Media Coverage

This Week in Health with Dr. Santina Wheat

Dr. Santina Wheat, Program Director, McGaw Northwestern Family Medicine Residency at Northwestern Medicine Delnor Hospital, joins Wendy Snyder for this week’s health update.

They discuss how to stay safe from cases like Ebola and sepsis, dive deeper into different forms of arthritis, and take listener questions.

Acromegaly: Lauren’s Story

Acromegaly is a rare illness triggered by the pituitary gland in the brain that can cause the hands, feet, and other parts of the body to become larger than normal. Luckily, Lauren’s diagnosis wasn’t a death sentence. Thanks to new treatments and the support of her husband, Lauren found a way to manage her disease – and even give back to the acromegaly community.

This episode also features in-depth commentary from renowned expert Wenyu Huang, MD, PhD, Endocrinologist, Northwestern Medicine.

Rise in E-Scooter Accidents Raises Safety Concerns

They are quick and convenient, and a growing cause of emergency room visits. Doctors say electric scooter injuries are on the rise. Dr. Leah Tatebe, a Northwestern Medicine trauma surgeon with the American College of Surgeons, sees riders after they visit the emergency room.

“We see a lot of broken bones. That’s very common. People who get hit or crash, those tend to require surgery, they require being in the hospital for a while, going to rehab,” Tatebe said.

North Suburban HS Student Recovers from Aggressive Brain Cancer with Help from Volleyball Team

It was a little less than a year ago when a 16-year-old Fremd High School student got the diagnosis that he had a rare and aggressive type of brain cancer. Finn Chapin is on the north suburban volleyball team at the Palatine school, and doctors say his sport helped him recover.

“They’re developing milestones in their life, and they have that thrown off by cancer is very difficult. But some of my bravest patients are the younger ones,” said Dr. Vinai Gondi, who is in radiation and oncology at Northwestern Medicine.

Northwestern Medicine Study Suggests Link Between Estrogen Production & Memory Decline

A new study out of Northwestern Medicine suggests a link between a decrease of estrogen production in brain tissue to memory decline.

Dr. Serdar Bulun is chair of the department of obstetrics and gynecology at the Feinberg School of Medicine. He hopes the study will provide insight into why women have a higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s Disease.

Dr. Jeffrey Kopin: Ebola outbreak is not over

Dr. Jeffrey Kopin, Chief Medical Officer for Northwestern Medicine Catherine Gratz Griffin Lake Forest Hospital, joins John Williams to talk about the death of Kyle Busch, what we should know about sepsis, the latest on the Ebola outbreak in Africa, and if we need to be concerned about Lyme disease in Illinois.

Chicago Couple Doing their Best to Stay Strong as Husband Battles ALS

Puvathingal was diagnosed with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, on July 9, 2025. ALS is a fatal neuro-muscular disease. It affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord that control the ability to move, walk, and talk.

“Cecil is a dynamic guy. He came into this, and was like, ‘I’m going to keep fighting. What tools can I get?’” Dr. John M. Coleman III at Northwestern Medicine said. “My responsibility as his physician and his friend is to make sure that I’m thinking one step ahead so that he can keep playing the game as long as he can, and be successful; not just be part of the game, sitting on the bench, but actually in the game and living life.”