Lukas Harnisch-Weidauer

Donating Her Blood Stem Cells to Patient is a No-Brainer for Dana-Farber Staffer 

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The call from the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) seemed to come from out of nowhere, but it bore some hopeful news: Dana-Farber senior project manager Alexandria Monteiro’s stem cells were a match for a stranger with leukemia who needed a stem cell transplant.  “I don’t remember signing up,” Monteiro admits, “but based on who I know myself to be,” she continues, “it does sound like something I would have done.”  … Read more

Teacher Returns to Education After a Whipple Procedure 

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Marsha Olsen’s grandmother always used to say, “You have one body, take good care of it.”  And for most of her life, Olsen has spread that message as a middle school physical education and health teacher instilling healthy habits in her students.   “I wanted all my students to have a positive experience in physical education, … Read more

Dialing Hope: One-to-One Program Volunteers Offer Answers 

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On the surface, it might appear that Meghan McLyman and Jay Wood don’t have much in common.  McLyman is a mother and professor who teaches dance, and Wood is a stay-at-home father and former architect. They came to Dana-Farber for different reasons — McLyman had breast cancer and Wood was diagnosed with prostate cancer — … Read more

Five Things You Should Know About Aggressive Prostate Cancer 

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Among cancer diagnoses, prostate cancer is relatively common, especially for those who are older than 65. Fortunately, it is often manageable with minimal interventions necessary for a substantial portion of patients. However, many prostate cancer cases can be categorized as “aggressive,” meaning it will require more extensive treatment to address or avoid metastasis (spread of the cancer).   … Read more

Dana-Farber Oncologist Brings LGBTQ+-Centered Health Expertise Abroad

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Jyoti Bajpai, MD, DM, an oncologist practicing in the Apollo Hospital network in India, is well versed in treating rare cancers, but when she encountered someone with prostate cancer who was undergoing gender-affirming hormone replacement therapy, she found surprisingly little data to inform her approach.  The realization spurred a survey of oncologists in the South … Read more

Fundraiser, Marilyn Monroe Impersonator, Snow Queen: Breast Cancer Patient Does It All 

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While planning her annual breast cancer fundraiser in Hull, Mass., Ellie Destito’s friends learned some surprising news. For the first time, their friend revealed that she was living with breast cancer herself.  “They had no idea,” recalls Destito, who was first diagnosed with breast cancer back in 2008. Through the years, she was treated with … Read more

Are Seed Oils Healthy? 

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The group of oils known as seed oils has recently come under scrutiny in various online communities. Pointing to the processing they undergo and their fatty acid make-up, some people oppose the use of these oils—which include peanut oil, sesame seed oil, canola oil, soybean oil, and others—claiming that they are unhealthy.  The truth, however, … Read more

What You Need to Know About Rising Pancreatic Cancer Rates 

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A recent analysis of pancreatic cancer statistics in the United States has found that the incidence of pancreatic cancer is increasing faster in younger adults than among older adults. Though this finding is cause for further investigation, the incidence overall remains low.   “This is still a rare cancer in young people,” says Asaf Maoz, MD, … Read more

With Dana-Farber’s Help, Grandmother Becomes Great Grandmother 

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Six years ago, Ina Kornetsky was looking forward to a new chapter in her life. The lifelong teacher had most recently worked with older adults before retiring, and she had a deep understanding of the kind of life she wanted as she approached 90. She was preparing to move from Stoughton, Mass. into a continuing … Read more

Simone Ledward-Boseman Shares Advice with Dana-Farber Caregivers and Patients 

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Simone Ledward-Boseman has many roles: She’s a writer, artist, and singer. And for some time, she was a caregiver to her late husband, Chadwick Boseman, the actor known for playing Black Panther and groundbreaking figures like James Brown and Jackie Robinson. These days, Ledward-Boseman has added more titles to her list: activist and advocate.  “I’m … Read more

Patient with Breast Cancer Lives Her Best Life with the Help of a Team 

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Thirteen years after Vici Robinson was treated for estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer, she began experiencing shortness of breath. Her local physicians in New Hampshire determined her symptoms came from liquid that was filling her lung.  Then came the shocking news that this was caused by a breast cancer recurrence which had metastasized.  At 81, Robinson … Read more