Health & Fitness

As Pope Leo XIV Prepares To Have Lung Nodule Removed, Lung Health And Screening Get The Spotlight

The Pope, a South Side native, will be admitted into the hospital Tuesday for surgery to remove the nodule found during a routine check.

(Tara Molina, CBS Chicago)

October 13, 2026

Pope Leo XIV is scheduled to have surgery to have a nodule in his lung removed, which Northwestern Medicine experts say has put lung health into a needed spotlight.

Find out what's happening in Chicago Heightsfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

The pope – who is the first American pope and a native of Chicago's South Side – will be admitted into the hospital Tuesday for surgery to remove the nodule found during a routine check.

Chicago's Northwestern Memorial Hospital is home to the Lung Health Center, which sees nodules like this regularly.

Find out what's happening in Chicago Heightsfor free with the latest updates from Patch.