Upstate Health

03/15/2026

Hero loves attending Syracuse Crunch games. He always makes lots of new friends!

03/15/2026

Thank you to everyone who came out Friday to Upstate Medical University Arena for Upstate University Hospital Night with the Syracuse Crunch. A fun time for all … well, not really for the home team. Despite the Crunch playing strongly and putting a blistering 40 shots on goal, they could slip only one puck past the Lehigh Valley goaltender, falling to the Phantoms 4-1.

Prior to the game, husband and wife Upstate kidney transplant patients Harry and Amy McDougall, from Fulton, dropped the ceremonial puck. And at a break in the second period, Upstate kidney transplant patient and kidney donation advocate Anthony Cruz, from Rochester, was honored as the Amazon Community Hero of the Game.

Along with a large contingent in the stands, Upstate was well represented by Upstate Transplant and Upstate New York Poison Center, who had information tables on the lower concourse, plus staff and volunteers from the Upstate Heart Institute’s Heart Failure Program taught fans how to perform hands-only CPR — important to know!

03/14/2026

On the next “HealthLink on Air”: why colorectal cancer is appearing in younger people and searching for the origins of amyloidosis, a condition affecting the kidneys, heart and liver. The show can be heard Sunday at 6 a.m. on WRVO and online at https://www.upstate.edu/informed/2026/031526-radioshow.php.

About one in five people who are diagnosed with colorectal cancer today are under the age of 55, and colon cancer is now the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in men and women under age 50.

Joseph Valentino, MD, director of the colorectal cancer program at the Upstate Cancer Center, discusses the possible reasons colorectal cancer is showing up in people at younger ages. Valentino, a colorectal surgeon, also talks about the importance of colonoscopy in detecting cancers at early stages, the common treatments, and what to expect as a patient in the colorectal cancer program at Upstate.

Also on the show, a researcher at Upstate is seeking the origins of amyloidosis, which can attack the kidneys, heart and liver, aided by a $3.1 million, five-year grant from the National Institutes of Health.

Stewart Loh, PhD, a professor of biochemistry and molecular biology at Upstate, explains his work to understand amyloidosis and its mysterious factor of protein misfolding in the blood. Loh and his collaborators hope their work ultimately leads to earlier diagnoses and better outcomes for patients.

03/12/2026

Come join us for Upstate University Hospital Night at the Syracuse Crunch! We'll have a special turnstile gift for Crunch fans. Plus, demonstrations of hands-only CPR, information from the Upstate New York Poison Center and Upstate Transplant, lots of neat giveaways, and an appearance by Upstate's lovable mascot, Hero the Wolf!

03/10/2026

Cooling caps can help prevent or lessen hair loss for chemotherapy patients. Oncology nurse Zeke Auburn from the Upstate Cancer Center explains how cooling caps work and which patients may be candidates for their use. https://www.upstate.edu/informed/2026/030426-auburn-podcast.php

New York in 2026 became the first state to require private health insurers to pay for scalp cooling for these patients.

03/10/2026

03/07/2026

🌟 Fun Fact for National Kidney Month! 🌟

Did you know your kidneys filter about 150–180 quarts of blood every single day? 🤯

That’s enough to fill a small bathtub multiple times — all to help remove waste, balance fluids, and keep your body running smoothly!

Show your kidneys some love this month by staying hydrated, eating kidney‑friendly foods, and keeping up with regular check‑ups. 💚

https://www.kidney.org/kidney-topics/kidney-function

03/07/2026

Learn more about Roger's story: https://www.upstate.edu/whatsup/2026/021726-a-patients-way-of-saying.php.

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

03/07/2026

A medical student talks about her experience with cancer. Plus, choosing between a partial or total knee replacement — on the next “HealthLink on Air,” Sunday at 6 a.m. on WRVO and available online at https://www.upstate.edu/informed/2026/030826-radioshow.php.

A student at Upstate’s Norton College of Medicine has earned Upstate Medical University’s Dearing Writing Award for two years in a row, for poetry about her personal experience with cancer. Sophia Xian, who is in her third year of medical school, talks about her diagnosis and treatment and the impact on her medical career.

Also on the program, is a total knee replacement better than a partial knee replacement? And, if you have osteoarthritis in one of your knees, how do you know whether it’s time for a knee replacement? Orthopedic surgeon Robert Sherman, MD, explains how osteoarthritis is diagnosed and the multiple treatments that may help alleviate the pain. He also explains how knee replacement surgery works and what life is like afterward.

Sherman is an assistant professor of orthopedic surgery at Upstate.

03/05/2026

Upstate has released the schedule for its Mobile Mammography Van through the end of the year. It will make over 120 stops across the region, offering mammograms to hundreds of women. https://www.upstate.edu/news/articles/2026/2026-03-03-mammovan.php

Since it first hit the road, the Mammo Van has traveled more than 65,000 miles, screened nearly 6,000 women, held more than 750 clinics and helped to identify 25 breast cancers.

The van has the same state-of-the-art screening technology found in a clinic setting, and it contains a reception area, a changing area, a nursing exam room and an imaging room.

02/27/2026

Hanna has earned recognition as a Stroke Certified Registered Nurse (SCRN). Her advanced knowledge of stroke care will significantly benefit patients in our Neuro ICU. Congratulations Hanna! Welcome to the SCRN club!

02/27/2026

On the next "HealthLink on Air": Upstate’s chief of geriatrics discusses developments related to Alzheimer's disease; a conversation on IUDs; and advice on the best exercises for seniors. The show can be heard Sunday at 6 a.m. on WRVO and online at https://www.upstate.edu/informed/2026/030126-radioshow.php.

Sharon Brangman, MD, shares new research about what may increase the risk for Alzheimer's, some promising medications, a study of a possible new treatment that’s underway at Upstate, and a rundown of things that can be done for brain health. She directs the Center of Excellence for Alzheimer’s Disease, the region’s only comprehensive center for evaluation and treatment of the disease.

Also on the show, how does an IUD, which is rising in popularity as a birth control device, work? Renee Mestad, MD, explains the different types of intrauterine devices, how they prevent pregnancy, and what women should consider before getting an IUD. Mestad is director of the complex family planning section of the obstetrics and gynecology department at Upstate.

Plus, exercise physiologist Carol Sames, PhD, talks about the best exercise for seniors.