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Raleigh Campus Blogs
Emergency
"My Daughter Recognized My Stroke Symptoms. It Saved My Life."
Holly Springs residents, Grant Jacobs and his wife, welcomed their daughter and her fiancé who were in t...
Raleigh Campus
39 and Fighting: Yamicka Brown's Battle Back From Stroke
Stroke can happen any moment at any age to anyone. For 39-year-old, energetic and physically active Yamic...
Children's
A Chest Wall Success Story: Summer Pope's Amazing Return to Sports
Summer has always been athletic. She loves to stay active and participate in sports, including gymnastics...
Raleigh Campus
A Day in the Life of a Chaplain
I always park in the same spot. This is due to either my love for routine and ritual OR a deep pathology around control over chaos. I suppose it’s most likely a little of both. Nevertheless, I pull into my usual spot overlooking trees and construction, take a deep breath, gather my things and walk […]
Children's
A Healing Journey at WakeMed Children's
Twice a week, Jack Montgomery drives himself to WakeMed for outpatient therapy. He’s pretty proud of that because not that long ago, there was a lot of uncertainty about his future mobility and independence after a frightening car accident in June 2021 left him with a spinal cord injury, concussion and broken clavicle. It was […]
Raleigh Campus
A History of Outstanding Cardiovascular Care
WakeMed has long been a leader in cardiovascular care. Below, Dr. Helton recalls some of this rich history. 50+ Years of Heart Surgery WakeMed began its esteemed tradition of providing high-quality and highly advanced heart care during WakeMed’s first decade. The first open-heart surgery was performed at WakeMed (then known as Wake Memorial) on March 2, […]
Stories
A Legacy of Heartfelt Care: Dr Jimmy Locklear's Dedicated Service Through the Years
Jimmy Locklear, MD, FACC, launched his medical career in 1985 and has since been a beacon for compassionate patient care. Board certified in internal medicine and cardiovascular diseases, Dr. Locklear has been a part of the Medical Staff at WakeMed his entire career. He joined WakeMed Heart & Vascular full-time after more than two decades […]
Children's
A Screening that Saved Sibling Hearts
On February 22, 2024, Dekeita Stinson was teeter-tottering about whether or not to take her four sons to ...
Heart & Vascular
A Valentine's Heart Emergency: Gregory Brown's Story
Cardiac emergencies don't always start with a dramatic, movie-style chest clutch. They can start quietly....
Emergency
Aging in Place: Al Urzi and Sarah Susanka on Life after Stroke
According to the Stroke Foundation, "Fifteen million people worldwide are affected by stroke. Of those, a...
Emergency
Amputation after a Cat Bite: Tom Keck's Story
After retirement, Tom Keck became a hobby craftsman, making upgrades and repairs around his home. In 2017, while working on a home project, Tom fell off his ladder. Unfortunately, the fall was severe, resulting in several crushed ribs that impacted his spleen. He had to have his spleen removed. The years went by, and Tom […]
Pregnancy
Baby Rori's 101 Days in the NICU
"This morning, I sit in the living room, watching our almost-one-year-old daughter pick up lettered block...
Children's
Baby Teddy's PICU Story
Molly’s grandmother has always held a special place in her heart. She recalls wonderful summers spent with her grandmother, siblings and cousins shopping, eating candy and reading good books. “My grandmother was always the life of any family gathering, and she was also someone I could talk to about anything and everything.” Fast forward years […]
Children's
Ben Goodrich: Emergency Pectus Excavatum Repair after Cardiac Arrest at 25
By four years of age, Ben Goodrich had a very obvious sunken chest. His grandfather had the same issue, s...
Heart & Vascular
Bob Short: Hope for the Heart — Thanks to WakeMed
From March through April of 2025, Bob Short noticed a significant drop in his energy and stamina. Initial...
Fitness
Cardiac recovery: Going beyond cardiac rehab with WakeMed’s Safeway to Fitness
Embarking on a fitness journey doesn't have to be a grueling, punishing experience. Instead, think of it ...
Physical Therapy
Connecting Hearts with Volunteer John Boggess
In 1979 at the age of 37, John Boggess experienced excruciating chest pain while watching a Sunday football game. Alarmed, he went to the emergency department in his local area. As the care team was connecting the electrocardiogram electrodes to his chest, John had a heart attack on the table and fell unconscious. Waking Up […]
Children's
Defying the Odds: Baby Oliver's 130 Days in the NICU
Maddie and her husband, Craig, were elated to learn they were pregnant with their first child. At around ...
Children's
Deputized as an Honorary Officer Kaydens Story
Ten-year-old Kayden Sykes loves a thrill, and one of his greatest is riding his four-wheeler. On August 13, 2022, Kayden was doing a little joy riding when he was hit by an oncoming vehicle entering his neighborhood. Kayden’s left leg was crushed by the car and his all-terrain vehicle (ATV). Almost immediately, he began to […]
Emergency
Disaster Preparedness the Wake Way
From tornadoes, hurricanes, floods and fires — disasters can strike quickly and without warning. Katrin...
Emergency
Falls on the Rise Among Adults 65+: Here's Why and What You Can Do
According to the CDC, fall death rates among adults age 65 and older increased about 41% from 2012 to 2021. From 2021-2022, in the WakeMed Trauma units at Raleigh Campus and Cary Hospital, the upward trend in falls has also been evidenced — with a 8% increase in falls-related trauma among patients 65+. Fall prevention is critically important as […]
Emergency
Firefighter Rescue: Trey Byrd's Story
Trey Byrd has always loved working with his hands. Having grown up on a farm, he’s never been afraid of hands-on, hard work. Fast forward to his high school graduation, Trey was ready to find a career path that would offer him fulfillment and a chance to be out and about and up and moving. […]
Cary Hospital
Follow the Blanket Through the Beauty of Volunteer Services
A study published in the Journal of Happiness Studies found that people who volunteer are happier than those who do not. There is something about spreading joy to others that sends an overflow of feel-good endorphins right back to the volunteer. A Day In the Life of a Friendly Face Volunteer Friendly Face is a […]
Surgery
From Breech Baby Battles to Postpartum Health Crises: Cameron Bass' Labor & Delivery Story
Experiencing pregnancy for the first time is a unique and transformative experience. The anticipation and...