Upstate Health

08/07/2026

Pancreatic cancer advances, prevention of “tech neck,” and advice for parents if your child swallows acetaminophen — all on the next “HealthLink on Air,” Sunday at 6 a.m. on WRVO and available online at https://www.upstate.edu/informed/2026/080926-radioshow.php.

Pancreatic cancer accounts for about 3 percent of all cancers in the United States, and about 8 percent of cancer deaths. But for the first time in a long while, a series of potential advances is giving doctors and patients encouragement.

Thomas VanderMeer, MD, chief of surgery at the Upstate Cancer Center, explains how the outlook for someone diagnosed with pancreatic cancer has improved in recent years. Surgery is part of the reason, along with new medications.

Also on the program, "tech neck," a condition that can be brought on by hours of staring at a smartphone or a computer, can be prevented. Upstate physical therapist Ryan Martin, DPT, explains symptoms of which to be aware, how it affects the neck and the body, and ways to avoid it.

And Vincent Calleo, MD, medical director for the Upstate New York Poison Center, explains what parents should do if their child ingests acetaminophin, or Tylenol.

08/05/2026

Ticks and the serious diseases they cause continue to be in the news. While ticks are commonly associated with Lyme Disease, different tick-borne diseases are becoming prevalent in New York State. Saravanan Thangamani, PhD, Director of SUNY Center for Vector-borne Diseases, will share about these diseases and the latest recommendations for safety, diagnosis and treatment, and the work being done to help.

Register here to receive your Zoom link to this online session happening Monday, September 14th at 5 PM: https://upstate.zoom.us/meeting/register/rkYMKO7FTiifBN_chzDl3w

07/30/2026

On the next “HealthLink on Air”: summer safety for kids and everything to know about rheumatoid arthritis. The show can be heard Sunday at 6 a.m. on WRVO and online at https://www.upstate.edu/informed/2026/080226-radioshow.php.

What can you do to prevent childhood injuries? Which are the most common? How can you keep kids safe around water? Upstate Golisano Children's Hospital's Liz Sapio explains. She is the coordinator for Safe Kids Upstate New York, a coalition committed to preventing unintentional injury and death in children.

Also on this week's show, an overview of rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disorder in which the immune system attacks the lining of the joints. It's different from osteoarthritis, where the joint cartilage breaks down from wear and tear. RA is a systemic disease that can be treated, and Upstate rheumatologist Christian Geier, MD, says the outlook is generally good.

He explains how it's diagnosed, how the condition may impact someone's life, and why treatment is important.

07/30/2026

Upstate vascular and interventional neurologist Dr. Hesham Masoud talks about why it’s important to walk every day.

07/29/2026

Pediatrician Steven Blatt, MD, explains why vitamin K is essential for newborns. Without it, they are vulnerable to spontaneous bleeding, which can be deadly. https://www.facebook.com/groups/702677486482897/?notif_id=1785343033000000¬if_t=group_recommendation&ref=notif

Blatt is a professor of pediatrics and director of the general pediatrics division at Upstate.

07/27/2026

Urgent care kits generally have more items than a standard first aid kit. Upstate emergency physician Kaitlyn Lavarnway, DO, explains what's important to include, such as sterile gauze, medical tape, tweezers, small scissors, thermometer, instant cold packs, acetaminophen and/or ibuprofen, and an over-the-counter allergy med. https://www.upstate.edu/in.formed/2026/071326-lavarnway-podcast.php

07/24/2026

Upstate Medical University is partnering with the SUNY College of Optometry in New York City to offer the Doctor of Optometry degree in Syracuse. This will help provide new optometrists to replace those who will be retiring in the coming years.

Sarah Gleason, OD, the program director, discusses the profession of optometry and provides details of the program at Upstate, which will begin in fall 2027 with 16 students. https://www.upstate.edu/informed/2026/071726-gleason-podcast.php

"One of the reasons SUNY College of Optometry decided to partner with Upstate Medical to offer our degree in this region is because there are significant workforce shortages in this region," Gleason says.

"So there is a need, and we're hoping through this partnership to be able to provide an alternate training pathway for students who want to remain in Upstate New York for the majority of their training and hopefully practice here to be able to manage this increased demand and the current demand that already exists."

07/24/2026

Ways to diminish dementia risk, author talks about his book on delayed manhood, and how to recognize when someone is suicidal — all on the next “HealthLink on Air,” Sunday at 6 a.m. on WRVO and online at https://www.upstate.edu/informed/2026/072626-radioshow.php.

What can you do to lower your risk of dementia as you age? Exercise and a healthy diet can make a difference, says Upstate chief of geriatrics Sharon Brangman, MD. She discusses several factors that play a role in the development of dementia, many of which are modifiable.

Also on the show, Francis DiClemente shares his story of dealing with hypopituitarism in his memoir, “Stunted: A Memoir of Delayed Manhood." DiClemente is a poet and Emmy-winning filmmaker who works at Syracuse University. As a high schooler in 1984, he underwent his first brain surgery at Upstate University Hospital. He describes what it was like to be surrounded by friends maturing into young adults while his body remains underdeveloped.

And psychiatrist Robert Gregory, MD, shares how to recognize when someone is suicidal.

07/23/2026

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disorder in which the immune system attacks the lining of the joints. It's a systemic disease that can be treated. Upstate rheumatologist Christian Geier, MD, explains how it's diagnosed, how the condition may impact someone's life, and why treatment is important. https://www.upstate.edu/informed/2026/061626-geier-podcast.php

07/23/2026