The Gift of Life
Meet Oswen Chavez and learn why he traveled from Honduras to New Jersey to receive "the gift of life" from the cardiovascular surgery team at The Valley Hospital.
Dan's Story
Treating One of Our Own
When Dan Sperry decided to swing by The Valley Hospital Emergency Department on his way to work for abdominal pain, he did not expect to come out recovering from surgery and with a rare diagnosis.
Mike's Story
A New Chapter
In 2022, Mike Vaccaro received a below-knee amputation at The Valley Hospital to treat his Charcot foot. A year later, Mike is back on the golf course with a new perspective on life.
Grace's Story
From Cancer Patient to Team Member
When Grace was diagnosed with breast cancer in June of 2021, she felt her whole world stopped. Today, she works at Valley-Mount Sinai Comprehensive Cancer Care and is now a part of the team that she credits with saving her life.
Mariko's Story
Surviving a Brain Aneurysm
One day, Mariko Takagi experienced a terrible headache, which prompted her to visit Valley's Emergency Department where she was diagnosed with a brain aneurysm.
Adrienne's Story
Surviving a Stroke
After suddenly experiencing issues with her speech and facial drooping, Adrienne Landis was brought to Valley where she was diagnosed with a stroke.
Scott's Story
Thankful for Palliative Care
After suffering from recurring urinary tract infections for six months, Scott Ryerson visited Valley's Emergency Department, where imaging confirmed a diagnosis of stage four colon cancer.
Luis' Story
Surviving Stroke
After fainting in his home while getting ready for work, Luis was taken to The Valley Hospital, where he was told he had suffered a hemorrhagic stroke due to a burst aneurysm in his brain.
Lada's Story
Novel Technology to Continue an Active Life
Lada St. Edmund has lived an extraordinary, active life. But in November 2019, her active lifestyle was put on pause when she woke up unable to speak and was taken to The Valley Hospital.
Roy's Story
An Aortic Aneurysm
After suffering a stroke while on a job site, Roy was taken to The Valley Hospital to identify the underlying cause of his stroke. It was then that he was diagnosed with a thoracic aortic aneurysm and taken into emergency cardiac surgery.
Jennifer's Story
The Right Place at The Right Time
After her vision blurred and her left side became immobile during a spin class, the last thing that 30-year-old Jennifer expected to hear once she got to The Valley Hospital was that she was having a stroke.
James' Story
A Trip of a Lifetime Made Possible
Severely arthritic knees seemed to make Dr. James Shammas' dream of climbing Mount Kilimanjaro impossible. That is, until he decided to get bilateral knee replacements at Valley.
Elizabeth's Story
A Relaxing MRI Experience
For Elizabeth Vivenzio, getting a diagnostic MRI was always an apprehensive experience due to her claustrophobia – that is, until she experienced Valley’s 3T MRI Sentient Suite.
Shari's Story
An Accident Uncovers an Undetected Condition
After accidentally falling down the stairs, Shari was taken to The Valley Hospital Emergency Department. Upon examination, a brain meningioma the size of a golf ball was discovered, a condition Shari was unaware of.
Delaney's Story
A Celebration of Two Birthdays
On her 10th birthday, Delaney didn’t expect to end up at The Valley Hospital—or to have a stroke. But as her mom would later say, it was the best place for them to end up.
Natalia's Story
A Unique Hobby and a Unique Surgery
Being a competitive rock climber is no easy task. It takes a lot of training and hard work. For Natalia Leaf, she didn’t want anything to slow her down, including her pectus excavatum.
Kenley's Story
Living With Spastic Cerebral Palsy
Kenley and her family found the perfect balance of advanced clinical care and warm, personal attention at Valley’s Center for Pediatric Spasticity, where specialists have helped Kenley through every stage of her journey.
Tom's Story
Valley's "Biggest Fan"
After breaking his femur and undergoing emergency surgery, Tom opted to heal at home. He regained his mobility and strength, thanks to Valley Home Care’s tailored approach to his care.
James' Story
Revealing an Unexpected Diagnosis
When two bouts of eosinophilic pneumonia left James with cardiovascular complications, Valley’s heart team worked together to restore blood flow through his heart with the MitraClip device.
Lilian's Story
Healing at Home
When Lilian needed IV antibiotic therapy to treat an infection in her leg, she chose Valley Home Care to receive skilled care in the comfort of her own home.
Chris' Story
Time to Take Action
Chris Lengers considered surgery for his pectus excavatum for many years. In 2020, he finally made the decision and headed to Valley, where he received the Nuss procedure performed by Dr. LoSasso.
Albert's Story
Treating Cardiogenic Shock
What started as a mild cough ended in life-saving intervention from Valley's cardiology, interventional cardiology, and heart failure teams, whose collaborative efforts got Albert back to his favorite activities.
Kessoon's Story
Facing Leukemia
Kessoon advocated for herself and got a second opinion at Valley, where she began treatment and overcame acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
Ralph's Story
The Road Back to Health
The long drive to Valley’s neurological ICU proved worthwhile for Ralph, who received top-notch care for a spontaneous subdural hematoma.
Brian's Story
Regaining Strength After Spine Surgery
After a feeling of tingling in his left arm, Brian sought out treatment at Valley, where he underwent spine surgery and got back to enjoying activities.
Christine's Story
A Life in Motion
For 15 years, Christine Pietroburgo struggled with losing weight. As her 30s came to a close, she knew it was time to reclaim her life, starting with weight-loss surgery.
Izabela's Story
Celebrating the End of Treatment
After being diagnosed with breast cancer and being treated at Valley, Izabela wanted to do something to give back and created a way for patients to celebrate treatment milestones.
Shirley's Story
Reclaiming Confidence
Issues with her weight caused Shirley Fischer to become insecure and lose her confidence, but thanks to the support of Valley's bariatric surgery team, she's happier and healthier than ever before.
Harry's Story
Joint Replacement x2
After living in constant pain, Harry turned to the surgeons at Valley for not just one, but both of his life-changing hip replacements.
Greg's Story
Cancer Care Around the Corner
In 2018, Greg came to Valley where he was diagnosed with glioblastoma. Having had a great experience with The Valley Hospital in the past, Greg knew he was in the right place for his care.
Donna and Bill Gundlach's Story
Losing Weight Together
Donna and Bill Gundlach have always enjoyed doing things as a couple - even having bariatric surgery. With a total weight loss of 135 pounds, they're now living healthier, happier lives.
Deirdre's Story
Overcoming Fertility Challenges
After several unsuccessful years of trying to have a baby, Deirdre felt defeated. With the help of her doctors, she finally got her wish.
The Verona Family's Story
A Family Affair
Losing weight and staying healthy is a family affair for Albert, Kenneth and Jose Verona, all of whom have undergone weight-loss surgery at Valley.