Morgan DeBlecourt
Blogs by Morgan DeBlecourt
Duke Smoking Cessation Program Helps Woman Quit after Stroke
A stroke was the wake-up call that Jess Phair needed to stop smoking cigarettes. Duke’s Smoking Cessation Program provided a customized approach to help the…
Read Article
Epilepsy Surgery in Infancy Allows Toddler to Walk, Talk, and More
Seven-month-old Lily Twiddy was having up to 30 seizures a day despite taking six different epilepsy medications. Doctors worried that continued seizures could…
Read Article
Can’t Take Statins? There’s Another Choice for Lowering Cholesterol
If you need to lower your cholesterol but cannot take a statin because of muscle aches or other side effects, you may want to try an alternative. New research…
Read Article
If You’re an Adult with Congenital Heart Disease, Specialized Follow-Up Care Can Keep You Healthy
More adults are living with congenital heart disease than ever before thanks to surgical and treatment advances in children. However, despite surgical…
Read Article
Cochlear Implant Helps Woman Reclaim Independence, Security, and More
Natalie Williamson’s hearing loss affected many aspects of her life, leaving her vulnerable and lonely. She couldn’t hear her cell phone ring or her smoke…
Read Article
Duke Clinic Provides Development, Feeding Support to Children with Complex Heart Defects
After undergoing heart surgery, four-month-old Izabel Westmoreland-Liao struggled to eat, even with a supplemental feeding tube. Nothing her parents tried…
Read Article
HIFU for Essential Tremor Reduces Shaking
If you’ve been diagnosed with essential tremor and medication is not doing enough to control your involuntary shaking, high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU…
Read Article
Minimally Invasive Procedure Corrects Vein of Galen Malformation
During a routine ultrasound, Amanda Brown, age 29, learned her unborn baby had a rare brain abnormality called a vein of Galen malformation, which can cause…
Read Article
Diabetes in South Asian People: What You Need to Know
If you or your relatives are from India or another South Asian country, you’re at greater risk for diabetes than people from other ethnic backgrounds. In fact…
Read Article
Duke Experts Perform Successful Brain Surgery for Moyamoya
As a college student in Greenville, SC, Marcie O’Neill began experiencing headaches, vision changes, numbness, and speech problems. After a trip to her local…
Read Article
Learning the Cause of a Loved One’s Sudden Death Can Protect You and Your Family
When a relative -- especially a young one -- dies suddenly and without warning, learning the cause of death is important because it may help save the surviving…
Read Article
Awake Surgery for Endovascular Brain Aneurysm Repair Lowers Risks, Speeds Recovery
After being diagnosed with an unruptured brain aneurysm in fall 2021, Bridget Esposito learned she needed brain surgery to prevent a life-threatening rupture.…
Read Article