UCSF Health

04/16/2026

Please congratulate Jessica! She’s doing great and feeling stronger than ever after two brain surgeries at our hospital.

In May 2024, Jessica had a stroke, and emergency doctors in Fairfield diagnosed her with Moyamoya disease, a rare condition in which the main vessels supplying blood to the brain become narrowed or blocked.

Searching for answers, Jessica traveled to UCSF Health to meet with neurologist Dr. Anirudh Sreekrishnan, who referred her to neurosurgeon Dr. Luis Savastano. Jessica had her first brain surgery with us in November 2024, followed by a second surgery in January 2025 — one on each side of her brain.

After surgery, she felt immediate relief, with her stroke-related stutter improving and numbness disappearing. A recent annual angiogram with Dr. Savastano showed Jessica is doing great and doesn't need additional surgeries.

Today, Jessica is focused on her health, eating well and staying active. She celebrated her 25th wedding anniversary last month!

04/11/2026

Our neuro-oncology caregiver program supports family, friends and other caregivers of people with brain tumors, so they have the resources they need!
Led by social worker Desiree Angelo and nurse Cherrie Demayo, the group meets regularly online and in person twice a year. Darlene (shown here with other group members) is caregiver to her mom, Mary, a brain tumor survivor with short-term memory loss from her cancer. Darlene looks forward to talking with other caregivers each month and has made close friends through the program!
More about this special group ➡️ https://ucsfh.org/4c2z9Pb

04/09/2026

UCSF scientists have created a new gel that shapes mini lab-grown organs — a step toward one day developing replacement organ tissue for humans.
“We place cells where they need to be and let their developmental programs assemble the tissue," researcher Zev Gartner says. "The goal is to reach a stage where an organ begins to build itself.”

Scientists at UCSF invented a microscopic “womb” material for growing artificial organs (organoids) from scratch.

04/04/2026

Please send your best wishes to Rebecca! She’s doing great after robotic surgery at our hospital to remove several liver tumors.

In March 2024, an MRI revealed tumors on Rebecca’s liver, one the size of a grapefruit and another the size of an orange. Her care team in Sacramento diagnosed her with a benign liver tumor called a hepatocellular adenoma.

Rebecca knew she wanted a minimally invasive, robotic-guided and AI-assisted procedure, so she could recover faster with less pain. Through online research, she discovered UCSF's Dr. Mohamed Adam, who specializes in robotic minimally invasive hepatopancreatobiliary (HPB) surgery. Within a month of her referral, Rebecca had a successful liver resection and gallbladder removal with Dr. Adam.

Today, Rebecca is feeling strong and focused on her health — going to the gym, taking walks and enjoying life again. She’s also back to work, traveling, volunteering with foster youth and advocating for the American Liver Foundation!

04/02/2026

A cancer diagnosis can be terrifying. At UCSF, our doctors and researchers work together to make sure every patient gets the best personalized cancer care and access to the latest therapies.
"Our tumor boards are our super power!"🦸 🙌

03/30/2026

👏 Happy to all the exceptional physicians who care for our patients every day of the year! ❤️

03/27/2026

Please send Sonya your best wishes! She's doing great after surgery to remove her tongue and voice box due to cancer.

Sonya began experiencing jaw pain during the pandemic and originally received treatment for a jaw disorder (TMJ) in her hometown of Tucson, Ariz. Unfortunately, the problem turned out to be a large tumor, which required emergency surgery after it caused an artery to burst. A post-surgical biopsy revealed that Sonya had a type of head and neck cancer called adenoid cystic carcinoma.

Sonya traveled to UCSF to see Dr. Patrick Ha and team and scheduled surgery in early 2022 to remove her tongue and larynx, which would treat her cancer but leave her unable to use her voice. Before the surgery, Sonya recorded herself reading her daughters’ favorite childhood books, hoping that one day she could play the recordings for future grandchildren. The recordings led to her discovery of voice banking and cloning, and she began recording herself daily.

Sonya’s surgery was a success, and her daughters took leave from college to care for her for several months. Thanks to a voice banking company and app, she began using the cloned version of her voice for everyday speech. Unfortunately, Sonya's UCSF care team, led by Dr. Sue Yom, found that the original cancer had spread to her lungs and liver. Sonya had another surgery and radiation with us and is now doing great!

She built a non-profit website (www.voicebanknow.com) to help bridge the gap between providers, survivors and resources. Now Sonya is a Head and Neck Cancer Alliance ambassador and a mentor to other oral cancer patients who have lost their voices. Before diagnosis, Sonya was an architect for 25 years with her husband, and she still loves all kinds of art and design, including needlework, landscaping, photography and pottery!

03/26/2026

👏 Our Lung Transplant Program is celebrating a major milestone in its 35-year history!
The team successfully performed three lung transplants at the same time and also completed a total of four life-saving lung transplants in a 48-hour period.
Congratulations to the entire UCSF Health team and our patient families! 🎉

03/26/2026

Opening Day is finally here! ⚾ 🧡

We’re proud to be the official health care partner of the San Francisco Giants, keeping players strong and the community thriving all year long.

Here’s to a healthy and unforgettable season at Oracle Park. Let’s play ball!

03/22/2026

Please congratulate Sylvia — she’s doing well after Gamma Knife treatment for brain cancer last year!
Sylvia has been fighting brain cancer for more than 20 years, with many treatments at our hospital, including chemo, radiation and several craniotomies. In 2024, she went through chemo and then five sessions of Gamma Knife, an advanced treatment during which a special machine delivers a single high dose of radiation.
Afterwards, Sylvia celebrated by ringing the end-of-treatment bell with her radiation oncologist, Dr. Lauren Boreta! A longtime participant in our Art for Recovery program, Sylvia created artwork depicting a warrior woman that is on display at SFMOMA San Francisco Museum of Modern Art!
“I’m in dialogue with my cancer, not a battle,” she says. “I’m battling against despair and the sense of losing myself. Art is empowerment — taking a difficult situation and creating something.”

03/13/2026

Bill is doing well almost 35 years after his kidney and pancreas transplants — please congratulate him!
In 1989, Bill began feeling very tired, and his eyes developed a yellow-ish tint. A visit to a nephrologist revealed that Bill's kidneys were functioning poorly, due to his lifelong type 1 diabetes. For the next two years, Bill modified his diet, but unfortunately his kidneys continued to worsen.
Bill came to UCSF in 1991, and our team placed him on the transplant list. Just 42 days later, he got the call that donor organs had become available. The surgery was a success, but unfortunately Bill had a stroke while recovering. After physical therapy at our hospital, Bill was able to get all function back!
Bill’s transplanted organs are doing well, but he may have a revision surgery with Dr. Peter Stock in the future to take advantage of newer surgical techniques!

03/07/2026

💙 San Francisco City Hall went blue for Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month! At the lighting, we announced the launch of our Young Onset Colorectal Cancer Program at UCSF.
Colorectal cancer is now the leading cause of U.S. cancer deaths for people younger than 50, and our program offers specialized care for younger patients.
More about the new program ➡️ https://ucsfh.org/3PkIhFI