News

Winnetka Talk – Shout Out: Ken Jones, Digestive Health Foundation Board Member

Ken Jones has lived in Winnetka since the fall of 2003. He is a board member of the Digestive Health Foundation at Northwestern Memorial Hospital and is married to his wife, Sally. They have three children, Brantner, 27, Stephen, 25 and Sarah, 21. Two of his children have Crohn’s Disease.

Art Opening: Abstraction in Color

Acrylic & Mixed Media by Lee Oberlander
Sculpture by David Gista Exhibition: Sept. 16th – Oct. 28th | M-F (10 AM -5 PM)
Opening Reception Thursday, September 26th | 6-10 PM
The Gallery @ A+ C Architects 4840 Main St. | Skokie, IL Contact: 847-829-0801
25% of all sales will benefit the Digestive Health Foundation

Oshi Health: 5 Tricks to Stick with Your Biologic Treatment Schedule featuring DHC physican Dr. Stephen B. Hanauer

When you have inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), following your treatment plan is one of the most important things you can do to achieve and maintain remission. And once you’re in remission, keeping up with your treatment regimen can help you control inflammation and prevent future flares; and ensure the medication maintains its effectiveness. Finding the right medication for you—one that you can keep up with long-term—is the first step. “Go through shared decision making with your doctor to discuss your treatment options,” says Stephen B. Hanauer, MD, professor of medicine and director of the digestive health center at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago.

Ohsi Health: Skipping your Meds Doesn’t Matter and other Myths to Stop Believing featuring DHC physican Dr. Stephen B. Hanauer

Biologics are a newer class of drugs for treating inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and—as with any medication—if you’re prescribed a biologic, it’s important to stick with it. “Biologics are foreign proteins, and when levels of biologics get low, two bad things can happen: One, is that the disease comes back; two, is that your body develops antibodies to help it make the medication less effective or ineffective,” says Stephen B. Hanauer, MD, professor of medicine and director of the digestive health center at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago. “So it’s very important to stay on schedule with biologic therapies to prevent them from losing response.”

Oshi Health: 7 Biologic Medication Mistakes You Should Never Make featuring DHC physician Dr. Stephen B. Hanauer

Inflammatory bowel disease, or IBD, is a term that describes both Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis—two chronic conditions that affect your gastrointestinal tract. If left untreated, you may experience frequent symptom flare ups, irreversible bowel damage, and a host of related health complications. The good news? With today’s treatment landscape, IBD can be successfully treated, and most people with the condition can even achieve remission. Not sticking with your biologic treatment regimen exactly as directed can put you at risk of flares, or tamper with the effectiveness of the medication. “My usual saying is always early, never late—you can take a treatment early, but you can’t miss a treatment or take it late,” says Stephen B. Hanauer, MD, professor of medicine and director of the digestive health center at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago.

Northbrook Star: Shout Out: Sharon Oberlander, a founding board member of the Digestive Health Foundation

Sharon Oberlander is a founding board member and secretary for the Digestive Health Foundation, which started in 2015 and supports research for various diseases and conditions affecting the digestive tract. Oberlander has worked as a financial advisor for more than 40 years. She received a bachelor’s degree in sociology and psychology from the University of Manitoba in Canada. She has been married to her husband, Lee, for more than 40 years and they have two children and one grandson.

Fox News: Woman’s chest pain diagnosed as ‘spiraling esophagus’: What’s that featuring DHC physician Dr. John Pandolfino

An elderly Swiss woman suffering from severe chest pains was diagnosed with a “spiraling” esophagus, according to a Live Science report. What exactly does that mean? Believe it or not, the 87-year-old’s esophagus literally squeezed itself into a shape that resembled a spiraling staircase. According to the report, the woman realized a problem when she began having painful spasms after eating food. Live Science explains how this interesting phenomenon occurs: Dr. John Pandolfino, a gastroenterologist at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, said the spiraling shape happens when the muscles of the esophagus tighten all at the same time. Normally, these muscles would contract in groups, pushing the food down toward the stomach. However, contracting all at once bends the esophagus into an abnormal shape.

Men’s Health: How Long Does It Actually Take to Get Food Poisoning From a Sketchy Meal fearturing DHC physician Dr. John Pandolfino

When food poisoning hits, you basically need to camp out by the toilet. Stray too far, and, well, you might be sorry. Food poisoning occurs when you eat contaminated food, which can result in a whole host of gastrointestinal symptoms. The signs and symptoms are usually abdominal cramps, nausea with or without vomiting, and diarrhea,” says John Pandolfino, M.D., chief of gastroenterology and hepatology at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.

The Glencoe Anchor: Glencoe residents help run Digestive Health Foundation Gala

The 2019 Digestive Health Foundation Gala: Celebrating the Power of Family raised more than $2.47 million for medical research at the Northwestern Medicine Digestive Health Center to improve quality of life for digestive disease patients and their families.

The Northbrook Tower: Digestive Health Foundation Gala Raises $2.4M

The 2019 Digestive Health Foundation Gala, titled “Celebrating the Power of Family,” raised more than $2.47 million for medical research at the Northwestern Medicine Digestive Health Center to improve quality of life for digestive disease patients and their families. Emceed by actress Bonnie Hunt and attended by more than 600 supporters, the June 8 event at the Four Seasons Hotel Chicago brought the amount raised by DHF since its inception in 2015 to over $11 million.

Candid Candace: Digestive Health Foundation Gala: Celebrating the Power of Family Raised $2.47 Million

The Digestive Health Foundation Gala: Celebrating the Power of Family was held on June 8 at the Four Seasons with 600 supporters. Emceed by beloved actress Bonnie Hunt, the event raised more than $2.47 million for medical research at the Northwestern Medicine Digestive Health Center to improve quality of life for digestive disease patients and their families. Highlights of the evening included moving testimonials from families affected by hereditary digestive disorders and the launch of the new Deborah and Martin Elrad Research Fund for Hereditary Digestive Diseases.

Better Makers: $2.47 Million Raised at 2019 Digestive Health Foundation Gala

The 2019 Digestive Health Foundation Gala: Celebrating the Power of Family raised $2.47 million for medical research at the Northwestern Medicine Digestive Health Center to improve quality of life for digestive disease patients and their families. Emceed by actress Bonnie Hunt and attended by more than 600 supporters, the June 8 event at the Four Seasons Hotel Chicago brought the amount raised by DHF since its inception in 2015 to more than $11 million.

Daily North Shore: Celebrating the Power of Family at the Digestive Health Foundation Gala

The Digestive Health Foundation hosted its gala, Celebrating the Power of Family, at the Four Seasons Hotel in Chicago. The event was wildly successful, raising more than $2.47 million for medical research at the Northwestern Medicine Digestive Health Center to improve the quality of life for digestive disease patients and their families. More than 600 supporters attended the June 8 event emceed by actress Bonnie Hunt. Guests enjoyed an evening full of cocktails, dinner, dancing, a live auction, and special entertainment. Since its inception in 2015, DHF has raised $11 million.

The Wilmette Beacon: $2.47M Raised at Digestive Health Foundation Gala

The 2019 Digestive Health Foundation Gala: Celebrating the Power of Family raised more than $2.47 million for medical research at the Northwestern Medicine Digestive Health Center to improve quality of life for digestive disease patients and their families. Many North Shore residents were in attendance. Emceed by actress Bonnie Hunt and attended by more than 600 supporters, the June 8 event at the Four Seasons Hotel Chicago brought the amount raised by DHF since its inception in 2015 to over $11 million.

U.S. News: Best Over-the Counter Products for Digestive Problems featuring DHC physician Dr. John E. Pandolfino

Constipation is common and can be caused by a lack of liquid in the GI tract or a diet insufficient in fiber, says Dr. John Pandolfino, chief of gastroenterology at Northwestern Medicine in Chicago. “For constipation, MiraLAX is our first-line treatment,” he says. “It’s very effective, it’s safe and just a very gentle kind of laxative.” Pandolfino cautions that if you’re also experiencing bloody stools, rectal bleeding or unexplained dramatic changes in bowel habits, you should contact your health care provider. Often, though, bouts of constipation can be managed with OTC products, he says.

WTTW: Chicago Tonight – Marijuana is a Psychoactive Drug. But is it Really a Medicine featuring DHC physician Dr. Stephen B. Hanauer

Marijuana laws are changing rapidly, but as of now, adults can use it recreationally in just 10 states. That number more than triples when it comes to medical marijuana, which is legal in 33 states. So which is it: A pleasure drug or a pharmaceutical one? And what difference does that make when it comes to regulating cannabis? Dr. Stephen Hanauer, the medical director of Northwestern Medicine’s digestive health center is about a year into a study, funded by the Digestive Health Foundation, that’s comparing Crohn’s disease patients’ personal evaluations of how they’re feeling with blood and stool samples that can detect intestinal inflammation. The study won’t be compete for another six months, but Hanauer has a hypothesis.“My suspicion, is that it makes the patient feel better, but it doesn’t really change the disease activity,” Hanauer said.

Chicago Sun Times: Fatty liver disease hitting Latino children like a ‘silent tsunami’ featuring DHC physician Dr. Lisa Vanwagner

Recent research shows about 1 in 4 people in the U.S. have fatty liver disease. But among Latinos, especially of Mexican and Central American descent, the rate is significantly higher. Dr. Lisa VanWagner, a hepatologist in Northwestern Medicine’s Digestive Health Center and co-director of the Northwestern Fatty Liver program, said the hospital has seen children who require liver transplants as a result of the disease. And though a promising drug to treat fatty liver disease could be available to adults in the next year, no such research is being done for children, VanWagner said. Instead, the children’s plight should be treated as a public health crisis, she said.

Becker’s GI & Endoscopy: 11 GI leaders to know in March featuring DHC physician Dr. Raj Keswani

Rajesh N. Keswani, MD, is Chicago-based Northwestern Medicine Digestive Health Center’s medical director of quality. Dr. Keswani serves on American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, American Gastroenterological Association and National Comprehensive Cancer Network committees.

NBC News with Harmon Shay featuring DHC physican Dr. Rajesh Keswani

Rajesh Keswani, MD, medical director of quality and gastroenterologist at Northwestern Medicine, interviews on NBC News Radio sharing his insights on colon cancer risk factors, symptoms, and treatment options.

Digestive Health Center Press Conference – Colon Cancer Awareness Month

Chicago Blackhawks announcer and former player, Eddie Olczyk, on his experience overcoming colorectal cancer and why it’s so important to get screened. Digestive Heath Foundation participants included: Sharon Oberlander, DHF Board Member and Secretary, Dr. Stephen Hanauer and Dr. Scott Strong, Science Advisory Council, DHF, Dr. Rajesh Keswani, DHF Grant Recipient, and Dr. Michael Ruchim, DHF Board Member.

Thank you, and welcome!