Caring for Cancer Patients in Cold Weather
Cold winter weather can be uncomfortable, but for people undergoing cancer treatment, it can present some serious challenges. Wilmot Cancer Institute Nurse Cassie Adams offers insights on the risks ...
Stories
Coping with Two Cancers, Geneva Woman Benefits from Care Close to Home
Maria Garcia-Rivera has been through a lot in the last 18 years, including two cancer diagnoses. But whenever setbacks related to her cancer come up, her UR Medicine and Wilmot Cancer Institute teams ...
There is No Cure for Multiple Myeloma – but a Clinical Trial Brought One Patient Hope
Nadine Poormon had a broken arm, but she had no idea why. A trip to urgent care and an MRI led to a shocking discovery: She had a type of cancer that has no cure, but a clinical trial has given her ...
Alcohol and Cancer Risk: What We Know
Most people know about the connection between cigarettes and cancer risk, but does drinking cause cancer? It's something rarely discussed, despite years of evidence that alcohol increases cancer ...
Tips for Managing Prostate Cancer Treatment
Prostate cancer is often curable, but receiving a diagnosis still brings many difficult choices. Depending on a patient's stage and other health factors, treatment paths can look very different.
Is My Abnormal Pap Smear Cancer? What the Results Could Mean
Cervical cancer screening is one of the best success stories in healthcare. Since the 1970s, the death rate from cervical cancer has dropped by more than half. Alexandra Blackman, MD, shares what you ...
Noah’s Story: How a National Clinical Trial Gave One Mom an Extra Dose of Hope
After a leukemia diagnosis, two-year-old Noah Ludgood joined a clinical trial for a promising immunotherapy treatment, which was possible because of the advanced expertise at UR Medicine's Golisano ...
Convenience and Compassion Converge in Webster for Stage 4 Lung Cancer Survivor
“What’s going on over there?” Mike Delooze wondered. He has stage 4 lung cancer and saw the WCI Webster building going up not far from his workplace. He is grateful for the care he's able to receive ...
How a Cancer Wellness Center Uses Integrative Medicine to Help Patients Manage Side Effects
Undergoing cancer treatment can be challenging, with many patients experiencing side effects like fatigue, neuropathy, and chemo-brain. The University of Rochester and Wilmot Cancer Institute have a ...
When Life Gave Linda Lemons, Positivity Led her to Walk the Wilmot Warrior Weekend
It's not what happens to you, it's how you handle what happens to you that determines your happiness in life. That's a motto that has brought Linda D'Antonio through challenges that include being ...
Wilmot Cancer Institute Names John Ashton, PhD, Associate Director for Shared Resources
John M. Ashton, PhD, MBA, associate professor in the Department of Biomedical Genetics, has been promoted from assistant director to associate director of Shared Resources at Wilmot Cancer Institute.
A Wilmot Patient’s Quilt Project Gives Back to the Team that Saved Her Life
A special quilt helped Nancy Jaquish through years of treatment for stage 4 colorectal cancer. She recently visited to see the quilt on display at Wilmot Cancer Center - a gift she hopes will serve ...
Could Mobile App Help Identify Graft-Versus-Host Disease Earlier?
Stem cell transplants can help ensure remission for some cancer patients, but many of these patients experience a side effect known as chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD). Nurse-researchers at ...
Living Donor’s Generosity Offers Second Chance to Florida Man with Metastatic Colorectal Cancer
When Tim McDonald, of Tampa Bay, Florida, found out he had stage 4 colorectal cancer that had spread to his liver, self-advocacy became his focus. That led him to the University of Rochester Medical ...
Resisting the Urge: How One Smoker Quit a Decades-Long Habit
Jack Pilarski, of Pittsford, represents a success story. He had been smoking for 60 years. After receiving information about Wilmot’s Tobacco Cessation Program, he decided to take the plunge. He ...
Immunotherapy, and a Refocused Outlook, are the Gifts that Keep on Giving for Melanoma Survivor
While many celebrate the season with gifts for one another, Jude Brock - a survivor of stage 4 melanoma - has a different take on the word “gift”.
New Issue of Dialogue Hits Mailboxes: Meet the New Chief of Pediatric Oncology
The latest issue of Wilmot Cancer Institute’s Dialogue magazine focuses on pediatric, adolescent, and young adult cancers.
Breast Cancer Survivor Says She Found Stability in the “Village” at Wilmot
Cheryl Rivers is used to being a rock to the people around her. She’s a hardworking mom who raised two children on her own. But after a stage 2 breast cancer diagnosis, she had trouble finding ...
Be Proactive, Be Protected: Breast Imaging Specialist Shares Insights on Breast Cancer Screening
Many women understand that screening for breast cancer is a key way to find the cancer early and reduce your chances of dying from it. But the details of when to start and how often to be screened ...
Supporting One Another Through Sharing: Stories of Cancer Survivorship from Strong West
Finding out you have cancer is scary. Stories – both reading stories and telling stories – can help with that healing process. Meet a few cancer survivors from UR Medicine's Strong West location.
A Second Chance from a Stranger: Leukemia Survivor Celebrates 25 Years, Looks Forward to Wedding
A quarter-century of cancer survivorship. That’s what Chris Costello is looking at. He credits it to a man who started out as a stranger but who, in the last 25 years, has become so close that he’ll ...
Cancer and Your Mental Health: Tips from An Expert in Oncology and Psychiatry
What should cancer patients know when it comes to mental health? Dr. Daniel McFarland shares his answers to a few questions on the topic.
What Is It like to be an Oncology Nurse? Three Longtime Wilmot Nurses Give an Inside Scoop
Despite the changes that have occurred in medicine in recent decades, connection remains a key part of oncology nursing. What is it really like to be an oncology nurse? Three of our nurses shared ...
Wilmot Cancer Institute to Host First-Ever Wilmot Warrior Weekend This Fall
Wilmot Cancer Institute will host its first Wilmot Warrior Weekend Friday, Sept. 29 through Sunday, Oct. 1. The event features the inaugural Wilmot Breakaway Ride – Wilmot’s first-ever cycling event ...
How a ‘Marathon’ is Helping Leukemia Patient’s Mindset: Mike’s Story
Over the past 20 years, Mike Reinhardt has run races all over the country, but the marathon he completed on Wilmot Cancer Institute’s Sixth Floor (WCC6) has a special meaning because it’s kept him ...
‘World’s Greatest Tuba-Playing Car Salesman’ Bounces Back after Leukemia, Thanks to Wilmot Team
Returning home after a Father’s Day trip to New York City with his daughter in 2016, Scott Kesel thought he had come down with the flu. Bloodwork showed his blood platelets were lower than normal and ...
What All Cancer Survivors Should Know About Genetic Testing
It’s one of the most common questions to have after finding out you have cancer, especially if others in your family have had cancer, too: How did I get cancer and could it have been passed from a ...
Changing a Family’s Fate: Genetic Testing Empowers Cancer Survivor to Help His Loved Ones
Dan Hellmers knew a lot of people in his family had died from cancer. But the gravity of the situation never really hit him until he saw a list of all of their names and cancer types spelled out ...
Miracle Kids 2022: Callan DiAntonio
After being diagnosed with an aggressive form of leukemia, newborn Callan DiAntonio came through treatment thanks to the team of experts and supportive family surrounding him.
After Life-Saving Treatment for Leukemia, One Patient Pays it Forward
Ralph Olney says his chances of surviving a second stem cell transplant were low, but thanks to his team and divine intervention, he made it through. He decided to give back to the place that gave ...
With Months to Live, Immunotherapy Gives Patient with Esophageal Cancer More Time
For John Joslyn, a patient with stage 4 esophageal cancer, traditional treatment methods weren’t working. With standard chemotherapy, it was estimated he may have had six months to live and he needed ...
More Than a Shopping Spree: How a Visit to the Mall Can Offer an Education on Colorectal Cancer
Beginning March 4, the Office of Community Outreach & Engagement (COE) at Wilmot Cancer Institute will launch a new initiative with a unique place to make connections: a kiosk at the Mall at Greece ...
Summer Internship Program Helps Wilmot Blaze a More Diverse Path in Oncology
The oncology field has a diversity problem. It’s no secret and there are no easy solutions, but Wilmot's Cancer Research Training and Education Coordination (CRTEC) program wants to do its part to ...
Candice Lucas Joins Wilmot’s COE Team in Brand-New Leadership Role
The Wilmot Community Outreach & Engagement (COE) Office has named Candice Lucas, Ed.D., M.B.A., Chief Community Impact Officer, a new role at Wilmot.
Genetics Program at Wilmot Helps Five-Time Cancer Survivor Continue to Live Life Fully
Mary Lou Morgan suspected hereditary reasons could lie beneath her strong personal and family cancer history, but she didn't have a way to prove it, until she met the team at Wilmot's Hereditary ...
Looking at the Lungs: Getting More People Screened for the Region’s Deadliest Cancer
An expanded Lung Cancer Screening Program at UR Medicine aims to encourage more people who are eligible to get screened for lung cancer.
Patient with Stage 4 ALK-Positive Lung Cancer Hasn’t Skipped a Beat, Thanks to Targeted Therapy
Before Jeff Clark received an unexpected lung cancer diagnosis at age 42, he and his wife Kathy weren’t familiar with the disease. But ever since Jeff’s diagnosis in 2013 – received while Kathy was ...
‘We All Have That Power’: Willie Lightfoot Gets Screened for Colorectal Cancer, Encourages Others
Rochester City Councilmember Willie Lightfoot knows first hand the devastation cancer can cause. That's why he decided to get screened for colorectal cancer.
Cancer Survivor Climbs Highest Peak in Northeast to Celebrate Stem Cell Transplant Anniversary
Alan Bushnell not only survived myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) but was lucky enough to cross a 10-year milestone since having a stem cell transplant. He celebrated by lacing up his boots and climbing ...
What is Wilmot's Current Visitor Policy?
We understand how important loved ones are when it comes to cancer. However, people with cancer are among the most vulnerable when it comes to COVID-19.
What Cancer Patients Should Know About a Third COVID Vaccine Dose
The CDC recently announced new recommendations encouraging those who are immunocompromised to get a third vaccine to help boost their immunity to COVID-19. Cancer patients may have questions, and ...
Wilmot Hosts Deaf High School Students for Internship, Inspiring New Career Possibilities
A new internship program at UR Medicine’s Wilmot Cancer Institute introduced Rochester School for the Deaf students to oncology and medicine, in hopes of inspiring them to see careers in medicine and ...
Trying to Quit Smoking? One Patient Succeeded with Some ‘Totally Different’ Support
When Tracy Downs decided to quit smoking, she had little faith that it would actually happen. But then she met Patty Mallaber, ANP-BC, in Wilmot Cancer Institute’s Tobacco Dependence Treatment ...
A Love Story Written in the Stars: Wilmot Team Helps Couple Marry Despite Cancer
With help from their team at Wilmot Cancer Institute, a couple living with cancer achieved their dream of getting married.
Thanks to Compassionate Care and Due Diligence, Colon Cancer Survivor Looks Forward
Joe Franch had just had his colonoscopy three years ago, so he thought there was no way the blood in his stool could be cancer. But when he stayed on top of his symptoms, he learned the news: he had ...
It's Men’s Health Month: Be Your Own Advocate and Know Family History, Says Prostate Cancer Survivor
Tim McConnell has always been an advocate for his own health, and he knew he had a higher chance of developing prostate cancer because his father had two prostate cancer surgeries during the course ...
Finding Family and France, Figuratively: One Lymphoma Patient's Stem Cell Transplant Story
Jodi Lown has always dreamt of going to France. She had no idea a lymphoma diagnosis would bring France to her, in the form of a stem cell transplant, or that she would find a way to return an active ...
Clinical Trials Gave Wilmot Multiple Myeloma Patient 18 Years - and He's Not Done Counting
There’s a misconception that, when a cancer patient is offered a clinical trial, the end is near. But multiple myeloma survivor Alan Brandon is living proof dispelling that notion.
Walk This Way: Program on Wilmot Inpatient Unit Encourages Patients to Get Moving
Launched by Megan Donovan, RN, the Walk n’ Roll program on Wilmot’s Hematology/Oncology Unit on the seventh floor (WCC7) encourages patients to walk more during their hospitalization.
First-Ever Oncology Internship Program Aims to Boost Diversity in Cancer Care Workforce
The University of Rochester has been selected by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) as one of five host schools to participate in the inaugural Oncology Summer Internship (OSI) program ...
Wilmot Redesigned: How Wilmot is Staying Safe during COVID-19 and the Reopening
We know you may feel anxious about coming into the hospital or to one of our locations, and we want you to know that we have made a number of changes at our locations to ensure the safety of our ...
Cancer and the COVID-19 Vaccine: What Cancer Patients Should Know
With so much information (and misinformation) online, your Wilmot Cancer Institute team is here to provide facts and guidance. Here are a few common questions and answers cancer patients have when it ...
Ruth O’Regan Joins URMC, Will Lead Wilmot’s Education Efforts
In addition to her role as URMC's Charles A. Dewey Professor and Chair of the Department of Medicine, Ruth O'Regan, M.D., will serve as Wilmot Cancer Institute's Associate Director for Mentoring and ...
Wilmot Welcomes Executive Director for Advancement
Clare Flanagan has joined Wilmot Cancer Institute as the new Executive Director for Advancement.
Wilmot Launches New Fully-Remote Smoking Cessation Program with Free Medications in 27-County Region
Wilmot Cancer Institute’s Community Outreach and Engagement office (COE) has launched a new fully-remote program to support smokers with quitting, using free nicotine replacement therapy medications ...
How to Quit Smoking During the Coronavirus Pandemic
COVID-19 presents yet another good reason to quit smoking. But with the extra stress, anxiety and boredom that the pandemic has thrust upon us, quitting may seem like too big of a hill to climb. ...
When Motherhood, Breast Cancer and COVID Collide: How One Local Teacher Persists Despite Challenges
While every pregnancy is unpredictable, Colleen Molina had no idea the upheaval she was about to face. In February 2020, she found out she had breast cancer, mere weeks before her second child was ...
From Nine States, Wilmot Warrior Walk Team Marty Unites Virtually
After participating in the Wilmot Warrior Walk with friends in September 2019, Cyndi Lembo felt inspired. She pledged that next year, she’d create a team in honor of her late husband, Marty. COVID-19 ...
Shared Heroism: Greece Firefighters Donate Bell to WCI Greece
After learning WCI Greece Radiation Oncology didn’t have a bell, the Ridge Road Fire District decided they wanted to help – and many came through to make a bell possible.
The Eighth Annual Wilmot Warrior Walk Goes Virtual!
In light of COVID-19, Wilmot Cancer Institute will shift its annual 5K, 10K and 1-mile walk/run to a new format, taking place Sept. 12 and 13.
Wilmot Researchers Present Work at Virtual ASCO
Due to COVID-19, the American Clinical Society of Oncology (ASCO) replaced its annual meeting in Chicago, attended by thousands, with a three-day virtual event, May 29 through 31. ASCO is one of the ...
A Mother-Daughter Gift: Nursing Creates Special Bond
Colleen Bayer was born while her mother, Kathryn Lechner, completed nursing school. Perhaps it’s serendipitous that years later, as Bayer decided her own path, she turned to nursing.
COVID-19 and Cancer: Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some answers to some common questions about COVID-19 and what you can do.
Friendly, Comfortable yet Cutting-Edge: A Breast Cancer Patient's Experience at Pluta Cancer Center
Joanne Paratore's friends thought she was crazy for driving four hours, round-trip to get breast cancer care. Joanne's response? "Come with me one time."
A Scientific Approach to Breast Cancer: One Survivor Shares Her Thought Process
As a biology major, Lorna Wright knows what cancer looks like, and she recognized it when it popped up on the screen in her own ultrasound. A scientific approach to decision-making helped her through ...
Larry Brown
Mantle Cell Lymphoma
Elise Gaudino
Glioblastoma
Joseph Valentino
Metastatic Melanoma
Brian Fitzgerald
Lung cancer
After Colon Cancer Diagnosis, Kindness and Immunotherapy Help Young Patient
There’s no sugarcoating it: A stage 4 colon cancer diagnosis at any age is scary. In your thirties, it’s downright traumatizing. Colleen Farrell felt the mental, emotional and physical trauma ...
Kelly Donley
Glioblastoma
Lisa Giles
Breast cancer
Could I Have a BRCA Gene Mutation? Genetic Testing May Help You Find Out.
One local woman recently learned she has the BRCA2 mutation, after meeting with genetic counselors through Wilmotâs Hereditary Cancer Screening and Risk Reduction Program. She shared her experience.
Ed Baird
Tonsil Cancer
Jason Anderson
Pancreatic Cancer
Registration Opens for Seventh Annual Wilmot Warrior Walk
UR Medicine’s Wilmot Cancer Institute will host its seventh annual Wilmot Warrior Walk on Sunday, Sept. 8 at the Highland Park Bowl in Rochester. Registration is now open for the annual event that ...
Barbara McCreary
Multiple Myeloma
Spinach & Romaine Salad w/ Creamy Garden Fresh Dressing
This flavorful and fresh dressing elevates this green salad to something special. The Garden Fresh Gremolata olive oil is infused with parsley, garlic and mint, which complements the flavor of the ...
Farro, Cherry Tomato and Arugula Salad
This hearty and healthy whole-grain salad can be a side dish or entrée. It starts with farro, an ancient relative of modern-day wheat that is full of dietary fiber and is dressed with a homemade ...
Southern Tier Cancer Care Joins UR Medicine’s Wilmot Cancer Institute
Neeta Soni, M.D., of Southern Tier Cancer Care in Olean is joining UR Medicine’s Wilmot Cancer Institute as Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine effective May 1, 2019. A board-certified medical ...
Overnight Oats
Overnight oats are a super-easy way to get the benefits of oatmeal without as much fuss or mess. Oats are packed with fiber, which is an important part of our diet. In fact, eating a diet with plenty ...
Kale and Quinoa Salad with Hemp Seed Caesar Dressing
Pump up your salad with this version that features kale and quinoa! Kale comes packed with nutrients our bodies need to stay healthy, and quinoa has loads of plant-based protein. Topped with this ...
Wilmot Cancer Institute to Host Survivorship Symposium Focused on Cancer’s Impact on Family
UR Medicine’s Wilmot Cancer Institute will host its 2019 Survivorship Symposium on Saturday, April 13. Open to all, this day-long event aims to share strategies to help enrich quality of life during ...
3-Ingredient Choco Chip Cookies
When that craving for a cookie hits but you want to keep it healthy, these super-easy chocolate chip cookies come together in seconds – in the microwave! Bananas have potassium our bodies need, and ...
Sweet Potato Gnocchi
Traditional gnocchi is made using potatoes, but using sweet potatoes and ricotta cheese creates a delicious combination with fewer carbohydrates. Perfect with a sweet drizzle, such as maple syrup or ...
Quinoa Power Bowl with Hemp Seed Caesar Dressing
This dish is packed with plant-based protein! These bowls are also loaded with antioxidants and healthy fats that our bodies need to stay strong.
Fitness Trackers Keep Cancer Survivors on the Move
A new study shows that activity trackers such as pedometers and smartphone apps are linked to improved step counts and exercise engagement for cancer survivors. The devices have the appeal of being ...
Peanut Butter Choco Chip Energy Balls
These energy balls have a touch of sweetness and come loaded with nutrients as well as fiber, thanks to the oats, flax seeds and chia seeds. Studies show eating a diet high in fiber may reduce your ...
Watch for Wilmot during 2019 Super Bowl
UR Medicine’s Wilmot Cancer Institute will be featured in a commercial that will air during the 2019 Super Bowl, which starts at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 3. The ad highlights several key facts about ...
Walter Horylev
Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Inhwan (Jason) Yeo, Ph.D.
Medical Physicist, Radiation Oncology
Mary Ann Vanmulem
Pancreatic Cancer
Debra Burnham
Breast cancer and acute myeloid leukemia
Roasted Turnips w/ Paprika & Poppy Seeds
Despite looking somewhat similar to a potato, turnips are a cruciferous vegetable, in the same family as broccoli and kale. They’re low in calories and also have phytonutrients that help keep the ...
Spiced Squash Soup
Have leftovers from your big meal? This soup is a great way to use leftover squash and Brussels sprouts. Squash comes packed with vitamin A, fiber, magnesium, manganese and other important nutrients, ...
Trying to Quit Smoking? Here’s What You Should Know about the Nicotine Patch
Patricia Mallaber, DNP, RN, ANP-BC, CTTS, NCTTP, nurse practitioner and director of Wilmot Cancer Institute’s Tobacco Dependence Treatment program, answers some common questions about nicotine.
Shaved Celery Root, Fennel & Apple Salad w/ Manchego and Marcona Almonds
This isn’t your typical tossed salad! Celery root and fennel add crunch to this salad while apple adds a little sweetness. All come packed with fiber, vitamins and minerals. The manchego and marcona ...
Lou Desfosses
Pancreatic Cancer
Kelly Cameron
ER/PR+ Breast Cancer
Mark Richardson
Prostate Cancer