NEW BEGINNINGS...
Together we can make things happen!

 

 

"The Celebration of New Beginnings"

 

Dear Reader,

It was New Year's Eve and I was critically injured in a multi-car accident caused by a drunk driver. I was rushed to the nearest hospital for emergency surgery, my life hanging in the balance. The first thing my parents were told was that I might not survive, that my leg was to be amputated, and that at best I would never walk or run again.

The reality of the situation was difficult to comprehend, but it was clear, that on this very busy night, I was a number, a “problem to be solved”. My future quality of life did not matter at this time. The severity of my injury and the lack of manpower resources in the hospital led the medical staff to conclude that the best treatment at this time was amputation of my leg and it needed to be done without delay. My parents strongly disagreed. The surgeons, given no choice but to comply with my wishes, closed my wounds as best they could. Bedridden and unable to walk at eighteen, I turned to friends for advice that could give me my life back.

As horrible as the situation was, and unbeknownst to me, I was embarking on a new beginning that would lead me to discover the community of the Jewish General Hospital and ultimately become one of its staunchest supporters.

“Twenty-one years ago, at the age of eighteen,
I thought my life had come to an end.”

Dr. Hadjipavlou, the Chief of Division of Orthopedics at the JGH, took me on as a patient and jumpstarted my new beginning. He immediately operated again, but this time the surgeon saw me not as a number, but as a person with a future filled with potential. His goal was to make sure that I would function to the best of my ability. The surgical team took the time to explain each step of the process that lead to my recovery and most importantly provided comfort and assurance when I needed it most. Dr. Hadjipavlou's caring manner and expertise gave me hope that things could be better and that one day I would return to a normal life. Being given that simple opportunity to aspire to a normal life was all the motivation I needed to carry me through what would ultimately become a 10-year journey that culminated in my first 5 km race.

In 2005, the JGH was once again instrumental in helping me when dangerous complications arose during my first pregnancy. Dr. Richard Shatz and his team in the Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology were simply amazing. Not only did I receive the best possible care during my emergency C-section, but what really impressed me was the empathy, compassion and respect with which they treated me from the moment I arrived until the joyful conclusion. Even though I had other complications that required medical attention, the staff went out of their way to arrange for me to be at the bedside of my newborn daughter, Brianna. That is something I will never forget.

In 2008, I underwent another unscheduled C-section, this time for my second daughter Evelyne. It was comforting that Dr. Shatz and his staff were once again there to care for my baby and myself. Although the surgery had gone exceptionally well, sixteen hours later elation turned to concern as Evelyne was transferred to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). As frightening a situation as it was for my family and I, Dr. Apostolos Papageorgiou and his team were unbelievably supportive and caring. They allowed my husband and I to stay with my daughter 24/7, demonstrating once again the unwavering respect for people as individuals as well as the concern for life that makes the JGH so special.

Today I live life to the fullest. I walk, I run, and I am the mother of two healthy daughters. I have a thriving Real Estate company, and I am active in many charitable organizations - all thanks to the compassionate care and support I received at the JGH when I needed it the most. Doctors Hadjipavlou, Shatz and Papageorgiou and their teams not only saved my life and that of my daughter Evelyne, they instilled in me their unshakable belief that together, we can make new beginnings happen.

I have recently become actively involved in the JGH to continue the work of generating new beginnings for other families just as my predecessors did for me. I became a member of the JGH Foundation's Next Generation Committee and became involved in the JGH Silver Star Mercedes-Benz Golf Classic. I have also undertaken together with my husband Stephane Bismuth and others to organize a supercar fundraiser to be held in September of 2012 with the goal of raising funds for the JGH.

I was given a new opportunity at life, for which I thank not only the JGH and its dedicated staff but the entire community of caring individuals who, like you, have had the foresight and generosity to support the JGH and empower its dedicated physicians and nurses to excel year after year. Together we are the catalysts of many new beginnings.

Yours very truly,

Natalie Voland

It takes only one drop of water to create a waterfall. Each individual has the power to make a difference and generate new beginnings. Your donation and the opportunities you can offer, whether big or small, make a difference. I urge you to support the JGH by making a donation today. Please give what you can with my deepest and warmest thanks. Together,we can achieve anything.