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.

Precision medicine is rapidly transforming modern healthcare. It's a personalized approach that tailors prevention and treatment to each individual — moving beyond the traditional one-size-fits-all model.

Colorectal cancer is one area where precision medicine is reshaping the standard of care for patients like Eric Minnesota. 

At 56, Eric was training for an Ironman triathlon when he got a devastating diagnosis — stage 3 colorectal cancer. 

Eric is sharing his inspiring story to raise awareness for National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month.

Watch: Transforming colon cancer care through precision medicine

Journalists: Broadcast-quality video (3:10) is in the downloads at the end of this post. Please courtesy: "Mayo Clinic" – Read the script.

Man on a mission

Eric has been an athlete his whole life. He's a soft-spoken man with a gentle demeanor and a never-give-up attitude that defines everything he does. "I've competitively raced mountain bikes for the last 20 years," says Eric. "I'm an outdoors person...hiking, fishing, camping, anything outdoors is what I really enjoy."

Eric's dream has long been to compete in an Ironman triathlon, one of the toughest endurance events in the world. Competitors must complete a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride, and a 26.2-mile run. That's 140.6 miles in one day.

"From a health point of view, I thought I was nearly at the top of my game based on my age," says the Arizona man. "I've been healthy my whole life — no surgeries, no broken bones...I've never taken a sick day from work in my 25-year career."

Toughest challenge yet

Eric was in the midst of training for Ironman Arizona. All was going as planned. Then one day, Eric began having stomach pain. He went to his doctor who delivered a diagnosis Eric never expected.

"He discovered a significant mass. He relayed to me that I should see a colorectal surgeon as soon as possible to have it evaluated and find out what the next steps should be," recalls Eric. Soon after, Eric got his official diagnosis — stage 3 colorectal cancer.

"The plan was to remove my colon and replace it with an ostomy," says Eric. An ostomy is a surgically created opening in the abdomen that allows waste to exit the body into a bag. It may be needed after colon surgery so the body can eliminate waste.

In preparation for surgery, Eric and his wife, Paula, turned to Mayo Clinic in Arizona. "The doctor at Mayo said a team of specialists would convene as a group to review my case. Mayo was quicker than I ever imagined. The following week they called me to discuss my treatment plan," says Eric.

Hope through innovation

Mayo Clinic's treatment plan included more than surgery as an option. The team explained that by using precision medicine, they were able to determine Eric was a candidate for a nonsurgical approach to treatment called immunotherapy.

"By performing genomic sequencing on the patient's blood and the tumor, we were able to identify a precision treatment approach, including immune therapies, that can sometimes allow a patient to avoid the need for complex and life-altering surgeries," says Dr. Jewel Samadder, a gastroenterologist and cancer geneticist with Mayo Clinic's Early Onset and Hereditary Gastrointestinal Cancers Program.

Immunotherapy works by using the body's own immune system to fight the cancer. The nonsurgical treatment is delivered in a series of treatments by IV infusion. "The treatment is surprisingly easy. To be truthful I feel guilty based on the type of treatment that I had for my cancer versus what other individuals go through. It's just a simple infusion that takes less than an hour start to finish," explains Eric.

Crossing the finish line

Eric crossed the finish line of his immunotherapy treatment in six months. The results were a success. A colonoscopy following treatment showed the cancer was gone. "I won the lottery," says Eric. "The stars aligned with my markers and the care team had the expertise. It was incredible. It was all a perfect fit."

"This is a perfect example of why patients come to Mayo Clinic and see multiple physicians in our multidisciplinary cancer clinics and our early-onset program so that we can understand the cause of their cancer, determine the best treatment approaches, including clinical trials, and sometimes avoid complicated life-altering surgeries when possible, as in this patient's case," says Dr. Samadder.

"As soon as we heard about immunotherapy, we had to try it. This aligned with his goals. I'm just over the moon," says Paula.

Eric was able to keep working and training throughout his treatment. He says his only side effect was mild fatigue. "We spent a lot of time together as a family. Just being able to maintain that quality of life through the treatment was irreplaceable. You just can't put a price on that," says Eric.

"We are so grateful to everyone at Mayo Clinic, especially our oncologist Dr. Christina Wu," says Paula. "I would be lost without her. Thanks to Dr. Wu, I have my husband here with me today."

Celebrating life and love

Eric is back to working on his dream of one day becoming an Ironman triathlete. "Giving up is never an option," says Eric. "You have to turn on the switch, and keep going."

As Eric and Paula celebrate life, they are also celebrating their love. "We just had our 32nd wedding anniversary. These moments, these struggles together, it all has just made us stronger." says Eric. "I'm grateful for Mayo, for everything. I came out a better person."

Related stories:

• Eric and Paula Minnesota with a special message to Mayo Clinic
• Mayo Clinic Minute: Inside a colonoscopy
• Mayo Clinic Minute: Warning signs of colorectal cancer in younger adults

The post Transforming colon cancer care through precision medicine (VIDEO) appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

After 41 years with Crohn's disease, Moi Monroe underwent ostomy surgery at Mayo Clinic in Florida. A few years later, he cycled from Alaska to Florida, and his bag didn’t slow him down.  

When Moi Monroe walked into Mayo's ostomy class, his first thought was, "What am I doing here?"  

The next day, he was scheduled for surgery to remove his colon and add an ostomy, often called a "bag," to his side. At age 62, Moi was one of the youngest patients in the room. Yet he had been suffering from Crohn's disease for over half his life.  

For most of that time, it had only affected the first few inches of his colon. His latest scan, however, revealed it was rapidly spreading.  

It had seemed like the right time to act, but as Moi looked around the classroom, he felt a flicker of doubt. 

Then the instructor began to speak. When she revealed she was an "ostomate," relief washed over Moi. The day before, the woman who'd helped with his paperwork had shared the same. Their stories felt like a sign he was in the right place. 

That sense deepened as Moi opened his ostomy kit. Inside was a pamphlet with a photo of people swimming and cycling.  

"I could hardly get on a bike anymore," he says. "I'd wondered if I was going to be able to do that after the surgery. This felt like huge confirmation. After that, I never looked back."  

Moi was ready to move forward — and with Mayo's help, he'd soon be back on two wheels.  

Making his home at Mayo 

Moi's health journey began in 1978 when he was diagnosed, at age 21, with Crohn's disease. For years, he saw a local physician. But as he got older, Moi wanted continuity of care across several specialties.  

He found that at Mayo Clinic in Florida. That's also where he met Donna Shelton, a nurse practitioner in Gastroenterology, who quickly became his advocate, or as he says, his "angel."  

Shelton never failed to answer his questions quickly. As new drugs emerged, she helped him decide which ones to try. "She was just always there," says Moi. 

Unfortunately, Moi's disease didn't respond to treatment. In 2019, after his Crohn's suddenly spread, they began to discuss surgery more seriously.  

Both knew his disease was stealing his joy. Too often, he was saying "no" to things he loved, like playing with his grandkids or hopping on his bike. An ostomy could give him back so much, but it was also a permanent decision that takes time to embrace.   

"It's a big step to take out the colon," says Dr. Michael Picco, the Mayo Clinic gastroenterologist who has cared for Moi for nearly 20 years. "Patients might think an ostomy will be an awful thing. But it actually gives them control again — a much more predictable lifestyle."  

After 41 years of Crohn's, and lots of prayer and research, Moi said "yes" to surgery. "He jumped in and faced it the way he does everything else — to the 'nth' degree," says Shelton. "He's always all in."  

This didn't surprise Dr. Picco, who describes Moi as courageous and forward-thinking, always looking for the next step toward healing.  

Moi saw that same commitment from his care team. "You never feel like they've forgotten who you are," he says. "If you have four appointments in a day, each one is going to know everything about your medical history. And they'll tie it all together."  

Finding Moi again 

In late 2019, Dr. Luca Stocchi, a Mayo Clinic colon and rectal surgeon, removed Moi's entire colon and created an opening, or stoma, in his side. Connecting Moi's small intestine allowed waste to exit into a bag.  

"The next day, all the pain from my Crohn's was gone," says Moi.  

His only regret was not doing it sooner.   

Just a few months later, Moi was cycling cross-country with a buddy. Then, in 2023, the pair planned a 4,500-mile trip from Alaska to Florida to raise money for childhood cancer awareness.  

Without a colon, which plays a key role in hydration, Moi knew the journey would be difficult. But he was determined to get back to doing what he loved. "Patients with this indestructible attitude are such an inspiration to me," says Dr. Stocchi. "Moi was not going to let the bag stop him." 

For 45 days, Moi cycled 100 miles a day, pushing his body harder than ever. His bag stayed tucked against his side with the help of a special belt, even across the rugged terrain of British Columbia.  

Not once did he have to worry about abdominal pain — he could just enjoy the ride.  

Expanding his horizons  

Moi hasn't stopped there. Other postsurgical wins include catching 500-pound bluefin tuna in Canada and reeling in sailfish in Costa Rica.  

"I can do anything," says Moi. "I can go offshore fishing all day. I can ride my bike for a hundred miles at a time. I can travel with my wife without holding anyone back."     

These days, that means lots of visits to see their grandkids. "They were growing up before my eyes, and I couldn't share the joy with them," he says, teary-eyed at the memory. Now, "Papa," as the kids call Moi, is no longer hurting on the sidelines.  

This, he says, is the greatest outcome of his surgery.  

"I really can't ask for anything more," he says. "Thanks to Mayo, I've gotten my life back."  

The post Mayo patient cycles 4,500 miles after ostomy surgery for Crohn’s disease  appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

In July 2022, Mayo Clinic in Rochester was one of the first in the nation to open an IBD Pride Clinic. The clinic aims to create an affirming space for LGBTQ+ patients to talk about their specific healthcare concerns.

Watch: IBD Pride Clinic: Belonging while battling bowel disease

Journalists: Broadcast-quality video (2:58) is in the downloads at the end of this post. Please courtesy: "Mayo Clinic News Network." Read the script.

Twenty-seven-year-old Ani Roy, a patient, Mayo Clinic staff member and transmasculine nonbinary person, says the IBD Pride Clinic is a place of comfort.

Ani doesn't take eating for granted. They were diagnosed with Crohn's disease in 2017 after experiencing painful stomach aches and, at times, being unable to eat.

It was difficult to digest foods

"The only thing that I was really able to eat was chicken strips and raspberry iced tea. For some reason, those were the only things that didn't make me want to vomit," explains Ani.

Inflammatory bowel disease took a toll on Ani's body, causing frequent trips to the toilet with bloody diarrhea and other symptoms.

"It got to the point where I was starting to pass out," they say. "I was shaking and just, like, sweating, feeling very faint and wasn't really able to function as a human being."

After several hospitalizations and failed medications, Ani had their colon and rectum removed, leaving them with an ileostomy. The surgical procedure creates an opening in the stomach to divert stool. Waste is collected in an ostomy bag that's attached to the abdomen," says Ani.

Crohn's disease is mentally and physically challenging

"It is a very big mental adjustment," they say.

With the stigma surrounding the ileostomy and their gender identity and sexual orientation, Ani reached out to the Mayo Clinic IBD Pride Clinic for support.      

"Many LGBTQ+ patients suffer in silence," says Dr. Victor Chedid, director of the Mayo Clinic IBD Pride Clinic. 

"They might be struggling with their identity internally. And add to it the fact that you're struggling with your diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease, that has a double or additional psychological impact on you," says Dr. Chedid.

"It's so nice to go to a provider that is informed about the LGBTQ+ community so that I don't feel like I have to educate them on that part of me. I can just be that part of me," says Ani.

Healing and Hope

The IBD Pride Clinic is staffed by healthcare professionals who are trained to be sensitive in the care of LGBTQ+ patients.

"This is a safe space for you to talk to us about your inflammatory bowel disease and anything that might be impacting your life," says Dr. Chedid.

Meanwhile, Ani is turning their pain into purpose, sewing ostomy bag covers for themselves and others. Living life one day — and one stitch — at a time.

"Overall, I'm doing pretty well, living life as best as I can," says Ani.

The post IBD Pride Clinic: Belonging while battling bowel disease appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

As someone affected by chronic liver disease, Susan Parrott knows how it feels to live in uncertainty. But every few months, the anxiety and doubt that shadow her life fade when Mayo Clinic Laboratories test results confirm her condition is in check and she can continue living life on her own terms.

Every three months, Susan Parrott, who has liver cirrhosis, breathes a sigh of relief. Gone is the weight associated with having a diseased liver at risk for becoming cancerous, and she feels grateful for having more time, leaning fully into each moment as it comes.

The respite from an undercurrent of worry springs from laboratory test results confirming Susan’s disease course has not changed; her liver has not developed a cancerous lesion and is still functioning normally despite its fragile state.

“It’s like dancing in the streets for another three months,” says Susan, who lives near Ft. Myers, Florida, and is a patient at Mayo Clinic’s Jacksonville campus. “It’s like, I’m OK for a while, I’m really good, I can live my life and I can be back to normal. I don’t have to think about it for a while.”

For more than 25 years — since learning she was positive for hepatitis C in 1996 following an attempt to donate blood for her grandson — Susan’s life has followed a regular cadence of doctors’ visits and laboratory testing. Those test results have not always been favorable, but they provide a layer of detail on her liver’s health and direction on the next step forward.

“HONEST TO GOODNESS, IF IT WASN’T FOR THE LAB RESULTS, THEY WOULDN’T KNOW WHAT TO DO,” SUE SAYS. “I AM SO THANKFUL FOR THE LABS. WHEN YOU GO TO MAYO CLINIC IT’S AN INTEGRATED TEAM OF DOCTORS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN HOW THINGS ARE WORKING TOGETHER IN YOUR BODY, HOW YOUR HEALTH IS OVERALL, AND IT’S JUST A HOLISTIC, REALLY A PATIENT-CENTERED WAY.”

Mindful monitoring, then action

Early on in her medical journey the laboratory tests Sue received informed her care team how well her body was responding to the hepatitis C treatments. In 2019, lab testing showed the infection was cleared by the antiviral therapy Epclusa. But years of sustained damage had caused cirrhosis. After that diagnosis, Sue’s testing focused on disease progression and monitoring for cancer.

“When you have continuous injury from alcohol or hepatitis, the cells in the liver try to regenerate and replace the damaged cells, says Sue’s Mayo Clinic hepatologist Barry Rosser Jr., M.D. “The liver does this by laying down a small amount of scar tissue, like scaffolding, so the regenerating liver cells can form the normal liver structure, after which other cells remove the scar tissue if there isn't continuing damage. But over the years, a chronic disease like hepatitis overwhelms this process and scar tissue builds up, eventually resulting in cirrhosis.”

Each liver cell replication poses a risk for a mutation to develop and over years of multiple courses of replication during chronic hepatitis, some of those mutations can result in liver cancer formation, explains Dr. Rosser.

After learning of the cirrhosis and the potential need for liver transplantation, Sue began researching options for transplant centers in her areas. Her search led her to Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, which has performed more than 4,000 adult liver transplants since the transplant program began in 1998.

At the time, Sue felt generally well and was not experiencing pain or other major symptoms. One exception was exhibiting a common feature of cirrhosis: enlarged esophageal veins. This occurs when blood, prevented from moving normally through the scarred liver, becomes backed up and is forced into new pathways.

But there had been no prior evidence of liver cancer.

At her first Mayo appointment in January 2020, however, MRI imaging revealed a small, 1.6-centimeter lesion.

“IN A NORMAL LIVER, UP TO TWO-THIRDS OF THE LIVER CAN BE REMOVED AND THE CANCER TAKEN OUT WITHOUT HIGH RISK OF LIVER FAILURE,” DR. ROSSER SAYS. “BUT WITH HER CIRRHOSIS AND ENLARGED VEINS SUGGESTING MORE ADVANCED LIVER DISEASE, THE RISK OF LIVER FAILURE COMPLICATING SURGICAL ATTEMPT AT TUMOR REMOVAL AND POTENTIAL NEED FOR AN EMERGENT TRANSPLANT WAS MUCH HIGHER. WE WANTED TO WAIT AND ASSESS ALL OPTIONS INCLUDING TRANSPLANT BEFORE MOVING FORWARD.”

A biopsy was performed using interventional radiology, but testing came back inconclusive. So Sue’s care team started to track the tumor using both laboratory testing, which measured the tumor marker alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), and MRI scans.

“When you have a nondiagnostic liver lesion, another parameter that tells you that you are dealing with a cancer is that it grows in size over time,” Dr. Rosser says.

By the fall of 2020, the tumor had reached 2 centimeters and Sue’s team faced a decision: remove the tumor and risk liver failure or activate Sue on the liver transplant list and treat the tumor nonsurgically.

Because Sue was in very good health overall with no major symptoms, and because she had not developed additional lesions, her team decided to ablate the tumor. “So we treated the tumor and then had the backup of being able to consider liver transplant if there were other issues,” Dr. Rosser says. “They cauterized the tumor, and said we are going to monitor it for recurrence.”

Integrated, individualized care generates gratitude

For Susan, this means continuing to receive regular MRI scans and AFP testing. Alpha-fetoprotein, explains Alicia Algeciras-Schimnich, Ph.D., professor of laboratory medicine and pathology at Mayo Clinic, is a protein produced by several types of tumors, including hepatocellular carcinoma, which is the most common type of liver cancer.

“After complete removal of the tumor, AFP concentrations typically decrease and normalize,” Dr. Algeciras-Schimnich says. “Failure of the AFP to normalize implies residual malignancy or severe liver damage.”

To date, Sue’s AFP results have remained stable. AFP testing is not the only laboratory measure Susan’s care team used to monitor her condition.

“In stable cirrhosis patients, we monitor the CBC (complete blood count), electrolyte profile and creatinine, prothrombin INR, liver profile (including bilirubin), and tumor markers,” Dr. Rosser says.

While Sue will continue receiving follow-up testing for the next several years, having reached the two-year benchmark means her risk of developing another tumor has decreased significantly, Dr. Rosser says.

She also continues to be monitored on the liver transplant waiting list and should the tumor recur, or additional tumors develop, can receive a liver transplant if needed.

“If you catch liver cancer early, you can have a good outcome, even without requiring transplant,” Dr. Rosser says. “If you wait too long to treat or wait too long for someone to refer a patient to a transplant program, then the tumor gets larger, or spreads within or beyond the liver, and options for treatment including transplant are limited and prognosis may be poor.”

Sue appreciates how her care team, guided by accurate laboratory testing, has individualized her treatment and testing journey to allow her to continue living on her own terms.

“I DON’T THINK I’VE BEEN PREVENTED FROM DOING ANYTHING, BUT IT CERTAINLY MAKES YOU LOOK AT YOUR MORTALITY,” SUSAN SAYS. “IT MAKES YOU APPRECIATE EVERY DAY AS IT COMES. AND IT MAKES YOU MORE AWARE OF YOUR ACTIONS EVERY DAY — TO BE SURE THAT YOU ARE LIVING IN THE MOMENT AND TELLING THE PEOPLE YOU LOVE THAT YOU LOVE THEM AND DOING THINGS THAT YOU REALLY WANT TO DO AND JUST HAVE NEVER DONE BECAUSE YOU WERE TOO BUSY. TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU’RE SPENDING THAT QUALITY TIME WITH PEOPLE AND BEING IN THE MOMENT, BECAUSE THERE MIGHT NOT BE ANOTHER MOMENT.”

This article originally published on the Mayo Clinic Laboratories blog.

The post Living in the moment: Susan Parrott appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

Many adjectives could be used to describe George Hite. Healthy, happy, energetic, motivated, honest and transformed are just a few.

But eight years ago, he probably wouldn't have used any of those words to describe his life. He had a good job, bought a house, was married to the love of his life and had two great children. From the outside, life looked good. But he was hiding a secret — an all-consuming addiction to opiates. It started when he got morphine from a friend to treat migraines.

"It snowballed from there. I was able to get fentanyl, and soon I was using all the time," says the 45-year-old Cadott, Wisconsin, resident. "I was spending more and more money to get it. I lied to many people and even myself. I told myself it was safe because they were pharmaceutical drugs."

Over five years, his addiction spiraled out of control. George lost his job, was behind on his bills and his marriage to his wife of 21 years, Sarah Hite, was in trouble. He knew it could not go on any longer.

"My addiction brought the walls tight around me. I stopped hanging out with friends and going to events," he recalls. "That wasn't me. I was always a happy person before. I had goals and was a better person than this."

With the support of Sarah, George enrolled in a 28-day inpatient addiction treatment program at Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation in 2015. He was able to kick the addiction and emerged a new man.

"I almost lost everything, and I'm so glad I got a second chance," he says.

Now, clean and sober, George focused on rebuilding relationships with the important people in his life and getting back to work. Life was looking up, but he noticed the scale was creeping in the same direction.

"I had replaced a pharmaceutical addiction with a food addiction," he recalls. "I knew I had a problem, but I lied to myself and thought, 'At least it's better than drugs.'"

He binged on food, constantly snacking on empty-calorie foods and eating out multiple times per day. Within three years, George gained about 100 pounds. At 5 feet 10 inches tall, he weighed about 335 pounds and had a body mass index of nearly 48.

The extra weight was affecting George's physical and mental health. He had prediabetes, sleep apnea and low back pain. His migraines returned, and he had low energy. He was isolating himself again and staying home instead of seeing friends and family.

"Sarah loves me for me and never made me feel bad about it," says George. "But I didn't tell her about everything I was eating. When I realized I was keeping secrets again, I knew it was a problem."

It was time for George to make a change again. He enrolled in the Bariatric Surgery program at Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire.

Bariatric surgery is a procedure that changes the structure of the digestive system by either limiting the size of the stomach, reducing the nutrients absorbed by the stomach, or both. It can be an effective tool to help people lose significant weight.

Wendy Payson, a registered nurse and bariatric surgery coordinator, stresses that bariatric surgery at Mayo Clinic Health System isn't just a surgical procedure.

"It's a multidisciplinary program, and the team focuses on supporting each patient's emotional, physical, nutritional and educational needs," she says. "Every prospective surgical patient must complete presurgical education and nutrition and lifestyle counseling. This comprehensive care improves patient outcomes and ensures long-term success."

During the seven-month program, George met with a surgeon, registered dietitians, counselors, exercise specialists and other medical experts to determine if he was prepared for the lifestyle changes necessary to ensure long-term weight loss success. The team evaluated whether surgery was right for him and helped him set up routines and support systems at home and work.

An essential part of the program is a 10-week Healthy Eating and Active Lifestyle with Thoughtful Habits (HEALTH) group, which creates an environment where members help each other achieve or maintain weight loss.

"I was really inspired by hearing or reading other people's stories about overcoming addiction or weight loss," says George. "I wanted to know peoples' mindset before or after surgery, what they did when they felt tempted, and how they prepared themselves to come home after surgery.

That's precisely the point, says Jackilyn Andrew, a clinical social worker in Psychiatry & Psychology and HEALTH group facilitator.

"When group members are willing to share openly, it is relatable and inspiring. Many people share that they find it helpful to be a part of the group for the support and interaction," says Andrew. "Even those that are shy and more reluctant to share, often report a lot of benefit from just listening and taking it all in."

At the end of the program, George was ready for surgery.

"Mr. Hite was a good candidate for bariatric surgery because he met the National Institutes of Health requirements of having a body mass index of 40 or greater with obesity-related medical conditions, such as sleep apnea," explains Maria Linnaus, M.D., general and bariatric surgeon. "Also, he expressed great motivation throughout the program to make changes to his lifestyle to ensure long-term success."

Dr. Linnaus explained the two surgical options to George: sleeve gastrectomy and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass.

"Mr. Hite had a history of gastroesophageal reflux, which can potentially be made worse with a sleeve gastrectomy. This is why we ultimately decided together on Roux-en-Y gastric bypass.",

Roux-en-Y is a minimally invasive laparoscopic procedure that creates a small pouch in the stomach and reconnects it directly to the small intestine. This causes patients to get full quicker and absorb fewer calories because food bypasses part of the small intestine.

In September 2021, George had a Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and remained in the hospital for one day. Most patients receive acetaminophen and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications to control pain after surgery. George was leery of any postsurgical pain control medications due to his previous addiction, so the team worked with him to use other nonmedication methods of pain control, including aromatherapy and music therapy.

While not wholly pain-free at first, he could walk the same day and returned to light-duty work about one week later. Within a month, George gradually started exercising and resuming his regular activities. In addition to exercising on an elliptical and walking his dogs, George modified his diet.

"I'm very picky about what I eat and how much. I cut out carbonated beverages, caffeine, bread and processed sugar," he says. "I eat protein and vegetables first, then carbs and other calories if I'm still hungry."

Quickly he noticed his weight dropping. About 14 months after his surgery, George weighs 165 pounds, and his body mass index is 24. He no longer struggles with migraines, sleep apnea or low back pain. He recently added weight training to his exercise routine.

"I've never been muscular before," he says, laughing. "I'm actually getting veins in my biceps now."

His weight loss is typical of people who have completed the bariatric surgery program.

"Most patients can lose an estimated 60% to 70% excess weight for a gastric bypass and about 50% to 60% excess weight for a sleeve gastrectomy," explains Dr. Linnaus. "Mr. Hite is an example of how one can achieve even greater weight loss when following the program."

Following the program is precisely what George recommends.

"The program does work if you follow it. For me, it wasn't just a physical transformation. The surgery helped me emotionally and mentally, too. It changed me," he says. "I'm doing all that stuff that I was missing before. My confidence is through the roof now. One of the nurses said, 'You did all the work.' But that team gave me the tools to get the work done. It really does work."

Dr. Linnaus gives credit to George for his success.

"Our program provides the building blocks for patients to get on the right track, and our surgeries can help reset their physiology. But at the end of the day, he did the hard work to follow the program, and it has paid off greatly."

The post George Hite’s journey through addictions, weight loss appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

The motto for the City of Barron, Wisconsin, is: "Be kind. Be strong. Be together. Be Barron." Nathan Emmons has embraced this motto in all that he does.

Over the span of 44 years, he has focused on bringing people together and caring for the community. He is a 17-year veteran of the Barron Police Department and founded the city's K9 program. Before that, he was a pastor for 27 years, counseling families during times of joy and crisis.

While he was focusing on the community's heart, his own heart was hiding a secret, life-threatening condition.

Concerning symptoms

In 2016, Nathan was working a night shift at the police department when he began experiencing chest pain. An otherwise healthy person, he was alarmed and went to the Emergency Department at Mayo Clinic Health System in Barron. The results from an echocardiogram and blood work were normal, and he was sent home to recover.

Nathan continued to have sporadic periods of chest pain, nausea and vomiting after periods of physical exertion.

"I would have chest pain and puking, but then it would be fine," he says. "I found that if I drank water, it would relieve my symptoms. So I just carried water with me all the time."

Hernia discovery

While he was controlling most of his symptoms, Nathan really wanted to get to the root of the problem. In 2019, Brad Kruger, a Family Medicine physician assistant and Nathan's primary care provider, referred him to Gastroenterology for additional testing.

An endoscopy showed that Nathan had a hiatal hernia. This occurs when the upper part of the stomach budges through the large muscle separating the abdomen and chest.

"Hiatal hernias are common in Western countries. The frequency of hiatal hernias increases with age from 10% in patients younger than 40 to 70% in patients older than 70 years. However, only 9% have symptoms," says Christian Mendez, M.D., a gastroenterologist at Mayo Clinic Health System in Barron and Eau Claire, Wisconsin. "Large hiatal hernia can cause heartburn, regurgitation of food or liquids into the mouth, difficulty swallowing, chest or abdominal discomfort, and early satiety."

Over time, Nathan's symptoms became more regular, and drinking water no longer provided relief.

"By the end of 2021, it was taking less effort to cause symptoms," he says. "Even brushing snow off the car or running the K9 dog around cars for drug sniffs triggered chest pain and vomiting," Nathan says. "I always had to carry a bottle of water with me."

In January, Nathan decided to have Dr. Mendez reevaluate his hernia. After a repeat endoscopy, Dr. Mendez confirmed that Nathan had a small hiatal hernia and inflammation of the stomach lining.

These conditions explained Nathan's nausea and vomiting but not his chest pain. Dr. Mendez wanted to dig deeper.

This article first appeared on the Mayo Clinic Health System blog. You can read the rest of the story there.

The post Not Just a Hernia: Digging Deeper appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

It was more than 20 years ago when former information technology manager, Bob Lemoine was diagnosed with hepatitis C and eventually, liver cancer. In September 2009, Bob was told that he had 3-6 months to live.

After being referred to Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, Bob got a new lease on life when on Jan. 21, 2010, he received a liver transplant.

"Every morning I thank God for giving me this chance to live better and allowing me the privilege to help another human being," says Bob, now 73.

The Connecticut native who is over 30 years sober and works as a licensed drug and alcohol intervention counselor, says he draws from his past personal experiences to help others get their lives back on track. "My message is to never give up," he says. "People helped me to get where I am, the doctors at Mayo and my donor and others."

For a number of years on the anniversary of his transplant, Bob wrote a letter to his donor's family. "It was important to me that I thanked them for being donor family and let them know I was successful... explaining how I was doing, how my golf game was..."

Though he's never received a reply, Bob says he hopes they know how grateful he is for his second chance.

"I got the benefit of someone being an organ donor. Now I encourage everyone to be a donor."

The post Liver transplant helps Bob Lemoine pay it forward appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

James Benjamin has found a reason to be grateful in each step of his unexpected path to Mayo Clinic and a better option to recover from surgery for kidney cancer.

After talking with James Benjamin, you learn that he is a very grateful man.

First off, James, of Lino Lakes, Minnesota, is grateful for popcorn. If he hadn't eaten some popcorn at the movies last March, he might never have had the abdominal pain, which led him, with his wife's encouragement, to go to a nearby hospital. There, he was diagnosed with diverticulitis triggered by popcorn.

That wasn't all. A few days later, he received a call. The CT scan taken in the emergency department also raised concerns that he might have kidney cancer.

James believes that if it weren't for the popcorn, he would not have been diagnosed at all. As he learned, kidney cancer is hard to detect, with no symptoms in early stages.

The doctors at his local hospital recommended a traditional approach to this diagnosis: removal of the entire kidney through an open incision. James scheduled the surgery.

But then his wife talked to a friend who had just recently spoken with another friend about a urologist at Mayo Clinic Health System in La Crosse, Wisconsin. The friend suggested James get a second opinion from that urologist: Scott Pate, M.D. The friend highly recommended Dr. Pate, so James called Mayo Clinic Health System in La Crosse and scheduled a video appointment with Dr. Pate.

James is grateful for that, too.

Traditional surgery would remove the entire kidney through a larger incision and lead to a longer, more painful recovery and opioids to manage the pain.

Scott Pate, M.D.

The video appointment with Dr. Pate saved James at least four hours on the road, driving back and forth from Lino Lakes to La Crosse, and other travel costs. And since this was during the COVID-19 pandemic, it helped him manage social distancing and protect both him and his care team. And that wasn't all.  

"Prior to seeing Mr. Benjamin during the first video appointment, I reviewed his outside records and imaging. The imaging showed a 4 cm mass on his left kidney," says Dr. Pate. "Traditional surgery would remove the entire kidney through a larger incision and lead to a longer, more painful recovery and opioids to manage the pain. He'd have to stay in the hospital for several days and then more time at home recovering."

Dr. Pate had another answer: robotic surgery.

"This surgery could be safely performed robotically," Dr. Pate says. "Robotic technology uses small keyhole incisions, the size of a fingertip to cut out the tumor in the kidney, and then close the incision with suture." After this surgery, the patient could expect to go home the next day.

Dr. Pate shared this information with James during the video appointment and, again, he was grateful.

James canceled the surgery at the local hospital and worked with Dr. Pate's team to schedule the robotic surgery at Mayo Clinic Health System – Franciscan Healthcare.

On the day of the surgery, James and his wife drove to La Crosse. Thirty minutes prior to the surgery, James met Dr. Pate for the first time in person to discuss the procedure and the next steps. The surgery was successful and James was discharged the next day. And, yes, he was grateful.

Mr. Benjamin and his wife only had to travel to La Crosse one day rather than several days. This is how health care should and can be done.

Scott Pate, M.D.

"We'll follow Mr. Benjamin for several years virtually to spare him travel," says Dr. Pate. "We've already had our first post-operative video appointment, and he's doing very well. This kind of interaction — a  video appointment as a first encounter — is a real benefit. It minimizes drive time and travel costs for patients in nearby major cities, especially relevant during a pandemic. Mr. Benjamin and his wife only had to travel to La Crosse one day rather than several days. This is how health care should and can be done."

The relaxation of certain state and federal regulations during the COVID-19 pandemic allowed this interaction to occur.

"This is just one of many examples showing the need to manage federal and state regulations to make it easier for patients to get the kind of care they need and want through telehealth connections," says Steve Ommen, M.D., medical director of Mayo Clinic's Center for Connected Care.

Certainly, James Benjamin is grateful. He's grateful for popcorn, friends, video connections, robotic surgery and Dr. Pate.

As he put it, after this health care journey, "I feel great, and I'm grateful."

The post Why James Benjamin is grateful for popcorn, video connections, robotic surgery and Dr. Pate appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

Michelle Swosinski was beginning to think she'd never be rid of her chronic abdominal pain. Years of fruitlessly searching for medical help had left the young woman feeling ignored and frustrated. That all changed when Michelle sought care at Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, where her medical team was committed to finding a remedy for her pain.

Michelle Swosinski's earliest memories are of taking medicine for a stomachache. Throughout her childhood, persistent lower abdominal pain plagued her. By the time Michelle was 18, the pain had become so troublesome that it was disrupting her life.

Flares of gut-wrenching agony sent her to her local emergency department dozens of times. During those visits, Michelle, who lives in Augusta, Wisconsin, was given prescriptions for pain medication, but no answers. Follow-up appointments with gynecologists and gastroenterologists led to ultrasounds, colonoscopies and even an MRI, but no definitive diagnosis.

The pain had no pattern. Sometimes it came in waves during the day. Other times, it woke her from sleep at night. As time passed, the flares became more intense, involving her upper abdomen, right leg and lower back. "I absolutely wanted to die," Michelle says. "I didn't know pain like that was possible."

As doctor after doctor failed to provide her with an explanation for her pain, Michelle lost hope. "It was kind of to the point that I didn't even seek out treatment because I knew there was nothing they could do for me," she says.

In spring 2019, however, at the urging of her husband, Michelle decided to renew her quest for answers and made an appointment at Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. That appointment set the wheels in motion for Michelle to change course and discover the reason for her persistent pain.

Her Mayo care team found that Michelle had an autoimmune condition known as celiac disease. The disorder is triggered by an immune response to eating gluten, which is a protein found in wheat, barley and rye. Since her diagnosis, Michelle has been on a gluten-free diet. "It's completely changed my life," she says.

Unexpected answer

Michelle first embarked on her journey for a diagnosis eight years ago, when she was 18. Since then, she's seen more than 50 physicians. "I would go to different specialists, like GIs (gastroenterologists) or OB-GYNs," she says. "They kept saying it wasn't OB-GYN or Gastroenterology. They kept telling me it was a different department's problem."

"The appointment with Dr. Weber gave me a little bit of hope. They were willing to think outside the box and actually took the time."

Michelle Swosinski

It wasn't until Michelle had an appointment with Donald Weber, M.D., in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire that she encountered an attitude of optimism. "The appointment with Dr. Weber gave me a little bit of hope. They were willing to think outside the box and actually took the time," Michelle says. "I remember Dr. Weber told me he'd read over all 100 pages of my diagnosis report before I arrived. It's nice to know there are some people willing to try."

Dr. Weber recommended Michelle undergo a minimally invasive laparoscopy procedure to target symptoms that appeared to be caused by endometriosis. Rather than finding the uterine tissue overgrowth that's a trademark of endometriosis, however, the team uncovered intestinal scarring during that procedure.

When Dr. Weber told Michelle about the discovery — and that it meant she didn't have endometriosis — she was crushed. "I had hyped myself up and had said: 'This is it. He's going to find it and, remove it, and it's going to be great,'" Michelle says. "When I woke up, and he told me I did not have endometriosis, I cried and cried."

The intestinal scarring appeared to be the result of repeated inflammation, according to Dr. Weber. At that point, he referred Michelle to the Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology.

At her first appointment, physician assistant Jennifer Motto advised Michelle that she would require a new round of testing, including a scope of her upper digestive system called an upper endoscopy, a colonoscopy and blood tests.

In August 2019, Michelle underwent the endoscopy, which was performed by Christian Mendez, M.D., a Mayo Clinic Health System gastroenterologist. "When I woke up, I was in the same exact pain that I get during flares," Michelle says. "Whatever they had done, they had touched it and irritated it. So I knew they had at least found where the problem was."

The problem was identified and later confirmed by a tissue biopsy as celiac disease. When people who have celiac disease eat wheat products, which their bodies cannot digest, their immune systems respond by attacking the intestine. Much of the damage occurs to the villi, the small, fingerlike projections that line the intestinal wall and are responsible for nutrient absorption.

In Michelle's case, the biopsy showed the villi in her small intestine were weakened and had atrophied. "In celiac disease, the damage is in the duodenum, which is the first part of the small intestine, and it can progress further into the gastrointestinal tract," Motto says.

Life-changing recovery

Not only is gluten digestion impossible for people with celiac disease, but the damaged intestines also can lose their ability to digest other types of foods, such as dairy products.

"A lot of time, lactose intolerance and celiac disease go hand in hand," Motto says. "We tell people that the dairy doesn't damage the bowel, but it can make them feel miserable. It can get overwhelming."

There is no cure for celiac disease, and the only treatment is to eat a diet that doesn't include gluten. People with celiac disease who go undiagnosed, who aren't strict about following a gluten-free diet, or who don't respond to a gluten-free diet are at risk for developing a gastrointestinal cancer or lymphoma, says Motto.

When Michelle learned she had celiac disease, she immediately took steps to cut gluten out of her diet. "I don't eat anything that contains wheat, barley or rye," Michelle says. "I read everything. I have to read lipsticks. The other day, I threw away a hand sanitizer that contained wheat. I can only eat at certain restaurants that have strict celiac procedures."

"I used to be in pain and nauseous every single day. I'm not in pain anymore, and I don't have cramps anymore."

Michelle Swosinski

Although Michelle's condition prevents her from eating at most fast-food restaurants, the cultural shift toward becoming more aware of food sensitivities means there are more dining options open to her than ever before, Michelle says.

"So much of society, especially in America, is around eating," Michelle says. "I have to research everything and call restaurants and talk to the managers. At the beginning, it was even harder because not only was it new, but I was in pain all the time."

The payoff, says Michelle, is that by not consuming gluten, her symptoms have greatly diminished. "I used to be in pain and nauseous every single day. I'm not in pain anymore, and I don't have cramps anymore."

For patients like Michelle whose intestines have been damaged by celiac disease, healing can take anywhere from nine to 12 months. As Michelle's bowel heals and the villi return to their normal state, her other sensitivities, like lactose intolerance, likely will disappear.

"Dr. Mendez kept telling me that I need to be patient, and I finally feel like I'm seeing that. The stretches are longer between the awful flares," Michelle says. "I almost can't even believe it. When you're told that they don't know what's wrong with you for seven years, and now I have a diagnosis. I don't think Jen (Motto) will ever know how much she changed my life."

HELPFUL LINKS

• Learn more about celiac disease.
• Read about gluten-free diets.
• Connect with others talking about digestive health on Mayo Clinic Connect.
• Explore Mayo Clinic Health System.
• Request an appointment.

The post Reinvigorated After Celiac Disease Diagnosis appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.