John Berenzy experienced a life-altering cardiac event in August 2025 after returning home from New Orleans following the birth of his grandson, Sebastian. Mistaking severe chest pain for heartburn, John sought help from a neighbor, collapsing at their door. Emergency responders quickly arrived on the scene. They administered nitroglycerin and treated a complete blockage inContinue reading “A Musician’s Second Beat”
Author Archives: Andrew Rote
A Heart Reimagined
Four years ago, Jennifer Dering was at the peak of her strength, a professional athlete, engineer, wife, and mother, training for a racquetball tournament when she suddenly began struggling to breathe. Over the course of 14 medical visits, she was misdiagnosed repeatedly. Doctors told her it was hormones, asthma, even “vocal cord dysfunction.” But JenniferContinue reading “A Heart Reimagined”
A Firefighter’s Second Chance
When Assistant Fire Chief John Lucariello of the Rombout Fire Company collapsed while responding to an early morning fire in Fishkill, NY, his fellow firefighters and paramedics rushed to his side. Despite repeated attempts to restart his heart, John was pronounced dead at the scene. Then, just minutes later, something extraordinary happened: his heart beganContinue reading “A Firefighter’s Second Chance”
We Change Lives, Like Mackenzie’s
What began as a simple antibiotic for three-year-old Mackenzie’s ear infection spiraled into toxic epidermal necrolysis, a life-threatening condition.Mackenzie spent four months at Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital, including two of them in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. The care team surrounded her with more than medicine; music and art therapists helped bring moments of joyContinue reading “We Change Lives, Like Mackenzie’s”
We Change Lives, Like Camryn’s
For most kids, birthdays mean balloons, cake, and a bouncy house. For Camryn, celebrating her birthday meant something even bigger—a stem cell transplant to cure her Sickle Cell Disease.At Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital, we bring together advanced technology, innovative techniques, and a team of dedicated specialists to deliver life-changing care. Thanks to that care, CamrynContinue reading “We Change Lives, Like Camryn’s”
We Change Lives, Like Nasya’s
At 25 weeks into her pregnancy, Stacy began hemorrhaging and losing amniotic fluid. She was rushed to Westchester Medical Center, home to the Hudson Valley’s most advanced care for high-risk pregnancies and premature babies.Thanks to the extraordinary work of the doctors and nurses, Stacy’s life was saved, and so was her daughter’s.Nasya was just 24Continue reading “We Change Lives, Like Nasya’s”
A Lifesaving Assist: How Quick Action on the Ice Saved a Hockey Player’s Life
“I don’t remember much, honestly,” Del Santo recalls. “One minute I was playing, and the next, I woke up in the hospital.”
Same-Day Brain Tumor Surgery: A New Era in Neurosurgical Care at WMCHealth
When 29-year-old Tania Zuniga learned she needed brain surgery for the second time in two years, she expected another long hospital stay. Instead, she was home just hours after her procedure, thanks to an innovative treatment approach being explored at WMCHealth.Zuniga was first diagnosed with a benign meningioma in 2023, following surgery to remove aContinue reading “Same-Day Brain Tumor Surgery: A New Era in Neurosurgical Care at WMCHealth”
Pain Relief, Confidence Fuel Breast Reduction Surge
Medically Reviewed by Edmond Ritter, MDIn recent years, breast reductions among women and people assigned female at birth (AFAB) have been gaining popularity. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) reported a 54 percent increase in breast reduction procedures from 2019 to 2022 and a 7 percent increase in 2023 alone.While getting a breast reductionContinue reading “Pain Relief, Confidence Fuel Breast Reduction Surge”
Pulmonary Hypertension in Kids: How One Family Found Hope
What started as a typical Thursday on the school playground turned into a life-altering journey for 9-year-old Mason.After hitting his head during recess, Mason fainted the next morning, displaying what initially seemed like seizure symptoms. His mother, Jennifer, quickly took him to a local hospital, where a routine heart exam revealed something far more serious.“TheContinue reading “Pulmonary Hypertension in Kids: How One Family Found Hope”