Cleveland Clinic News and Notes

LONDON

Bringing World-Class Cancer Care to the UK 

Cleveland Clinic London will expand cancer services to offer ONE OF THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE CANCER PROGRAMS in the U.K. independent market in a new 81,000-square-foot cancer center. Multidisciplinary cancer care will encompass surgical oncology, medical oncology and hematology, including systemic cancer therapies such as immunotherapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapies and radiotherapy tailored to each patient. In addition to cancer care, a wide range of clinical services are planned.

“We are proud to expand our services in London, and we are committed to the needs of our community,” said Rob Lorenz, MD, Cleveland Clinic London President. “Our new cancer center is a major milestone in providing our patients with access to best-in-class expertise, research and technology to strengthen cancer care in the U.K.”

Construction is underway, with completion anticipated by the end of 2027. 

SPOTLIGHT

Cleveland Clinic Children’s is A NATIONAL LEADER IN MEDICAL CARE, according to U.S. News & World Report’s 2025-2026 Best Children’s Hospitals rankings. Eleven specialties earned national recognition, with three specialties in the top 20: cardiology and heart surgery; gastroenterology and gastrointestinal surgery; and neonatology. Cleveland Clinic Children’s has ranked among the nation’s top 50 pediatric hospitals for 17 consecutive years.

FLORIDA

A Renovation Is Born

Cleveland Clinic Indian River Hospital is in the final stages of AN EXTENSIVE TRANS-FORMATION OF ITS LABOR AND DELIVERY UNIT. The generosity of supporters such as Dace and King Stubbs and the A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation is helping to create a family-centered environment with new postpartum suites (pictured), a dedicated gynecological suite and an upgraded nurses’ station. These enhancements, along with updated furnishings and resources, are designed to ensure that patients and families receive care in a comfortable, safe and supportive setting. “We want every family in our community to feel at ease and to expect positive outcomes when they come here to welcome their baby,” said George Fyffe, MD, FACOG, Chair of Obstetrics and Gynecology. 

TECH

Better Living Through AI

Cleveland Clinic has announced a strategic partnership with the technology companies Oracle Health and G42 to develop a ground-breaking AI-BASED HEALTHCARE DELIVERY PLATFORM. The initiative aims to improve patient care and public health management by leveraging AI, nation-scale data analytics and intelligent clinical applications.

FERTILITY

Expanding Possibilities

Options for PRESERVING FERTILITY have multiplied dramatically in recent years, opening doors for patients with cancer, those with genetic conditions and anyone planning for the future. “What’s exciting about the fertility field is that the innovation is happening so quickly,” says Mindy Christianson, MD, MBA, Chief of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility and Practice Director of the Cleveland Clinic Fertility Center.

One of the biggest breakthroughs? Egg freezing. Since 2012, when the procedure shed its “experimental” label, the number of procedures performed has surged over 800% nationwide. The game-changer was vitrification, a flash-freezing technique that prevents ice crystal damage to eggs, the 
largest cells in the human body. When someone freezes eggs at 30 and uses them at 45, their pregnancy chances mirror those of a 30-year-old, according to Dr. Christianson.

Ovarian tissue cryopreservation, another groundbreaking innovation, offers a fertility preservation option for girls before puberty and for those who do not have time to delay treatment. Cleveland Clinic recently transplanted ovarian tissue back into a patient who had frozen it nearly two decades ago as a teenager due to pediatric cancer. The tissue is now functioning.

Cleveland Clinic is also pioneering a procedure for patients receiving radiation treatment for colorectal or cervical cancer. Uterine transposition temporarily moves the uterus away from the radiation, protecting the ability to carry future pregnancies.

For complex cases, a multidisciplinary approach sets Cleveland Clinic apart. “This is really an ideal place for patients to be seen for fertility preservation,” Dr. Christianson says, “because we have so many subspecialists who can work together to individualize the patient’s treatment plan.” 

THREE QUESTIONS

Dr. Kevin Elias

A summer job in a medical lab set KEVIN ELIAS, MD, on the path to becoming a physician-scientist dedicated to improving outcomes for women with gynecologic cancers. In 2024, he joined Cleveland Clinic as the Lilli and Seth Harris Endowed Chair for Ovarian Cancer Research. His work is accelerated by funding from supporters such as the Mighty Moose Foundation and OutRun Ovarian Cancer.

What first drew you to gynecologic oncology? 
When I was a teenager, I worked in a lab with a gynecologic oncologist. I was struck that the best treatments for ovarian cancer at the time were complex, disfiguring surgeries. I thought, “There has to be a better way.”

How has the field changed since then? 
Our understanding of ovarian cancer biology has evolved. We now know many cases begin in the fallopian tubes, not the ovaries, and that genetic risk plays a major role. Identifying women at risk and offering preventive surgery can reduce mortality by 90%. 

What is your lab focused on today? 
We’re developing better tools for early detection, studying how ovarian cancers arise at the cellular level and applying nanotechnology to deliver new therapies. Our goal is to predict and prevent ovarian cancer, as well as to provide longer, better quality of life for the women we treat. 

TIP SHEET

How to Age Well

“Aging is a privilege, but not if we have pain or poor health,” says osteopathic physician Sandra Darling, DO. “Our goal is to age in good health, have quality of life and remain independent for as long as possible.” At the Women’s Health Forum, Dr. Darling and other Cleveland Clinic specialists shared these evidence-based tips for healthy aging:

1. Keep Shampooing Regularly. 
When hair thins, resist washing less frequently, says Melissa Piliang, MD, Chair of Dermatology. Many women cut back on shampooing when they notice shedding, but this creates scalp inflammation that actually worsens hair loss. The shedding during washing isn’t caused by shampooing — that’s simply when you notice it. Consider anti-dandruff shampoos with zinc pyrithione or ketoconazole, which are anti-inflammatory.

2. Apply Sunscreen Daily. 
Dermatologist Taryn Murray, MD, recommends making broad-spectrum SPF 30+ sunscreen your final morning step. Choose mineral formulas with zinc oxide or titanium dioxide, preferably tinted to block blue light from device screens. The sun causes 90% of skin aging, so daily protection is essential for rejuvenation.

3. TAKE TWO MINUTES TO B-R-E-A-T-H-E. 
Daily meditation slows brain aging by reducing inflammation and shrinkage, according to Dr. Darling. Dedicate just two minutes daily to sit quietly and focus on your breath. Inhale through your nose for four counts, then exhale through your mouth for eight counts, releasing stress and tension.

MENTAL HEALTH

Safeguarding Youth

Cleveland Clinic has launched the MENTAL HEALTH RESEARCH CENTER OF EXCELLENCE with global nonprofits the MQ Foundation and MQ Mental Health Research. The collaboration will focus on prevention and early intervention in youth mental health conditions, including depression, suicidal behaviors and mood disorders.

ENTERTAINMENT

Hooray for Hollywood

Bob Rich just landed a big catch: His debut novel, Looking Through Water, has been made into a movie starring Academy Award winner Michael Douglas and his real-life son Cameron. Originally published a decade ago, the book draws on a lifetime of fishing adventures. “I set out to entertain,” says Rich, a longtime Cleveland Clinic benefactor and Chair Emeritus of the Cleveland Clinic Board of Directors. “It was a family adventure story with fishing in the background.” An accomplished author with several other well-received books to his credit, Rich traces his passion for storytelling back to the summer camps of his childhood. His writing chops were nurtured at Williams College. Looking Through Water struck a chord with readers. “I was amazed how many people reached out to me to talk about the book,” says Rich, who listened to them share their own stories about relationships and regrets. That intimate connection continued at the film’s recent premiere in New York City, where a Q&A session revealed moviegoers relating deeply to the multigenerational tale of fathers, sons and redemption. Looking Through Water is streaming on Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Fandango at Home, and Google Play.