Hector Sanchez is a 59-year-old avid runner who logs around 25 miles a week, performs weight training three times a week and has completed 31 marathons during his lifetime, but on Black Friday of 2015, his regular workout turned into a heart attack.
Fortunately, two bystanders helped give CPR and used the gym's defibrillator as someone called 911. EMS transported Sanchez to the Level II Trauma Center at Overland Park Regional Medical Center, where the emergency room team gave him two stents. Sanchez spent 12 days at Overland Park Regional Medical Center.
Three months following his surgery, Sanchez had the chance to thank the entire healthcare and EMS team who helped save his life.
"This Great Save is a celebration of life that demonstrates the skill, collaboration and compassion of all those involved in patient care at Overland Park Regional Medical Center," says George Pierson, M.D., cardiologist at Overland Park Regional Medical Center. "We are honored and humbled to be recognized by Hector."
"Great Saves are important - they allow us to recognize the teams who daily care for patients such as Hector Sanchez in emergency situations," says Kevin J. Hicks, Chief Executive Officer of Overland Park Regional Medical Center. "Hector's story is remarkable given that he is an athlete and proves that heart disease does not discriminate. His recovery following a heart attack is an excellent example of how our healthcare teams are dedicated to helping save lives with high quality, compassionate care."
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Alyson Bruner can be reached at alyson.bruner@kshb.com.
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