For a new medical resident, or even an experienced doctor, the emotional toll of the job can be overwhelming. Dominic Vachon ’80, ’85 M.Div., a practicing psychologist, experienced it firsthand—he found himself burnt out, stretched thin, and emotionally detached from his patients, so eight years ago he came to Notre Dame determined to understand the scientific implications of compassion from a biological, neuroscientific, and psychological perspective. Now, Vachon is Notre Dame’s John G. Sheedy, M.D., Director of the Ruth M. Hillebrand Center for Compassionate Care in Medicine and is training the next generation of doctors to root their practice in compassion. “Compassion is essential for patient care and it's essential for the well-being of the clinician. The two go hand in hand,” Vachon explains. He underscores that compassion isn’t sentimentality, but is instead an applied use of skills, knowledge, and communication to foster successful doctor-patient relationships. Sam Grewe ’21 has seen the impact of compassion from the other side of medicine. When he was 13 years old, Grewe developed osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer, and was eventually required to amputate one of his legs. As a teenager undergoing treatments, surgeries, and therapies, he said his doctors, especially the ones who took the time to explain, who provided comfort, and who gave him a sense of agency, motivated him to work hard and do well. Now, he’s a Paralympic high jumper and is planning to attend medical school next fall.More: https://go.nd.edu/CompassionInMedicine

When Dot Teso, the president of St. Michael Indian School on the Navajo Nation, wanted to expand her campus, she turned to Notre Dame’s School of Architecture. After years of partnering with Notre Dame’s ACE program and American Indian Catholic Schools Network, she had witnessed Notre Dame’s commitment to Catholic education, and she was confident the architecture faculty and students would bring the same commitment to design.She, along with Deswood Etsitty ’93, invited a group of undergraduates to the campus in Arizona to learn about Navajo culture, to meet the community members, and to start designing the campus’ first new building, a gym where the community can congregate.The students are trained in Classicism and were eager to incorporate Navajo art, culture and values into their designs. Several of those designs will serve as the basis of the school’s upcoming construction.Read more: https://go.nd.edu/BuildOnTradition

On a dusty plain in Amboseli National Park in Kenya, Notre Dame professor Beth Archie stands watching baboons and taking notes. The data she collects is part of one of the world’s longest-running primate studies in existence.The study has followed the same community of baboons since 1971, and its data can reveal important information about human health. Because studies of this tenure are nearly impossible in humans, the baboons, who share a 94 percent genetic similarity with us, can tell us a lot about ourselves. These days, Archie’s lab seeks to answer questions about how being part of a community impacts health. The results point to improved immune responses, resilience to trauma, and longer lifespans.Read more:

When firefighters run into a burning building, they know the dangers associated with their job. But new research suggests firefighters are at risk before they ever leave the firehouse.Using a spectroscopic technique and the St. Andre particle accelerator, Notre Dame professor Graham Peaslee has found alarming amounts of polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in firefighter gear. These chemicals have been linked to elevated rates of cancer and have also been found in fast-food wrappers, cosmetics, drinking water, carpet and flame retardants. He is now working to test many years of new and used gear to better assess the risks for firefighters.Professor Peaslee’s work in this area has encouraged several companies to reduce or eliminate PFAS, and the EPA and state legislators have also made policy changes. He hopes this new study will make firefighters safer, so they can continue to keep all of us safe.

Marissa Koscielski ’17, ’18 M.S., was in eighth grade when she was told she wouldn’t walk again. A gymnastics accident and spinal mass had left her paralyzed on the left side from the waist down. But she was determined and decided to build her own device to facilitate her rehabilitation. With strings and tape and bits of therapy equipment, Marissa repurposed a walker to help her slowly walk, and then run, once more.The experience taught her there is a gap in the tools and technology available for those rehabilitating from severe injuries, illnesses, and amputations. After completing her undergraduate degree at Notre Dame, she entered the ESTEEM program—a one-year master of science program focused on entrepreneurship and commercialization—and launched Enlighten Mobility, a startup that designs specialized rehab technology. Today, all of the company’s employees are Notre Dame graduates. Enlighten Mobility has since created its first product, a gait trainer largely based on the one Marissa designed for herself. The walker and other upcoming inventions are enabling Marissa to help others walk again.Learn more: https://go.nd.edu/HelpOthersWalkAgain