Morgan DeBlecourt
Blogs by Morgan DeBlecourt
Sports Performance Coach Takes the Lead Against Sarcoidosis Thanks to Expert Care at Duke
In Fall 2019, William Stephens learned he had cardiac sarcoidosis, a rare autoimmune disease that causes inflammation in the heart. A team of Duke doctors…
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Young Man Gets Driver’s License After Epilepsy Surgery Eliminates Seizures
Hampstead, NC native Harvey Squires was diagnosed with epilepsy at 14 years old. As his seizures worsened, Harvey’s parents sought care for him from doctors…
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New Dad Gets Heart and Liver Transplants at Duke
Despite being young and active, Stefan Rucker felt sluggish and weak in his early forties. In October 2020, the 16-year veteran police detective was diagnosed…
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Domino Heart Transplant Offers New Opportunities for Children with Congenital Heart Disease
When three-month-old Asher Hobby needed a heart transplant, his parents eagerly agreed to help to save another life at the same time. In June 2023 at Duke…
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Hemispherectomy Cures Epilepsy in Young Girl, Now Thriving
Ela Allam was diagnosed with epilepsy at age three and started taking anti-seizure medications. As Ela grew, her seizures became more frequent and more…
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Expert Diagnosis Helps College Professor Overcome Debilitating Dizziness
Severe vertigo forced 60-year-old Beth Huber to stop driving, start walking with a cane, and take medical leave from her professorship. When treatments failed…
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Man Keeps His Voice After Partial Laryngectomy Treats Laryngeal Cancer
Dale Jessup, 71, was diagnosed with voice box cancer (also known as laryngeal cancer) in late 2017. Despite radiation treatment, Jessup’s cancer returned in…
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HIFU Nearly Eliminates Essential Tremors in NC Man
David Phillips of Hope Mills, NC has had essential tremors in both hands for more than a decade. The tremors worsened over time until the 72-year-old…
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Pregnancy and Multiple Sclerosis: What You Need to Know
Women are three to four times more likely than men to develop multiple sclerosis (MS)1, a chronic autoimmune disease that affects the brain and spinal cord.…
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Chiari Malformation Symptoms Improve After Minimally Invasive Brain Surgery at Duke
Kendra Gerlach was used to chronic headaches; she’d had them since childhood. In May 2022, the 50-year-old, Richmond, VA resident experienced a headache so…
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New Alzheimer’s Medications Available at Duke
Two new drugs have been approved by the FDA to slow the progression of Alzheimer’s in some people in the early stages of the disease. Are these drugs right for…
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Early Hearing Aid Helps Toddler Meet Communication Milestones
Holly VanHorn was surprised to learn her newborn daughter Nessa needed a hearing aid. As an audiologist at Duke Health, VanHorn has been helping kids with…
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