Duke Health

Brad Dugai, 55, underwent chemotherapy and radiation to treat his pancreatic cancer, but the tumors kept coming back. At Duke Health, he joined a clinical trial of a new drug called daraxonrasib, and now his imaging scans show no evidence of disease. “A lot of days I don't even feel like I have cancer,” he said. “I can't say enough good things about my team at Duke.”

Alex Lucas’ underlying congenital heart disease led to heart and liver problems as he neared adulthood. After another hospital told Alex his case was too complex, he was evaluated for a combined heart-liver transplant at Duke Health. Alex ultimately underwent a standalone heart transplant in 2022, but that’s not all he experienced at Duke. Thanks to a chance run-in with Duke’s baseball coach, Alex threw out the first pitch at a Duke baseball game in March 2026, fulfilling a boyhood dream. Today, Alex is happy to be feeling well and back to work. “We don't take a single day for granted because we know that every day is a gift,” said Alex’s mother Vicki Lucas.

This summer, thousands of people across the country have gotten sick after eating food contaminated with a parasite called Cyclospora. Explosive diarrhea is the main symptom of the foodborne illness known as cyclosporiasis. If you get sick, when should you see your healthcare provider? Here, Keley Brennan, a Duke Health nurse practitioner who sees patients at Duke Health Family Medicine Mooresville and Duke Health Primary Care Tall Oaks, explains what you need to know about cyclosporiasis and how to keep you and your family healthy.