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Diabetes can weaken the immune system’s ability to fight infection, putting people with the disease at risk of serious complications from COVID-19. However, by paying extra attention to diabetes management and nutrition habits, many people with diabetes who do get the virus can avoid or manage serious complications.

In 2007, Diane Bishop arrived at her local hospital with an aortic dissection, a tear in the inner layer of the aorta, and a less than 1 percent chance of survival. The small but life-threatening tear was not only a physical wound but an emotional one as well.

Alan Spriggs, program manager of Authorization Development with Legacy of Hope, Alabama’s organ procurement organization, approached the Parsons family with this rare opportunity to be a part of something that could change the course of many lives. Parsons’ accident occurred in Montgomery, Alabama; but O’Hara had already made her way to Huntsville to be with their children and family when Spriggs connected with her on the phone. Spriggs asked if she would be open to talking to Locke about a potential study.

The University of Alabama at Birmingham Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine announces today the first peer-reviewed research outlining the successful transplant of genetically modified, clinical-grade pig kidneys into a brain-dead human individual, replacing the recipient’s native kidneys. These positive results demonstrate how xenotransplantation could address the worldwide organ shortage crisis.

Teenagers experience many milestones as they transition to adulthood. There are dating and proms, learners permits and drivers licenses, first jobs and checking accounts. But one milestone that is often missed is the transition from pediatric care to adult health care.

Drinking alcohol can easily become a habit. A cocktail after work. A glass of wine with dinner. A few beers while watching the game. The new year is an excellent time to rethink that habit. Dry January – 31 days of sobriety – gives you the opportunity to experiment. You can quickly discover what happens to your body, mind, and spirit when alcohol is out of the picture.

When the days become shorter and the weather gets colder, many people experience sadness, fatigue, and a lack of interest in daily life. Those feelings could be nothing more than “holiday blues” or exhaustion.

Have you resolved to make this the year to improve your cardiovascular health, but you aren’t sure where to start? Our heart-healthy bingo card makes it easy to break down your goal into actionable steps, tackle them one at a time, and track your progress.

James K. Kirklin, M.D., director of the James and John Kirklin Institute for Research in Surgical Outcomes, has been named an inaugural recipient of the Pediatric Heart Transplant Society Lifetime Achievement Award. As director of KIRSO, Kirklin oversees data collection and analyses for the PHTS registry, which is performed at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Each year, UAB Spain Rehabilitation Center (SRC) selects a patient for the Ambassador of Hope Award. This special honor goes to a disabled individual whose courage and determination inspire hope in others facing the challenges of disability. Jay Fassbender is the 2021 recipient of the award. His story concerns his struggle with the rapid onset of a rare muscular condition.

Happy Holidays from UAB Medicine. Enjoy some of our physicians, nurses, and staff reading UAB Medicine’s adaptation of ‘The Night Before Christmas.’

The University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Cardiovascular Institute has received two awards from the American Heart Association. UAB Hospital’s Heart Failure program won the Get With The Guidelines® – Heart Failure Gold with Honor Roll Quality Achievement Award for its commitment to quality management of heart failure in patients, and UAB Hospital’s STEMI program won the Mission: Lifeline STEMI Receiving Center Silver Plus award for its implementation of quality care for severe heart attack patients.