News

WDIV Robert Brooks continued to advocate for himself to find out precisely what the underlying problem was for his sudden health issues. After requesting further testing, he was diagnosed with multiple myeloma. He wanted to understand all of his options for treatment, so he sought a second opinion with Jeffrey Zonder, M.D. , hematologist, leader of the  Multiple Myeloma and Amyloidosis Multidisciplinary Team  (MDT) and member of the  Hematology Oncology MDT  at Karmanos. Thanks to Dr...

WILX Jaimie Hutchison is not only a fierce advocate for routine cancer screenings, but she also encourages getting a second opinion. She shared her story and explained how getting a diagnosis can be overwhelming, and how patients can learn about all their options by getting a second opinion. Daniel Isaac, D.O., MS , hematologist and medical oncologist at Karmanos Cancer Institute at McLaren Greater Lansing and MSU Health Care, and member of the Breast Cancer Multidisciplinary Team at the Barbara Ann Kar...

McLaren Thumb Region, part of McLaren Health Care and the statewide McLaren Stroke Network, has received the American Heart Association’s 2025 Get With The Guidelines® – Rural Stroke BRONZE award. This national recognition reflects McLaren Thumb Region’s ongoing commitment to improving stroke care through evidence-based practices and underscores McLaren Thumb Region’s dedication to enhancing outcomes for patients in the rural community. Stroke is the No. 5 cause of death and a leading cause of long-term...

Art has always been a form of meditation for Kevin Clifford. When diagnosed with multiple myeloma 13 years ago, Kevin found that his lifelong love of painting became a crucial part of his healing journey, both emotionally and spiritually. “I’ve always loved to create,” reflected Clifford. “When I’m working on a painting, I don’t think about anything else. I’m just enjoying the process and working toward the end goal.” Through diagnosis, first years of initial treatment and stem cell transplants under th...

Medscape Patients diagnosed with lung cancer who have existing pulmonary conditions, such as COPD, ILD, or asthma, usually must have modified pulmonary treatments. Amina Pervaiz, M.D. , pulmonologist and member of the  Thoracic Oncology Multidisciplinary Team  at Karmanos, explained some potential treatment options for patients with both types of diseases. Read the article here .

Patient Power Mouth sores can be a side effect of chemotherapy treatments. Wasif Saif, M.D., MBBS , medical oncologist, co-leader of the  Gastrointestinal and Neuroendocrine Oncology Multidisciplinary Team  (MDT), and leader of the  Phase I Clinical Trials MDT  at Karmanos, gave tips on how to manage mouth sores with the approval from your oncologist and ways to prevent them during treatment. Read the article here .

A $300,000 grant from Exhale – The Family Caregiver Initiative will allow the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute to continue providing its Give Yourself a Break Today program, a healing arts program for family caregivers and cancer thrivers. This gift supports the program for three years in partnership with other community groups. In Michigan alone, there are over 1.7 million family caregivers. Cancer is an incredibly relentless disease that takes a toll on patients tremendously. Cancer does not just...

The Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, cancer centers, and other organizations nationwide recognize July as Sarcoma Awareness Month. Sarcomas are rare tumors that make up about 1% of all adult cancers and 15% of childhood cancers. In 2025, over 13,500 new cases of sarcoma will be diagnosed in the U.S. Karmanos offers an expert team dedicated to diagnosing and treating these uncommon tumors. What is Sarcoma? “Sarcomas are cancers originating in bone or soft tissues, for example, fat, muscle, nerves, ...

“My husband and I talked about it and decided that even if it didn’t save me, if it could help someone else, I had to do it.”   It was a warm, foggy day in 1970 when Pam Roach, then a high school sophomore, spent a rare and cherished day at Lake Michigan with friends. She soaked in the summer air, lying on the sand for hours, careful to wear sunscreen, but she underestimated how powerful the sun’s rays could be, even through the clouds. By the end of the day, Roach had developed a severe sunburn, s...

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) has honored Cheryl Grey, LMSW, social worker and care manager at the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute , with the Hematology-Oncology Social Worker of the Year Award. Grey’s award was presented during the opening session of this year’s Association of Oncology Social Work (AOSW) National Conference. This honor recognizes a hematology-oncology social worker who shows exceptional dedication, skill, and compassion in supporting patients and families battling blo...