Saved by heart surgery, sustained by compassionate care

Six years ago, Gary Hughes scheduled what he thought would be a routine checkup. Instead, his physician delivered a startling message: “I can hear your heart in the next room – you need to see a cardiologist right away.”

Gary’s cardiologist diagnosed an abnormal valve requiring surgery – a shock for someone who felt healthy and cycled regularly. Facing the prospect of heart surgery, Gary did his homework. “Both my primary care doctor and cardiologist told me that twenty years ago, they would have recommended Cleveland Clinic. Today, that same level of expertise is right here in our backyard, at Inova,” Gary recalls.

His surgeon, Ramesh Singh, MD, immediately put Gary and his wife Elizabeth at ease. “I know this is a very difficult time for the two of you,” Dr. Singh said with his trademark cowboy boots and calm confidence, “but for me, heart surgery is just another day at the office.”

From surgery through recovery, Gary experienced exceptional care. “The level of care at Inova is unparalleled,” he says. “There’s deep empathy for patients. As you get older, you want the best care at hand – and Inova provides that, and more.”

Grateful for the care that saved his life, Gary and Elizabeth have made Inova one of their philanthropic priorities. “It’s an organization that saved my life,” Gary says simply. “What better place is there to support?”

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