SIU physicians lead efforts with American Nepal Medical Foundation to help earthquake victims Written by Rebecca Budde • Photography by Jason Johnson and Janak Koirala "When there’s an earthquake, health care is what people need," says Janak Koirala, MD, MPH, professor and chair of the division of infectious disease who saw first-hand the devastating effects that the April 25 earthquake had on the people of Nepal. Though thousands of miles apart, Dr. Koirala and his wife, Sangita Basnet, MD, were two leaders in the efforts to help the people of Nepal through the American Nepal Medical

Aspects Volume 38 No. 3 "I was 24 the first time I was diagnosed with testicular cancer," Eric Melito says. Four-and-a half years after surgeons removed his left testicle, Melito was diagnosed with a completely different type of cancer in his right testicle. The surgeries left him sterile. "Someday, when I fall in love with the right person, I do want to have children," Melito says. "I’m the last male in my family line." Focus on the future The devastation of a cancer diagnosis often leaves patients and their families intensely focused on fighting the cancer. The fear of dying overtakes the

Aspects Volume 38 No. 3 "I was 24 the first time I was diagnosed with testicular cancer," Eric Melito says. Four-and-a half years after surgeons removed his left testicle, Melito was diagnosed with a completely different type of cancer in his right testicle. The surgeries left him sterile. "Someday, when I fall in love with the right person, I do want to have children," Melito says. "I’m the last male in my family line." Focus on the future The devastation of a cancer diagnosis often leaves patients and their families intensely focused on fighting the cancer. The fear of dying overtakes the

Rare antibody requires specialized care for pregnant mother Aspects Volume 38 No. 3 Written by Rebecca Budde • Photography by Jason Johnson Image Caption: McKenzie Sargent and her fourth child, Bryar, 5 months, who had the same life-threatening complications at birth as his older sister. Braylee, 3, Carter, 8, and Shaylon, 11, play in the background. At only 10 days old, Braylee Sargent underwent a blood exchange transfusion, replacing approximately 80 percent of her blood volume in order to save her life. "It was a very long 10 days in a hospital room away from our other two children at home

Rare antibody requires specialized care for pregnant mother Aspects Volume 38 No. 3 Written by Rebecca Budde • Photography by Jason Johnson Image Caption: McKenzie Sargent and her fourth child, Bryar, 5 months, who had the same life-threatening complications at birth as his older sister. Braylee, 3, Carter, 8, and Shaylon, 11, play in the background. At only 10 days old, Braylee Sargent underwent a blood exchange transfusion, replacing approximately 80 percent of her blood volume in order to save her life. "It was a very long 10 days in a hospital room away from our other two children at home

Unique mobile app offers burn survivors help toward healing Aspects Volume 38 No. 4 Written by Rebecca Budde • Photography by Jason Johnson Kari Elliott was only five miles from her parents’ home in Macomb when the accident occurred. “I don’t remember the crash, but I will never forget the pain,” says Kari Elliott. The October 2014 accident engulfed her car in flames upon impact. Elliott survived a long list of injuries, multiple surgeries, including skin grafts for second and third degree burns, and a lengthy hospital stay. Elliott was in St. Francis Hospital in Peoria for a month and then

Unique mobile app offers burn survivors help toward healing Aspects Volume 38 No. 4 Written by Rebecca Budde • Photography by Jason Johnson Kari Elliott was only five miles from her parents’ home in Macomb when the accident occurred. “I don’t remember the crash, but I will never forget the pain,” says Kari Elliott. The October 2014 accident engulfed her car in flames upon impact. Elliott survived a long list of injuries, multiple surgeries, including skin grafts for second and third degree burns, and a lengthy hospital stay. Elliott was in St. Francis Hospital in Peoria for a month and then

Aspects Volume 38 No. 4 Written by Rebecca Budde • Photography by Jason Johnson "The doctor told my parents that it was unlikely that I'd live through the night." Thereasa Abrams, PhD, LCSW, was only 6 years old. It was a hot July day, and Teri and two of her siblings planned to fight boredom by melting a crayon in the small fire her brother had made in the open-faced charcoal grill. As the youngest of four siblings, Teri had the duty of sneaking into the house and past her mother who was tending to her oldest sister and grab the "evidence" unseen. Mission accomplished, she clutched a green

Aspects Volume 38 No. 4 Written by Rebecca Budde • Photography by Jason Johnson "The doctor told my parents that it was unlikely that I'd live through the night." Thereasa Abrams, PhD, LCSW, was only 6 years old. It was a hot July day, and Teri and two of her siblings planned to fight boredom by melting a crayon in the small fire her brother had made in the open-faced charcoal grill. As the youngest of four siblings, Teri had the duty of sneaking into the house and past her mother who was tending to her oldest sister and grab the "evidence" unseen. Mission accomplished, she clutched a green

Aspects Volume 38 No. 4 Photography by Jason Johnson Top: Across from the Simmons Cancer Institute, the Memorial Center for Learning and Innovation houses the SIU School of Medicine J. Roland Folse, MD, Skills Center on the fourth floor as well as a simulation center on the third floor. These centers incorporate aspects emergency medicine, an operating room and back to home therapy. Middle: Emergency medicine residents walk from Memorial Hospital to the MCLI before a day of training in the simulation center. Bottom, Left to Right: • Jason Kegg, MD, emergency medicine physician and director of