A Year of Transformation: Michelle’s Life 14 Months After Gastric Bypass Surgery
Since her surgery in October 2023, the registered medical assistant has lost 80 pounds—an achievement that has not only transformed her physically but also mentally.
Patient Stories
Back in action: After decades of chronic pain, Air Force veteran reclaims life with disc replacement surgery
Mike Hewitt, a 55-year-old retired Air Force veteran, didn’t think he would be able to enjoy running, golfing or even playing with his 12 grandchildren again. For over two decades, he lived with...
A new, different me: UM Health-West patient defies odds after stroke, 87 days in hospital
Two days after completing a cross-country road trip in October 2022, Cynthia Brooks was settling in at her home in Middleville, Michigan when she began to feel ill. “I had numbness and...
New Beginning: Michelle’s Journey with Gastric Bypass Surgery
For Michelle Bowser, 2024 has been a year of transformation. The registered medical assistant at University of Michigan Health-West had struggled with her weight for years. Despite diet and exercise,...
Jason’s Story: Colorectal Cancer Screening
As he approached his 45th birthday, Jason wasn’t thinking about his health. Like many people, he believes he lives a relatively healthy lifestyle – he eats healthy, exercises a few times a week,...
Deb Wieringa, Melanoma Survivor
There was a pit in her stomach and a lump in her throat as Deb Wieringa prepared to tell her family the news, and it wasn’t good. She watched as the faces of her loved ones filled with fear and...
Dave Williams, Lung Cancer Survivor
Going to my first chemotherapy infusion, I felt like a ball of nerves. The shock of being diagnosed with lung cancer was still fresh in my mind, and I didn’t feel ready to start this terrifying...
Saving a Leg, Saving a Life
It is the last appointment after eight weeks of outpatient treatment at the Metro Health Wound Healing Center and Jim* and Connie* want to say thanks to the nurses and doctors who saved Jim’s right...
Jon, Assisted Breathing Center Patient
A relentless will to participate in life It is a few days before Jon will celebrate his 54th birthday, much as he has marked other milestones and holidays for the past 20 years: in his room in the...
Walt Grzybowski, Skin Cancer Survivor
When Walt Grzybowski lost a fingernail on his right hand in 2017, he assumed it would heal on its own. When it did not, he discovered he had skin cancer. Despite the challenges presented by his...