Stories of the Heart – Mayo Clinic patients share their stories with their health care providers

Patients and their caregivers share a lot when a patient is going through a medical crisis. Often, caregivers get only glimpses of the lasting impact they have had on their patients.

Leaders of the Division of Cardiovascular Diseases in Rochester wanted to give all of their staff a chance to hear the broader view of their patients' experiences. So they invited patients to return to Mayo and share their stories in October 2005. They called the event "Stories of the Heart: Through the Eyes of Our Patients."

"The idea was to share patient stories with staff members who may not otherwise see the impact they have on patients and their family members," says David Hayes, M.D., chair of the division.

"At Mayo, the patient comes first. This is part of our mission and our daily focus," says Dr. Hayes. "Even though patients may primarily recognize their doctors or nurses or specific therapists, it takes a team to deliver their care. Everyone contributes to that team. 'Stories of the Heart' is an opportunity for everyone who is part of that team to appreciate the impact they have had on the lives of specific patients who will share their stories."

Three patients attended the event and shared the stage with their health care providers. A video segment told the story of a fourth patient. Sue Pennington of Morris River Township, N. J., told the story of her daughter, Nancy, who died in 2004, in her early 20s, following a lifetime of living with a congenital heart abnormality. She was born with tricuspid artesia, and first came to Mayo when she was 3, when her condition was worsening.

"We were so impressed when we went there. They had everything scheduled for us," Sue says. "You just knew that everything was going to be okay, and you just knew that you were in the best place in the world."

Sue and her daughter developed a special bond with their caregivers. They made several return trips and kept in touch with her doctors when Nancy got sick. Sue says she never expected her daughter to live to experience high school. She credits surgery done at Mayo Clinic for extending her daughter's life and allowing her to enjoy life.

"She loved the Mayo Clinic — especially toward the end," Sue says. "She told me so many times how thankful and how grateful she was that we could be there. She felt in her heart that's the reason she had lived so long."