mayo Clinic Department of Cardiovascular Medicine from 2012 to 2024, held several patents and maintained continuous National Institutes of Health funding along with support from the American Heart Association and many other sources.

In 2023, Dr. Lerman was part of the Mayo AI-ECG team, which applies artificial intelligence to electrocardiogram workflows, that received the Mayo Clinic Research shield's Team Science Award for pioneering the use of deep neural networks to detect cardiovascular disease from standard electrocardiograms. In 2024, he was named a Distinguished Mayo Clinic Investigator — Mayo Clinic's highest honor for researchers, recognizing sustained scholarship, creative achievement and excellence in leadership and mentorship.

Mayo Clinic Board of Trustees and Board of Governors member Charanjit Rihal, M.D., a cardiovascular medicine consultant, nominated Dr. Lerman for the award. "It is remarkable that people from numerous countries flock to his laboratory; it takes a special individual to bridge potential geopolitical divides in the interest of our patients, science, mentees and Mayo Clinic," Dr. Rihal wrote in his 2024 nomination letter.

Dr. Rihal says Dr. Lerman's loss will be felt not only among his colleagues, patients and the Mayo Clinic community, but by the field of cardiovascular research and treatment.

"Dr. Lerman touched so many lives in so many ways," Dr. Rihal says. "He fostered innovation through internal grants, AI initiatives, faculty development programs and novel models of philanthropic and corporate partnership. He led his mentees to leadership positions around the world, particularly in his native Israel, encouraging them to keep their focus always on the patients whose lives they could improve."

Values and an enduring legacy

Paul Friedman, M.D., chair of the Mayo Clinic Department of Cardiology, says Dr. Lerman embodied Mayo Clinic’s values in his daily work and in his relationships with patients, trainees and peers.

"Dr. Lerman was an exceptional physician, scientist, leader, builder, innovator and creative thinker. The programs he built, the science he advanced and the leaders he inspired stand as a durable legacy," says Dr. Friedman. "Through those he mentored and the patients who benefit from his discoveries, Dr. Lerman’s influence on cardiovascular medicine will endure for generations."

The post Mayo Clinic remembers Dr. Amir Lerman, visionary cardiovascular researcher appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

Both men are alive today thanks to an extremely rare and complex surgery – a triple-organ transplant, including a heart, liver and kidney simultaneously.

Watch: Rare transplant turns strangers into friends

Journalists: Broadcast-quality video (1:52) is in the downloads at the end of this post. Please courtesy: "Mayo Clinic News Network." Read the script.

Tony's story

Tony had always considered himself a healthy guy. You'd often find him out on the basketball court, playing with family and friends or just shooting hoops by himself.

Then, at 50 years old, Tony had to stop playing basketball. He was diagnosed with congestive heart failure. Over the next decade, Tony underwent one procedure after another. Still, his health continued to decline.

Doctors told Tony there was only one option left – a triple-organ transplant, including a heart, liver and kidney. The transplant is so rare and complex that it is performed at only a limited number of hospitals.

Tony turned to Mayo Clinic in Arizona, where he found hope and a friend who would become his inspiration.

Hope comes calling

In 2025, Tony was admitted to Mayo Clinic. On the day of his triple-organ transplant, just hours before his surgery, Tony got an unexpected phone call.

"You're going to be just fine. You've got the best doctors and nurses," said Doyle, who was speaking from firsthand experience. Doyle is Arizona's first patient to undergo a triple-organ transplant, including a heart, liver and kidney.

Doyle called Tony to offer support and encouragement.

"You're going to feel a hundred percent better than you do today. I hurt, but I could tell a difference immediately," said Doyle, calling from his home in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma. In 2022, Doyle traveled with his wife Billie to Arizona to undergo the milestone triple-organ transplant.

The phone call was just what Tony needed to hear.

"It helped a lot talking to somebody who has gone through what I was going through," says Tony. "Every day I thought if Doyle did it, I can too. He was my inspiration."

Billie also spoke with Carrie, Tony's wife, to share her insight on being a caregiver. "She told me I could call her 24 hours a day," says Carrie. "I called her quite a bit. It was so helpful to speak with someone who had already been through this."

The families stayed in close contact throughout Tony's transplant journey.

Even though the two men had never met, Doyle says he didn't think twice about reaching out to Tony.

"Calling Tony was the least I could do to help Tony to understand what he's going to do and what he's got to do," says Doyle.

Mayo Clinic – a leader in triple-organ transplantation

Mayo Clinic also performs triple-organ transplants in Rochester, Minnesota.

As of February 2026, Mayo Clinic has performed 13 triple-organ transplants, according to the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network.

In 2024, Mayo Clinic in Rochester performed a highly complex and rare triple transplant, including a heart, lungs and kidney.

The patient, Mike Loven, had battled serious health problems since childhood. He had three open-heart surgeries by the time he reached his teens. Mike lives in Coon Rapids, Minnesota with his wife and two daughters.

Like Tony and Doyle, doctors told Mike a triple-organ transplant was his only chance for survival.

The triple transplant was a success. "I'm feeling better than I have in years," says Mike. "I'm walking up to two miles on the treadmill. I'm back to working. I feel great."

Strangers no more

It's been nine months since Tony's triple-organ transplant. Doctors still closely monitor his progress, but he's back at home, enjoying time with family and friends.

Tony is even slowly making his way back to the basketball court.

Doyle and Billie made a special trip Arizona to meet their new friends in person.

"We share such a special bond," says Billie. "I know we'll be friends forever."

Though Mike has not met Tony and Doyle, the three begin each new day the same way – with deep gratitude for the gift of life.

"I hear my heart beat everyday and remember my donor, I'm so grateful. Thank you to my donor and donor family," says Tony. "Every day is a miracle day."

Related stories:

• Harnessing the power of innovation and a patient's will to survive
• A rare cancer. A rare weapon. Curtis Jackson's inspiring story of survival
• Breathing easy thanks to the gift of life and a new lung transplant program at Mayo Clinic in Arizona
• Breaking the silence: Total larynx transplant on a patient with active cancer
• Bridging the transplant gap for indigenous healthcare

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