A 53-year-old Wood-Ridge husband and father is alive today thanks to an impeccable triad of split-second emergency care, expert cardiac surgical skills, and intensive care follow-up at The Valley Hospital. Vincent “Vinny” Porta survived the cardiac catastrophe of a ruptured aortic dissection when Valley cardiac surgeons replaced a four-inch section of his damaged aorta with a Dacron graft. If Mr. Porta had sought emergency care just 15 minutes later or had been taken to a hospital without cardiac surgery, he would have died.

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A pre-cancerous tumor secretly lurking at the head of Joyce Hensch’s pancreas could have progressed to a deadly stage if it had remained in place and grown in the Mahwah woman.

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As a young New York City magazine editor, Erin Skarda thought the last deadline she’d have to worry about was her ability to bear a child. But when she was diagnosed with cervical cancer at the age of 24, infertility became a frightening possibility. If she lost her cervix and the rest of her uterus to cancer surgery, she would not be able to carry a baby.

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When Nick Rotonda was diagnosed with congestive heart failure, he was devastated. He had been diagnosed 20 years earlier with atrial fibrillation. Now, with two high-risk cardiac conditions, Nick finally had to refrain from many activities, including his most treasured of all, horseback riding.

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For Kim Cristo and her husband, infertility came with feelings of isolation and hopelessness. She had been told by numerous fertility centers that because she was over 40, her success rate for pregnancy was slim, and she should consider adoption or other alternatives. Kim’s pessimism turned to optimism when she became a patient at The Valley Hospital Fertility Center.

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Those facing total knee replacement often experience excitement from the prospect of a pain-free lifestyle. But they also experience fear from what to expect while recovering from surgery. Patricia Flynn, a small business owner and exercise enthusiast, understands perfectly.

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