Vanderbilt Travel Clinic

07/11/2025

When Michelle Ankele-Yamash*ta caught the flu last fall, she never imagined it would end in lung failure — and a 4,000-mile journey from Maui to Nashville for a second chance at life.

Deemed too sick for surgery by more than 30 lung transplant centers, Michelle was sustained for months on ECMO, a machine that does the work of the heart and lungs. No one could say for sure whether she’d survive the air ambulance flight, let alone qualify for transplant.

But Vanderbilt Health saw a path forward.

In February, she received a double lung transplant — our first patient from Hawaii to do so. Today, she’s off oxygen and walking on her own.

“I don’t have pain,” she said. “And giving up was never an option.”

Check the first comment below for the link to the full story.

07/10/2025

Osteoarthritis can make everyday physical tasks seem daunting thanks to stiff, achy joints. Here, find ways to keep moving despite osteoarthritis. Learn safe movements, gentle exercises and steps to set up your home for easy access. Click the link in the first comment below to find practical advice.

07/10/2025

From childhood friendship to working as critical care nurses, Caroline and Samantha have supported each other through every stage of life — and now, they’re colleagues in the Medical Intensive Care Unit at Vanderbilt University Hospital.

They met at age 2, grew up in the same town, and pursued nursing careers in different cities before reuniting through the Vanderbilt Nurse Residency Program. Now, working together in the MICU, they say having each other on shift brings calm to even the most stressful moments.

Thank you, Caroline, for sharing these photos and your story with us.

07/09/2025

When Johnny Cash started having trouble with his voice, he didn’t go to Hollywood. He called a voice specialist right here in Nashville.

Dr. Robert Ossoff from Vanderbilt University Medical Center (now retired) treated him, flying to Las Vegas to address his vocal cords and even helping invent a misting microphone so Cash could keep singing on stage.

That same care grew into the Vanderbilt Voice Center, which artists, teachers and anyone who depends on their voice still turn to for help. The Man in Black trusted his voice to Vanderbilt. So do thousands more, every year.

Click the link in the comments to read more. ⬇️

07/08/2025

Neuropsychologist Douglas Terry, PhD, works with the National Football League as the senior director of research, focusing on enhancing the health and safety of NFL players.

This is an extension of his expertise in sports-related concussion and cumulative head impacts. The NFL works with elite athletes, but things like car accidents and slips and falls are the leading causes of concussions, he said - ordinary mishaps that can happen to anyone.

See the first comment below for a Q&A with Terry about concussions and how to study them.

07/07/2025

On July 5, 1984, Vanderbilt University Medical Center launched Vanderbilt LifeFlight — forever changing the landscape of trauma care in Middle Tennessee.

Since then, LifeFlight has completed 76,942 flights and transported 80,118 patients by air. Its ground transport teams have carried another 37,133 patients, including 4,188 critical care ground transports.

Thank you to the physicians, nurses, pilots, paramedics and staff who have made these missions possible—and to every patient and family who placed their trust in LifeFlight during their most urgent moments.

Read more about the history of the program and how it continues to evolve in the comments below.

07/03/2025

Handled safely, fireworks are fun. Getting hurt is not. Eye surgeon Dr. Sylvia Groth reminds us that fireworks tend to injure the hands and face, particularly the eyes. In a single shift in a recent year, she and her team treated 11 firework injuries at Vanderbilt and Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt — the majority were children. Please use these smart strategies to prevent fireworks injuries and have a happy July 4. See the first comment below for Groth’s tips.

07/02/2025

Anyone who has had a kidney stone will tell you how terribly painful they are. Unfortunately, they’re also fairly common, and becoming more common in populations that didn’t used to get them often. There are things you can do to help avoid kidney stones, though. Take this advice from surgeon Dr. Nicole Miller, one of our urology specialists who treats kidney stones. Check the first comment below for the link to the full story.

07/02/2025

Looking forward to it. 💙

Mark your calendars! The Telecast is back and headed to Nashville! Join us Friday, August 15th for a night of music, inspiration, and hope. 🎸🧡

🌟 Sign up for updates and reminders at StandUpToCancer.org/Show.

07/01/2025

Everett was born with a rare condition that leads to kidney complications. Before he was born, doctors anticipated that he would need a kidney transplant. At 3 years old, Everett received a kidney from his father, Matthew. Unfortunately, it failed a few days later, and in the process of trying to save the kidney, Everett suffered heart damage. Once his heart healed, Everett joined the kidney transplant list and so did his mom, Margaret, who chose to participate in a kidney donation chain. The chain is a system where a series of incompatible living donor-recipient pairs are connected, allowing recipients to receive a compatible kidney from an altruistic donor.

Finding a match for Everett kicked off a chain that eventually involved six people, with Margaret's kidney going to someone in Virginia, while Everett’s kidney came from Pennsylvania. With his most recent transplant behind him, Everett and his family celebrated his 5th birthday this month with a pool party with family and friends. Click through the photos for a special look at Everett's birthday party. 🥳

Read more at https://bit.ly/3SY25NV.

06/19/2025

Now finishing its third year, a partnership between students in the Health Sciences Academy at Pearl-Cohn Entertainment Magnet High School and nurses from Vanderbilt Health provides opportunities for students to explore health care careers by connecting with professionals actively working in the field.

“Watching and working with her toward her goals inspires me,” Registered Nurse Ebony Israel-Grover said about her mentee, sophomore Lamya Robertson.

Read more about the opportunities provided to these students at https://bit.ly/4jE64dv.