Boston Medical Center

In April 2025, Stanley Maddox was at home eating takeout chicken wings when he suddenly felt like he needed to bring the food back up. At first, he thought the chicken had gone bad, but when it happened again a few days later, his wife of 52 years, Yvonne, insisted he get checked out at Boston Medical Center.

At the appointment, Stanley had an upper endoscopy, where the doctor inserts a tiny camera through the mouth to examine the esophagus, stomach, and small intestine. He and Yvonne returned a week later for a follow-up. “When the doctor came into the room, I knew something was wrong... She told me there was a mass in my esophagus. After that point, everything started going pretty fast.”

Although Stanley had successfully beaten prostate cancer a decade earlier with treatment at BMC, an esophageal cancer diagnosis felt much more frightening. But the care team moved quickly, connecting him with Chief of Thoracic Surgery, Dr. Chris Digesu.

“Even though I was probably at my lowest point after finding out I had esophageal cancer, Dr. Digesu made me feel really relaxed,” he says.

After eight weeks of chemotherapy at Boston Medical Center - Brighton, Stanley underwent a robotic esophagectomy led by Dr. Digesu and thoracic surgeon Dr. Michael O’Connor to remove his esophagus and reconstruct his digestive system using minimally invasive techniques. Following an eight-day hospital stay, he completed another eight weeks of chemotherapy to reduce the risk of recurrence.

Today, Stanley continues follow-up care with Dr. Digesu and oncologist Dr. Olga Kozyreva.

This , Stanley has some advice for others facing a cancer diagnosis: “There's always a little light at the end of the tunnel. You just kind of have a positive attitude and keep praying.” Get the full story: https://bit.ly/4vr3eyu

On Mental Health Month, we're resharing Lianne Csiceck's story about regaining confidence in her daily life and how BMC is working to improve access to PTSD care.

For Lianne, PTSD was not even a possibility in her mind but ongoing anxiety and emotional stress after an injury eventually led her primary care provider to refer her to a BMC research study on PTSD.

Now a new study is building on previous research (including the project that Lianne participated in) and examining whether a stepped-care model, which coordinates primary care and specialty mental health services, can help close longstanding gaps in PTSD treatment.

Read more: https://bit.ly/4ccxzZR

Patient Story: Lianne’s Experience Helps Shape a New Model for PTSD Care Having received treatment for the PTSD she experienced after a severe injury, Lianne is again able to enjoy traveling with her family.

As GLP-1 use becomes more common, many people still feel caught between needing to lose weight and facing judgment for using medication to help them do it.

Dr. Eric Nolen-Doerr, endocrinologist and weight management specialist at BMC, spoke with Health about the importance of recognizing that obesity is a chronic disease. Better education, normalization, and support could help more people feel comfortable seeking care, staying on treatment, and maintaining their long-term health.

Learn more: https://bit.ly/4wTrkU9

GLP-1 Use Is Mainstream, But Many People Still Feel Ashamed to Talk About It A new survey from Health found that many GLP-1 users still face stigma and judgment, even as the drugs become more common and widely accepted.