By Emma Jones As a teenager, Zane Cohen (MD ’69, PGME ’74) watched his father retreat to a private basement washroom to manage the realities of severe ulcerative colitis. That experience shaped who he is today: a deeply respected gastrointestinal surgeon who has transformed care for patients facing the very kind of health condition hisContinue reading “Ambition Through Compassion”
Author Archives: Roberta
By Heather McCall A new change in health policy in Ontario means that as of July 1, the starting age for organized colorectal screenings will drop to 45 years old. The move is based on mounting evidence that cancers are rising in people under the age of 50. “It’s long overdue,” says Shady Ashamalla (MDContinue reading “Raising the Alarm on Colorectal Cancer”
By Lauren Baerg Being a teenager can be hard for a lot of people. I was no exception — I found out I had ulcerative colitis when I was 16 years old, in high school in Owen Sound. I was very scared and anxious when I was first diagnosed about how this would affect theContinue reading “Living Proof”
By Betty Zou Daniel Drucker (MD ’80, PGME ’84) is at the pinnacle of his career. Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) medicines, such as Ozempic and Wegovy, are everywhere and are having a massive cultural moment thanks in part to Drucker, a professor at the University of Toronto’s Temerty Faculty of Medicine. Starting in the 1980s, he didContinue reading “Instinct for Integrity”
By Betty Zou As a teenager, Andrea Furlan suffered severe menstrual cramps. “Nothing worked for my pain, so I had to miss a lot of school and other activities,” she recalls. Those early experiences helped shape her future in medicine. Today, Furlan (PhD ’06) is a professor of physical and rehabilitation medicine in the Department of MedicineContinue reading “Beyond Opiods”
By Katherine O’Brien Oula Alaoui feels a sense of grace at the moment, although she knows it won’t last long. Her 18-year-old son, Yussuf Satar, is on the cusp of a major life change. The Toronto teen, who understands four languages and loves opera, lives with cerebral palsy and significant medical complexities. Satar is non-verbal, has visionContinue reading “Graduation Day”