Imagine you’re standing in the middle of a glacial expanse on the coast of Antarctica. It’s a balmy minus 18 degrees Fahrenheit with windchill, but with your snug parka on, you can feel the sun doing its darndest to warm your cheeks. In the distance, the peak of Mount Erebus, the world’s southernmost active volcano, exhales an icy breath into the crisp blue sky. The frozen sea is beginning to…

Today I sat in the waiting room with my tween daughter, hurrying from home to be on time. Normally, I pull out my phone and read endless work emails or scroll through another high-drama news story. Sound familiar? I feel like I am a hamster on a wheel, worried if I slow down, I may not be as put together as I hope to be. I stepped off the “wheel” and looked at her ever growing, sweet face. I…

When Liam Mattson visits University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital, it’s not unusual to see the 3-year-old running confidently down corridors or happily typing away on his doctor’s computer. Daniel Hinds, MD, MS, doesn’t care one bit. The pulmonologist says Liam has come a long way since he first saw him nearly a year ago.

As every new parent will tell you, the first few weeks and months after welcoming a newborn are exhausting. It’s easy for new mothers to quickly feel overwhelmed, especially if struggling with breastfeeding, lactating, or other issues that can arise after giving birth. As both a mother and a nurse herself, Claudia Bedell, BSN, RN, knows that showing extra care during this vulnerable time can make…

About half of women over 40 years old have dense breasts according to the CDC. Why does this matter? Women with dense breasts have a higher chance of getting breast cancer. The denser your breasts are, the higher your risk. In November 2023, our breast imaging team in the Department of Radiology began using contrast enhanced mammography as a diagnostic tool for selected patients who were recalled…

One by one, hospital obstetric units are disappearing across Iowa, creating potentially dire consequences for pregnant mothers and their babies. Since 2000, 31 Iowa counties—most of them rural—have closed their obstetric services. By 2020, just 46 of the state’s 99 counties had at least one hospital that provided obstetric services, down from 77 counties in years prior. “We’re seeing an increase…

Advanced electrophysiology procedures and techniques at Iowa offer new options for patients with heart rhythm disorders. When Keeli Frerichs arrived at University of Iowa Heart and Vascular Center with a perilously low heart rate, the collegiate soccer star just wanted to get back on the playing field.

In 2011, University of Iowa Health Care researchers began evaluating the use of a coin-sized device designed to benefit patients who were diagnosed with atrial fibrillation (Afib) and didn't do well on blood thinners. Now, UI Health Care has completed 500 left atrial appendage occlusion procedures effectively decreasing the risk of stroke for those patients by 80%.

What defines a legend? While the term is often applied to individuals who achieve even a modest level of success, a true legend transcends their accomplishments and awards. They challenge the status quo, upend preconceived notions and stereotypes, and change lives through their ideas and their actions. Arnold Menezes, MBBS, is a legend.