Alexander L. Lin, MD

08/22/2026

Does the time of day you work out really make a difference? A Northwestern Medicine sports medicine expert shares the different benefits of exercising in the morning, afternoon and night. She also shares the biggest factor for success: being consistent.

Learn what time is best for you.

08/22/2026

An Army veteran. A concussion specialist. Meet Zachary Craig, MD, and see how his military experience is shaping care in our new Sports Neurology and Concussion Clinic.

08/21/2026

For Preeyanuch Chanwongwanit, a busy mom of four from New Berlin, Wisconsin, life came to a screeching halt in 2019 when she was diagnosed with renal failure. After-school activities with her children were quickly replaced by a demanding dialysis schedule, as the family awaited a lifesaving kidney transplant.

Then came another setback. After two transplant surgeries at another health system failed, the 46-year-old was faced with yet another daunting diagnosis: an allergy to general anesthesia.

Running out of options, her care team reached out to Northwestern Medicine’s AWAKE Program (Accelerated Surgery Without General Anesthesia in Kidney Transplantation), which offers select patients a chance to remain awake through their kidney transplant using spinal anesthesia instead of general anesthesia.

On May 25, Preeyanuch received a successful kidney transplant at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.

“I was completely alert on the operating room table, went through the transplant without any complications, didn’t experience any pain, and went home 36 hours after surgery,” says Preeyanuch.

Two months after the transplant, her new kidney is functioning well, allowing her to get back to the things that matter most. The children’s music and sport schedules have begun to replace dialysis, allowing the family to finally begin their long-awaited fresh start.

“Instead of living life from the sidelines, I can now be there for my four children every day — celebrating milestones and making memories,” says Preeyanuch. “I’m so grateful to my organ donor and the incredible team at Northwestern Medicine for giving me a second chance at life.”

08/21/2026

Concussion questions on your mind? We have answers.

08/21/2026

Lyme disease can spread through the bite of an infected blacklegged tick (known as a deer tick). Knowing the signs and symptoms of Lyme disease, including the bull’s-eye rash (erythema migrans), can help you act early.

Testing for Lyme disease is most accurate at least four to six weeks after a tick bite, and early treatment leads to the best outcomes.

Tips to lower your risk of Lyme disease include:

• Wear long sleeved shirts and long pants when spending time outdoors.
• Use insect repellents with DEET, picaridin or oil of lemon eucalyptus.
• Check skin and clothing for ticks after being outdoors.
• Keep your yard clear of tall grass and leaf piles.

Learn more about how to spot the symptoms of Lyme disease and what to do if you think you have it.

Learn the signs of Lyme disease.

08/20/2026

With summer comes sunshine — and the need to protect your skin from harmful UV rays. Check out our simple guide to sunscreen.

08/19/2026

If you’ve ever left a doctor’s appointment with questions, you’re not alone.

Getting a second opinion can help you understand your diagnosis, explore treatment options and feel confident in your care decisions. Northwestern Medicine physicians explain when it should be part of your plan.

Understand your options.

08/19/2026

What if a patient's treatment plan could be informed by a virtual replica of their own anatomy?

John E. Pandolfino, MD, executive director of Northwestern Medicine Digestive Health Institute, and his team are pioneering the use of patient-specific virtual esophagus replicas, known as "digital twins," to help plan treatment for complex swallowing disorders. By simulating a patient's unique anatomy and physiology before surgery, these innovative models have the potential to personalize care and improve outcomes.

Join us to support the innovations that make better medicine possible: nmgive.donordrive.com/events/1719/donate

08/19/2026

What’s the difference between dementia and Alzheimer’s disease?

08/18/2026

Four of her organs were failing when 36-year-old Elizabeth Wehrle arrived at Northwestern Medicine.

A team of specialists took on a case few transplant programs would ever encounter, giving her a second chance at life.

Elizabeth previously underwent a double-lung transplant in 2017 at another health system and regained her quality of life before getting sick in January and eventually being diagnosed with a severe form of chronic organ rejection in late February.

"Life was great after my first double-lung transplant," says Elizabeth. "I had my life back. But as my health deteriorated, simple daily tasks became overwhelming. There were days that I couldn't get myself dressed because I just couldn't breathe.”

As physicians evaluated Elizabeth’s condition, they discovered additional organ failure caused by cystic fibrosis complications. She would also need a liver and kidney transplant.

“Every transplant case is unique, but Elizabeth’s case was extremely rare and difficult,” says Satish Nadig, MD, PhD, transplant surgeon and director of the Northwestern Medicine Comprehensive Transplant Center.

Elizabeth was admitted to the Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit at Northwestern Memorial Hospital and was listed for a quadruple-organ transplant on March 19. Just three days later, she received word that four organs were available. Thoracic surgeons started on the double-lung retransplant the evening of March 22, and abdominal surgeons followed in the early morning hours of March 23 with the liver and kidney transplant.

“The liver and kidney were on a machine perfusion pump, which was fantastic because it allowed the lung team to take their time and make sure the lungs went in safely without being on the clock for the abdominal organs,” says Dr. Nadig.

Elizabeth recovered quickly, with her new lungs, liver and kidney functioning well. Less than three weeks later, she was discharged from Northwestern Memorial Hospital and began rebuilding her strength. She returned home in July, where she was reunited with her 11-year-old son, Landen.

The scars are a reminder of how far she’s come. “I’m looking forward to going to the swimming pool and showing off my battle scars. I earned them,” says Elizabeth. “They saved my life.”