News

Andrea Blizzard, RN, MSN, never thought she would end up working in the same type of unit where she began her life, but today she says she can’t imagine being anywhere else.

In fall 2025, two speech-language pathologists in the UAB Voice Center received Distinguished Early Career Professional (ECP) Certificates from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA).

The UAB Orthopaedic Optimization Clinic was created to improve surgical outcomes for patients with complex medical needs by proactively addressing modifiable risk factors before surgery.

Caregivers play a vital role in senior health, from managing medications and preventing falls to monitoring mental health and handling emergencies. At the UAB Medicine, there are resources to help caregivers effectively support the health and well-being of older adults.

At the major league level, a pitcher’s arm can be worth tens of millions of dollars. Players, teams and Major League Baseball itself all have a vested interest in reducing season- and potentially career-ending arm injuries. Yet, according to a 2024 report by the league, tears to the ulnar collateral ligament, or UCL, have never been higher. In that report, the unprecedented speeds of today’s pitches, and their jaw-dropping spin and movement, are directly correlated with injury risk — specifically, risk for needing UCL reconstruction, the surgery made famous in 1974 by the Dodgers star Tommy John.

When it comes to finding the right wheelchair, no two patients are the same. Their needs can vary greatly depending on their condition, abilities, and lifestyle. And given the level of customization and technology available today, the options are virtually endless.

UAB Medicine leads the way in health care that improves and saves lives – sometimes in ways you can touch, hold, and burp. In the UAB Regional Newborn Intensive Care Unit (RNICU), some premature babies owe their future to an innovative program born here called Golden Week. November marks the 10th anniversary of Golden Week, as well as being Prematurity Awareness Month.

Being able to drive means freedom for many people, but that ability may be limited after certain injuries or medical conditions. The Driving and Community Mobility Program at UAB Spain Rehabilitation Center was created to address this. For patients affected by physical, sensory, or mental processing impairments, the program can improve their quality of life by helping them safely regain as much independence as possible.

We would like to congratulate the recipients of the 2025 UAB Medicine Excellence Awards, the highest honor available for staff.

UAB Spain Rehabilitation Center (SRC) is a leading provider of physical medicine and rehabilitation services. Teams of specialists use innovative therapies to deliver the highest levels of inpatient and outpatient care to those with an injury or disability, with the goal of improving long-term function and quality of life.

The Post-Rehab Transitions Program (PRTP) began in January 2025 at UAB Spain Rehabilitation Center. Funded through UAB’s Forging Ahead strategic investment initiative, the program extends outpatient rehab care to those who’ve been discharged from Spain Rehabilitation Center (SRC) following a traumatic spinal cord injury.

Most people hear “colorectal cancer” and think of it as a single condition. But in practice, colon cancer and rectal cancer are treated differently. Rectal cancer tends to be more complex and usually requires advanced imaging and surgery, as well as chemotherapy and radiation.