After unexplained pain, stiffness and abnormal movements led to dystonia diagnoses, Mayo Clinic specialists tailored deep brain stimulation and ongoing care to Emma and Lauren Fink's individual symptoms and goals. 

In September 2024, 14-year-old Emma Fink reached for a volleyball during gym class when something suddenly went wrong. 

"I went to bump the ball, and my shoulder blade popped out of place," Emma says.  

Her right shoulder blade shifted sharply upward and remained fixed in place. She describes the pain as feeling like "someone was punching me over and over." 

At the emergency department, imaging showed that Emma's shoulder was not dislocated. The cause of her shoulder blade's fixed position remained unclear, and muscle relaxants provided no relief. 

Watch: Deep brain stimulation helps sisters with dystonia return to the activities they love

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When Emma's symptoms pointed to a movement disorder 

For months, Emma could not raise her arm, sleep comfortably, write with her dominant hand or wash her hair. Emma, a normally laid-back teenager who loved drawing, archery and spending time with friends, had to relearn everyday tasks with her left hand while living with constant pain. 

Emma was initially treated for a suspected sports injury. When her shoulder did not improve with treatment, Mayo Clinic sports medicine specialists in Rochester, Minnesota, contacted Dr. Amy Rabatin, a physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist at Mayo Clinic. 

Before seeing Emma in person, Dr. Rabatin was brainstorming with the sports medicine team, reviewing photographs, considering ways to control Emma's pain and asking another question: Who else needed to be involved? 

Suspecting a neurologic cause, Dr. Rabatin helped connect Emma with Dr. Keith A. Coffman, a Mayo Clinic neurologist who specializes in pediatric-onset movement disorders. 

Dystonia diagnosis brings answers 

When Dr. Coffman evaluated Emma, he recognized signs of dystonia, a movement disorder that can cause involuntary muscle contractions and painful, sustained tightening. He compares the sensation to a charley horse that does not release. 

Dystonia can affect any voluntary muscle and can look very different from one person to the next. Emma's presentation was especially unusual, Dr. Coffman says, because her arm had remained locked in position for months. 

The diagnosis brought clarity but not a quick fix. Drs. Rabatin and Coffman continued coordinating Emma's medication management, rehabilitation and evaluation of additional treatment options to address her pain, movement and function. 

Considering deep brain stimulation for dystonia 

When medications did not adequately control Emma’s worsening symptoms, Dr. Coffman recommended deep brain stimulation (DBS). 

DBS uses implanted electrodes to deliver adjustable electrical stimulation to areas of the brain involved in movement. It can lessen symptoms of dystonia, but it is not a cure.

For Emma and her family, the next step did not require starting over with a new care team. Dr. Coffman could evaluate her for DBS alongside Dr. Kai Miller, a Mayo Clinic neurosurgeon, through Mayo Clinic's Pediatric Deep Brain Stimulation Program in Rochester. 

At first, Emma was hesitant about brain surgery. 

Dr. Coffman and Dr. Miller talked with Emma and her parents, Angie and Andy Fink, about the potential benefits, limitations and risks. They also addressed Emma's questions, including how much of her hair would need to be shaved. As the physicians answered her questions, Emma became more comfortable considering the procedure. 

"I just wanted to be better," Emma says. "Anything to make me better." 

Emma notices a change after DBS activation 

Dr. Miller performed Emma's DBS surgery in April 2025. When Dr. Coffman activated the device several weeks later, Emma felt the muscles around her shoulder release. 

"I could feel my shoulder shift down, and then all my muscles finally relaxed," she says. "It felt like it was floating." 

Within minutes, Emma could move an arm she had been unable to use for nearly eight months. 

After watching Emma live with persistent pain, Angie struggled to believe the change could last. 

"I remember thinking, 'We're going to wake up tomorrow, and it's going to be back to the way it was. This can't be real,'" Angie says. "I had some disbelief that it worked so well, so quickly, and then gratitude that we had the expert team to make it happen for her." 

The moment affected Emma's care team too. 

"When we turned Emma's device on and she got relief, we all cried," Dr. Coffman says. 

A second dystonia diagnosis in the family 

As Emma recovered and rebuilt her strength through occupational therapy with Katie Cossette, OT, and physical therapy, her younger sister, Lauren, began experiencing rapid blinking and unusual movements of her head and neck. 

She also had a long history of tightness and pain in her legs that worsened with activity. 

During one of Emma's DBS programming appointments, Angie described Lauren's symptoms. Dr. Coffman asked to see Lauren and later confirmed that she, too, had dystonia. 

Their specific condition is classified as presumed monogenic dystonia, meaning it is likely tied to a change in a single gene that has not yet been identified. Dr. Coffman says this is the second most common form of dystonia in children. 

Individualizing care for each sister 

Sharing the same condition did not mean Lauren's treatment would mirror Emma's. Still, like her sister, Lauren wanted to try medication before considering DBS. 

The team gave her time to make the decision on her own terms. But as Lauren's symptoms worsened, the effects became harder to ignore. Softball, a sport she loves, grew more difficult as her bat speed slowed and fatigue set in more quickly. 

After watching her sister benefit from DBS and talking through her own concerns with her care team, Lauren underwent DBS surgery in February 2026. 

When her device was activated, Lauren noticed almost immediately that walking felt easier. 

"I didn't realize I wasn't supposed to feel that uncomfortable tightness in my legs when I moved," she says. 

Fine-tuning deep brain stimulation over time 

As Emma and Lauren grow and their symptoms change, they return to Dr. Coffman to fine-tune their DBS settings around the activities that matter most to them. For Lauren, that means softball. 

During a recent appointment, she stood in the clinic swinging a bat while Dr. Coffman adjusted her DBS settings on a tablet. With each change, she described what she felt. 

When the stiffness eased and her swing felt natural again, they knew they had found the right setting. 

Returning to school, sports and everyday life 

Across specialties, Emma and Lauren's care team continues to share updates about their symptoms, rehabilitation and personal goals, so their treatment can adjust as their needs evolve.  

Although the family may meet with each specialist separately, Angie says their care has never felt divided. 

"It feels like when we talk to one of them, we're talking to all of them," she says.  

Today, Emma is returning to archery, drawing and time with friends. Lauren continues to practice softball, work on her strength training and has plenty of energy for her family and friends. 

Looking back on how far both girls have come, Angie and Andy say they are grateful for the Mayo Clinic care teams that helped Emma and Lauren return to the rhythms of teenage life. 

"Through this all, we felt like we were in good hands," Andy says. "If there’s any place in the world we would have wanted this done, it would have been right here."

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After being diagnosed with high-risk acute myeloid leukemia at age 19, Sky Toyne came to Mayo Clinic for a potentially curative stem cell transplant. Thanks to advances in transplant medicine, a lifesaving donation from her brother, and comprehensive care that addressed both her physical and emotional recovery, Sky overcame leukemia and returned to the life she loves.  

In August 2021, Sky Toyne had just begun her sophomore year of college at a university in Iowa, where she was born and raised. With a love of learning and being active in organizations, she was excitedly thinking about her next semester. Should she run for an executive position in her sorority or study abroad in Australia?  

Soon after the fall semester began, Sky started getting bad headaches. As the weeks went on, she experienced more symptoms — frequent colds, extreme neck aches and fatigue.   

On Oct. 7, Sky woke with intense head and neck pain and a whooshing sound in her ears. Her mom drove her to the student health facility, where initial tests were inconclusive. Bloodwork, however, revealed dangerously low blood counts, and Sky went to the hospital immediately. 

After receiving blood transfusions in the emergency department, Sky was admitted to the oncology floor. A bone marrow biopsy the next morning confirmed leukemia.  

Further testing showed that Sky had acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and she had several mutations that put her at high risk of recurrence. To give her the best chance at a cure, she would need a bone marrow, or stem cell transplant.  

"I decided to go to Mayo Clinic since it's the best hospital in the world and a leader in transplant," says Sky.  

She completed induction chemotherapy at the hospital in Iowa and traveled with her parents to Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, to meet Dr. William Hogan, a transplant hematologist. 

"His expertise was astounding, and we immediately knew I was in good hands," says Sky.  

Hope through innovation 

"Sky's leukemia carried genetic abnormalities that we know place patients at much higher risk of relapse if treated with chemotherapy alone," says Dr. Hogan. "Fortunately, she had responded very well to her initial treatment and achieved a deep remission, which gave us an important opportunity to move toward a potentially curative stem cell transplant." 

Stem cell donor matching depends on inherited immune system genes called human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genes. People with mixed ancestry, like Sky, often inherit combinations of HLA genes that are less commonly represented in donor registries, which means there may be fewer unrelated volunteers who share that exact genetic combination. 

Because a perfectly matched unrelated donor wasn't readily available, Sky required a haploidentical, or half-matched, bone marrow transplant. Unlike a traditional transplant, a haploidentical transplant uses a donor who shares approximately half of the patient's immune system genes — usually a parent, child or sibling.  

"This has probably been one of the biggest advances in transplantation over the past two decades, allowing nearly every patient to have a potential donor," says Dr. Hogan. 

Sky's brother, Speed, agreed to be her donor.  

"I will admit that I was nervous about the donation procedure, but the decision to be the donor was an easy one," says Speed. "It was simply what needed to be done to give my sister a chance." 

The therapies Sky would receive could permanently affect reproductive function. Her care team worked closely with reproductive endocrinology colleagues so she could undergo egg retrieval before transplant.  

"Our goal is never simply to cure leukemia — it's to help patients return to meaningful, fulfilling lives," says Dr. Hogan. "We needed to consider her long-term quality of life, including her fertility, education, career goals, emotional well-being and the many decades of life that hopefully lie ahead after treatment. Those conversations were just as important as the medical treatment itself." 

On Feb. 25, 2022, Sky received the transplant and celebrated her "rebirthday." As the months progressed, Sky was recovering physically, but she began struggling mentally.  

"Transplant recovery is not just a physical process. That's why psychological support is an essential part of transplant care, not an afterthought," says Dr. Hogan. 

Honoring her past and embracing the future 

"The nurses and physician assistants were amazing. They would give me pep talks," says Sky. "A nurse who also had leukemia when she was younger suggested the idea to hold a ceremony for my past self."  

Sky, who had lost her hair, bought a wig, and the nurse made her a flower crown. With her care team and loved ones in attendance, people wrote and read eulogies, and then she did the same, saying goodbye to her past self. 

"It was so meaningful that my care team did that for me, and it really helped me get over my mental block," says Sky. "What I appreciated most about Mayo Clinic was its holistic approach. They cared for my mental health just as much as my physical health, which helped me have the best possible outcome. I felt seen by every staff member, many of whom became like family." 

On her 100^th day post-transplant, Sky rang a bell to celebrate her semipermanent remission. She's hoping to ring the bell again on her five-year transplant anniversary on Feb. 25, 2027, to signify permanent remission.  

"Transplantation is never something a patient accomplishes alone. It requires extraordinary courage from the patient, incredible support from family and the coordinated efforts of a large multidisciplinary team," says Dr. Hogan. 

Life beyond leukemia 

Sky returned to school full time, served in an executive position in her sorority and was a leader in many other campus organizations. Since she continued her classes part time during treatment, she was able to graduate from college on time in May 2024. 

Now 24, Sky earned a master's degree, ran her first half-marathon in March and enjoys traveling around the country.  

"Because of advances in molecular diagnostics, targeted therapies, donor selection, transplant techniques and supportive care, she has returned to an active, healthy life," says Dr. Hogan. "Seeing someone like Sky thriving years later is deeply rewarding for everyone involved and reminds us why these advances matter." 

The post Life beyond leukemia: How innovation and compassion helped Sky reclaim her future  appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

Fainting became commonplace for Brenda in 2021. She and her husband, John, were so accustomed to what they called "blood pressure crashes" that they developed a routine.  

"I would feel dizzy, nauseated and sweaty, and (I would) alert my husband. He would run for a bucket and a cold compress. I would lie on the ground and get my feet up," Brenda shares.  

John would check her blood pressure. Once she stabilized, they would go about their day.  

Brenda, then 53, attributed the episodes to traveling too much for work or not drinking enough water, especially because many occurred on hot days in her home state of Arkansas.  

"I had an excuse every time," she says.  

But in 2023, as she headed out for a run with John — her favorite leisure activity — Brenda fainted and couldn't get back up. John called an ambulance.  

Watch: Dr. Guru Kowlgi explain cardioneural ablation

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After extensive testing at the hospital and a review of Brenda's smartwatch health data, her physician found that the fainting episodes coincided with drops in her heart rate. Brenda received a pacemaker, a device implanted under the skin that sends small electrical impulses to the heart to keep it from beating too slowly or pausing too long.   

But the fainting episodes continued. Brenda also experienced fatigue, brain fog, hair loss and inflammation throughout her body.  

"I'd gone from a person with great energy and vitality to someone who struggled to walk. I was trying every remedy possible," Brenda says.  

She tried cold plunges, gluten-free and dairy-free diets, and intermittent fasting. She took 13 different medications and multiple vitamins, and she stopped air travel. Nothing worked. She lived in constant fear that something was seriously wrong with her heart.  

Brenda continued checkups with her local care team. Despite her symptoms, she kept receiving the same report: "Your heart is fine. Your pacemaker is working. You're good." 

In April 2025, before Brenda left to visit her home country of Ireland, a nurse practitioner who had been part of her care team from the beginning expressed concern about Brenda's condition and advised her to seek care elsewhere. The nurse practitioner referred Brenda to Mayo Clinic, and soon afterward, Brenda and John made the 10-hour drive to Rochester, Minnesota. 

Finding the cause of years of fainting 

In September 2025, after months of extensive evaluations at Mayo Clinic, Brenda met Guru Kowlgi, M.B.B.S., a cardiologist and cardiac electrophysiologist. 

She walked into the appointment with little hope, expecting him to deliver the same message she had heard from other physicians: "You're fine. Keep doing what you're doing."  

Instead, Dr. Kowlgi said, "Brenda, we know exactly what the issue is, and we have a plan to solve it." 

"I couldn't believe it. John and I felt relieved to finally have answers," Brenda says.  

Brenda was diagnosed with vasovagal syncope, a common condition that causes fainting when the vagus nerve triggers a drop in heart rate and blood pressure.   

"A pacemaker is usually the last treatment option for patients like Brenda, but it does not solve all their issues," says Dr. Kowlgi.  

Pacemakers treat slow heart rates, which are the result of vasovagal syncope, but do not address the root cause. Thus, Dr. Kowlgi says patients may continue to have lightheadedness, and even faint, and the condition can significantly affect quality of life.  

For Brenda, Dr. Kowlgi recommended a specialized procedure called cardioneuroablation, also referred to as cardioneural ablation. The procedure uses a catheter to target and ablate, or destroy, areas around the nerve cells in the heart that contribute to the abnormal reflex.   

"It is like a recalibration," explains Dr. Kowlgi. "Since the vagus nerve activity is high, we are trying to blunt it and bring it closer to normal."   

Using cardioneuroablation to target the cause  

Dr. Kowlgi first performed cardioneuroablation at Mayo Clinic in 2022 and has helped advance its use for vasovagal syncope.   

Cardioneuroablation builds on techniques used in cardiac ablation procedures to treat heart rhythm disorders. Dr. Kowlgi is among the physicians using the approach to treat vasovagal syncope, including in patients with pacemakers, such as Brenda. 

In 2024, Dr. Kowlgi performed cardioneuroablation for the first time on a patient with an existing pacemaker. "We started building on that experience. I realized there was an opportunity to not only make patients' symptoms better but to remove pacemakers, which can cause a multitude of issues, especially when implanted in young patients who would otherwise live with them for life."  

Brenda underwent the procedure in October 2025. "When I came off the operating table, I could feel my energy coming back. I was out walking within a week," Brenda says.  

Within two months of the procedure, Brenda went from having her pacemaker provide pacing 40% of the time to no pacing, and her symptoms resolved.  

She spent Christmas in Rochester, skiing with her family for the first time in years. In February 2026, Brenda's pacemaker was removed.  

Returning to running, traveling and family life 

As Dr. Kowlgi continues clinical research on cardioneuroablation and its potential uses, Brenda and John are reclaiming their life together.  

"I thought I'd never be able to run another marathon or plan travel with John to see my mum in Ireland, our sons in New York and Kentucky, and visit the last state on our bucket list," Brenda says. "Now I run 3 to 4 miles a day and am about to go on a cruise to Alaska. It's not just me who got my life back, but my family did too." 

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On June 17, 2026, Kayla Gengler walked through the doors of Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, with her husband, AJ, and their youngest daughter, Ida. 

The date carried more than one meaning. It was Ida's first birthday. It was Kayla and AJ's ninth wedding anniversary. And it marked one year since a rare and life-changing obstetric emergency required multiple Mayo Clinic care teams to respond within minutes. 

Watch: Suspected amniotic fluid embolism leads to maternal cardiac arrest and rapid ECMO response at Mayo Clinic

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What happened when Kayla suddenly collapsed at 39 weeks pregnant? 

A year earlier, Kayla, then 33, was 39 weeks pregnant with the couple’s third child. She was at Mayo Clinic receiving care late in her pregnancy when her condition suddenly changed. While being monitored, Kayla reported severe nausea and heart palpitations before losing consciousness.  

Kayla’s care team, including obstetrician Vanessa Torbenson, M.D., immediately called for an emergency cesarean delivery.  

"Moving rapidly was essential. If too much time passed, blood flow to the uterus could have been reduced, putting both mother and baby in danger," says Dr. Torbenson.  

In situations this complex and fast-moving, having obstetrics, anesthesia, and critical care available within minutes can make a crucial difference. Those teams began mobilizing simultaneously as Kayla's condition deteriorated. 

Four minutes later, Ida was born safely as another team continued working to stabilize Kayla.  

Then, Kayla's heart stopped. 

How did Mayo Clinic respond when Kayla went into cardiac arrest? 

When Kayla went into cardiac arrest, Mayo Clinic’s ECMO team was activated immediately.  

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, or ECMO, is a form of temporary life support that can assist heart and lung function during critical illness. It requires specialized equipment and a team certified to manage patients whose condition can change rapidly. 

At Mayo Clinic, maternal cardiac arrest triggers immediate consultation with the ECMO team, allowing specialists to assess the need for advanced life support while resuscitation continues. In Kayla's case, ECMO preparation began as other teams worked to restore and stabilize her circulation. 

Troy Seelhammer, M.D., an anesthesiologist, critical care physician and medical director of Mayo Clinic's ECMO Program, was on call that morning. 

"We had a very short window to try to save Kayla’s life," Dr. Seelhammer says.  

 Within minutes, specialists, ECMO equipment and transportation resources were mobilized across Mayo Clinic campuses.  

"Cases like this are incredibly rare," Dr. Seelhammer says. "Survival depends on having experienced, multidisciplinary teams that can quickly come together while remaining coordinated throughout the patient's journey." 

Why did Kayla's emergency require so many specialized teams? 

For Kayla, several urgent needs were developing at once.  

The obstetric team needed to deliver Ida while continuing efforts to stabilize Kayla. While in cardiac arrest, critical care and ECMO specialists were needed to provide advanced life support. Nurses, transport teams and other specialists helped coordinate care, equipment and movement across Mayo Clinic as her condition changed. 

Mayo Clinic's team-based model brought together specialists from across disciplines who routinely work side by side, allowing Kayla's care plan to evolve rapidly as new challenges emerged.

Later, when imaging revealed that Kayla had experienced multiple strokes, neurologic care became part of her treatment.  

What is an amniotic fluid embolism? 

As Kayla stabilized and began recovering in the intensive care unit, specialists from several disciplines worked to understand what had caused her sudden collapse. 

The exact sequence of events remains uncertain. Kayla's care team determined that an amniotic fluid embolism, or AFE, was the most likely explanation. 

AFE is an exceptionally rare obstetric emergency that can occur when amniotic fluid or fetal material enters the mother's bloodstream and triggers a sudden, severe reaction. It can develop during pregnancy, labor or delivery and may rapidly lead to breathing and circulatory failure, abnormal blood clotting and cardiac arrest. 

"There is no single test that can confirm AFE, and it can happen without warning or an obvious cause," Dr. Torbenson says. 

AFE is estimated to occur in about 6 of every 100,000 pregnancies in the U.S. 

Why was Kayla's case so medically complex? 

Surviving the initial cardiac arrest was only the beginning of Kayla's medical course. 

Further imaging revealed that Kayla had experienced multiple strokes. During the evaluation, her care team also discovered a previously undiagnosed opening in her heart, called a patent foramen ovale, or PFO. 

Kayla’s physicians say this opening may have provided a pathway for amniotic fluid in her bloodstream to pass through the heart and reach the brain, potentially contributing to her strokes. 

The combination of suspected AFE, cardiac arrest, ECMO support and multiple strokes made Kayla's case unusually complex. It also meant her care did not end when the immediate emergency passed. 

Recovery would require time, specialized care and continued support. 

What does recovery look like after an obstetric emergency? 

After 31 days in the hospital, including nearly two weeks of inpatient rehabilitation, Kayla was able to return home. 

Recovery was not simple. The strokes left Kayla with lasting effects on her vision, cognition, balance and movement. Vision loss in both eyes meant losing her ability to drive, while weakness and nerve pain in her legs made everyday activities more difficult.  

The emotional recovery has been just as real. 

"At first, I was just so happy to be home with my kids," Kayla says. "Now, I’m learning more about what happened, and there is a bigger emotional piece. I’ve come down from that initial high and am learning to live with a disability." 

As she navigated the physical and emotional challenges of recovery, Kayla leaned on the support of those around her. 

While many memories from the weeks after Ida's birth remain unclear or missing for Kayla, both Kayla and AJ vividly recall the love that surrounded their family from those who stepped in to provide help and encouragement. 

"What I will always remember is the positivity of all the people who sent food and lent a helping hand. There's just so much kindness in the world," says Kayla.

One year later, a return to Mayo Clinic 

One year after the emergency, Kayla, AJ and Ida chose to mark the anniversary by walking through the doors of Mayo Clinic again.  

They came to reunite with some of the physicians and nurses who had cared for them, including Dr. Torbenson and Dr. Seelhammer. 

For Kayla and AJ, the reunion offered a way to reclaim a difficult anniversary. 

"It's so special to be here," Kayla says. "We get to celebrate Ida's first birthday and we get to celebrate all of life's amazing moments." 

For the physicians and nurses, seeing the family together again was a reminder of what coordinated care had made possible. 

"This is what really keeps us going," Dr. Seelhammer says — seeing patients return to their families and their lives after illness. 

Kayla’s recovery continues, and she is still adapting to physical challenges that have changed parts of daily life. But she holds close the ordinary moments with AJ and their children — walks, bedtime routines and watching them grow. 

Those moments are possible because, when a rare obstetric emergency unfolded without warning, specialists from across Mayo Clinic came together within minutes to deliver highly coordinated care. As Kayla's needs evolved from emergency delivery to cardiac resuscitation, ECMO support, neurologic care and rehabilitation, teams across disciplines remained connected at every stage. 

The expertise required to manage each complication was different, but the goal was shared: helping Kayla return to her family. 

No single specialty carried her through the experience. Her care moved seamlessly from one team to the next, with specialists working together to meet each new challenge as it emerged. 

“We drew on years of planning, experience and team training to bring the right resources rapidly to Kayla’s bedside,” says Troy Seelhammer, M.D.. “That preparation allowed teams across Mayo Clinic to respond together when she needed them most."

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As the fire chief for the city of Fargo, North Dakota, Gary Lorenz is accustomed to high-stress emergencies.  

"Firefighters are problem solvers," Gary explains. "When people call 911, and the dispatchers aren’t sure whom to send, they send the fire department."  

But on Oct. 7, 2025, Gary faced a crisis he could not simply delegate.  

During a routine scan for an unrelated issue, doctors discovered a tumor on his left kidney.  

Stunned by the news, Gary recalls pacing the floor at his headquarters fire station, feeling overwhelmed and not knowing what to do next.   

"I am kind of a fixer," says Gary. "Whether it's mechanical or other things, I'm fixing problems all the time, and so when it was my problem, trying to figure out how to fix this, it just seemed big."  

Walking in circles, the reality of his diagnosis set in.  

With the love and support of his wife, who works in the medical field, Gary discussed the next steps and knew exactly where to turn. He reached out to Mayo Clinic.  

Watch: Robotic surgery helps fire chief return to duty

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A rapid response and a precise plan  

Within one day, a video conference was scheduled for the following week with Dr. Aaron Potretzke, a Mayo Clinic urologic surgeon.  

Knowing a plan was in place, his family urged him to go ahead with his annual fishing trip that weekend to Lake of the Woods in Canada.  

While driving, Gary received a call from Mayo Clinic asking whether he could meet virtually that Friday instead of the following week. 

During the videoconference, Dr. Potretzke explained how the scans described a single, approximately 4-centimeter bi-lobed tumor, but the exact nature of the growth would not be determined until after it was surgically removed.  

Because of the tumor's location and associated risks, Dr. Potretzke recommended a robotic-assisted radical complete nephrectomy, a minimally invasive surgery using robotic tools to completely remove a kidney through tiny incisions. 

"Dr. Potretzke’s thoroughness, professionalism and confidence greatly helped relieve much of the anxiety I was experiencing," says Gary.  

In short order, Gary received a call on Monday morning from Dr. Potretzke’s office about a last-minute surgical opening for the next day.  

Mayo staff coordinated and communicated with Gary to complete all of the necessary surgical preauthorization. 

Despite this tight timeline and a five-hour drive the night before, he was in the operating room exactly one week after his diagnosis.  

"It’s unheard of to go from start to finish that quickly," Gary says. "It felt like people actually cared how fast it came together."  

Dr. Potretzke says Gary's case was unique because of the multidisciplinary coordination that occurred in such a short time while Gary was several hours from Rochester, Minnesota. 

"To be able to get him into the operating room that fast was not something that we see every day, but it shows that this system works really well — and people at Mayo Clinic go the extra mile in an amazing way to take great care of patients in a thorough and efficient way," says Dr. Potretzke.  

Because of this advanced approach, he spent just a single night in the hospital and was able to return to work four days later.   

Dr. Potretzke will continue to monitor Gary over the next two years for signs of recurrence. 

Reaching a milestone: 100,000 da Vinci robot-assisted surgeries  

Gary's successful journey comes as Mayo Clinic marks a milestone in robotic-assisted surgery.  This summer, Mayo Clinic surpassed 100,000 surgeries assisted by the da Vinci robot.

Mayo Clinic uses advanced surgical robots to perform complex operations with precision, helping patients like Gary experience less pain, spend less time in the hospital and recover faster.  

"At Mayo Clinic in Arizona specifically, it's a marker of how far we've come as a campus from adopting the technology to now defining where complex robotic surgery goes next," says Dr. Michelle Nguyen, a Mayo Clinic transplant surgeon. "Reaching 100,000 cases is a meaningful milestone, but it's the culture of innovation behind it that will define what the next 100,000 look like."  

Much of that progress is being driven by breakthroughs in surgical technology. 

"Robotic-assisted surgery allows us to perform increasingly complex operations with greater precision, control and safety," says Dr. David Yang, a urologist at Mayo Clinic Health System in Mankato, Minnesota. "This translates into improved patient outcomes, less postoperative pain and faster recovery. Perhaps just as importantly, procedures that were once only available at large tertiary care centers can now be performed closer to home."  

That high level of care is a collective effort. 

"Each of those 100,000 robotic surgeries was made possible by our exceptional care teams, including not only surgeons at Mayo Clinic in Florida but nursing teams, anesthesia, surgical staff, custodial support, scheduling and many others," says Dr. Mara Piltin, a Mayo Clinic surgical oncologist. "Each member of our institution plays a meaningful role in allowing us to offer high-volume, high-complexity care to patients in need, and we are grateful for each piece of the puzzle."  

Grateful for the seamless multidisciplinary care  

Reflecting on his clear follow-up scans and rapid recovery, Gary is grateful for the seamless multidisciplinary care he received.   

Highlighting how technology empowers clinical teams, Dr. Potretzke notes that robotic-assisted surgery has been a tremendous asset.   

"Robotic surgery allows us to enhance traditional laparoscopy with 3D and magnified visualization, and articulating instruments that allow for meticulous dissection and sewing in very small spaces," he adds.  

Meanwhile, patients like Gary are thankful for the team at Mayo Clinic.   

"I told Dr. Potretzke I would only share my story if I could brag about him and his team," says Gary. "You really respect the knowledge and training that the care team has." 

The post When a fire chief needed help: How Mayo Clinic’s collaborative care and robotic surgery saved his life (VIDEO) appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

For nearly six years, Bob Morreale has lived with a shoulder replacement. Most days, he does not think about it at all. 

That, he says, is the point. 

For Bob, 56, of Rochester, Minnesota, the road to shoulder replacement began decades earlier. A former Division III college baseball pitcher, he sustained shoulder injuries that led to instability, tissue damage, previous surgeries, and eventually, osteoarthritis. Over time, pain became part of daily life.  

“Turning a doorknob, holding a coffee cup, sleeping on my right side, and throwing became difficult,” Bob says. “It didn’t completely stop me from doing things, but I was constantly making adjustments.” 

Bob knew he needed a more permanent solution to manage his pain. At Mayo Clinic in Rochester, he met with Joaquin Sanchez Sotelo, M.D., Ph.D., an orthopedic surgeon, to discuss whether total shoulder replacement could be an option. 

Like many patients considering joint replacement, Bob wanted to know how long an implant might last and whether he could expect to regain comfortable motion. Dr. Sanchez Sotelo could answer those questions with confidence, drawing on decades of outcomes data from thousands of joint replacement patients treated at Mayo Clinic. 

How decades of patient follow-up help guide your care 

That confidence comes from more than 50 years of systematically tracking patient-reported outcomes. Since performing the first FDA-approved total hip replacement in the United States in 1969, Mayo Clinic has followed joint replacement patients throughout their lives, creating one of the world's largest collections of long-term outcomes data. 

"After surgery, we connect with patients on a regular basis. Even after a surgeon retires, another will step in and continue to check in with patients throughout the remainder of their life," says Matthew Abdel, M.D., chair of the Surgical and Procedural Practice at Mayo Clinic. 

For patients like Bob, that depth of follow-up matters. It allows surgeons to have more informed and honest conversations about what patients can expect — including pain relief, function, durability and whether another surgery may be needed in the future. 

Making an informed decision 

After discussing the benefits, risks and alternatives with his surgeon, Bob decided to move forward with an anatomic total shoulder replacement. Based on his age, anatomy and overall shoulder condition, the procedure offered the best opportunity to relieve pain, restore function and return to the activities he enjoyed.  

Recovery from surgery required patience. Bob spent weeks in a sling and worked through physical therapy to rebuild strength and motion. But as movement returned, so did the ordinary parts of life he had been missing. 

"The results have been remarkable," Bob says. "I have no pain, full range of motion, and can do everything I want to do. My sons are now adults, but I can still play catch with them!" 

How every patient helps improve joint replacement 

Every patient who participates in follow-up contributes to a deeper understanding of long-term outcomes, helping Mayo Clinic refine care and better guide future patients. 

For patients, that means care informed by decades of real-world outcomes, helping surgeons provide clearer expectations about recovery, function and long-term results. 

Like more than 200,000 joint replacement patients treated at Mayo Clinic, Bob continues to participate in periodic follow-up after surgery. 

Nearly six years later, he rarely thinks about his shoulder anymore. 

That's exactly what he hoped for. 

The post Why decades of patient follow-up make a difference in joint replacement care  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.

On May 30, 2025, the Fountain Hills resident became the first patient to receive a lung transplant through Mayo Clinic's new Lung Transplant Program. Craig had been living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a progressive lung condition that affects more than 16 million Americans. Although treatments can help manage symptoms, the disease has no cure and gradually makes breathing more difficult over time. 

For Craig, the journey to transplant was years in the making. Barely able to walk 15 feet while using an oxygen tank, Craig's life had become very limiting. 

A former flooring installer, he spent decades working in environments with airborne dust and particles. He also had a family history of COPD. As his disease progressed, everyday activities became increasingly difficult. Breathing became a challenge, and simple tasks required more energy than they once had. Eventually, doctors determined a lung transplant offered the best path forward. 

Now, Craig is celebrating more than a milestone. He's celebrating what he calls his "lung anniversary," one year since the transplant that allowed him to breathe easier, regain his independence and return to the activities he loves. "I’m back to doing nearly everything I did before COPD," he says. "I was eager to get back to my life, but getting in shape takes time. I’m happy to say I’ve just started training for the Thanksgiving Turkey Trot." He's also now back at work as a handyman and once again doing many of the activities COPD had taken away from him. The moments he now enjoys, whether working, spending time with family or simply staying active, are reminders of how much has changed in a single year.  

Watch: The first patient to receive a lung transplant through Mayo Clinic in Arizona's new lung transplant program provides an update on how he's doing

Journalists: Broadcast-quality sound bites of Craig Schere and Dr. D'Cuhna are available in the downloads at the bottom of the posts. Name super/CG: Jonathan D'Cuhuna, MD/Surgical Director of the Mayo Clinic Lung Transplant Program in Arizona/Mayo Clinic.

Throughout his recovery, Craig says he has remained mindful of the donor whose gift made his transplant possible. "The life I have now is possible because of my donor's generosity. I celebrate both my birthday and the day of my transplant because what I can do now is remarkable, and it's only possible because of that gift," says Craig. 

The historic procedure marked not only a turning point in his personal health journey but also a significant milestone for transplant care in Arizona. Some neighboring states do not offer lung transplant programs, meaning patients often must travel far from home, family and support networks to receive care. The Arizona program helps address that gap by allowing more patients to remain closer to home throughout evaluation, transplant surgery and recovery.  

While Craig was the first patient in the new program, he is no longer the only one. In its first year, Mayo Clinic's Arizona lung transplant program brought together a multidisciplinary team of medical and surgical experts to broaden access to care for patients in the region with advanced lung disease.

Dr. Johnathan D'Cunha is the chair of Cardiothoracic Surgery and the surgical director of the Mayo Clinic Lung Transplant Program in Arizona. He performed Craig's transplant. “Craig is now living out loud because he has so much hope ahead. Mayo Clinic Transplant Center is one of the largest and most comprehensive transplant programs in the world, which allows us to care for the most complex and serious patients. The program's success reflects the close collaboration of our Arizona team and strong coordination across Mayo Clinic Transplant Center," Dr. D'Cuhna says.  

For Craig, however, the anniversary is about gratitude. 

"I'm grateful to have this time with my family, my 14 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren, and look forward to what's next for me," says Craig. As he celebrates his first lung anniversary, Craig's story is a reminder of what transplantation makes possible: not just more years of life, but the opportunity to fully live them. 

Learn more about lung transplantation.  

Related

• (VIDEO) Breathing easy thanks to the gift of life and new Mayo Clinic Lung Transplant Program in Arizona

The post One year later: First patient thrives after lung transplant through Mayo Clinic in Arizona’s new lung transplant program (VIDEO) appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

After receiving a serious diagnosis, one patient turned to several medical institutions in search of answers. Where other institutions saw limitations, Mayo Clinic's interdisciplinary team saw a way forward. 

When Kyle Collett was diagnosed with an advanced tumor affecting approximately 65% of his tongue, life changed overnight.

 At 39 years old, he was a soon-to-be husband and a strategic finance professional.

"Like many people my age, cancer was simply not something I expected to hear," Kyle recalls. "My days were focused on building a future with my family, staying active and planning for what was ahead."

Before Kyle came to Mayo Clinic, the multiple medical opinions he had received had pointed toward a challenging future that included immediate major surgery, a near-total glossectomy (removal of most of the tongue), and a dramatically altered quality of life.

A different approach: Focus on what is possible

Where other institutions saw limitations, Mayo Clinic's interdisciplinary team saw an opportunity to help.

"This was a young patient," says Samip Patel, M.D., an otolaryngologist at Mayo Clinic and lead surgeon in Kyle's case. "He and his fiancée were really just starting their life together when he was diagnosed with a large oral tongue cancer."

"What was unique about this case was that we were able to pause as a multidisciplinary team and ask, 'Is there a way to treat this cancer effectively, but also preserve as much speech, swallowing and quality of life as possible?'"

Kyle quickly recognized that this collaborative team approach meant he was where he was supposed to be for his treatment.

"When nearly every other opinion focused on what I was going to lose, Mayo Clinic focused on what might still be possible," he says. "Rather than applying a one-size-fits-all approach, the team took the time to evaluate my unique situation and develop an individualized treatment plan."

Oral tongue cancers are aggressive, making cure the top priority. However, preserving the components of human identity, speech, swallowing and appearance matters tremendously.

Mayo Clinic overcame this challenge by bringing surgery, medical oncology, radiation oncology, radiology, pathology and therapy teams together early in Kyle's journey.

"Instead of feeling like I was navigating disconnected opinions, Mayo Clinic's teams functioned as one unified group with a shared mission," Kyle says.

Rather than immediate major surgery, Kyle's team recommended induction systemic therapy first. This treatment approach uses full-body medications like chemotherapy or immunotherapy to shrink the tumor and target hidden cancer cells before an operation.

"He had a strong response, and that allowed us to make the surgery smaller and then deliver more targeted postoperative radiation," Dr. Patel explains. "To me, that is the heart of personalized cancer care. The goal was to balance cure with long-term function."

By using neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy to shrink the tumor before surgery, the team spared Kyle from losing most of his tongue.

Kyle credits Dr. Patel's ability to explain complex medical information, alongside the commitment of the Radiation Oncology team.

Following surgery, a network of specialists, including speech, physical and lymphatic therapists, helped Kyle regain function and trained his fiancée to do Kyle's required home care.

Today, Kyle enjoys family dinners, travel and joyous conversations about what is next in life.

"The milestone was not just that the cancer was treated," says Dr. Patel. "It was that we were able to treat it in a way that helped protect his long-term function and quality of life. To me, that is real success, not just recovery from treatment, but recovery of life."

Providing confidence, clarity and hope

Dr. Patel notes that for complex head and neck cases, Mayo Clinic designs treatment around the whole person, not just the tumor.

Kyle praises that approach.

"The expertise is extraordinary, but what truly sets Mayo apart is the way it combines innovation, collaboration and humanity," he says. "During one of the most uncertain and frightening experiences of my life, Mayo Clinic gave me confidence, clarity and hope."

The post When others focused on loss, Mayo Clinic focused on possibility appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

After an exceptionally rare diagnosis, a lifesaving bone marrow transplant and a near-fatal infection that pushed his body to the brink, Mike Sonnabend is not only alive — he's back to doing what once seemed impossible. 

Mike Sonnabend, a husband and father to three sons, enjoys being active — not just physically but also in the Rochester, Minnesota, community. The special education teacher and head coach of cross-country and track was preparing for an adventurous Scouting trip to the Florida Keys with his oldest son, Sam, and needed to complete a physical as part of the trip requirements.  

During the exam, his Mayo Clinic family medicine physician, Dr. Lori Bates, noticed that his spleen felt enlarged. Mike didn't think anything of it — he was feeling fine and had no symptoms. But after undergoing several tests and a bone marrow biopsy before leaving for his trip, he had a feeling he would come back to bad news.  

He was right. On July 3, 2014, Mike was diagnosed with a serious and complex disease consisting of leukemia — a cancer of the body's blood-forming tissues, including the bone marrow and the lymphatic system — and a bone marrow failure disorder, where blood cells don't develop normally. It's an incredibly rare condition — with very few cases worldwide — and is incurable with standard treatments.  

Mike's hematologist, Dr. Mrinal Patnaik, explained that a bone marrow transplant, a procedure that infuses healthy blood-forming stem cells into the body to replace bone marrow that's not producing enough healthy blood cells, would be the most effective treatment.  

"I knew that I couldn't fight this on my own. My Mayo Clinic care team is the experts, so I let them take care of the fighting, and I focused on what I could control — my family, my mindset and my recovery." 

As news of Mike's diagnosis spread, his family, friends, colleagues and community members quickly rallied around him and offered support.  

A rare diagnosis becomes even more complex 

Mike was referred to Dr. Mithun Shah, a Mayo Clinic transplant hematologist to ensure he was physically prepared for the transplant.  

All was going well with Mike's pretransplant testing until a pulmonary function test showed his lung function was much lower than expected. Because bone marrow transplants involve extensive treatments with a long, complex recovery, unexplained lung issues could make the procedure too dangerous. 

"We have a rare disease, and now there is a unique lung presentation. Our culture of collaboration at Mayo Clinic is where we shine. I picked up the phone and called my colleagues in hematology, pulmonology, pathology and other specialties — and we worked together, in real time, to assess risks and adapt Mike's treatment plans," says Dr. Shah.  

Dr. Shah referred Mike to Dr. Vivek Iyer, a Mayo Clinic pulmonologist, to help diagnose and treat the lung problem.  

"Transplant patients often have complex medical issues affecting multiple organ systems, so different specialties often need to collaborate expeditiously to solve critical issues that could delay or even prevent a successful transplantation," says Dr. Iyer.  

A lung biopsy confirmed that Mike had eosinophilic pneumonia, a rare and serious inflammatory lung condition. When steroids failed to resolve it, Dr. Iyer prescribed a monoclonal antibody-based therapy typically used for severe asthma that stabilized his lungs and kept his transplant on track — until another barrier emerged: Mike's enlarged spleen began draining his energy and appetite. In December 2019, doctors removed the massive organ, allowing his care team to move forward with his carefully planned transplant approach that would treat his leukemia while protecting his lungs.  

It worked. Mike had a successful transplant in 2020.  

Driven by a mindset focused on progress, Mike was back to coaching, teaching and running within a time frame that was "absolutely incredible," according to Dr. Shah.  

"My approach was to take the next step, trust the process and keep moving forward," says Mike.  

That same resilience would become even more evident five years later, when his journey took another dramatic turn.  

From stability to a sudden, life-threatening turn 

It was April 14, 2025. Around mid-morning, Mike began to feel fatigued, feverish and disoriented. He left work early and went to lie down, setting an alarm so he could make it to track practice that afternoon.  

But Mike wasn't well enough to make it to practice. Sam, who coaches with his dad, remembers having a sinking feeling, especially because he hadn't heard from him.  

"My dad would never not show up without letting me or the other coaches know, let alone even miss a day," says Sam.  

Sam went home after practice to check on his dad. Mike had slept through his alarm, had a high fever and was disoriented. Sam and his mom took him to Mayo Clinic's Emergency Department.  

"I don’t remember much," says Mike. "I remember going to the emergency room, and then it went black." 

Doctors soon determined he was battling bacterial meningitis, an infection that triggered overwhelming sepsis. For transplant patients like Mike, whose immune systems are compromised and who no longer have a spleen, even common bacteria can become life-threatening. 

Within hours, multiple organs began failing. His kidneys shut down, his blood pressure crashed and his body's clotting system began breaking down. He was transferred to the intensive care unit (ICU), where his condition became so dire that his family was called in to prepare for the worst. 

Mike's care again became a full-scale, multidisciplinary effort. Specialists across Mayo Clinic mobilized simultaneously — including experts in critical care, infectious diseases, nephrology, transplant medicine, vascular medicine, rehabilitation and more, meeting in real time to exchange ideas and make quick decisions together. 

"Mayo Clinic’s team-based approach is critical in situations like this. We needed everyone's expertise to give Mike the best chance of survival," says Dr. Shah.  

For Mike and his family, that collaboration was visible every day. 

"There was so much brainpower in that room, you could almost feel it," Mike says. "You could see the wheels turning. Everybody was trying to think of every possible thing to save me." 

Sam, who had since become a nurse after being inspired by his father's earlier cancer journey, helped guide the family through the most difficult moments.  

"Mayo Clinic did a great job of individualizing our care and really being there for us as a family," says Sam. "They gave us all the time we needed to ask questions — I felt like there wasn't a time clock on any of our interactions." 

Mike's journey was precarious, and at several points, his survival remained uncertain. But through relentless determination — and the coordinated expertise of dozens of Mayo Clinic specialists — Mike made another extraordinary recovery.  

Survival fueled by resilience and expertise 

"That was one of the toughest cases of my life," says Dr. Shah of Mike's most recent hospitalization. "Him pulling through and walking out of the ICU was one of my most satisfying moments." 

One year later, Mike feels good. He has his strength back, is exercising and is almost back to 100%.  

"I shouldn’t be here. I threw so many rare situations at my care team, and each time, they saved my life," says Mike. "There's no way you can get expertise like this anywhere else. It's incredible." 

Sam is grateful for the time he spent with his dad throughout his healthcare journey. 

"My dad is resilient, strong and the bravest person I know," says Sam. "I could tell he was scared, but he would always say, 'I have to keep going. I have to keep listening to the doctors. I have to keep taking my medicine, and eventually I am going to get out of it.' And despite all the odds, he did it."  That mindset — paired with his multidisciplinary care team working together — helped transform what could have been an ending into an extraordinary comeback.

The post Against extraordinary odds: A life saved more than once appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.