Patient Testimonials
Meet some of our patients and learn about their recoveries!
Mirna Marquez (Hindsville, AR)
Staff members lined the hospital hallways at Northwest Medical Center-Springdale to cheer for patient Mirna Marquez as she was escorted to her family following a remarkable recovery from COVID-19. Mirna was in the hospital 14 days, ten of those on a ventilator.
"Only approximately 35-40% of patients are able to be weaned successfully from a ventilator as she was, according to the literature," said Madhu Kalyan, M.D., a pulmonary and critical care specialist who serves as medical director for critical care at Northwest Health. "With Dr. Stephen Hennigan as her infectious disease specialist, this patient was the first in NW Arkansas to benefit from convalescent plasma therapy. I want to commend all the members of her care team for this successful outcome."
Dr. Hennigan described the care process as "such a beautiful collaborative effort" among doctors, nurses, respiratory therapists and other health professionals from hospitals all over the country, the Arkansas Department of Health, the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and centers where people may donate plasma, such as the Community Blood Center of the Ozarks. The center serves all of Northwest Arkansas' major hospitals.
Convalescent plasma from a recovered patient contains antibodies to fight infection and the plasma may lessen severity or shorten the length of the severe cases of coronavirus. People who have recovered from COVID-19 and may be interested in donating plasma to help others may contact Community Blood Center of the Ozarks for more information at (800) 280-5337 or (417) 227-5000.
To learn more about Mirna's story, read the Democrat Gazette feature here, or check out this feature on KNWA/Fox News.
Scott Cranford (Bella Vista, AR)
As division chief for the City of Bella Vista Fire Department, Scott Cranford plays a vital role in training and supervising first responders whose job it is to save lives. But it was he himself in need of rescue when he had a major heart attack at work. Thanks to the quick work of his colleagues and Northwest Medical Center-Bentonville, the chief survived a widow-maker heart attack. Learn more about why minutes matter and how quickly blood can be restored to the heart when first responders and hospitals work together. Learn more about his story.
Kennedy Allison (Pea Ridge, AR)
When 14 year-old Kennedy Allison experienced cardiac arrest while at school in January 2019, those around her took all the right steps to save her life. Thanks to the fast action of her teacher, a school nurse and a coach, Kennedy's life was saved and has no damage from her sudden cardiac arrest. After stabilizing her, Pea Ridge's EMS transported Kennedy to Northwest Medical Center-Bentonville. Northwest Health recognized Teacher Connie Trotter, School Nurse LaRay Thetford and Coach John King who took all the right steps to save Kennedy's life! Kudos also go to the Pea Ridge EMS team who also performed expertly, arriving within 2 minutes of the 9-1-1 call!! Learn more about what happened.
Diana Ball (Garfield, AR)
When Diana Ball learned she had breast cancer, she was devastated. But after she got a second opinion, discovering that Dr. Christopher Menendez offered a new surgery option that reduced scarring, she was relieved. Called "hidden scar" breast surgery, the technique still effectively treats the cancer but leaves little evidence behind. Willow Creek Women's Hospital recently invested in new technology that helps improve visibility for surgeons performing breast cancer procedures. Diana said having this option is something she is extremely grateful for — being cancer-free and still comfortable in her own skin. To learn more, read this news release.
"Coach" Byron Boudreaux (Springdale, AR)
"Coach" Byron Boudreaux is a competitor, having played college sports and coached college athletes for more than 20 years. But it took all he had – plus the skills of a great team at Northwest Medical Center - Springdale – to beat a condition that kills many people who have it: a dissecting aortic aneurysm. To learn more about him and the team that saved him, read this article in the news room or watch the short video below.
Erin Burrell Shawver and Baby Graham (Gentry, AR)
They're calling him a miracle baby, born 135 days after his twin brother. Learn more about Graham's amazing survival story, thanks to the perseverance of his mom Erin and a team of health care professionals, including maternal fetal medicine specialist Dr. Bernard Canzoneri, OB/GYN Dr. Michael Clouatre, and caregivers at Willow Creek Women's Hospital. Read more about this story here or watch the KNWA TV feature here.
Cindy, Jorge and Baby Abner
Cindy and Jorge are parents of Abner, the first baby born in one of the new low-intervention birthing suites at The Family Birth Place at Northwest Medical Center-Bentonville. Learn more about their experience and what the low-intervention birthing process has to offer in this story.
Sidney Shea Tennison (Camp Springs, MD)
After experiencing a severe traumatic head injury in a car accident, Sidney Shea Tennison had neurosurgery at Northwest Medical Center - Springdale then continued her recovery in the acute inpatient rehabilitation unit. A 100% recovery is anticipated for Ms. Tennison, who is completing training to become a physical therapist. Read more about her story here.
Keely, Brock and Baby Penny June
Keely and Brock are parents of Penny June, the first baby born in one of the new low-intervention birthing suites at Willow Creek Women's Hospital. Learn more about the "life-changing experience" the low-intervention birthing plan was for them in this story.
Kelly Pohl (Pea Ridge, AR)
Kelly Pohl credits her bariatric surgery with even more than a 135+ pound weight loss. She was finally able to get pregnant. "I had a lot of health issues at a young age, including diabetes. In fact, my father passed away from complications of diabetes. I also had high cholesterol, severe sleep apnea and I wanted to have baby but I couldn't." Read this article to learn more about her journey following her surgery at Northwest Health Physicians' Specialty Hospital, as well as about others who have had bariatric surgery.
Allen Baker (Centerton, AR)
Lightheadedness, shortness of breath and tiredness sound like something someone might normally brush off as a sleeping issue, but Centerton native Allen Baker decided to get his symptoms checked in the ER just to be safe. His caution may have saved his life. Read more about his story here.
Becky and Adam Reese and triplets, Alie Ana, Alexandra and Mila
Diagnosed with cancer while she was graduating college, Becky Reese is a survivor. However, the treatment that cured her cancer diminished her fertility and she was afraid she might never be able to have children. After celebrating their 5th anniversary years ago, they began the process of adoption that finally culminated in 2017. Little did anyone know the birth mom would have triplets. Born at 30 weeks, the babies required approximately two months of care in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at Willow Creek Women's Hospital. Read their story here.
Susan May (Bentonville, AR)
Friends can be real lifesavers. In fact, Susan May needed to hear her friend's words to take her own symptoms seriously. She was planning to stop by an urgent care center when she left work, thinking her chest pain was probably just heartburn. "When my friend heard me say I was experiencing chest pain, she texted in large letters:
'CHEST PAIN = HEART ATTACK.
YOU NEED TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL'"
So Susan left work and drove herself to the emergency department at Northwest Medical Center-Bentonville. "The first thing we did when Susan arrived in the ER was to evaluate her electrocardiogram (EKG)," said Cardiologist Dr. Garrett Sanford. "We found an 99% occlusion of the mid-right coronary artery." Following placement of a stent to re-open the vessel, Susan took part in a cardiac rehabilitation program. Now she shares her story to help other women.