Celebrating National Doctor's Day

On National Doctors’ Day, a day dedicated to honoring physicians who have made a difference by offering hope and healing, hear from patients who credit Baptist Health physicians with touching their hearts in more than one way.

John Casconi, grateful patient

“I’m going to save your life.” These were the last words that John Casconi remembered as he was being rushed into the emergency department and informed that he was having a heart attack. John happened to bump into Bill Dillon, MD, the doctor who would find a 99% blockage in the “widow-maker” artery and who would put a stent in his heart, right before he lost consciousness.

“They asked me the right questions, they identified the problem, and they immediately set to work to fix it so I could still be here for my family and so history wouldn’t repeat itself,” said John.

Wayne Oates, grateful patient

For over the last two decades, Wayne Oates has experienced atrial fibrillation (AFib) and spent many years of his journey trying to find a cardiologist who was the right fit. Eventually, his primary care physician referred him to Gery Tomassoni, MD, and after seven years, they’ve established the type of bond he always knew was possible.

“I’m thankful for the little moments, just those little touches of care let me know that I was more than just a patient and they truly cared about me. They worked to make me feel better and support me during my difficult days, and for that I will always be grateful.” said Wayne.

Angela Copeland, grateful patient

As a mom of two energetic kids, Angela Copeland is accustomed to being on the go. When her active lifestyle was interrupted by the onset of unexplainable fatigue and a bad case of heartburn, she didn’t expect Michael Faulkner, MD, to reveal she was suffering from spontaneous coronary artery dissection.

“It chokes me up sometimes thinking about it, because I could have died. He found it, and he has taken very good care of me ever since,” said Angela, who is now symptom-free after a balloon angioplasty expanded her artery.

With your help, our caregivers can continue to advance the future of healthcare and ensure that our patients have the ability to make more memories with their loved ones, improve their quality of life and have an unmatched patient experience.