UNC Hospitals

08/30/2026

Grief is a natural response to any significant loss, whether that’s the death of a loved one or a pet, the loss of a job, the end of a marriage or a decline in health.

We spoke with UNC Health psychiatrist Donald Rosenstein, MD, about grief, each person’s unique experience living with grief and how to connect with others to get through a difficult time.

Losing a loved one is painful; understanding the variability of grief experiences may help.

08/29/2026

Ticks increasingly threaten the health and livelihood of ranchers. Alpha-gal syndrome, which causes a red meat allergy, is a big problem if a rancher is delivering a calf.

“The fluid from the cattle could trigger an allergic reaction,” said Scott Commins, a medical doctor at the University of North Carolina allergy clinic. “We've seen some people where they've transitioned their cattle farm to now they're raising emu and ostrich.”

Ticks are spreading in the U.S., and carrying diseases like Lyme and alpha-gal syndrome, which causes an allergy to red meat. That could cost the livestock industry billions.

08/28/2026

"The right place at the right time."

One moment, Ricky Evans was going about his day. The next, he was fighting for his life.

What started with sudden blurry vision turned out to be an aortic dissection, a life-threatening tear in the inner layer of the aorta. His wife called 911 and he was transported to UNC Health Rex.

Once he arrived, his medical team moved fast, performing a complex surgery to save his life. Today, Ricky is continuing to recover from the surgery and grateful for the care that was there when he needed it most.

Evans has an overwhelming appreciation for how lucky he is, and he had a jersey made for UNC Health cardiothoracic surgeon Dr. Reade with the number 21 on the back—the number of minutes of circulatory arrest, when he was on the bypass machine.

“Dr. Reade tells me it’s one of the worst tears that somebody survived,” Evans says. “I got a copy of the report of everything that happened to me, and if any person would have done anything different than what they did, I wouldn’t be talking today.”

Click the 🔗 in the comments for the full story.

08/28/2026

“If you believe in miracles, here's one.”

Twenty years ago, a 16-year-old girl with cystic fibrosis underwent a second double-lung transplant at UNC. Today, she's a 36-year-old mother who is breathing easily, living independently, and celebrating two decades since that life-changing surgery.

For transplant surgeon Dr. Thomas Egan, seeing her return to UNC 20 years later was a powerful reminder of why transplant medicine matters. He does not believe the program had previously seen a re-transplant recipient reach the 20-year milestone. Recent data show just how unusual her outcome is: five-year survival for patients with cystic fibrosis undergoing repeat double-lung transplantation is approximately 39%.

“So she is extremely lucky,” Egan said. “If you believe in miracles, here's one.”

When asked what she would say to a 16-year-old facing a re-transplant today, she offered the perspective that only someone who has lived through it can provide: “It might be hard, but things will eventually get better. Life can be normal after transplant.”

08/28/2026

Our four-legged volunteer, Shadow, spent the day visiting teammates at UNC Hospitals and, as always, brought plenty of smiles along the way. ❤️ 🐾



Video description: A corgi walks through the halls of UNC Hospitals, stopping along the way as teammates greet him and give him pets.

08/28/2026

When Dana-Farber Cancer Institute oncologist Brian Wolpin, MD, took the stage at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting earlier this year, he didn’t expect to get a standing ovation. But that’s what happened as he presented the astonishing data that a drug called daraxonrasib had doubled the time pancreatic cancer patients lived after their diagnoses.

“I teared up when I heard the trial results,” says Channing Der, PhD, distinguished professor of pharmacology at the UNC School of Medicine who discovered the drug’s molecular target some four decades ago and has been studying it ever since. “This is perhaps the most significant therapeutic breakthrough for the treatment of pancreatic cancer in the history of looking for such therapies.”

Thanks to the dogged efforts of academic scientists, pancreatic cancer may no longer be a death sentence.

08/27/2026

⭐️ Congratulations to UNC Ob/Gyn faculty members Andrea Knittel, MD, PhD, and Hendree Jones, PhD, on securing a $3.3 million NIH grant to study how pretrial diversion programs can improve outcomes for pregnant people with substance use disorders.

Led by Dr. Knittel, associate professor in the Division of General Obstetrics and Gynecology and Midwifery, the project brings together a multidisciplinary team of experts from UNC and community partner organizations to advance research and improve care for women and families.

Collaborators include Mel Livet, PhD (National Implementation Research Network); Annie Lyerly, MD, MA (UNC Department of Social Medicine); John Preisser, PhD (UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health); Kristie Puckett, MA (Second Chance Federation); and Tonya VanDeinse, PhD, MSW (UNC School of Social Work).

This award highlights the importance of cross-sector collaboration in addressing substance use disorders, reducing barriers to care, and improving maternal and infant health outcomes across North Carolina.

Congratulations to the entire team on this exciting achievement!
https://www.med.unc.edu/obgyn/2026/08/25/nih-awards-3-3-million-grant-to-unc-researchers-to-study-pretrial-diversion-and-perinatal-substance-use-disorders/

08/27/2026

👏

Employee Spotlight!

Kat Abshier has been part of Carolina Air Care since 2016. She began with the program as a critical care ground nurse before transitioning to flight nursing soon after.

Over the past decade, Kat has cared for critically ill and injured patients throughout North Carolina and has become an experienced and valued member of the Air Care team. When asked about her favorite part of the job, Kat says it’s the scene calls. They give her the opportunity to bring critical care directly to patients when and where they need it.

Kat’s other favorite part of working for Air Care? The ability to have visitors like Jenny!

Jenny joined Air Care in 2017 and has been making appearances with the team ever since. While Kat handles the clinical side of things, Jenny has found a passion for head scratches from the crew.

We’re grateful to have Kat as part of Carolina Air Care and appreciate the experience, dedication, and personality she brings to the team.

Thanks for all you do, Kat. And Jenny, we’re always happy to see you, too.

📸 Andy Mills

08/27/2026

A breast cancer diagnosis can change so much. For some women, breast reconstruction becomes an important part of moving forward and feeling more like themselves again.

Two women at different stages of life share their personal experiences with breast reconstruction — the decisions they faced, the choices they made and what they learned along the way. Click the 🔗 in the comments to read their stories.

08/27/2026

A new school year is always an adjustment, but starting a brand-new school is an extra big change for kids.

We talked to Katherine Everett, psychoeducational consultant at UNC Health Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Prestwick, about ways to support your child through this process.

Navigating this change will take time.