Cara Gillotti
Blogs by Cara Gillotti
Duke Team Performs Successful Lung Transplant on Woman Rejected Elsewhere
Mayra Grandio was 73 when she learned that she needed a lung transplant. After the transplant center near her home in Miami turned her away, Grandio went to…
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Giving Back Following Liver Transplant at Duke
Emily DePetris was diagnosed with liver disease over a decade ago. In 2024, she underwent a liver transplant at Duke Health and is amazed at how good she feels…
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Revision Total Ankle Replacement Lets NC Man Walk Without Pain
In 2014, Mickey Whyte of Siler City had both ankles replaced. Fast forward eight years, and the pain in his left ankle was so intense that he was having…
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Early Detection Finds Curable Cancer in Non-Smoker
Kathryn Mathews was concerned about lung cancer after she lost her mother to the disease 20 years ago. A CT scan to detect signs of heart disease found a…
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NC Woman Wins Kayaking Competition After Reverse Shoulder Replacement Surgery
A year after a reverse shoulder replacement, Vicki Reynolds won a kayaking competition. She has her doctor to thank, and a word of encouragement for people…
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Joint Health Program Helps NC Man Get Back to Activities He Enjoys
Arthritic hip pain was getting in the way of Jeff Peeler’s ability to do the exercise he enjoys. Duke’s Joint Health Program allowed him not only to get back…
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Groundbreaking Gene Therapy Halts Progressive Eye Disease in Apex Woman
Yvette Crawley, 71, was steadily losing her vision due to a rare, progressive eye disease. For years, no treatment was available. In October 2025, she came to…
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Facial Plastic Surgery After Skin Cancer Yields Impressive Results
Over the course of a year, Charles Stanley, 77, had skin cancer three times near his eye, where it is tricky to remove, and even more difficult to reconstruct…
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Should You Get a Calcium Score Test?
A calcium score test -- also called CT cardiac scoring -- can predict your risk for heart disease, but not everyone needs one. Here, Duke cardiothoracic…
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Surgery for Detached Retina Restores Vision for Tennessee Man
In October 2024, severe changes in vision sent Don Johnson, 70, to the Duke Eye Center, where he was diagnosed with a detached retina. Following a surgical…
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Achilles Tendon Surgery at Duke Leaves Woman Stronger than Before
Penny Pope, 65, is an exceptionally fit woman, exercising five or six days per week. Following surgery at Duke Health to fix an Achilles tendon that ruptured…
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Hairline Fractures: What You Need to Know
A hairline fracture, also known as a stress fracture, is a small crack in a bone. They most often appear in the legs or feet and are usually caused by a change…
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