Op-Ed: I Have Stage 4 Renal Cell Carcinoma, and I’m Surprisingly Content

Chicago Health is committed to publishing a diversity of opinions. The opinions expressed in this op-ed article are the author’s own. This op-ed is part one of a two-part series. I am addicted to playing tennis. I play with 18-year-old kids and adults 60 and above in USTA mixed leagues. However, as I get older, […]
Mayo Clinic Q&A: Kidney Donors Do Not Need to Be Relatives

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I’ve heard of people being a living kidney donor for someone they don’t know who’s in need of a transplant. How does that work? Don’t you have to be a relative, or at least a friend, to donate a kidney? ANSWER: If you’re interested in being a living kidney donor, it’s not […]
A few easy steps keep kidneys healthy

The Medicine Cabinet: Ask the Harvard Experts By Howard LeWine, M.D. Q: I recently had a blood test that showed my kidneys are not working like they used to. I have high blood pressure, but otherwise consider myself healthy. What can I do to help preserve my kidney function? A: Great question! Your situation is […]
Up for Grabs

An adventure through the evolving science of organ transplantation By David Himmel It is late morning in early May 2014. Ozzie Rivero’s pager buzzes. The message reads: “heart offer.” Rivero takes action. Within the next 24 hours, he will be part of a harried effort to retrieve a still-beating heart from a deceased donor’s body […]