Newsroom

An Olympian's Heart for Service A familiar face and enduring spirit define Marianne, whose commitment to supporting our medical records teams in the Tucson community spans an incredible 18 years. From her roots as a Special Olympics athlete to a beloved volunteer, Marianne shares her story with us. "My name is Marianne, and I have been a Special Olympics athlete since I was 10 years old," she proudly shares. When she’s not competing or training, Marianne leads a vibrant, active life. "When I am not part... ... Read More

“You’ve Just Got to Hang in There” – Gary, Stage 4 Prostate Cancer Survivor “It’s been a journey,” says Gary, “and I’m on the other side.” In June 2023, Gary was 55 years old; married for 34 years with two adult children. As an 18-year Golder Ranch Fire Engineer and racing cyclist who pedaled hundreds of miles a week, he was “fit for fire” and used to the aches and “pain caves” that came with his active lifestyle. But then he realized the ache in his pelvis wasn’t easing up. He assumed it was from over-... ... Read More

TUCSON, AZ (Dec. 12, 2025) – Northwest Medical Center (NMC) announced it has been officially designated as a Level III Trauma Center by the Arizona Department of Health Services’ Bureau of Emergency Medical Services & Trauma System. The designation recognizes NMC’s demonstrated ability to deliver advanced trauma life support and provide timely, high-quality care to injured patients. As a Level III Trauma Center, NMC is equipped to stabilize and treat patients with significant injuries and, when nece... ... Read More

TUCSON, AZ (Nov. 20, 2025) – Deaths from heart attack have dropped by nearly 90 percent over the past 50 years, but deaths by other heart conditions have increased over the same period. The heart attack survival rate has improved thanks to advances in treatment and intervention, but rising cases of atrial fibrillation and arrhythmias, heart failure and hypertensive heart disease are now the leading causes of death among heart conditions. A likely contribution to these increases: More Americans have the ... ... Read More

TUCSON, AZ – Nov. 17, 2025 — Northwest Medical Center Sahuarita celebrated its fifth anniversary on Tue., Nov. 11. The hospital opened its doors in November 2020, and has provided safe, quality care for Sahuarita and its surrounding communities ever since. “Our work to grow the services we provide is ongoing, as we continuously improve our safety and quality while we support access to healthcare for the communities we serve,” said Cari Olvera, MSN, R.N., the hospital’s chief administrative officer. “Eve... ... Read More

“I took a little nap, woke up, and was ready to go,” says Cari as she recalls her SADI-S surgical weight loss procedure with Stephen Burpee, M.D. , and the team at Northwest Bariatric and Foregut Surgery . “I had no problems and no hiccups.” Cari is one of many people opting for minimally-invasive SADI-S rather than sleeve gastrectomy or duodenal switch because SADI-S combines both. It can help patients struggling with severe obesity lose a significant amount of weight while improving or resolving metab... ... Read More

At first, the only unusual thing Gabe noticed was that he seemed to be walking slightly to the left without meaning to, like a car out of alignment. “I didn’t think anything of it,” Gabe remembers. After all, he was only 55. But then, Gabe’s girlfriend pointed out that half of his face seemed to be drooping. An unsteady walk and a drooping face – along with slurred speech, which Gabe experienced next – are signs of a stroke – or a “brain attack,” which requires fast medical care. In fact, F.A.S.T. is th... ... Read More

TUCSON, AZ (Oct. 20, 2025) – Blood clotting supports the body’s recovery from injury, but when blood clots don’t break up or dissolve as they should, they can block the flow of blood with serious consequences. On average, one American dies from a clot-caused death every six seconds. Interventional cardiologist Hoang Thai, M.D., FACC, FSCAI , who practices at both Northwest Cardiology at La Cholla and Northwest Cardiology at Oro Valley , says everyone is at risk for clots – regardless of age or gender. H... ... Read More

Shorter ER wait times help patients get the care they need, faster TUCSON, AZ (Oct. 17, 2025) – When health emergencies happen, patients and their families often turn to the emergency department (ED) for prompt medical attention. Over the course of thousands of patient encounters in our EDs each year, Northwest Healthcare delivers medically necessary, life-saving patient care, while prioritizing short wait times. Our goal: To connect every patient with a medical professional for timely assessment and tr... ... Read More

“I’m literally half the person I used to be,” says Robert three years after his weight-loss surgery with Stephen Burpee, M.D. , and the team at Northwest Bariatric and Foregut Surgery . Robert, like so many others, had struggled with his weight since childhood – and he had a family history of obesity, heart disease, and arthritis. When he reached his mid-40s, with 430 pounds on his 6’4” frame and related problems with blood pressure, high blood sugar, and cholesterol levels, Robert began researching wei... ... Read More