Barnes-Jewish Hospital

Stabbing, sharp, and shooting pain in her back and hips had become Debbi's everyday reality. She was only 51, but for nearly two decades, pain had kept her from doing the things she loved—running, tending to her garden, and caring for her chickens.

"It was really miserable," she says. "I couldn't do any of that because I was in too much pain."

Debbi didn’t know it, but her pain was due to a cyst on her spine pressing into a nerve, and a bulging disk was only making things worse. When the pain finally became too severe to live with, a referral to John Ogunlade, DO, a WashU Medicine neurosurgeon specializing in spine care at Barnes-Jewish West County Hospital, changed everything.

Dr. Ogunlade recommended an endoscopic decompression—an ultra-minimally invasive procedure that uses a tiny camera and specialized instruments to decompress nerves through a 7-millimeter "pinhole" incision, without disturbing healthy tissue.

"When he told me how minimally invasive it was, that blew my mind," Debbi remembers.

The results were immediate. By the time she was home that same evening, the pain was gone—no painkillers, no hot pack, no cold pack.

"Dr. Ogunlade gave me my life back," she says. "He really saved me."

Today, Debbi is doing everything she couldn't do for years, with zero pain.

Read Debbi's story to see how our advanced spine program is helping patients return to the lives they love: https://heyor.ca/UbbbZ5

Congratulations to Kimberly Danchus, MSN, who has been honored by St. Louis Magazine with a 2026 Excellence in Nursing Award for Intensive Care. Kimberly also earned the distinction of a Perfect Score Award, meaning every member of the selection committee gave her a flawless evaluation.

Kimberly didn’t originally set out to become a nurse, but over the past three decades since finding her calling, she has built a remarkable career in emergency and critical care. She has guided patients and families through some of life’s hardest moments and has become a trusted leader for the teams around her.

Kimberly brings a deeply personal philosophy to patient care: “Something you do could impact a patient or family for the rest of their lives. Ask yourself, if this were my family member, is this how I would expect their care to look and feel?”

That same standard also shapes how she works with the people around her. Kimberly makes a point of connecting with every layer of the care team—from transporters to pharmacy techs to environmental services team members—because she knows every member of the team helps make great care possible. That same thoughtfulness shows up in the way she encourages newer nurses, too: “Never forget the journey it took to get where you are today. And don’t ever be afraid to ask questions. Speak up.”

Thank you, Kimberly, and all our nurses, for the skill, compassion, and leadership you bring to patients and team members across BJC HealthCare every day. 💙

For many patients with ankle arthritis, the pain isn’t the only issue—it limits how they go about their everyday lives. At Barnes‑Jewish Hospital, WashU Medicine Physicians are using advances in total ankle replacement to help patients get their mobility back.

“For the right patient, ankle replacement can reduce pain and restore more comfortable, confident walking,” says Kelly Hynes, MD, a WashU Medicine orthopedic surgeon. Her program performs more of these surgeries than any other in the region.

Today's advanced imaging and computer models allow surgeons to customize each surgery based on the patient’s anatomy—aligning the implant for a better fit.

“That level of planning helps the ankle move more naturally and reduces the chance of needing another surgery later,” Dr. Hynes says.

After surgery, patients can return to activities they once thought were out of reach—like traveling, spending time outdoors, and staying active throughout the day.

Learn more about how advances in total ankle replacement are helping patients get back on their feet: https://heyor.ca/tqykwa

After multiple strokes, Crystal was told she had likely reached the limit of her recovery. She refused to let that be the end of her story.

“Somebody had to help me do everything,” she says.

Her right arm and hand lost strength and dexterity. Her balance was affected. Even her speech became less fluid. For years, she pushed forward through therapy, doing everything she could to regain strength and mobility. But like many stroke survivors, her progress eventually slowed.

Still, Crystal never gave up. When her physicians at Barnes-Jewish Hospital offered a new approach, she was eager to try.

WashU Medicine specialists use advanced neurorehabilitation technologies—including vagus nerve stimulation paired with intensive rehabilitation, and IpsiHand®, a brain-computer interface therapy—to help rewrite what recovery can look like for chronic stroke survivors.

“When we combine this therapy with targeted rehab, it allows patients to move beyond what was once considered a plateau,” says Alexandre Carter, MD, a WashU Medicine neurologist specializing in neurorehabilitation at Barnes-Jewish Hospital.

Crystal began noticing changes in everyday moments. Tasks that once felt frustrating or impossible started to come back.

Folding clothes. Cooking. Cleaning. Walking with a cup of water without spilling it.

“I can do that. I couldn’t do that before,” she says.

Her arm could lift higher. Her grip became stronger. She could grasp and release objects on her own again. She even found herself doing something she once thought she might never do again: jumping rope.

For Crystal, her progress added up to greater independence—and a renewed sense of what’s possible. Now, Crystal hopes her story encourages other stroke survivors not to give up—and to explore what might still be possible in their recovery.

“I did it,” she says. “And you can do it, too.”

Read Crystal’s full story and learn how WashU Medicine Physicians are helping patients move beyond what was once considered a plateau:
https://heyor.ca/iE2raO

WashU Medicine Orthopedics
WashU Medicine Neurology

Less pain, smaller incisions, and faster recovery are now a reality for patients with coronary artery disease.

That's thanks to the WashU Medicine cardiothoracic surgery team at Barnes‑Jewish Hospital, who performed the hospital's first robotic-assisted coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) procedure earlier this year.

CABG, commonly known as heart bypass surgery, helps improve blood flow to the heart when coronary arteries become narrowed or blocked. Using robotic-assisted technology, surgeons can create a new path for blood flow through small chest incisions — without opening the chest.

Barnes‑Jewish Hospital and WashU Medicine are proud to be among the few programs in the region offering this advanced approach to heart surgery.

For 20 years, Joe lived with serious heart disease—knowing that his heart could fail at any moment.

The fear followed him everywhere. Once while swimming, Joe's heart faltered, and his family rushed to pull him out of the water. Joe’s health only got worse from there, causing him to miss out on countless moments with his kids.

One year ago, at dinner, Joe went into cardiac arrest, and he was rushed to the hospital. Doctors told him his heart failure had reached a point where a transplant was his only option.

Joe spent months in the hospital, much of that time on life support, waiting for a call that could save his life. As he waited, another complication emerged: his liver was failing, too. Fewer than one percent of transplant patients require both a heart and a liver.

“Organ donation gives patients a chance before it’s too late,” said Joel Schilling, MD, a WashU Medicine cardiologist at Barnes‑Jewish Hospital. “For too many people, that call never comes—up to 10% die while waiting for a heart transplant.”

Joe got his call.

Last September, Joe underwent a complex, 12‑hour surgery at Barnes‑Jewish, receiving both a heart and a liver from a donor. The procedure was performed by WashU Medicine Physicians, and a multidisciplinary transplant team experienced in caring for patients with the most advanced organ failure.

After Joe regained his strength, he got to ring the bell signaling that he’d officially made it. He could go home.

For Joe, everyday moments now feel extraordinary.

“It’s unbelievable. Just last week I mowed my yard,” Joe shared.

Today, Joe is continuing physical therapy and getting back to the life he once feared he might lose. He even made it to the father‑daughter dance at his daughter’s high school—the first one he’d been healthy enough to go to in five years. He’s watching his kids play hockey again, planning a trip to his hometown in Michigan, and thinking about a round of golf.

“To be there and make memories with the kids is amazing,” said his wife, Nicole.

Joe credits his doctors, his support system, and the donor who made his recovery possible. He’s written a letter to the donor’s family to express his gratitude to the person who gave him his second chance.

“It wasn’t easy,” Joe said. “But when you wake up every day and look at your kids’ faces, it’s worth it.”

Joe’s story is a reminder of what organ donation can make possible.

“It’s the bravery and generosity of families during one of the most difficult times in their lives,” Dr. Schilling said. “They give someone else the chance to live.”

Joe puts it simply:

“It’s the gift of life,” he said. “I’m living proof of it.”