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TO YOUR GOOD HEALTH
What Is the Correct Amount of Water Humans Should Drink?
DEAR DR. ROACH: Please write about the correct amount of water that people should drink. There’s so much misinformation! — E.N., MD
ANSWER: There’s so much misinformation because a simple answer like “more is always better” is easier than a nuanced answer. It depends on your age, activity level, the temperature and humidity, any medications you might be taking, and whether your kidneys have any issues. However, the simplest answer, which is true for most people, is that your body has a built-in system called the thirst reflex to make sure that you’re getting enough fluid. There are only a few times when you should override this system.
The most important exception is in older people who sometimes have a decreased thirst mechanism. This is particularly the case in people who live in long-term care facilities or those who have physical or cognitive disabilities. As such, reminders to drink a reasonable amount (1.6 liters or about seven 8-ounce glasses for women; 2 liters or eight 8-ounce glasses for men) of all liquids during the day can be helpful. (Alcohol, of course, isn’t helpful and can be harmful to a person’s fluid status.)
People who are taking diuretics don’t need more water. In fact, excess water drinking while on most diuretics can lead to abnormally low sodium levels. Another way to tell if you’re getting enough water is the volume and concentration of your urine. People should generally void every few hours, and the color of the urine shouldn’t be dark.
Needing to urinate less frequently or having concentrated urine should be an indication for a person to drink a few glasses of water.
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DEAR DR. ROACH: What’s a good general wellness supplement to take? I’m a 47-year-old female, and I’ve always taken a multivitamin, collagen with biotin, probiotics, decaffeinated green tea pills, and my usual prescriptions (losartan, levothyroxine and metformin). I’m looking for more natural ways to lower my weight and cholesterol. Sometimes I take oregano oil and apple cider vinegar. Any good suggestions? — C.A.
ANSWER: I don’t know of any over-the-counter supplements to lower weight or cholesterol that are both effective and safe, so I don’t recommend any of them specifically for these purposes. You might be taking decaffeinated green tea extract for this, but a clinical trial didn’t show significant changes in weight or waist size (although green tea extract with caffeine did show a small benefit).
Metformin, which is normally used for diabetes, has much larger effects in promoting weight loss, but it does have a higher potential for side effects, particularly gastrointestinal ones.
I’m concerned about the combination of biotin and levothyroxine. My concern isn’t an interaction between them; it’s that the blood tests to check thyroid levels can be misleading in people who take biotin. I hope your doctor has advised you to stop taking biotin at least a couple of days before receiving your blood tests.
A recent study on multivitamins did show an improvement in “global cognition,” but there wasn’t a reduction in the incidence of mild cognitive impairment or dementia during the time period of the study. Previous trials haven’t shown an improvement in cognition. A mostly plant-based diet and moderate exercise has larger effects on the body than any supplement, and most people would benefit more from a diet change over a supplement.
Dr. Roach regrets that he is unable to answer individual questions, but will incorporate them in the column whenever possible. Readers may email questions to ToYourGoodHealth@med.cornell.edu.
(c) 2026 North America Synd., Inc.
All Rights Reserved
* Police officers in Thailand can be forced to wear Hello Kitty armbands as punishment for transgressions such as illegal parking or arriving late to work.
* Historians cite runaway inflation as a major cause of ancient Rome’s fall.
* During World War II, the SS ran a wiretapped brothel named “The Kitty Salon” in Berlin where prostitutes would glean information from clients through seemingly innocuous conversations.
* “Hoover wagons,” named after President Herbert Hoover, were broken down cars pulled by mules during the Great Depression.
* Actor Jimmy Stewart was rejected by the military after he was drafted, for being too thin.
* When Napoleon attacked Vienna in 1809, Beethoven hid in his brother’s basement and covered his ears with pillows, afraid the noise would destroy his remaining hearing.
* The FIFA World Cup is the world’s most-watched sporting event.
* Most tornadoes in the Southern Hemisphere rotate clockwise, while their Northern Hemisphere counterparts rotate counterclockwise.
* When serving as a lawyer, Abraham Lincoln only argued one case in front of the U.S. Supreme Court — which he lost.
* In ancient Egypt, chief embalmers often wore a mask of the god Anubis.
* Soccer is known as “football” everywhere except America. The name refers not to the fact that it’s played with the feet, but that it’s played on one’s feet, rather than on horseback.
* About two-thirds of the world’s lowest literate adults are women.
* Before the year 1000, all chess pieces were male figures or animals. The queen made her debut when the game was introduced in southern Europe.
***
Thought for the Day: “After eating an entire bull, a mountain lion felt so good he started roaring. He kept it up until a hunter came along and shot him … The moral: When you’re full of bull, keep your mouth shut.” — Will Rogers
NYC EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND MENTAL HYGIENE ADVISE NEW YORKERS TO BEAT THE HEAT
WATCH: Mayor Adams Warns New Yorkers About Coming Heat Wave
Heat Emergency Plan activated beginning Sunday through Tuesday.
Cooling centers will open across the city. To find locations, including hours of operation, call 311 or visit the City’s Cool Options Map.
New Yorkers should also take advantage of additional cool options such as museums, movie theaters, coffee shops, pools, houses of worship, or a neighbor, friend, or family member’s home.
July 13, 2024 — New York City Emergency Management Department and the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene advise New Yorkers to take precautions to beat the heat. NYC Emergency Management is working closely with the National Weather Service to monitor the forecast as the city experiences the third occurrence of multiple days of consecutive high heat. The next few days are expected to have heat indices in the mid to upper 90s, through at least Tuesday, and possibly Wednesday.
“With another heat wave bearing down on New York City, we want to make sure New Yorkers stay safe and stay informed,” said New York City Mayor Eric Adams. “Our cooling centers will be open starting tomorrow through at least Tuesday, we will be closely monitoring the electric systems for any impacts, and we already have more lifeguards on staff than at our peak last year. As always, please check in on your neighbors, particularly older New Yorkers, as well as others who are particularly vulnerable to extreme heat, like our four-legged friends. New Yorkers, be prepared, be safe, and stay cool.”
“New Yorkers should prepare for extremely hot weather this week, with heat indices in the mid to upper 90s,” said NYC Emergency Management Commissioner Zach Iscol. “It’s going to be hot from Sunday through Wednesday. Remember, heat kills more New Yorkers than any other weather event. But as New Yorkers, we’re going to look out for one another. That means encouraging those around you to go to a cool option and spreading the word that heat is life-threatening. Use air conditioning, visit air-conditioned places, and avoid using major appliances during the day to protect our energy grid. If you don’t have air conditioning, check out cooling centers at nyc.gov/beattheheat or call 311. Learn the signs of heat stroke, stay hydrated, and stay safe.”
The New York City Emergency Management Department and the Health Department urge New Yorkers to take steps to protect themselves and help others who may be at increased risk from the heat. For more information, including heat-related health tips and warning signs of heat illness, visit NYC.gov/health or NYC.gov/beattheheat. In New York City, most heat-related deaths occur after exposure to heat in homes without air conditioners. Air conditioning is the best way to stay safe and healthy when it is hot outside, but some people at risk of heat illness do not have or do not turn on an air conditioner.
To help New Yorkers find relief from the heat, New York City cooling centers will be open throughout the five boroughs. Cooling center locations may have changed from last year. To find a cooling center, including accessible facilities closest to you, call 311 (212-639-9675 for Video Relay Service, or TTY: 212-504-4115) or visit the City’s Cool Options Map. This year’s newly-revamped map is now available around the clock and allows New Yorkers to easily locate cooling centers, which the City opens during heat emergencies, and cool options, which include free spaces that offer air-conditioned spaces to escape the heat. New Yorkers can now also find cooling centers that welcome pets throughout the five boroughs. As a reminder, service animals are always allowed at cooling centers.
New Yorkers can access a range of outdoor cooling options, including spray showers, drinking fountains, and more. These resources can be found online at Cool It! NYC. Many of these resources are located in neighborhoods across New York City. New York City outdoor pools are open 11AM-7PM, Olympic and intermediate-sized pools will be open until 8PM from Sunday through Tuesday. State Parks, including Denny Farrell Riverbank State Park pool and Roberto Clemente State Park pool are open, call ahead to confirm.
During extreme heat, the Department of Social Services (DSS) issues a Code Red Alert. During Code Reds, shelter is available to anyone experiencing homelessness, where those experiencing heat-related discomfort are also able to access a designated cooling area. DSS staff and the agency’s not-for-profit contracted outreach teams engage with individuals experiencing homelessness 24/7/365 and redouble their efforts during extreme heat, with a focus on connecting vulnerable New Yorkers experiencing unsheltered homelessness to services and shelter.
ADDITIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY TIPS DURING EXTREME HEAT
Those most vulnerable to heat stress include adults aged 60 and older, and people with health conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, mental health conditions, or people with cognitive impairment. Check on people who are at-risk and help them find a cool place to stay during heat events.
Go to an air-conditioned location, even if for a few hours.
Stay out of the sun and avoid extreme temperature changes.
Avoid strenuous activity, especially during the sun’s peak hours: 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM. If you must do strenuous activity, do it during the coolest part of the day, which is usually in the morning between 4:00 AM and 7:00 AM.
Remember: drink water, rest, and locate shade if you are working outdoors or if your work is strenuous. Drink water every 15 minutes even if not thirsty (avoid beverages containing alcohol or caffeine), rest in the shade, and watch out for others on outdoor teams. Employers are required to provide water, rest, and shade when work is being done during extreme heat.
Eat small, frequent meals.
Wear lightweight, light-colored clothing.
Participate in activities to keep cool, such as going to the movies, visiting museums, walking in an air-conditioned mall, or swimming at a pool or beach.
Make sure doors and windows have tight-fitting screens and, in apartments where children live, window guards. Air conditioners in buildings more than six stories must be installed with brackets so they are secured and cannot fall on someone below.
Never leave a child or pets in the vehicle, even for a few minutes.
KNOW THE WARNING SIGNS OF HEAT ILLNESS
Call 911 immediately if you or someone you know has:
Hot dry skin
Trouble breathing
Rapid heartbeat
Confusion, disorientation, or dizziness
Nausea and vomiting
If you or someone you know feels weak or faint, go to a cool place and drink water. If there is no improvement, call a doctor or 911.
KEEPING YOUR PETS SAFE
Avoid dehydration: Pets can dehydrate quickly, so give them plenty of fresh, clean water.
Walk your dog in the morning and evening: When the temperature is very high, do not let your dog linger on hot asphalt. Your pet’s body can heat up quickly, and sensitive paw pads can burn.
Know when your pet is in danger: Symptoms of overheating in pets include excessive panting or difficulty breathing, increased heart and respiratory rate, drooling, mild weakness, unresponsiveness, or even collapse.
IMPROPER FIRE HYDRANT USE
The improper opening of fire hydrants wastes 1,000 gallons of water per minute, causes flooding on city streets, and lowers water pressure to dangerous levels, which hamper the ability of the Fire Department to fight fire safely and quickly.
Use “spray caps” to reduce hydrant output to a safe 25 gallons per minute while still providing relief from the heat. To obtain a spray cap, an adult 18 years or older with proper identification can go to his or her local firehouse and request one.
ENERGY-SAVING TIPS
During periods of intense electrical usage, such as on hot, humid days, it is important to conserve energy as much as possible to avoid brownouts and other electrical disruptions. While diminishing your power usage may seem inconvenient, your cooperation will help to ensure that utility providers are able to provide uninterrupted electrical service to you and your neighbors, particularly those who use electric powered medical equipment or are at risk of heat-related illness and death:
Set your air conditioner to 78°F or “low.”
Run appliances such as ovens, washing machines, dryers and dishwashers in the early morning or late at night when it is cooler outside to reduce heat and moisture in your home.
Close doors to keep cool air in and hot air out when the air conditioner is running.
Keep shades, blinds, and curtains closed. About 40 percent of unwanted heat comes through windows.
Turn off air conditioners, lights, and other appliances when not at home, and use a timer or smart technology to turn on your air conditioner about a half-hour before arriving home. Keep air conditioner filters clean.
If you run a business, keep your door closed while the air conditioner is running.
Tell your utility provider if you or someone you know depend on medical equipment that requires electricity.
For more information, visit NYC.gov/beattheheat. New Yorkers are also encouraged to stay informed by signing up for Notify NYC, the City’s free emergency communications program, to receive free emergency alerts and updates in your preferred language and format by visiting NYC.gov/NotifyNYC, calling 311 (212-639-9675 for Video Relay Service, or TTY: 212-504-4115), following @NotifyNYC on Twitter, or getting the free Notify NYC mobile application for your Apple or Android device.
New York State Announces Opening of $9.6 Million Intensive Crisis Stabilization Center in Buffalo
BestSelf Behavioral Health Opens 24/7 Facility Providing Stabilization Services for New Yorkers Experiencing a Behavioral Health Crisis
Western New York’s First Intensive Crisis Stabilization Center to Provide Alternative to Unnecessary Emergency Room Visits
The state Office of Mental Health today announced the opening of a new facility to provide urgent treatment to New Yorkers experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis and avoid unnecessary emergency room visits. Licensed in partnership with the Office of Addiction Services and Supports, the BestResponse Intensive Crisis Stabilization Center in Buffalo was developed with $9.6 million in state funding to provide urgent behavioral health care services to help stabilize individuals and connect them to other community-based services and supports.
“Intensive crisis stabilization centers provide a place where people experiencing a behavioral health crisis can access high-quality treatment so they can avoid unnecessary emergency room visits and hospitalization and successfully connect with services that can help them recover in their community,” Office of Mental Health Commissioner Dr. Ann Sullivan said. “BestResponse represents our ongoing efforts to expand these facilities across our state so that individuals can get specialized treatment in a welcoming and healing environment that will support their recovery journey. This center, like others funded by the state, represents Governor Hochul’s continued focus on providing greater access to mental health care for all New Yorkers.”
BestResponse will operate 24-hours per day and seven days per week, providing screenings, counseling, medication support, therapeutic interventions, peer support, ongoing observation, care collaboration, and discharge planning –all delivered in a welcoming, trauma-informed setting. The new facility will also coordinate with local mobile crisis providers, and law enforcement, as well as community treatment and support services.
“Crisis stabilization centers ensure people can get immediate help and support whenever they need it, day or night,” OASAS Commissioner Dr. Chinazo Cunningham said. “These programs create a critical connection for individuals experiencing a substance use or mental health crisis, offering timely, lifesaving care close to home. This approach has already shown success in other parts of the state, and we are pleased to see it expand to Western New York.”
Located at 430 Niagara St., BestResponse is dually certified by OMH and OASAS to provide an expertly staffed, effective, and cost-efficient alternative to often-stressful hospital emergency departments. The facility was developed in partnership with Erie County Medical Center, Crisis Services of Western New York, the Crisis to Care Collaborative, and local emergency responders to address a critical gap in the region’s behavioral health system.
“BestResponse reflects our commitment to meeting people with compassion in their most vulnerable moments,” BestSelf Behavioral Health CEO Elizabeth Woike said. “This center ensures individuals and families have access to timely, appropriate care when they need it most, without facing a crisis alone.”
OMH awarded BestSelf $7 million in ongoing operating funding, $1.6 million for start-up costs and $1 million in capital funding to develop the center, which will serve Erie, Niagara, Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, and Allegany counties. The funding was part of OMH’s overall investment of $75 million to develop 12 intensive crisis stabilization centers statewide.
BestResponse is the fifth intensive crisis stabilization center to open, joining Helio Health Crisis Stabilization Center in Syracuse, the Champlain Valley Family Center in Plattsburgh, CN Guidance & Counseling Services in Hicksville, and the Family Service League in Hauppauge. Supportive crisis stabilization centers are operated by People USA in Poughkeepsie and Upstate Caring Partners Inc. in Utica.
In addition to utilizing these centers, New Yorkers experiencing or who know someone experiencing a behavioral health issue may also contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, which connects them to trained crisis counselors 24/7 to help those thinking about suicide, struggling with substance use, a mental health crisis, or any other kind of emotional distress. New York 988 call centers received nearly 49,000 calls in December alone, making it the most-active 988 service in the nation.
Likewise, New Yorkers struggling with an addiction, or whose loved ones are struggling, can find help and hope by calling the state’s toll-free, 24-hour, 7-day-a-week HOPEline at 1-877-8-HOPENY (1-877-846-7369) or by texting HOPENY (Short Code 467369). Find available addiction treatment including crisis/detox, inpatient, residential, or outpatient care on the OASAS website.
The lowdown on high blood pressure: what the Hispanic community needs to know The American Heart Association stresses the power of prevention and early action for a healthy life and future generations
DALLAS, May. 28, 2026 — High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is often called the “silent killer” and it is a disproportionate challenge facing Hispanic and Latino communities. Among Hispanic and Latino adults, more than half of the men and more than a third of the women are living with high blood pressure. To help them learn more about managing this risk factor, the American Heart Association, the world’s leading nonprofit organization focused on changing the future of health for all, is sharing vital information and awareness on how to keep blood pressure in check — starting with simple lifestyle changes.
Why high blood pressure matters to you and your loved ones
- Currently, approximately 125.9 million (47.3%) of all U.S. adults are now living with high blood pressure — an increase from previous years.
- Among Hispanic and Latino adults:
- 51.5% of men and 37.3% of women aged 20 and older have hypertension.
- Of those, only about 1 in 4 adults (25.6%) have it under control.
- The effects are serious: In 2023, cardiovascular disease, much of it driven by uncontrolled high blood pressure, claimed more than 66,000 Hispanic and Latino lives, nearly enough to fill a major professional soccer stadium.
- This silent killer demands attention because controlling blood pressure is one of the most effective, evidence-based ways to reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke.
“In our community, family is everything and taking care of your heart is an act of love for those around you. Scientific research shows us that one of the most important things you can do to be heart healthy is to manage your blood pressure,” said Eduardo Sanchez, M.D., FAHA, the chief medical officer for prevention at the American Heart Association. “Managing blood pressure is a powerful, protective step you can take for your family’s future, and it starts with knowing your numbers today.”
Know Your Numbers
Get your blood pressure checked regularly, even if you only visit your doctor or other health care clinician once a year or so. You can do it yourself with a home blood pressure monitor or even at a kiosk at your local pharmacy or other retail outlet.
According to the most recent guidelines from the American Heart Association, normal blood pressure is when:
- Systolic pressure (top number) is less than 120 and
- Diastolic pressure (bottom number) is less than 80.
“One high reading isn’t usually cause for concern, although, if your blood pressure is consistently high, talk to your trusted clinician about next steps,” Sanchez said. “However, an extremely high reading could be dangerous, especially if you are not exerting yourself or if you have certain other symptoms. Do not ignore that.”
If your systolic pressure is higher than 180 and/or your diastolic is higher than 120, it could be life-threatening. Call 911 right away if you have extremely high blood pressure and any of these symptoms:
- Chest pain
- Shortness of breath
- Back pain
- Numbness
- Weakness
- Change in vision
- Difficulty speaking
A Healthy Lifestyle is Key
Making simple lifestyle changes is the first step to managing your blood pressure.
The American Heart Association’s Life’s Essential 8™ are simple, healthy habits that are proven to protect your heart. Follow these science-backed healthy habits:
- Eat Smart
- Be Active
- Quit Tobacco & Nicotine
- Sleep Well
- Manage Weight
- Manage Blood Pressure
- Manage Cholesterol
- Manage Blood Sugar
Some people may still not be able to control their high blood pressure even with these changes. In that case, safe and effective medications are available, and you and your clinician can work together to choose the treatment plan that’s right for you. Check out My Life Check Calculator to get personalized tips to set your own health goals now.
Protect Your Brain
New research confirms that high blood pressure can damage blood vessels in the brain, which may lead to memory problems and dementia as you get older. Taking action now to lower your numbers is essential in protecting your cognitive health as you age.
A Special Focus on Women
It is critical for women to manage blood pressure before, during and after pregnancy. High blood pressure during pregnancy can lead to serious complications and may increase a woman’s risk of future heart problems.
Personalized Care
Don’t be afraid to talk to your doctor. They have new tools, like the American Heart Association’s PREVENTTM (Predicting Risk of cardiovascular disease EVENTs) risk calculator, to create a personalized plan for you. This tool helps your doctor look at your personal risk factors to estimate your chances of a heart attack or stroke over the next 10 to 30 years. This allows them to create a tailored treatment plan that might include starting medication earlier, if needed.
Whether dancing at family gatherings, cooking traditional meals with a healthy twist or walking with your kids after dinner, small steps can lead to big changes. Because when you take care of your heart, you’re also taking care of your loved ones.
For more information about heart and brain health, visit heart.org.
Understanding High Blood Pressure: Key Facts for Black Communities The American Heart Association stresses the power of prevention and early action for a healthy life and future generations
DALLAS, May 28, 2026 — High blood pressure is the #1 preventable risk factor for heart disease and stroke, yet, nearly half of U.S. adults have high blood pressure and many don’t even know it. That is why the American Heart Association, the world’s leading nonprofit organization focused on changing the future of health for all, is sharing tips and information on how to how to keep your blood pressure in check — starting with simple lifestyle changes.
Why high blood pressure matters to you and your loved ones
- Currently, approximately 125.9 million (47.3%) of all U.S. adults are now living with high blood pressure, an increase from previous years.
- The burden is significantly higher in the Black community, where high blood pressure affects 62.3% of non-Hispanic Black men and 59.2% of non-Hispanic Black women. This remains one of the highest prevalence rates in the world.
- Despite high rates of awareness, only about 22% (roughly 1 in 5) of Black adults with hypertension have the condition under control.
- In 2023, cardiovascular conditions heavily driven by uncontrolled high blood pressure claimed the lives of more than 119,000 Black Americans, enough to fill nearly two NFL stadiums.
- This “silent killer” demands attention because controlling blood pressure is one of the most effective, evidence-based ways to reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke.
“Heart health is intensely personal, and scientific research shows us that one of the most important things you can do to be heart healthy is to manage your blood pressure,” said Keith C. Ferdinand, M.D., FAHA, FACC, volunteer co-vice chair of the writing committee for the Association’s 2025 high blood pressure guidelines and chair in preventative cardiology at Tulane University School of Medicine. “When you have high blood pressure, it’s not just a number on a chart, it’s your future at stake; it’s your ability to stay present for the people you love. The good news is: managing your blood pressure is not that hard. The first step is awareness.”
Know Your Numbers
Get your blood pressure checked regularly, even if you only visit your doctor or other health care clinician once a year or so. You can do it yourself with a home blood pressure monitor or even at a kiosk at your local pharmacy or other retail outlet.
According to the most recent guidelines from the American Heart Association, normal blood pressure is when:
- Systolic pressure (top number) is less than 120 and
- Diastolic pressure (bottom number) is less than 80.
“One high reading isn’t usually cause for concern, although, if your blood pressure is consistently high, talk to your clinician about next steps,” said Ferdinand, chair in preventative cardiology at Tulane University School of Medicine. “However, an extremely high reading could be dangerous, especially if you are not exerting yourself or if you have certain other symptoms. Do not ignore that.”
If your systolic pressure is higher than 180 and/or your diastolic is higher than 120, it could be life-threatening. Call 911 right away if you have extremely high blood pressure and any of these symptoms:
- Chest pain
- Shortness of breath
- Back pain
- Numbness
- Weakness
- Change in vision
- Difficulty speaking
A Healthy Lifestyle is Key
Making simple lifestyle changes is the first step to managing your blood pressure.
The American Heart Association’s Life’s Essential 8™ are simple, healthy habits that are proven to protect your heart. Follow these science-backed healthy habits:
- Eat Smart
- Be Active
- Quit Tobacco & Nicotine
- Sleep Well
- Manage Weight
- Manage Blood Pressure
- Manage Cholesterol
- Manage Blood Sugar
Some people may still not be able to control their high blood pressure even with these changes. In that case, safe and effective medications are available, and you and your clinician can work together to choose the treatment plan that’s right for you. Check out My Life Check Calculator to get personalized tips to set your own health goals now.
Protect Your Brain
New research confirms that high blood pressure can damage blood vessels in the brain, which may lead to memory problems and dementia as you get older. Taking action now to lower your numbers is essential in protecting your cognitive health as you age.
A Special Focus on Women
It is critical for women to manage blood pressure before, during and after pregnancy. High blood pressure during pregnancy can lead to serious complications and may increase a woman’s risk of future heart problems.
Personalized Care
Don’t be afraid to talk to your doctor. They have new tools, like the American Heart Association’s PREVENTTM (Predicting Risk of cardiovascular disease EVENTs) risk calculator, to create a personalized plan for you. This tool helps your doctor look at your personal risk factors to estimate your chances of a heart attack or stroke over the next 10 to 30 years. This allows them to create a tailored treatment plan that might include starting medication earlier, if needed.
Staying informed and taking action can help you and your loved ones live a longer, healthier life. Talk to your doctor to learn more about your blood pressure and what you can do to manage it.
For more information about heart and brain health, visit heart.org.
The Power to Save a Life is In Your Hands
NEW YORK, NY, May 21, 2026 — Sudden cardiac arrest can happen anytime, anywhere, and too often people hesitate to step in because they believe CPR can only be performed by medical professionals. During CPR and AED Awareness Week, June 1 – June 7, the American Heart Association, devoted to changing the future to a world of healthier lives for all, is working to change that misconception and empower everyday people to act when it matters most.
According to the Association, more than two in three people in the U.S. believe only people with special training should perform CPR, a mistaken belief that contributes to the low survival rate of sudden cardiac arrest. If performed immediately, CPR can double or even triple a person’s chance of survival, and hesitation can cost lives. During CPR & AED Awareness Week the American Heart Association is reminding families and communities, you don’t need to wear scrubs or have a medical background to save a life. You just need the courage to act.
Merrie Webel had just welcomed her daughter, Heidi, into the world. Born prematurely, Heidi’s lungs weren’t fully developed. During her stay in the NICU, she stopped breathing twice and had to be resuscitated by nurses.
“While I was in the hospital, I took an American Heart Association CPR class that they offered to all new parents,” Ms. Webel said. “I actually took the infant CPR class twice—and it’s because of that class that Heidi is alive today.”
Like any family bringing home a newborn, the family was filled with joy and excitement—but also a heightened sense of worry. “I would watch her sleep to make sure she was breathing,” Merrie recalled.
Then one day, the unthinkable happened. Heidi stopped breathing again—this time at home, without nurses nearby. Merrie had to act immediately.
“I didn’t even have to think,” she said. “I remembered exactly what I was taught in those classes and went straight into action. We had waited so long for her, and the thought of losing her was devastating.”
Heading into summer, the Association offers this checklist for families, workplaces and other communities to take health and safety into your own hands:
Learn CPR and join the Nation of Lifesavers™. In New York City, families can watch a 60-second video to learn Hands-Only CPR for adults or this video
to learn how to save an infant or child using CPR with breaths. For groups and individuals who want more comprehensive training, discover the right course with the Association’s CPR course catalog. Travelers can also get trained in Hands-Only CPR in about five minutes with a Hands-Only CPR Kiosk, located in many airports and public spaces across the country. For more information on how to learn CPR, visit heart.org/nation.
Plan ahead. Summer is often a time for welcome disruptions. School is out, and it’s time for parties, camps and family trips. Check if your summer destination has a cardiac emergency response plan (CERP). A CERP establishes specific steps to reduce death from cardiac arrest in any setting — be it a school, community organization, workplace or sports facility.
“Life can be unpredictable at times, and one way you can take control is by being prepared in an emergency,” said Deepak L. Bhatt, MD, MPH, MBA, President of the New York City American Heart Association Board of Directors and Director of the Mount Sinai Fuster Heart Hospital in New York City. “Cardiac arrest doesn’t wait. It can happen to anyone at any time. When it does, that person is reliant on the people around them to be calm, be prepared and be ready to step in. This CPR Week, we’re reminding New York City residents that ordinary people have extraordinary power to save a life.”
More than 350,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occur in the United States each year, and 90% of people will not survive. Join the Nation of Lifesavers to help ensure everyone, everywhere has the best chance to survive cardiac arrest.
The American Heart Association is committed to turning a nation of bystanders into lifesavers. The long-term goal: to ensure that in the face of a cardiac emergency, anyone, anywhere, is prepared and empowered to perform CPR and become a vital link in the chain of survival.
“The American Heart Association is for everyone, at every age,” said Merrie. “Heart disease affects all of us, and CPR is a skill everyone should have—not just those already impacted by heart disease or stroke.”
For additional ways to raise awareness during National CPR & AED Awareness Week, visit heart.org/nation.
Two Survivors. One Message: Why Every Second Counts at the Wall Street Run & Heart Walk
New York, NY, May 7, 2026 — On the morning of October 7, 2025, Robert Sevalrud headed out for what he thought would be an ordinary run along Manhattan’s West Side. Halfway through, his heart suddenly stopped.
Bystanders acted immediately. Strangers rushed to Robert’s side, called 911, and began CPR, while others ran to nearby FDNY Marine Company 1 to seek help. Marine 1 firefighters delivered Robert’s first shock with an AED, and when emergency medical technicians arrived, they administered an additional shock, restoring his pulse and rushing him to the hospital.
Robert survived.
Today, Robert is alive because of quick‑thinking bystanders, trained first responders, and a lifesaving system that worked exactly as it should. His story is one of survival, community, and the critical importance of CPR training and access to AEDs.
“I’m here today because people I didn’t know chose to act,” said Robert Sevalrud. “Sharing my story at the Wall Street Run & Heart Walk is my way of honoring them and reminding others that CPR training and AEDs truly make the difference between life and death.”
This year, Robert will share his story with thousands as part of the Wall Street Run & Heart Walk, the American Heart Association’s signature New York City event raising funds and awareness to fight heart disease and stroke. He will also participate in the Survivor Drum, a powerful, symbolic moment honoring survivors, first responders, and the steady heartbeat of a community committed to action.
The 2026 Wall Street Run & Heart Walk—one of New York City’s most iconic corporate wellness and community impact events—will take place on May 14, 2026, in downtown Manhattan. Start line is the intersection of Warren Street and Greenwich Street.
Opening ceremony and the start of the Wall Street Run & Heart Walk is scheduled for 6:30pm.
Robert’s story is not the only reminder of why preparedness matters.
Rob LoCascio, a Scotiabank employee and heart attack survivor, also brings a deeply personal perspective to today’s event. Rob survived a cardiac emergency—an experience that underscored just how quickly lives can change, how critical timely medical intervention can be, and how important it is to recognize the warning signs of a heart attack. Knowing the symptoms and acting without delay can mean the difference between life and death, and Rob’s story is a powerful reminder of why awareness and preparedness truly matter.
“I never imagined it would happen to me. Surviving a heart attack changes how you see everything. It’s why supporting efforts that raise awareness and preparedness is so important,” said Rob LoCascio. “The more people who know and can recognize the symptoms, the more people we can help.”
Sudden cardiac arrest and heart attacks can strike anyone, anywhere. The Wall Street Run & Heart Walk brings together survivors, families, sponsors, and volunteers with a shared goal: building a world where more people are ready to respond—and more lives are saved.
Scotiabank is a long‑time supporter of the Wall Street Run & Heart Walk, and its sponsorship of the Survivor Drum underscores its commitment to community health, cardiac awareness, and preparedness—values reflected in the experiences of employees like Rob LoCascio and survivors like Robert Sevalrud.
For more information on the Wall Street Run & Heart Walk, visit www.heartwalknyc.org.
Knowing stroke signs can save a life when every minute counts The American Stroke Association highlights how recognizing B.E. F.A.S.T. warning signs and acting quickly can help people get lifesaving care sooner
Embargoed until 8:00 a.m. CT / 9:00 a.m. ET Friday, May 1, 2026
NEW YORK, NY, May 1, 2026 — A stroke can change a life in an instant. In the minutes after symptoms begin, quick action can help protect the brain, reduce long-term disability and save a life, according to the American Stroke Association, a division of the American Heart Association.
On average, nearly 2 million brain cells die every minute a stroke goes untreated, making early recognition and treatment critical. During May, American Stroke Month, the Stroke Association is highlighting the importance of recognizing stroke warning signs and understanding how early treatment and prevention can make a meaningful difference when it matters most.
Stroke is the fourth-leading cause of death, according to the American Heart Association’s 2026 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistical Update[1], and a leading cause of serious, long-term disability in the United States. Each year, approximately 800,000 people in the U.S. experience a stroke. A stroke can happen to anyone, at any age.
3 things you can do to take action against stroke:
- Learn B.E. F.A.S.T. to spot a stroke. If you see sudden Balance loss, Eye or vision changes, Face drooping, Arm weakness or Speech difficulty, it’s time to call 911. Explore the signs by playing the B.E. F.A.S.T. Experience at Stroke.org/StrokeMonth.
- Understand your stroke risk and explore ways to lower it. Identifying personal risk factors — especially high blood pressure, the leading risk factor for stroke — can help you have informed conversations with your health care team about stroke prevention and long‑term brain health.
- Find support after stroke. Recovery is a journey and connection matters. Explore support services for survivors and care partners, including virtual Stroke Meetups, and sign up for the Stroke Connection e‑newsletter at Stroke.org/StrokeMonth.
Recognize Stroke Warning Signs: B.E. F.A.S.T.
When a stroke happens, blood flow to the brain is interrupted. The longer treatment is delayed, the greater the risk of lasting damage. Calling 911 is the fastest way to get stroke care. EMS can begin treatment immediately and alert the hospital stroke team before you arrive.
B.E. F.A.S.T. is a simple way to remember common stroke warning signs:
- Balance Loss – Sudden trouble walking, dizziness or loss of coordination
- Eye (Vision) Changes – Sudden vision loss or trouble seeing in one or both eyes
- Face Drooping – One side of the face droops or feels numb; a smile may look uneven
- Arm Weakness – One arm feels weak or numb or drifts downward when raised
- Speech Difficulty – Slurred speech or trouble speaking
- Time to Call 911 – If someone shows any of these signs, even if symptoms go away, calling 911 right away can help get lifesaving care started. Noting when symptoms first appeared can also support treatment decisions.
Take steps to prevent stroke
According to the Heart Association and the Stroke Association, approximately 80% of strokes are preventable. High blood pressure is the leading risk factor for stroke[2], and uncontrolled blood pressure, diabetes and obesity significantly increase risk.
A large majority of strokes can be prevented by taking steps to:
- Manage blood pressure. Lowering and controlling blood pressure reduces the risk of stroke. Regular check‑ups, monitoring at home and following a treatment plan can lower risk and support long‑term brain health.
- Build healthy habits. Eating well, staying active, not smoking and keeping up with routine health screenings all play an important role in reducing stroke risk. The Heart Association’s Life’s Essential 8TM outlines key steps for improving and maintaining cardiovascular and brain health.
- Reduce the risk of a second stroke. Prevention takes on added importance for people who have had a stroke or a transient ischemic attack (TIA), sometimes called a “warning stroke.” Nearly 1 in 4 strokes occur in people who have had a previous stroke[3]. Understanding what caused the first stroke and identifying personal risk factors can help guide next steps and reduce the chance of another one.
Support that meets you where you are
Stroke recovery looks different for everyone, and support can play an important role along the way. The Stroke Association offers resources designed to help survivors and
care partners feel informed, connected and supported, including live, virtual Stroke Meetups where participants can share experiences, ask questions and learn from trusted experts. Stay connected with recovery tools and support by signing up for the Stroke Connection e‑newsletter.
Stroke can happen suddenly. Knowing the signs with B.E. F.A.S.T. can help you respond when minutes matter. This American Stroke Month, explore trusted resources, practical tools and support Stroke.org/StrokeMonth.
The HCA Healthcare Foundation is a national sponsor of the American Stroke Association’s Together to End Stroke® initiative and American Stroke Month.
Tech Executive leads year-round campaign to improve health in New York City Bill McLaughlin named 2025-26 American Heart Association Heart of New York City Chair
NEW YORK, NY, January 6, 2026 – Through the Heart of New York City campaign, Bill McLaughlin, volunteer chair and CEO of Thrive will lead community-wide efforts to help ensure every individual in New York City and beyond has the opportunity for a full, healthy life. The Heart of New York City engages companies, community leaders, and individuals to make a lasting impact across the four chambers of the American Heart Association’s work: discovery, advocacy, access, and knowledge.
The campaign will culminate at the Heart of New York City Gala, celebrating hope and progress made through the dedication and passion of all who support the American Heart Association, a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives.
“I’m honored to serve in this role and excited to collaborate with our dedicated volunteers and the American Heart Association,” said Mr. McLaughlin. “Together, we’ll drive innovation and implement proven solutions in science, policy, and care—creating healthier communities, ensuring everyone has the chance to thrive. My mission is to build awareness both in New York City and internally within my organization.”
Bill McLaughlin brings over 25 years of leadership experience in the managed services and technology industry, with a track record of guiding companies through transformation and growth. At his current company, Thrive, he stepped into the CEO role following a successful tenure as President, helping steward the acquisition of multiple companies, expanding its global footprint, and reinforcing its client advocacy and people-first culture.
Outside of his corporate life, Mr. McLaughlin demonstrates a strong commitment to philanthropic leadership and community engagement. He was co-founder and chairman of The Jillian Fund, a nonprofit created to support families coping with a child’s intensive medical treatment, where he emphasizes transparency, service, and tangible impact. His personal leadership philosophy—built on values such as “extreme ownership,” accountability, teamwork and putting mission ahead of ego—underpins how he leads and how he gives back.
The American Heart Association and Thrive will work together to empower individuals to Listen to Your Heart and Thrive — championing wellness, awareness, and connection across our communities. Together, they encourage people to seek care when they need it, equip them with the knowledge to recognize the signs of cardiovascular disease and stroke, and honor the courage of survivors and their families who have faced health challenges with extraordinary heart and strength.
“Bill McLaughlin brings exceptional vision and energy as the CEO of Thrive. His commitment to the American Heart Association’s mission, combined with a clear passion for improving the well-being of our community makes him an outstanding choice to lead this year’s campaign,” said Joe Simone, President of Simone Development Companies, member of the New York City American Heart Association board of directors and past chair of the Heart of New York City Gala. “We welcome Bill as the Heart of New York City chair, which unites leaders across our community to advance health and hope for everyone, everywhere.”
The 2026 Heart of New York City campaign is sponsored by Thrive and Simone Development Companies and will be held on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, at Cipriani Wall Street. The annual event is a night to celebrate the Heart Association’s year-round efforts to build a healthier New York City. Throughout the evening, the Heart Association will honor volunteers and patrons, share survivor stories, and entertain guests with dinner and an auction.
MOMENTS IN TIME: The History Channel
* On June 15, 1667, French physician Jean-Baptiste Denis performed the first blood transfusion, on a feverish boy, but with lamb rather than human blood. While the boy survived and recovered, two more patients died following the same procedure, leading to a centuries-long ban on transfusions.
* On June 16, 1943, Oona O’Neill, the 18-year-old daughter of playwright Eugene O’Neill, married 54-year-old Hollywood legend Charlie Chaplin. It was his fourth marriage (and his third to a teenage girl). Oona’s father, who was Chaplin’s age, disapproved of the union so strongly that he disinherited his daughter, but the marriage, which produced eight children, was successful and only ended with Chaplin’s death more than three decades later.
* On June 17, 1976, the National Basketball Association announced a merger with its rival, the American Basketball Association, and acquired the latter’s four most successful franchises: the Denver Nuggets, the Indiana Pacers, the New York (later Brooklyn) Nets and the San Antonio Spurs.
* On June 18, 1979, at a summit meeting in Vienna, President Jimmy Carter and Soviet leader LEOnid Brezhnev signed the SALT-II agreement dealing with limitations and guidelines for nuclear weapons. Roundly criticized in America as a sellout to the Soviets, the treaty never formally went into effect and did little, if anything at all, to slow the arms race.
* On June 19, 1865, on what is now known as Juneteenth, Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas, with the news that the Civil War had ended and slavery in the United States had been abolished. Despite the fact that President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation had been issued on Jan. 1, 1863, a lack of Union troops in the rebel state of Texas had made the order difficult to enforce.
* On June 20, 2003, the Wikimedia Foundation, an American nonprofit organization best known for being the host of Wikipedia, one of the world’s most-visited websites, was founded in St. Petersburg, Florida.
* On June 21, 2001, one of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo’s iconic self-portraits was featured on an American postage stamp, making her the first Hispanic woman to be honored in that manner.
Up to $30,000 in ‘Eat Well NY’ Grants Available to Bolster Healthy Eating Habits; Reduce Food Insecurity Among New Yorkers Living with Mental Illness Office of Mental Health Alerts Service Recipients and Providers About Federal Rule Changes to Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program Eligibility
The New York State Office of Mental Health today announced the availability of individual $5,000 grants to help service providers reduce food insecurity and bolster healthy eating among individuals living with mental illness. Announced during National Nutrition Month, Eat Well NY is a three-part intervention program that teaches individuals how to incorporate healthy, nutritious foods into their diet –a practice that is connected with positive mental well- being.
“Access to sufficient healthy food is a bedrock of overall wellness, both physical and mental,” Office of Mental Health Commissioner Dr. Ann Sullivan said. “Through the Eat Well NY program, local service providers connect with New Yorkers living with mental health issues and provide them with access to fresh food and how to prepare a healthy nutritious diet.”
Established in 2022, Eat Well NY is designed to increase food access and affordability among participants, teaching healthy eating skills with a focus on fresh food. Recipients will receive program training, materials, and FreshConnect checks, which clients can use at local farmers markets to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables.
The grants are available for residential programs for adults living with serious mental illness, including congregate support, specialized housing, or they must operate Personalized Recovery-Oriented Services or ‘PROS’ where clients predominantly live in these settings. Applications are being accepted until April 9, with awards expected to be announced in May.
Approximately one in nine households in New York –roughly 875,000 people statewide – face food insecurity. Chronic stress associated with food insecurity is linked to ill-health effects including mental health conditions, including anxiety and depression.
Proper nutrition supports clearer thinking and greater emotional stability by giving the brain the nutrients it needs to function well. Research shows that diets rich in diverse vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, seeds, legumes, and healthy fats provide the micronutrients — vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients — that help reduce inflammation and support neurotransmitter activity.
Nutrition also influences mental health through the gut-brain connection. A diverse, well nourished gut microbiome is associated with lower rates of anxiety and depression, while diets high in ultra-processed foods can disrupt this natural balance.
Commissioner Sullivan outlined some of the benefits of good nutrition and positive mental well-being in a message she sent to providers today. In addition, OMH is educating service recipients and providers via a new infographic on recent federal rule changes that could impact eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
New federal work requirements are in place for those receiving SNAP food benefits. All Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents or ‘ABAWDs’ – defined as anyone between ages 18 and 64 who can work and doesn’t have any children under age 14 in their household – must now meet certain work requirements to continue receiving this assistance for more than three months over a 3-year period.
There are a number of exemptions, including for individuals whose ability to work is limited by a mental or physical health condition or substance use treatment; those over age 65; those who receive disability benefits from a public or private source; and those in a caregiver role. New Yorkers are encouraged to research possible exemptions and contact their local social services district to determine eligibility and find additional resources.
“These stringent work requirements mandated by the federal government are putting hundreds of thousands of SNAP recipients in New York at risk of losing their food benefits, but help is available,” Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance Commissioner Barbara C. Guinn said. “SNAP recipients should engage with their local department of social services and learn more about the different ways they can meet the work requirement or to provide information to confirm that they are not required to meet these work requirements. Individuals unable to work 80 hours a month — including individuals who receive disability benefits, participants in a substance use program, and other vulnerable populations — are not required to meet these work requirements. We are grateful to the Office of Mental Health for sharing this vital information to help individuals retain SNAP and encourage individuals to visit our website for additional information.”
NEW YORK STATE RECOGNIZES LONG ISLAND ORGANIZATION FOR HELPING YOUNG PEOPLE EXPERIENCING A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS
Response Crisis Center of Suffolk County Honored for Operating a Crisis Call Center, Advancing Suicide Prevention, and Fostering Resilience
New York State is honoring Response Crisis Center of Suffolk County, a nonprofit organization in the Long Island Region, with the 2026 ‘What’s Great in our State’ Community/Organization Award. Representatives of the organization were presented with the award Tuesday during the event in Albany for their work to provide outreach and operate a call center supporting individuals in crisis –specifically youth, young adults, and their families.
“Response of Suffolk County demonstrates ‘What’s Great in Our State’ through their exceptional work in reaching out to young people in the community and being there to help them in times of crisis,” Office of Mental Health Commissioner Dr. Ann Sullivan said. “From its humble origins, this organization has become a pillar of support for youth and their families when they are experiencing mental health challenges.”
Response provides 24/7 support to youth, young adults, families, and individuals in crisis. The organization also provides backup support across New York State, handling approximately 15,000 calls and texts each month with a 97 percent answer rate.
Established in the early 1970s, Response started operation with a small group of dedicated volunteers after a local student’s suicide attempt revealed a critical gap in services. This organization now has a staff of nearly 300 and serves as the local crisis call center for Suffolk, Rockland, and Putnam Counties.
Response advances suicide prevention by supporting resilience and helping individuals connect with community resources that can support long-term well-being and recovery. Through collaboration with local partners and crisis systems, the organization continues to advance suicide prevention, foster resilience, and support long-term recovery in communities they serve.
Response’s mission is to provide individuals in crisis or in need with unconditional acceptance, compassion, and respect, reducing emotional distress and empowering them to use personal coping strategies. Organization programming helps reduce stigma, strengthen coping and communication skills, and connects individuals to critical support, including mental health care and housing.
“I’m so pleased to receive and accept this honor on behalf of the wonderful crisis counselors and staff of Response Crisis Center,” Response of Suffolk County Executive Director Meryl Cassidy said. “They are the true heroes — making a real difference in the lives of so many young people and youth-involved adults and in our communities 24 hours a day, seven days per week, 365 days a year. We strive to be there for all people in crisis in the moments they need caring human connection the most. Our vision is a world where all people feel connected and cared for and know their lives matter.”
‘What’s Great in Our State’ recognizes individuals and programs that are successfully advancing the cause of children’s mental health in New York State and is celebrated annually during Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week. Established in 2010, the day-long conference in Albany features a ceremony recognizing honorees, in-person l workshops, and an art show featuring artwork created by children receiving services from New York State’s mental health system.
Last week, Governor Kathy Hochul issued a proclamation recognizing Children’s Mental Health Awareness Month, the What’s Great in Our State event and the importance of fostering positive mental well-being among youth. Under her leadership, the state has undertaken key initiatives to improve youth mental health, including expanding Teen Mental Health First Aid training in schools, establishing the Youth Mental Health Advisory Board, funding Youth Safe Spaces, and adopting strong digital and social media protections for young people, including the nation’s first bell-to-bell restrictions on smart phone use during school.
The event is sponsored by the state Office of Mental Health, Department of Health, Department of Education, Office of Children and Family Services and the Office of Addiction Services and Supports. In addition, several children’s mental health advocacy organizations sponsor the event, including the Council on Children and Families, the Early Care & Learning Council, Families Together in New York State, Inc., Mental Health Association in New York State, Inc., National Alliance on Mental Illness – New York State, New York State Network for Youth Success, and Prevent Child Abuse New York.
New York State Suicide Prevention Conference Focuses on Improving Mental Wellness among Uniformed Personnel
Suicide Prevention Center of New York Hosts Training and Workshops on Building Resilience; Addressing Job-Related Stress and Cumulative Trauma
Capital Region-Based Conference Aimed at Addressing Disproportionately High Rates of Suicide Among First Responders, Veterans, and Others
The New York State Office of Mental Health announced efforts to address disproportionately high rates of suicide among military veterans and uniformed personnel, including law enforcement, firefighters, emergency medical service workers, corrections officers, and 911 dispatchers. The agency today is hosting the second day of a conference with this focus –part of Governor Kathy Hochul’s ongoing efforts to support the mental health needs of veterans and uniformed personnel –featuring nationally recognized speakers, subject matter experts, training, and workshops related to the impact of stress and trauma associated with these professions.
“Understanding the tremendous importance of the mental health of our uniformed personnel and veterans and realizing the impact of the stress and cumulative trauma they may experience, we must effectively support them as they serve our communities and keep us safe.” OMH Commissioner Dr. Ann Sullivan said. “This conference will provide information and invaluable insight into ways to promote mental wellness, build resilience, and address the nationally observed disproportionately high rates of suicide among these professionals.”
The conference in Troy is hosted by OMH’s Suicide Prevention Center of New York and features nearly two dozen speakers, including nationally recognized subject-matter experts, including mental health professionals, veterans, and leaders from the first responder community. Now in its second day, the event is drawing roughly 320 individuals representing 172 different agencies throughout the state.
Cumulative stress and trauma are common among uniformed personnel and have placed these individuals at greater risk of suicide. First responders were more likely to die by suicide than in the line of duty, according to one recent study.
Likewise, the inaugural New York State First Responder Mental Health Needs Assessment also highlighted the challenges facing these professions. Released earlier this year, the survey of roughly 6,000 individuals found that 53 percent experienced symptoms associated with depression, 38 percent experienced symptoms associated post-traumatic stress disorder, and 16 percent had thoughts of suicide.
Veterans in New York also disproportionately experience mental health issues and have a suicide rate nearly two times higher than civilians. Veterans under the age of 55 consistently experience the highest rates of suicide in New York.
The conference’s objective to build resilience is parallel to OMH’s CARES UP initiative, which provides $3 million annually to uniformed personnel agencies and veterans’ organizations to increase suicide prevention efforts and wellness programming. So far, this initiative has provided funding to 36 first responder agencies and eight veteran-serving organizations via Onward Ops.
CARES UP fosters an open dialogue about mental health to reduce stigma and encourage uniformed personnel to seek help when they need it. The initiative uses a public health approach to integrate mental health and suicide prevention training with various wellness initiatives designed to enhance the overall health.
OMH is expected to release a request for applications for CARES UP later this fall. The initiative provides $60,000 over two years to agencies seeking the funding for the first time, and $40,000 organizations looking to continue the program.
Suicide Prevention Center of New York Director Dr. Jay Carruthers said, “We know that uniformed personnel are at elevated risk for a number of mental health challenges and even suicide by virtue of the work they have chosen. Cultural and organizational barriers can sometime pose a barrier to seeking help among our first responders and uniformed personnel. This conference, like the CARES UP initiative, will provide the expertise to foster an environment that prioritizes mental health and wellbeing among the uniformed personnel and veterans that serve and protect our communities and our nation. Together, we can chip away at the barriers.”
Colonie EMS Chief Erin Kelly said, “Despite growing staffing shortages and the physical and emotional demands of this work, our providers continue to answer the call because they care deeply about the people and community they serve. In many ways, EMS has become one of the most reliable and consistent sources of healthcare for people — when someone calls 911, EMS shows up. CARES UP gives us the opportunity to show up for our providers, giving them the best chance to thrive in their lives and careers, not just survive.”
Watervliet Firefighter and Peer Team Coordinator Tom Corcoran said, “Watervliet’s Brave Minds Firefighter Wellness program provides mental health awareness and stigma reduction training, mental health assessments, and an effective peer support team –all made possible with the help of CARES UP. We have firefighters who have a better quality of life, others who have successfully returned to work after challenges, and others who have retired with dignity on their own terms because of this hard work.”
Fitness is a Lifeline, Not a Luxury: Why Movement Matters for Aging New Yorkers
By Joanne Orlando
We’re living longer than ever before, and seniors are New York City’s fastest growing population. One in five New Yorkers are over the age of 60, reshaping how we think about health, mobility, and independence.
However, this longevity is a double-edged sword, carrying with it more complex and chronic health conditions, meaning while we’ve living longer, we’re also sicker and frailer.
That’s why we must prioritize fitness programming that supports at-risk seniors — especially those recovering after being discharged from the hospital and rehab units.
As the Baby Boomer generation eases into their senior years, they overwhelmingly prefer to “age in place,” remaining at home and in their communities. But this requires real investment in home-based wellness resources. Recovery doesn’t end when older adults leave the hospital but is rather the start of a vulnerable period.
Nearly 20% of patients experience an adverse event such as a fall, infection, or medication error within three weeks of discharge. This can lead to a cascade of setbacks: ER visits, rehospitalizations, and even permanent loss of mobility. Those with multiple chronic conditions face higher risks, and “post-hospitalization syndrome” characterized by increased weakness and stress can make recovery harder.
With May serving as National Physical Fitness and Sports Month, it’s a timely reminder that movement matters – and that for older adults, regular physical activity is essential for preventing falls and maintaining overall health.
Yet access to physical and occupational therapy designed to prevent rehospitalization remains a barrier for many, and written home regimens can be confusing, inaccessible, or ineffective without guidance.
Fitness and exercise regimens don’t need to be complex – just achievable and consistent through baby steps.
As part of our programming provided through ElderServe Health, which provides home care aides to over 20,000 New Yorkers through Medicaid-funded Managed Long Term Care (MLTC) Plans, we’re always thinking of ways to boost at-home fitness.
It’s not easy – and let’s face it: It can be tough to get motivated even when you’re in the best of health. But we’ve found that guided exercise classes allow our members to follow along with their occupational and physical therapists and have been beneficial in promoting mobility, strengthening recovery, and reducing the risk of ER visits and hospitalizations.
However, just one program alone is not enough.
Policymakers must recognize the critical role that MLTC programs play in delivering comprehensive, community-based care that helps New Yorkers age in place. As the city’s senior population grows, so does the urgency to protect and strengthen the essential services that older New Yorkers rely on.
We’re also watching closely how Mayor Adams’ proposed executive budget will address senior wellness. The City Council has proposed key restorations to health and aging programs, but gaps remain. Advocates say the $550 million allocated to the NYC Department of Aging represents less than half of 1% of the overall $112.4 billion budget and won’t keep pace with a rapidly growing older population.
It is critical for the city to follow through with targeted investments in physical fitness, community rehab, and culturally accessible health programs for older New Yorkers.
Fitness is a lifeline that more and more New Yorkers will depend on in the years ahead. This National Physical Fitness and Sports Month, let’s commit to building a city where every older adult, regardless of income or borough, has the tools they need to move, thrive, and age with strength and independence.
— Joanne Orlando serves as the vice president of rehabilitation services at the Bronx-based ElderServe Health, a Managed Long Term Care provider serving the New York City metro area
ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN’S SERVICES RECOGNIZES APRIL AS “NATIONAL CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH” ACS Hosts “Planting Pinwheels for Prevention” Event to Raise Awareness About Supportive Services Available to Families
ACS Hosts “Planting Pinwheels for Prevention” Event to Raise Awareness About Supportive Services Available to Families
NEW YORK, NY – In recognition of April as “National Child Abuse Prevention Month,” the Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) is planning a number of events to raise awareness about the city’s efforts to prevent abuse, keep children safe and provide supports for families. For instance, ACS today hosted a “Planting Pinwheels for Prevention” event in City Hall Park. Pinwheels are the national symbol for child abuse prevention because they evoke a childlike sense of whimsy and wonder. Organizations across the country will be planting pinwheels throughout the month of April in order to take a stand against child abuse and raise awareness about the supportive services available to keep children safe and families supported. We encourage all families interested in learning more about the services available to participate. ACS is also teaming up with Scouting America, Greater New York Council to host a day of outdoor activities for children at the Alpine Scout Camp.
“There is no greater responsibility than ensuring our littlest New Yorkers are safe and their families have everything they need to help them grow and thrive, and that’s why during National Child Abuse Prevention Month – and every month of the year – we are doing all we can to make sure New Yorkers know about the resources available to them,” said Jess Dannhauser, Commissioner of the NYC Administration for Children’s Services. “Whether it’s food insecurity, access to clothing and diapers, help with substance abuse treatment or being connecting to mental health counseling, we encourage all families with children to reach out to our dedicated prevention support line to get the services they need to help their families grow and thrive: 212-676-7667, or visit our website: www.nyc.gov/ForFamilies.”
ACS contracts with over 100 prevention programs throughout New York City. In 2023, approximately 15,000 families were served in ACS contracted prevention programs. A 2024 survey of families participating in prevention services showed strong satisfaction with services. Approximately 93 percent said the services were helping them achieve their goals; 93 percent said they are happy with the services their family received; 91 percent said they would recommend the services to a family member and/or a friend; and 91 percent said they would go to their prevention provider for help again in the future.
More and more, ACS has been collaborating with its partners in city government that work most closely with children and families to raise awareness about the services available and help families feel and be comfortable and safe enough to ask for and receive help without judgement or fear. For example, ACS has jointly trained over 6,000 staff at New York City Public Schools in more than 65 sessions and developed a training program that reached tens of thousands of school-based personnel last fall. As a result, we have seen a substantial increase in referrals from schools directly to prevention programs and other supportive services without involving the child protection system. ACS has also been training Department of Homeless Services shelter staff and Department of Youth and Community Development after school providers and helped revise a training program for NYC Health + Hospitals staff. These tailored sessions provide mandated reporters with tools they need to not only assess whether a report is truly needed, but also how to connect families with services and supports outside of the traditional child protection system.
“Making the city safe is among the highest priorities of Mayor Adams, and that certainly extends to the well-being of our most precious young New Yorkers. At the core of DYCD’s mission and the work of our staff and nonprofit partners is ensuring that young people and their families have the resources, skills, and support to maintain a healthy and safe environment,” said NYC Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) Commissioner Keith Howard. “We stand with Commissioner Dannhauser, his ACS team, and our sister agencies in recognizing National Child Abuse Prevention Month and making New York City the best place to raise a family.”
“At NYC Parks, we know that access to safe, welcoming green spaces is essential to the well-being of all New Yorkers—especially our youngest residents. Parks are places where children can play freely, families can bond, and communities can grow stronger together,” said NYC Parks Commissioner Sue Donoghue. “We’re proud to work with ACS for Child Abuse Prevention Month and host the ‘Planting Pinwheels for Prevention’ event in City Hall Park. These pinwheels are a powerful symbol of the joy, innocence, and safety every child deserves, and we remain committed to ensuring our parks continue to be safe havens where children and families can thrive.”
“In addition to providing medical care, NYC Health + Hospitals is committed to ensuring our patients are connected to any necessary social supports,” said Aaron Miller, MD, MPA, Assistant Vice President of Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment at NYC Health + Hospitals. “The recent Pathways to Prevention initiative with ACS expands that support network and creates additional training for our staff, ensuring that thousands of children and families get the care they need.”
“Every child in New York deserves to grow up healthy. We’re proud to partner with the Administration for Children’s Services during National Child Abuse Prevention Month to protect our kids and connect families with the essential support they need to thrive,” said Acting Health Commissioner Dr. Michelle Morse. “The Health Department provides a wide range of resources to families such as comprehensive child developmental screenings and vaccinations. These services represent just a fraction of New York City’s comprehensive family support system. By working together, we’re creating a stronger, healthier future for our city’s youngest residents.”
“We are committed to making New York the safest big city to raise a family and that starts by keeping children safe and ensuring families have access to trauma-informed resources,” said Saloni Sethi, Commissioner of the Mayor’s Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence (ENDGBV). “When we intervene early, we can interrupt intergenerational cycles of abuse and prevent future violence. This Child Abuse Prevention Month, ENDGBV is thrilled to partner with ACS to raise awareness and connect families to the support they need.”
“As a mother and public servant, I believe that every child deserves to grow up in a safe, nurturing environment where they are seen, heard, and supported. National Child Abuse Prevention Month is a critical time to raise awareness about the services available to families before a crisis occurs.” NYC Council Member Althea Stevens, Chair of the Committee on Children & Youth, emphasizes, “I’m proud to stand with ACS and our community partners to ensure that prevention remains a priority—not just in April, but all year round. When we invest in our families, we build safer, stronger communities for every New Yorker.”
THE NEW YORK STATE OFFICE OF ADDICTION SERVICES AND SUPPORTS ANNOUNCES OPENING OF NEW INTEGRATED OUTPATIENT AND OPIOID TREATMENT PROGRAM IN WATERTOWN
New Program Provides Range of Addiction Services in One Location
Designed to Cut Down on the Need for Individuals to Travel to Multiple Different Providers
The New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS) today announced the opening of a new comprehensive integrated outpatient and Opioid Treatment Program (OTP) in Watertown. Operated by THRIVE Wellness and Recovery and located at 611 West Main Street, the new facility provides medication for addiction treatment, including methadone, as well as a comprehensive array of other addiction services. OASAS is providing more than $240,000 through the New York State Opioid Settlement Fund to support the integration of outpatient and OTP services in this new setting.
“This new center is a game-changer for the North Country region,” OASAS Commissioner Dr. Chinazo Cunningham said. “Medication for addiction, like methadone, is a safe and effective treatment that has been proven to save lives by reducing the risk overdose death by as much as 50%. As the first program of this type in Jefferson County, this facility will help more people access a range of lifesaving care without the need to travel long distances and will further support our efforts to provide lifesaving services to those in need.”
Comprehensive integrated and OTP programs provide more opportunities to access person-centered services, including medication treatment for opioid use disorder, by co-locating both an outpatient treatment program and an OTP at the same site. These programs are designed to centralize medication treatment, including methadone, and other addiction and healthcare services to make it easier for New Yorkers seeking treatment for substance use disorders to access multiple services in one location.
OASAS has provided more than $18 million through the New York State Opioid Settlement Fund, as well as federal grant programs, to establish more than 40 integrated outpatient and OTP programs across the state.
New York State leads the nation in making settlement funding available, and has made $335 available to providers across the state to support various initiatives to address the opioid and overdose crisis. Additional funding from the settlement fund is being used to support other initiatives to increase medication for addiction treatment, as well as outreach services to connect at-risk individuals to services and resources, increased support for recovery centers, and more than $100 million delivered directly to municipalities across the state for them to address the opioid and overdose crisis on a local level. Details of this spending are available on the New York State Opioid Settlement Fund Tracker.
The New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports oversees one of the nation’s largest systems of addiction services with approximately 1,700 prevention, treatment and recovery programs serving over 731,000 individuals per year. This includes the direct operation of 12 Addiction Treatment Centers where our doctors, nurses, and clinical staff provide inpatient and residential services to approximately 8,000 individuals per year.
New Yorkers struggling with an addiction, or whose loved ones are struggling, can find help and hope by calling the state’s toll-free, 24-hour, 7-day-a-week HOPEline at 1-877-8-HOPENY (1-877-846-7369) or by texting HOPENY (Short Code 467369).
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Updated Colorectal Cancer Guidelines Endorse New Stool Tests, Recommend Limited Use of Blood Tests Experts Aim to Maximize Screening as Colorectal Cancer Increasingly Strikes Young People
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., May 27, 2026 – With colorectal cancer a growing concern among younger people, the American Cancer Society has endorsed two new types of stool tests to encourage people to get screened while also recommending a limited role for new blood tests many patients find appealing.
The recommendations are an update to the ACS’s screening guidelines – an update led by Andrew Wolf, MD, a cancer-prevention expert at UVA Health. He and a blue-ribbon panel of cancer experts conducted a systemic review of the available colorectal cancer tests to determine which are most effective. In addition to recommending a next-generation DNA stool test and a new type of RNA stool test, the group is advising doctors to recommend blood tests only to patients who decline all other options.
The recommendations come with a dose of pragmatism: “The most effective screening test,” the panel concludes, “is the one that the patient completes.”
“The new guidance adds a stool RNA test and an updated stool DNA test to the menu of preferred options for colorectal cancer screening, which currently include colonoscopy and stool tests that detect tiny amounts of blood, among other options,” said Wolf, a professor emeritus at the University of Virginia School of Medicine. “Although the idea of a blood test for colorectal cancer sounds very attractive, they aren’t yet as good as the other tests at detecting precancerous growths and early-stage cancer, so we don’t believe they are as effective as a screening test. That said, we’re very hopeful that broadening the array of options will get more folks screened and reduce the burden of suffering from colorectal cancer.”
About Colorectal Cancer
Colorectal cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States, killing 55,000 people in 2026. Improvements in detection, screening and treatment have contributed to declining colorectal cancer death rates over the last several decades, but that decline has been accompanied since 2013 by an alarming increase in the cancer among people under the age of 50. Among that age group, colorectal cancer is now the leading cause of cancer death for men and the second-leading cause for women.
In response, the American Cancer Society in 2018 lowered the recommended age for initial colorectal cancer screening from 50 to 45 for people at average risk. It also affirmed the importance of screening tools such as stool-based tests as well as visual exams such as colonoscopies. Since then, however, new, multi-target stool tests and blood-based screening tests have become available. The new blood tests proved popular in a patient survey, with 53% of respondents saying they would prefer blood testing every three years to taking a stool test every year or receiving a colonoscopy every 10.
For the latest guideline update, Wolf and his colleagues examined the effectiveness of the new tests to provide doctors with guidance on if, how and when they should be used. The experts conclude that the DNA and RNA tests had high sensitivity for detecting colorectal cancer and moderate sensitivity for detecting advanced precancerous lesions that are about to turn into cancer. The blood tests, on the other hand, showed lower sensitivity for both advanced precancerous lesions and stage 1 cancers.
“While colorectal screening blood tests may not be as effective as other options, they are certainly better than not screening,” Wolf said. “So if a patient declines a stool test or a visual exam like a colonoscopy, a blood test would be the way to go, as long as the patient understands it is not as effective, and, if it is positive, they will still need to have a colonoscopy.”
Based on their results, the experts endorse the stool tests for patients at average risk but urge doctors to reserve the blood tests for patients who refuse other screening options. And they recommend that anyone who tests positive on any stool or blood test should receive a colonoscopy promptly.
It’s important, they note, that doctors explain to patients the strengths and weaknesses of the available tests so that patients can make informed decisions.
“Currently, almost a third of adults are not up to date with colorectal cancer screening, and among those ages 45 to 49, it’s twice that number,” Wolf said. “We hope these new options will help to close this gap. The most important message is that colorectal cancer is a disease you don’t have to die from, and there’s a screening test out there that’s right for you.”
Better preventing, detecting and treating cancer is the core mission of UVA Comprehensive Cancer Center, one of only 57 cancer centers in the nation to earn the prestigious “comprehensive” designation from the National Cancer Institute. That designation is awarded only to elite cancer centers with the most outstanding cancer care and research programs in the country.
UVA Discovery Evolves Our Understanding of How Dormant Cells Awaken Previously Unknown Trigger Named in Honor of Sleepy Pokemon
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., May 20, 2026 – University of Virginia School of Medicine scientists have discovered an important trigger that allows dormant cells, such as in cancer or hibernating animals, to awaken – and they’ve named it SNOR, after a sleepy Pokemon, Snorlax.
The new research was co-led by Ahmad Jomaa, PhD, of UVA’s Department of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics, and collaborators from EMBL Heidelberg in Germany, with key contributions from collaborations at Vanderbilt University and Cornell University. Their discovery sheds important light on how cells can resume functioning after nutrient deprivation or other stressors that could otherwise halt growth or threaten survival. Cancer cells, for example, can go dormant during treatment only to awaken months, years or even decades later, allowing the cancer to return.
The findings advance our understanding of a critical biological process that occurs in a vast variety of living organisms, from protozoa to plants and people. The insights could inform the development of new and better treatments not just for cancer but for dangerous drug-resistant fungi, an increasing health threat around the world.
“All living cells need a way to pause and restart when conditions change, such as when nutrients run low or cells experience stress,” said Jomaa, part of UVA Comprehensive Cancer Center. “We’ve identified a key part of that restart switch, something cells use to wake their protein-making machinery after these periods of stress. Because this ‘sleep and wake’ cycle exists across biology, from microbes to humans, it gives us a new way to think about how cells survive tough conditions. In the long term, this could help us find ways to prevent harmful cells, like cancer cells, from reawakening, or to better control recovery from stress and infection.”
Surviving the Toughest Battles
Snorlax is a very large, rotund Pokemon (or “Pocket Monster”) who appears in the long-running video game, anime, movie and trading card mega-franchise. He is known for sleeping all the time, awakening only to eat. That inspired the UVA scientists to name their new discovery in his honor.
The identification of an unknown “factor” that restarts cellular engines known as ribosomes that have gone dormant in a bid to conserve their resources. Ribosomes translate our cells’ genetic instructions into proteins that drive cellular functions, and their reactivation is an essential step in the process of waking up a sleeping cell. This typically occurs when a nutrient source has become available or other cell-threatening stress has passed. In essence, the cell determines it has weathered the storm or survived the famine and that it is safe to resume normal operations.
Working with a team led by Simone Mattei, PhD, at EMBL Heidelberg, the UVA scientists identified a previously unknown factor, which they’ve dubbed SNOR. They were able to do this by using high-tech imaging tools, including cryo-electron tomography and cryogenic electron microscopy. These powerful tools can produce 3-D images of the tiniest cellular structures down to the level of individual atoms.
“By combining imaging directly inside cells with high-resolution structural methods, we were able to see how ribosomes are held in a dormant state and how they are prepared to restart,” said Mattei, team leader at the EMBL Imaging Centre and co-senior investigator of the study. “This allowed us to capture a key transition in the life of the ribosome and visualize how cells preserve their protein-making machinery during stress and then ready it for rapid reactivation when conditions improve.”
The work also involved the group of Kathy Gould, PhD, at Vanderbilt and Heather Feaga, PhD, at Cornell.
While working in yeast, Jomaa and his colleagues have already confirmed SNOR exists in most fungi. The evidence, he says, suggests that it occurs in a wide variety of eukaryotic cells, the type found in plants, animal and people. That makes it an attractive target for developing new treatments for cancer and drug-resistant fungi.
“This is an early step in the restart process, but many details are still missing,” Jomaa said. “Our next goal is to understand how ribosomes are fully reactivated and how this process is controlled under different conditions.”
Better understanding cancer and finding new ways to treat it is a primary mission of UVA Comprehensive Cancer Center, one of only 57 cancer centers in the country to earn the prestigious “comprehensive” designation from the National Cancer Institute. The designation recognizes cancer centers that offer both exceptional cancer care and cutting-edge cancer research programs, including leading-edge clinical trials.
Discovery Suggests How Cancer Takes Hold As Cells Divide UVA Research Advances Efforts to Prevent Developmental Disorders, Cancer in Babies
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., May 19, 2026 – University of Virginia School of Medicine scientists have revealed how mistakes in the final step of cell division can have dire consequences for developing brain cells. The findings offer important new insights into cancer and developmental disorders, helping explain how the body tries to protect itself and what happens when it can’t.
Genes that control the process of cutting the bridge between dividing cells, called “abscission,” have already been linked to both cancer and neurodevelopmental disorders. But until now, scientists have been uncertain exactly what happens when abscission goes wrong in the developing brain. UVA’s new insights will help researchers in their efforts to devise new ways to prevent the harmful effects of abscission mistakes.
“The early brain is a sheet of cells that look like a honeycomb. The cells need to divide rapidly to expand the sheet so they can build a brain of the right size. Every time they divide, there is a thin bridge left between them that needs to be cut,” explained researcher Noelle D. Dwyer, PhD, of UVA’s Department of Cell Biology, the UVA Brain Institute and UVA Comprehensive Cancer Center. “If the cells fail to cut the bridge, they merge back together into one big cell, which normally undergoes cell death. What we show in this paper is that if we prevent the death of these double-size cells, they will try again to divide but fail again and form a giant ‘monster’ cells within the cell sheet, disrupting the honeycomb pattern.”
Dangerous Consequences of Abscission Errors
Cell division is an essential process for all living things. It’s how our bodies form, how we grow, how we reproduce, how we repair damaged tissue. Abscission is the final step in the process, and it’s at that moment that the new cells split apart. During abscission, the last tiny bridge linking the “daughter” cells is severed, and it’s critical that everything goes right.
Dwyer and her team, spearheaded by UVA’s Kaela S. Lettieri, looked at the consequences of abscission mistakes in cells that form the developing brain. Working with lab mice, they found that these mistakes caused dramatic changes in the new cells. Instead of a single nucleus – the cell’s control center – the defective cells had two. The cells’ exterior membranes were enlarged, and the hairlike structures (or “cilia”) that act as cellular antenna were elongated. Further, some cells had two cilia.
The scientists identified a particular protein, called p53, that does cleanup duty in response to abscission mistakes. Our bodies manufacture this protein to detect damaged DNA or abnormal cells, and it causes the faulty cells to self-destruct. When the researchers blocked the p53 protein, the abnormal cells survived, tried and failed again to divide, and became even more faulty with multiple nuclei and multiple cilia, disturbing the regular honeycomb pattern of the sheet of cells. The researchers believe this multiplying mistake may be driving cancer tumors and developmental disorders.
“When we first examined the tissue, the abnormal changes from cells that failed abscission were present, but more subtle, likely due to the abnormal cells undergoing cell death,” said Lettieri, a graduate student in UVA’s cell and developmental biology PhD program. “Therefore, when we blocked cell death and reexamined the tissue, it was striking to observe how much worse the abnormal cells became.”
Based on their results, the UVA scientists conclude that the p53 protein can act as a powerful guardian of the growing brain structure by triggering double-size cells to self-destruct. But they also found that there are alarming effects if it fails – effects that cascade over time. By targeting this process, researchers eventually may be able to create treatments to stop certain cancers in their tracks, or to prevent neurodevelopmental disorders long before birth.
“The developing brain seems to have specialized mechanisms of cell division to make billions of neurons in a short time window, and also a more sensitive p53 response than other organs,” Dwyer said. “If we can figure out how our brains maintain such exquisite control of these processes, this could eventually help us devise treatments or prevention for all sorts of birth defects and cancers.”
Improving our understanding of cancer and finding new ways to treat and prevent it is a primary mission of UVA Comprehensive Cancer Center, one of only 57 cancer centers in the nation to earn the National Cancer Center’s “comprehensive” designation in recognition of their outstanding patient care and cutting-edge cancer research programs.
The UVA Brain Institute, meanwhile, brings together top experts from across the University to improve our understanding of the brain and address key problems in neuroscience for the betterment of people across Virginia and around the world.
Major Heart Study to Improve Care for Dangerous Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy International Effort Reveals How to Identify Patients at Greatest Risk
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., May 12, 2026 – A sweeping international study has identified ways to detect patients who are at serious risk of sudden death, heart failure or other dangerous outcomes from heart thickening known as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. The findings will help save lives while also sparing low-risk patients from unneeded heart implants.
Led by UVA Health cardiologist Christopher M. Kramer, MD, and a co-principal investigator at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom, the study followed almost 2,700 patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) in the United States and Europe for an average of approximately seven years. The researchers found that combining advanced heart imaging with blood test data could improve their ability to determine who is at greatest risk. Existing tools have limited and often unreliable predictive ability, leading to what the researchers call “avoidable deaths” they say their new work can prevent.
“This study identifies MRI markers and a blood test that identifies patients with this disease who are at higher risk of death from heart failure, stroke or sudden death from fast heart rhythms,” said Kramer, chief of the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine at the University of Virginia School of Medicine.
Dangerous Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
HCM is the most common genetic heart disease and the most frequent cause of sudden cardiac death in young people in the United States. It often makes headlines when a young athlete dies abruptly, but the condition can affect people of any age. HCM ultimately strikes at least 1 in 500 people, but perhaps as many as 1 in 200. In addition to sudden death from fast heart rhythms, it can lead to heart failure – the gradual loss of the heart’s ability to pump sufficient blood – and symptoms such as shortness of breath and chest pain.
Kramer’s study results show an important role for cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) in predicting patient outcomes. Using this advanced imaging to analyze patients’ left heart ventricles – the thickest and most muscular chamber of the heart – allowed the researchers to assess the mass of the ventricle, how well it was functioning and the presence of scarring within the heart tissue. They found they could then combine this data with the results of a blood test assessing the levels of a particular peptide to more effectively predict overall patient outcomes. (Peptides are short chains of amino acids that play important roles in our bodies, including serving as the building blocks of proteins.)
Further, the researchers found they could combine the imaging and peptide insights to improve doctors’ ability to identify patients at gravest risk of sudden cardiac death, including among patients whose irregular heartbeats were already treated. This, Kramer says, will improve the care patients receive. “The patients with HCM who are identified early can then receive therapies that can save lives,” he said.
In addition to helping doctors detect those at greatest risk, the study results will benefit patients at lower risk by sparing them from unneeded implantations of cardioverter-defibrillator devices. These battery-powered devices are designed to monitor for irregular heartbeats and restore appropriate heart rhythm when needed. The devices are lifesavers for patients who need them, but the new study results will help doctors better determine which patients will actually benefit.
“This is an important next step to do a better job of identifying HCM patients at high risk,” Kramer said. “This adds to presently used risk markers derived from the patient’s and their family’s prior history.”
UVA Health remains the only hospital in Virginia designated an HCM Center of Excellence by the Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Association. These centers are recognized for providing the highest-quality cardiomyopathy care and performing cutting-edge research to advance our understanding of the condition and develop better ways to treat it. Kramer is a co-director of UVA’s program.
UVA Develops Genetic Research Tool to Speed New Treatments, Benefit More Patients Scientists Create Clever Way to ID Genes Responsible For Diseases
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., April 21, 2026 – University of Virginia School of Medicine scientists have developed a new approach to genetic research that is poised to accelerate the development of treatments for inherited diseases and better tailor treatments to different groups of people.
The new tool developed by the UVA researchers has proved both more efficient and more effective in identifying specific genes responsible for diseases. Identifying these disease-causing genes is a crucial step in developing treatments to block their harmful effects.
UVA’s approach also incorporates data from groups historically underrepresented in genetic research, ensuring that new treatments will benefit people of different races and ethnic backgrounds. This is particularly important for diseases that predominantly affect certain groups, such as how sickle cell anemia predominately strikes people of African heritage.
“Our method improves the detection of genes that are likely to be linked to disease,” said researcher Xiaowei Hu, PhD, part of UVA’s Department of Genome Sciences. “The ultimate benefits of our research to patients are twofold: Our research can aid in finding gene targets for drug discovery and prioritize risk genes for disease prevention.”
A More Sophisticated Approach to Genetic Research
Genetic research can be like looking for a needle in a haystack. Our genomes are vast, containing roughly 20,000 different protein-producing genes, so identifying a gene or handful of genes that drive a particular disease can be extremely difficult. Scientists often identify many different “candidate” genes and then try to narrow down from there. Complicating this already laborious process is the fact that genes can have subtle variations, or “variants,” that differ from person to person.
UVA’s new approach, however, leverages those subtle variations to scientists’ advantage. The UVA team developed three methods that focus on variants already shown to influence the activity of other genes. Individually, each of these three methods had significant limitations, the scientists found. But when the researchers combined them, they found their “omnibus” approach was almost 24% more accurate than the current gold standard.
UVA’s approach is also notable for incorporating data from people from diverse backgrounds. Genetic research has, historically, focused heavily on people of European ancestry, but the UVA team trained its model on almost 1,300 participants from the Trans-Omics for Precision Medicine (TOPMed) Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA), which includes participants of self-reported European, African-American, Hispanic and Asian ancestry recruited within the United States. This initiative looked at atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, and it has provided scientists valuable genetic information from a wide array of groups.
“By including diverse groups of participants in genetic research, we increase the likelihood that the knowledge gained from these studies will provide benefits to a broader group of people. Additionally, research has shown genetic studies that include diverse participants yield great power and precision for gene discovery in each of the included groups compared to those that focus on a single subset alone,” said UVA’s Ani Manichaikul, PhD, the project’s senior scientist. “Currently, the available tools for our genetic research are primarily based on individuals of European ancestry. Our approach built on populations with different genetic backgrounds increases statistical power for gene detection, which allows us to detect gene-disease associations that are too weak to see in some smaller non-European ancestry groups. Furthermore, our approach supports identification of disease genes and biology that is shared across ancestries.”
The researchers hope their new tool will ultimately streamline genetic research, helping us understand genetic diseases more quickly and get new treatments to patients faster. (Accelerating the development of new medicines and treatments is the primary mission of UVA’s new Paul and Diane Manning Institute of Biotechnology.)
“While our work has used gene expression from blood, the proposed methods in this work can be extended naturally to other tissues and other types of molecular data sets as well,” Hu noted. “We hope this work can be extended to other disease-relevant tissues to identify causal genes more accurately for disease, as well as to other types of molecular measurements leading to greater clarity in defining of disease mechanisms.”
“Our long-term hope is that our field expands genomics and genetics resources for populations with different genetic backgrounds,” Manichaikul added. “Genetic research can benefit from these approaches through improved health equity and precision medicine.”
Millions Suffering Needlessly With Curable Hepatitis C Antivirals Going Unprescribed, Facilitating Potentially Deadly Virus’ Spread
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., April 6, 2026 – University of Virginia School of Medicine scientists have used a next-generation form of gene editing to fix the underlying cause of a severe form of epilepsy in lab mice. Their promising results suggest the approach could eventually be used to treat – or cure – severe genetic epilepsies in people as well.
Researchers led by UVA’s Manoj Patel, PhD, used highly precise “base editing” to correct the gene mutation responsible for a severe form of inherited epilepsy known as SCN8A developmental and epileptic encephalopathy (DEE). The condition causes seizures, learning disabilities and movement problems, and it can also trigger sudden death.
“Historically, treatments addressed only the downstream effects of genetic mutations; today, we can correct the mutations themselves, targeting the root cause of disease,” said Patel, part of UVA’s Department of Anesthesiology and the UVA Brain Institute. “Base editing opens the door to the treatment of numerous genetic diseases, not only those associated with epilepsy, and has the potential to significantly improve patients’ quality of life.”
Stopping Epilepsy at the Source
SCN8A-related epilepsy is estimated to affect 1 in 56,000 births – approximately 1% of all epilepsies – though many experts believe the condition is underdiagnosed. A mutation in the SCN8A gene allows too much sodium to flow into neurons in the brain, which causes the nerve cells to become hyperexcited. This leads to seizures which often resist treatment, as well as to physical and mental developmental problems.
Symptoms of SCN8A-related epilepsy typically first appear in early infanthood, but the severity of the condition can vary widely. Severe cases carry a significant risk of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP).
The potential severity of the condition, coupled with the frequent medication-resistance of the seizures, means there is a great need for new and better treatment options. That led Patel and his team to target the underlying cause. They turned to base editing, which allows scientists to alter single nucleotides, the building blocks of genes.
The highly precise nature of base editing allows scientists to avoid unwanted side effects that can come with gene editing. Patel and his team used the approach to correct the mutation in their lab mice and found that it either eliminated or dramatically reduced seizures and increased overall survival. It also improved the mice’s ability to move and reduced anxiety-like behaviors that are used as a proxy for assessing cognitive benefits.
When the scientists examined the mice’s brains, they found concrete changes that suggested their approach had the desired effects: Sodium flow into neurons was reduced, and so was the harmful neuronal hyperexcitability that causes seizures.
“This shows that the devastating impact of the mutation is not permanent – and can be reversed” said Caeley Reever, the lead researcher on the project. “We were able to effectively ‘cure’ mice carrying this specific gene mutation – a mutation that is known to cause epilepsy in some children.”
While much more research will need to be done before the approach could be used as a treatment in people, Patel is encouraged by his team’s findings. The work paves the way not just to treat SCN8A-related epilepsy but other inherited epilepsies, he notes. It also speaks to the great potential of the base-editing technology to battle genetic diseases more generally.
“Our goal is to assess this gene therapy in children with this specific SCN8A variant,” Patel said. “Recent advances in gene therapy offer significant promise for patients with genetic diseases. Instead of addressing only the consequences, these approaches enable direct targeting of the underlying cause – the pathogenic genetic mutation itself – with real potential for a cure.”
Finding new ways to treat and cure the most complex diseases is a primary mission of UVA’s new Paul and Diane Manning Institute of Biotechnology. The institute works hand-in-hand with the UVA Brain Institute to advance our understanding of the brain and accelerate the development of new treatments and medicines for epilepsy, Alzheimer’s disease and other neurological disorders.
Scientists Aim to Improve How We Understand Near-Death Experiences
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., April 16, 2026 – University of Virginia School of Medicine researchers are working to enhance the scientific rigor of research tools to assess near-death experiences – brushes with death that often transform people’s lives.
UVA’s Marieta Pehlivanova, PhD, and Bruce Greyson, MD – working with external colleagues Rense Lange, PhD, and James Houran, PhD – analyzed two scoring scales that are used to evaluate near-death experiences, commonly called NDEs.
The first scale, the 16-item Near-Death Experience Scale (NDE Scale), was developed at UVA in 1983 by Greyson and used extensively in hundreds of studies. The second, the Near-Death Experience Content Scale (NDE-C), was created in 2020 in hopes of addressing limitations of the NDE Scale. The new scale added several items for additional perceptions, adapted the wording of items and changed the response scale.
The new analysis suggests the two scales are comparable, but the older NDE Scale remains the gold standard, Pehlivanova and colleagues conclude. The analysis, however, identifies areas where both scales can be improved.
“We found that both scales measure the same underlying near-death experience construct, but the new items added to the NDE-C did not consistently fit in the hierarchy of perceptions as validated by advanced psychometric analysis,” Pehlivanova said. “Improving our tools to assess near-death experiences accurately and efficiently is important to advance the research, especially in clinical settings.”
Optimizing Near-Death Research Tools
Greyson, a longtime leader in the field of near-death research, developed the NDE Scale to serve as a framework for scientific analysis of experiences that, on their face, seem to defy scientific explanation. Near-death experiencers, for example, often report that their world views are radically changed by the things they saw or experienced while they were clinically dead or in a medical crisis. These brushes with death give many experiencers renewed purpose in life, a desire to serve others and an appreciation for being part of a greater whole. But others can struggle to make sense of the experience, especially if their NDE conflicts with their religious or existential beliefs, personal values or scientific views.
Greyson’s scale has been the benchmark for scientific research into these experiences for decades. But he has been eager to find ways to improve the research tools available, prompting him and his colleagues to do the direct comparison with the newer NDE-C Scale.
To conduct an impartial evaluation, Pehlivanova, Greyson and their colleagues used “Rasch modeling” – a math-based tool widely employed to assess the effectiveness of measurements used in health, psychology and education research. The model was applied to questionnaires from both scales completed by more than 700 near-death experiencers.
The model identified problems in the response categories of both scales. Near-death experiencers often find the experience to be “ineffable” – almost impossible to describe – and the data shows that it may be difficult for them differentiate meaningfully between the intensity of different perceptions as measured by the scales. The newly added items in the NDE-C scale relate to additional perceptions in these experiences (such as the feeling of being dead), but they do not consistently fit in the psychometric model assessed in the study.
“Although both scales can be further refined and additional work needs to be done in assessing near-death experiences, we recommend continued use of the original NDE scale,” the researchers report in a new scientific paper. “This instrument has already been used in hundreds of studies since the 1980s, providing a consistent basis for comparison with new research. Rasch modeling indicates that near-death experience perceptions as measured by this scale form a continuous spectrum, which has now been replicated in two independent samples, strengthening the case for its adoption as a well-established assessment.”
The analysis suggests specific areas for improvement in both scales. Greyson’s, for example, could benefit from improving the response categories, the scientists report. The results, the researchers say, will ultimately enhance how we explore and understand near-death experiences.
“These findings have implications not only for how we assess near-death experiences in research and clinical settings, but also for our theoretical understanding of these experiences,” Pehlivanova said. “An accurate measurement model of near-death experiences can help inform theories of their underlying causes.”
