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Patient Stories
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Erosalyn Deveza and Aliana Deveza
A Daughter’s Gift to Her Mother Saves Two Lives
Just 42 years old, Erosalyn Deveza was drifting toward death. Her kidneys were barely functioning. She was constantly exhausted. She had vertigo and vomited frequently. She was tethered to a home dialysis machine for eight hours each night as she slept. A kidney transplant was the only thing that could save her, but it was unlikely to happen in time in the United States. No one on Deveza's side of the family could provide an organ through a living donation, doctors said, because all were at risk for the same kidney disease. It was too dangerous to leave any of them with a single kidney. Other [...] -
Michael Rubenstein
Hoping to Save Limbs and Toes, California Moves to Curtail Diabetes
Dr. Alexander Reyzelman treats diabetes patient Michael Rubenstein. Photo by David Gorn/CALmatters The word "amputation" threw a chill down Michael Rubenstein's spine. The 67-year-old diabetic from San Mateo still winces at the thought. "They told me I'd need to cut it off right about here," he said, sawing his hand across his left shin. Two months after that diagnosis, he's on an exam table at the Center for Limb Preservation at UC San Francisco, his leg still whole, the threat of gangrene and amputation gone and his mood a lot less bleak and fearful. "Yeah, it turns out I didn't need [...] -
Andrea
Bay Area Girl Undergoes First-Ever Pediatric Heart Transplant At UCSF
CBS SF Bay Area (KPIX) reports on the first-ever pediatric heart transplant at UCSF. The surgical team was led by Peter Kouretas, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor of surgery and surgical director of Pediatric Heart Transplantation at UCSF. The first-ever pediatric heart transplant at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital may have just saved a young Bay Area girl's life. It's been tough for 11-year-old Andrea to keep up with other students during gym class in Walnut Creek. "I would feel short of breath, I would need to take a break more often than other people would," she says. Andrea has a [...] -
Richard Schielke
Survivor On the Margins: Historic UCSF Transplant Patient Without A Home
Survivor on the Margins I first noticed Richard on a Wednesday before my 8am lecture, sitting in a corner of the nursing building's food court. Or rather, it was the first time I really noticed him, because I realized I had seen him sitting there before, looking ahead contentedly with his hands folded on the table in front of him. Richard, it turns out, is a historic patient at UCSF; one of the first people worldwide to receive a kidney transplant. Born with renal failure in the early 1960s, Richard received his transplant at UCSF in 1971 at age ten, at a time when such procedures were [...]Story Tags: Kidney Transplant -
Brad Dell
One Year Ago Today, Surgeons Hit the Reset Button on My Life
Brad Dell relives the exhilirating and captivating events leading up to his lung transplant surgery at UCSF on its one-year anniversary. His riveting account appears at Cystic Fibrosis News Today. Jan. 14, 2017 was the worst day of anxiety I'd had in the five months of waiting for my lung transplant. A frantic, nearly palpable tension was in the air. After five confident months believing the "light at the end of the tunnel" was rebirth, rather than death, I suddenly broke. I simply didn't think I had the strength to make it to transplant. I refused to communicate with my parents most of [...]Story Tags: Lung Transplant - Mansfield Doi
Surgery Wellness Program Eases Path to Surgery
My father Mansfield Doi was undergoing endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, or ERCP, a procedure used to correct a narrowing in the bile ducts. The advantage of ERCP is that it is non-invasive, but after repeated procedures showed limited effectiveness, his UCSF gastroenterologist suggested surgery. He was referred to Dr. Hobart Harris, Chief of the Division of General Surgery at UCSF, who determined that medically he was a candidate for surgery. However, because of his age – my dad is 86 - Dr. Harris encouraged us to coordinate with the UCSF Surgery Wellness Program, which was a[...] - Lorelei Batty
A Complex Procedure for Life-Threatening Pancreatitis
A Complex Procedure for Life-Threatening Pancreatitis One morning in December 2014, Lorelei Batty woke up screaming in pain and sick to her stomach. Emergency room doctors in her hometown of Santa Maria, Calif., thought the 3-year-old had the flu and sent her home. But Lorelei didn't improve over the next week and a half, and a far more serious diagnosis soon came in: pancreatitis, an inflammation of the pancreas that's rare in children and can be difficult to treat. After spending most of the next nine months in seven different hospitals with deteriorating health, Lorelei finally[...] - John Maduell
Conceptual Artist Retains Limb Against Long Odds
In his 33-year career as a conceptual artist at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, John Maduell illustrated futuristic technologies few others could imagine. But he never envisioned the toll diabetes and vascular disease would take on his body—or that one day he might lose his legs because of these problems. Maduell's troubles started two years ago when he developed a diabetic ulcer on his left foot. "Before I knew it, I was in the hospital, with three toes amputated," he says. Still, the wound didn't heal, and Maduell, who now lives and paints in Modesto, was told removing the[...] -
Richard Wodrich
Chico Resident Richard Wodrich Receives Lung Transplant at UCSF Medical Center
The Chico News and Review reports on the journey of Richard Wodrich to the double lung transplant he received at UCSF Medical Center for treatment of irreversible and incurable chronic lung disease. The transplant was performed by Dr. Jasleen Kukreja, Surgical Director of the UCSF Lung Transplant Program. Longtime local bluegrass musician Richard Wodrich loves to sing and play guitar, but that became progressively more difficult over the last decade or so, to the point where he had trouble just breathing—let alone playing music. About four years ago, he was formally diagnosed with chronic [...]Story Tags: Lung Transplant - Allison & Quinn Mendez
Living Proof that the Gift of Life Is Possible
Our story began on March 5, 2012. We were almost 26 weeks along with our second child, a son. The pregnancy had been uneventful; however, at our 20 week ultrasound our obstetrician was not able to get a clear view of our son’s heart. He told us that from what he could see, his heart appeared fine but he would like a follow up ultrasound in six weeks. We felt no cause for alarm and were pleased that our doctor was being so thorough. On the day of the follow up appointment, our doctor informed us he saw a large collection of fluid in our baby’s chest around his lungs. I also had too much[...]Story Tags: Fetal Surgery -
Harrison Schaufer & Annelise Schaufer
Mother And Son Share Special Bond And Kidney
NapaValleyRegister.com reports on the story of Harrison Schaufer, the recipient of a donor kidney at 22 months old, and his mother Annelise, his living donor. A patient at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital San Francisco since birth, Harrison, and his mother have attended the annual UCSF Pediatric Transplant Picnic annually. This year Harrison was asked to speak at the event. Harrison Schaufel never shies away from the spotlight, so when he was invited to give a speech about his experiences as a kidney transplant recipient, he couldn't refuse. Schaufel's story is nothing short of [...]Story Tags: Kidney Transplant -
Rose Gutierrez
Letting Patients Call the Shots
The "shared decision-making" model fosters a higher level of collaboration between doctors and the people they treat. Rose Gutierrez has a big decision to make. Gutierrez, who was diagnosed with breast cancer last spring, had surgery and 10 weeks of chemotherapy. But the cancer is still there. Now Jasmine Wong (pictured right), a surgeon at the University of California, San Francisco, is explaining the choices—Gutierrez can either have another lumpectomy followed by radiation, or she can get a total mastectomy. "I think both options are reasonable," Wong said. "It's just a matter of how [...]Story Tags: Breast Cancer - Marla Levy
"Miracle Patient" Receives the Gift Of Life
My name is Marla Levy and I owe my life to Dr. Scot Merrick, Chief of Adult Cardiothoracic Surgery at UCSF. My story begins in Southern California when I was 21 and diagnosed with a congenital heart defect: supravalvular aortic stenosis or SVAS. SVAS develops before birth and causes narrowing of the aorta, the large blood vessel that carries blood from the heart to the rest of the body. At age 27, I had my first open heart surgery. My aorta was replaced with a human valve, and when doctors couldn’t get my heart to start after the procedure, I received an emergency right coronary bypass.[...] - Ken Byk
An Unexpected Journey After Crossing the Finish Line
I had just crossed the finish line at Bay to Breakers, a 12 kilometer footrace that takes place in San Francisco each spring, when I suffered a massive heart attack and collapsed on the ground. Luckily for me, of the 10,000 race participants, the one that rushed to my aid was an anesthesiologist who performed CPR for 20 minutes before restoring my pulse. I was taken by ambulance to the University of California, San Francisco, where I had a second cardiac arrest and was again resuscitated. I later learned that I had severe coronary artery disease. There were two 90% blockages in my arteries,[...]Story Tags: Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG) - Lata MohanStory Tags: Colon Cancer
- Mike Schofield
- Herbert E. Barker Jr.
"Exceptional" Care at UCSF Center for Colorectal Surgery for Rectal Cancer Survivor
I too am a rectal cancer survivor. My relationships with the hospital at UCSF and with Dr. Varma’s team was like yours: exceptional. I am now nearly four years out from “D Day” (April 17, 2009) and thus far, no recurrence. We are truly fortunate and blessed to have been exposed to this disease when we were. There is now so much that can be done with the number of treatments available. Hope you are now and remain ok. I continue to support the UCSF Center for Colorectal Surgery as I participate in the research project. And, I too got back to a gym routine and feel great. Good luck! -Herbert[...]Story Tags: Rectal Cancer - Dan Martin
Minimally Invasive Transanal Endoscopic Microsurgery (TEM) Rules Out Cancer
Earlier today Dr. Hueylan Chern called me to let me know that I don’t have cancer and that the transanal endoscopic microsurgical (TEM) excision procedure was a success. I really don’t know how to say ‘Thank You’ in a way that relays my true emotions. Obviously, I’m ecstatic and my family is also. You were my first contact at UCSF, you made the recommendation to use this procedure and it will forever positively impact my life. I am also especially happy that we went with the TEM over the more invasive procedure. Along the way you helped reassure me that you thought this was the right[...]Story Tags: Transanal Endoscopic Microsurgery (TEM) - Tom Bassett
Hitting Cancer "Hard and Heavy"
I found out I had colorectal cancer at 47. As an otherwise active and healthy person, when I saw traces of blood where they shouldn’t be, I chalked it up to my bike riding. Yet because of a family history of colon cancer and a father-in-law in the medical field, I thought I would preemptively get a colonoscopy, which turned out to be a wise decision. Results for patients who discover colorectal cancer early are generally good, and the majority of patients with early stage disease are cured. However, despite my luck at finding the cancer early on, it was staged as III. I would require[...]Story Tags: Colon Cancer - Courtney Annotti
Life After Ulcerative Colitis Surgery Feels Amazing
My name is Courtney Annotti. I’m 22 years old and was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis (UC) eight years ago. UC is a chronic condition that causes long-lasting inflammation in the large intestine. For years I experienced pain that would come and go, and the anxiety of always having to know where a bathroom was. I tried several medications to control my symptoms, but to no avail. Concerned that my condition was worsening day by day, my gastroenterologist referred me to UCSF to meet with Dr. Madhulika Varma, Chief of Colorectal Surgery at UCSF. When I met with Dr. Varma, I immediately felt[...] - Mark Carpenter
Preparing for a Triathlon after Outrunning Espophageal Cancer
My name is Mark Carpenter, and I owe my life to the doctors and nurses at UCSF. My story began in January 2010, when it became difficult to swallow. A few weeks later my general practitioner delivered the news that changed my life forever: I had esophageal cancer. I went first to a surgeon in my local community who was unwilling to operate given the advanced stage of the tumor. Along with my wife, I decided to search for a second opinion. We were referred to UCSF where we met with Dr. David Jablons, chief of Thoracic Surgery and program leader of the Thoracic Oncology Program, who[...] - Fran Cruse
Surgery Gives Grandmother "A Cherished Gift Every Day"
In 2002, my mother, Fran Cruse, was diagnosed with Stage II lung cancer. In the following months, my three siblings and I took her to surgeons and oncologists near her home in Carson City, Nevada. Because the tumor was extremely large and pressing against her aorta, the doctors told us there was nothing they could do – that she should just enjoy the time she had left with her family. We were devastated. At the time, my mother was a vigorous 60-year-old woman with eight grandchildren. Although she had a serious illness, she wanted to do all she could to fight the cancer. We scoured the[...]Story Tags: Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer - Alyssa Welch
A Story of Hope and Survival
Alyssa flanked by mother Kim and older sister My name is Kim Welch, and my daughter Alyssa’s story is one of hope and survival. She was born 15 years ago with autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease (ARPKD). ARPKD causes severe damage to both your kidney and liver. Alyssa was two and a half years old when she had her first kidney transplant. Ten days after her successful kidney transplant, unrelated to her congenital disease, Alyssa was diagnosed with eye cancer. Her left eye was surgically removed and replaced with an artificial one. Time marched on and so did Alyssa’s[...] - Dwayne Teach
I Feel Incredibly Lucky to Be Alive
My name is Dwayne Teach and I feel incredibly lucky to be alive to share my story with you today. I had a massive pulmonary embolism in 2007 followed by a gastric bypass in 2009. Three years ago I received a new heart and could not be more grateful for the care delivered by the University of California, San Francisco. In the matter of a week, my entire life changed. It all began with flu-like symptoms on a Monday. I was feeling much worse by Thursday so I decided to go to the hospital. After checking in at my local hospital in Fortuna I was transferred to a larger institution in Eureka. On[...]Story Tags: Heart Transplant - James Dials
Man Loses 200 Pounds With Surgery and Lifestyle Changes
Unless you weigh more than 400 pounds, it’s difficult to imagine walking a mile in James Dials’ shoes. In fact, for most of his life, he couldn’t do that either. The gregarious 62-year-old limousine driver made friends easily, escorting musicians and athletes all over town. Sometimes they would shower him with choice tickets to concerts and sporting events. But Dials always had to turn them down. Not because of a company policy or because he didn’t enjoy public events. Not too long ago, Dials weighed 434 pounds, and he couldn’t walk 10 feet without having to stop and catch his breath.[...] - Sheila FitzPatrick
- Sandy Raffi-Rashed
- Sloane Rilliet
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Rowan Jimenez
Rock Climber Exceeds Expectations After Double-Lung Transplant
UCSF News reports on the story of Rowan Jimenez, a rock climber who underwent a double lung transplant at UCSF for treatment of scleroderma, an autoimmune disease, crediting UCSF with getting his life back and resuming his passion for climbing mountains. The 10,911-foot view from the top of Cathedral Peak in Yosemite National Park is a familiar sight for Rowan Jimenez. The 44-year-old rock climber and musician has traversed this mountain many times before, but this particular attempt on a September day in 2010 was different: It marked a triumphant return on the two-year anniversary of his [...]Story Tags: Lung Transplant - Lindsey FriedbergStory Tags: Obesity
- Jeff Grubbs
- Amy Baghdadi
- Sarah MorseStory Tags: Breast Cancer
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Alison Wesley
After Islet Transplant, Glucose Control is "Amazing"
Alison Wesley received her diagnosis of Type 1 diabetes when she was just 11 years old, after she developed the classic symptoms of the disease – severe weight loss, excessive thirst, sugar cravings, frequent urination, and feeling lethargic. To treat the diabetes, doctors put her on the first generation of insulin pumps. She continued to use the pumps off and on until she was in her early 30s. But eventually, even the pumps could no longer help her control her glucose. "I developed 'brittle diabetes'," she explains. "My glucose levels were swinging up and down. I was checking them five to [...] - Clare DowlingStory Tags: Lung Transplant
- Alfonso Garcia
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Douglas Weil
Neck-Lift Success Story Highlighted in NY Times
The New York Times reports on the use of neck-lifts, a plastic surgery procedure to improve sagging necks and double chins. The Times interviewed William Y. Hoffman, M.D. (pictured right), Professor and Chief of the Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at UCSF for the story. NECKS don't lie. Sagging there betrays age like the rings on a tree, and now-common Botox and fillers in the face make neck imperfections stand out in stark relief. In her 2006 best-seller, "I Feel Bad About My Neck," Nora Ephron, by then 65 and a resolved turtleneck wearer, raged against the injustice of [...]Story Tags: Cosmetic Surgery - Bicknell Ramsay
Multidisciplinary Cardiovascular Treatment Saves Limb
Bicknell Ramsay — a 74-year-old retired engineer who lives a fully active life — was concerned that a wound on his foot would not heal. Having volunteered for a clinical study on peripheral artery disease (PAD), he described the wound to the principal investigator, UCSF nurse practitioner Roberta Oka, R.N., DNSc. She referred Ramsay to Michael S. Conte, M.D., (pictured at right on left), Chief of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery at UCSF Medical Center. By then, the wound exceeded two centimeters and was enlarging. After an ankle-brachial index test found only 30 percent of normal[...] - Garrett La Fever
Man Replaces Severed Thumb With Toe
The Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at UCSF provides service to patients from literally head to toe. Surgeons have the technical expertise to perform a wide array of cosmetic procedures and also provide highly specialized surgical procedures for a host of other problems including craniofacial and cleft lip surgery, microvascular reconstruction, and treatment of complex wounds. For patients like Garrett La Fever, who lost his thumb in a woodworking accident, this expertise can mean all the difference. Using a novel technique, Dr. Scott Hansen collaborated with Dr. Charles Lee[...]Story Tags: Microvascular Surgery -
Pat Spurgeon
Pat Spurgeon - Documentary - Treatment for Kidney Failure
San Francisco International Film Festival, Thirteen years ago, Pat Spurgeon of the indie pop band Rogue Wave received a kidney transplant. Unfortunately, just as the band started to take off, the kidney began to fail. The feature documentary "D Tour" chronicles Pat's experience as a UCSF kidney patient including his search for a living organ donor. The film also features Dr. Sang-Mo Kang of the UCSF Division of Transplantation, the surgeon who took care of Pat. * Image of Pat Spurgeon courtesy of "The independent, SF" and provided under a creative commons attribution license. [...] - Gloria & Veronica Ramos
Living Donor Transplant Emblemmatic of Loving Family
When Gloria Ramos received the call in August 2000 that UCSF Medical Center had a liver for the transplant she badly needed, the Ramos family drove to the hospital with great anticipation and excitement. But further testing of the available organ revealed it wasn't a good match for Gloria and her daughters and husband expressed their disappointment. "This only means that I'm at the top of the list," Gloria recalls assuring her family. "I'll get called again!" Gloria contracted Hepatitis C through a blood transfusion in 1982 but the deadly virus lived undetected in her body until the summer[...] -
Karen Peterson
Brothers in Arms - Working Nights at UCSF to Cure Mesothelioma, Spurred by a Widower's Grief and Hard-Raised Cash
SFGate.com reports on the collaboration of David M. Jablons, M.D. and Jeff Peterson whose wife Karen and died from mesothelioma, a devastating disease. Dr. David Jablons couldn't save Karen Peterson's life or even extend it. But he could give quality to whatever life she had left. That turned out to be about nine months, long enough for her twin boys to see her waterskiing on Lake Tahoe and boogie-boarding in Oceanside and laughing more than coughing. Jablons, chief cardiothoracic surgeon at UCSF, was the last in a line of specialists Peterson had sought out coast to coast in a 22-month [...]Story Tags: Malignant Mesothelioma -
Mike Wooldridge
Cancer survivor takes fight against disease to the streets
SFGate.com reports on the the journey of Mike Wooldridge after getting a devastating diagnosis and being turned away for surgery by M.D. Anderson, and being told it was incurable, only to get treatment at UCSF that enabled him to run in a marathon not long after that. Running a marathon without a third of your right lung might seem impossible, but for Mike Wooldridge it's just another day on the road. Diagnosed with a fist-sized tumor in his right lung a year ago, the Pleasant Hill Web site designer was initially given a 10 to 15 percent chance of surviving. Today he's running 30 miles a [...]Story Tags: Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer