12-year-old Sebastian Gonzalez is being treated at N.C. Children’s Hospital for a rare abdominal cancer called desmoplastic small round cell tumor. He is being cared for by Dr. Andrea Hayes-Jordan, Chief of Pediatric Surgery for UNC Surgery. She is one of the world’s leading doctors specializing in treating this disease. While in North Carolina, Sebastian and his family are staying at the Ronald McDonald House of Chapel Hill where they are being provided a home away from home to allow Sabastian to recover from his procedure.

Gita Mody, MD, MPH, joins the UNC Department of Surgery in Chapel Hill as Assistant Professor, Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery. She discusses her enthusiasm for becoming a mentor in the thoracic surgery residency program, her inspiration for becoming a physician, and a challenge she faced on the road to becoming a highly skilled surgeon.

Stephen Heisler, DPM, MHSA, joins the UNC-Chapel Hill Department of Surgery as Assitant Professor, Division of Vascular Surgery. Dr. Heisler discusses how he wanted to go from being a caring friend to a caring provider, building trust with his patients, and wanting to pick the brain of Bill Nye the Science Guy because who wouldn’t?

The Department of Surgery wants to congratulate Andrea Hayes-Jordan, MD, Chief, Division of Pediatric Surgery, for her publication, which was chosen as the cover art for the latest edition of Pediatric Anesthesia Journal.

A fire in Efland, North Carolina sparked an idea for fire safety classes that eventually spread to a collaboration between the North Carolina Jaycee Burn Center, Habitat for Humanity of Orange County, Orange County Fire Marshal and Safe Kids that culminated in community education and donation of life-saving fire extinguishers.

Female students with a passion for science stand with Department of Surgery Chair Melina Kibbe, MD, North Carolina Jaycee Burn Center Director Bruce Cairns, MD, and Department of Surgery Assistant Professor Robert Maile, Ph.D.

Read the archive newsletter for 2018 articles, recognition and awards.

Department of Surgery would like to congratulate Teddy Puzio, MD, a recent chief resident graduate!