A more than 30-year commitment to understanding human metabolic regulation has helped Christopher Newgard discover new insights and potential new therapies for metabolic diseases such as diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease.

The 2018 School of Nursing Alumni Award Winners

Kafui Dzirasa’s work on neuro-engineering technologies is nothing short of revolutionary, which hold great promise for treating psychiatric illnesses.

Juan Battle founded Elias Santana Hospital for the Poor in Santo Domingo, and took the Dominican Republic out of the dark ages of eye care.

Robert Margolis is a pioneer in new models of team-based, coordinated health care, and has been on the front lines of health care reform for more than 40 years.

Small bowel cancer survivor Jim Slaughter says he gets more out of volunteering than he puts in. He encourages others to volunteer with the Duke Cancer Patient Support Program, as he does every week. "It's going to make you a better person," he says.

Two-time lung cancer survivor Bob Norris has taken up a new hobby to show his support for Duke Cancer Institute: skydiving. In 2017, just before his 85th birthday, he completed his sixth jump to raise funds and awareness for Duke cancer research. "It's because of Duke I'm getting old," says Norris.

Though she has battled melanoma that spread to her brain, Tricia Gallagher says that cancer has changed her life, and not in a negative way. "It's not the end of the road, it's not the end of your story. It's just a chapter in it," she says.

A few years ago, eight-year-old twins came into the physical therapy clinic for neurologically-disabled children in Utah where Trac Norris, now a third-year student in the Duke Doctor of Physical Therapy program, volunteered while an undergraduate student. He noticed that they could not walk by themselves, that they were unable to communicate, and that they were blind. During their treatment, the parents told the therapists that one of the boys loved music. Norris set him down on a bench and placed a piano in front of him. The boy began to play.

It was another hectic day at the Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit at Duke University Hospital. Chris Fry, RN, BSN, was taking care of a 65-year-old man who had received a heart transplant the day before.