Smilow Cancer Hospital

02/27/2026

John Kunstman, MD, MHS, was presented with the Yale Cancer Center Clinical Excellence Award by Kiran Turaga, MD, MPH. Dr. Kunstman is a surgical oncologist specializing in the care of patients with cancers or benign diseases of the pancreas, liver, bile ducts, stomach, and intestines. He received his honor at the recent Yale Cancer Center Annual Awards Program.

02/26/2026

"Dr. Podoltsev is an amazing doctor. He listens and answers clearly, and explains medical terminology, blood results, drug effectiveness, and side effects. I am extremely confident in his knowledge of my illness and the best available treatment!"

Dr. Nikolai Podoltsev is is a hematologist who specializes in treating patients with acute leukemias, or cancers of the blood and bone marrow. He sees patients at Smilow Cancer Hospital in New Haven, and you can learn more about Dr. Podoltsev through his physician profile: https://medicine.yale.edu/cancer/profile/nikolai-podoltsev/.

02/25/2026

We would like to recognize Sean MacLeod, RN, as our next . Sean is a practice nurse for neuro-oncology and until recently, he has been carrying a heavy workload of covering two full-time positions for the past year. Even with this added responsibility, Sean can always be found with a smile on his face, never once disappointing his patients or colleagues.

At the same time, neuro-oncology at Smilow is a rapidly evolving clinical practice. As the consummate professional he is, Sean has managed this change with great diligence, strength, and tranquility – including doing a wonderful job onboarding a new practice RN.

Thank you, Sean, for your dedication to your team and our patients!

02/24/2026

As an infusion nurse at Smilow Cancer Hospital at Guilford, Hunter Bouchard has cared for many patients. Her journey became personal when her young daughter was diagnosed with leukemia, which was soon followed by Hunter’s own breast cancer diagnosis and a melanoma diagnosis less than a year later.

In 2025, Hunter completed her fourth Closer to Free Ride where she was also presented with the Mark Reitsma Courage Award. When asked how she does it, she replied, “We do our best; we put one foot in front of the other. We just keep going.”

https://givetoynhh.org/how-hunter-maddie-turned-hope-into-action/

02/23/2026

We invite you to join us Saturday, April 11 at 9:00am for an in-person patient conference: Advancing Care in Kidney Cancer: From Diagnosis to Survivorship.

Hear from our experts and patient advocates as they share insights on the latest treatments and care for kidney cancer, as well as practical guidance for patients, families, and caregivers. Attendees will also have the opportunity to ask questions during interactive Q&As and discussion.

📍 The Greenberg Conference Center | New Haven, CT
🗓 Saturday, April 11 | 9:00am – 2:00pm
➡️RSVP https://bit.ly/3OkdSqO

02/22/2026

February is , and tonight on Yale Cancer Answers, Michaela Dinan, PhD, joins to talk about the shifting landscape of cancer prevention screening and risk stratification.

Listen live on Connecticut Public, through Apple Podcasts, or later on YouTube.

02/22/2026

At our Yale Cancer Center Annual Awards Program, Karen Hammond, DNP, APRN, ACNP (BC), AOCNP, was presented with the Ruth McCorkle Oncology Advanced Practice Provider (APP) Award by Toby Bressler, PhD, RN.

Based at Smilow Cancer Hospital at Waterbury, Karen exemplifies the qualities of an outstanding leader and clinician, and she is the embodiment of a nursing leader. She is a fastidious student and learner, she takes charge of any issue that comes her way, and she is known as outstanding mentor in clinical practice, training a generation of nursing APPs to help many achieve leadership positions within the Smilow Cancer Hospital Network.

02/21/2026

We are deeply grateful for the generous gift from the Lindner and Lindner Thompson families supporting breast cancer research and care at Yale Cancer Center and Smilow Cancer Hospital. Their investment reflects the power of collaboration among our physicians.

This support will advance innovative work led by our breast surgery, oncology, and reconstruction teams, who partner closely to improve outcomes and quality of life for patients. Their shared expertise, compassion, and commitment drive progress every day.

“Our guiding principles are always to take care of the patient, ensure they have a great experience, offer them the best options, and guide them in their decision making,” said Mehra Golshan, MD, MBA, professor of breast surgery. “This gift highlights the importance of teamwork and the combined expertise we offer at Yale.”

The gift will fund vital initiatives at YSM, focusing on advancing clinical care, research, and education in breast cancer treatment and reconstruction.

02/20/2026

Congratulations to Michaela Dinan, PhD, and Yansheng Liu, PhD, recipients of the Yale Cancer Center Class of ‘61 Cancer Research Award. The annual awards recognize significant accomplishments in cancer research at Yale Cancer Center by young members of the faculty, coupled with the expectation for future outstanding contributions to our understanding of the causes and cures for cancer.

Drs. Dinan and Liu were presented with their awards by Daniel DiMaio, MD, PhD, at the Yale Cancer Center Annual Awards Program.

02/19/2026

"Dr. Aslanian took the time to address my issue and answered every question had. I felt so comfortable speaking with him. He showed confidence and kindness beyond my expectation. Yale is extremely lucky to have a doctor of this caliber on your staff."

Dr. Harry Aslanian specializes in the care of patients with gastrointestinal disorders of the pancreas, bile duct, esophagus, stomach, small bowel, and colon. Learn more about Dr. Aslanian by visiting his physician profile: https://medicine.yale.edu/cancer/profile/harry-aslanian/.

02/18/2026

“This was my last visit. I can follow up with my P*P unless something comes up. It started for me in January of 2015. I'm beyond grateful for my incredible oncologist, surgeon, and all the nursing staff. 10 years. Thank you.”

Our Quality and Patient Safety team reads every comment submitted by our patients. The full patient experience is critically important to us, and we love to hear how our staff earns your trust and exhibits consideration to those in our care from arrival to departure.

02/17/2026

Smilow Cancer Hospital at Waterford and Westerly patient care coordinators Denise Gonyo and Dawn Rebein are this week’s . Dawn and Denise are instrumental in ensuring that the transportation needs of our patients are met, coordinating more than 300 rides per month. They regularly support our patients with FMLA/LOA paperwork and manage the internal referrals from our providers.

Denise and Dawn consistently reduce the logistical barriers to care and by doing so, they improve the patient experience. They have built trust by communicating and addressing daily needs that arise for both patients and their families. We are proud to say that Denise and Dawn are the “glue” that holds the social needs of our patients together, and we are honored to have them as part of the care teams at Smilow Cancer Hospital at Waterford and Westerly!