When you first glance at Frank and Ellenora "Llen" Ryan, the word "fighter" likely isn't the top quality that pops into mind.
Between the two of them, they have defeated cancer twice, overcome debilitating spine pain and triumphed over a cardiology episode. Now, they’re fighting Parkinson’s disease with the same energy, confidence and heart.
Highlights: PeopleCare
Frank&LlenCare
Published on July 06, 2020
Last updated 04:07 PM August 21, 2020
Frank & Llen Ryan
The most rewarding part of what I do is making a difference in my patients’ lives. I can help catch medical issues early before they become bigger problems and develop treatment plans that work best with my patients’ lifestyles.
- Dr. Ryan Cantwell
Wellstar Family Medicine Physician
Frank & Llen Ryan
Taking charge of their health
The common thread? Wellstar. The physicians and staff throughout the health system have helped them navigate their health journeys through primary care and specialty services, as well as surgery and therapy. As the Ryans — happily married for 53 years — continue on their path to wellness, Wellstar provides them everything they need, every step of the way.
“At Wellstar, we work as a team to take care of our patients,” Dr. Ryan Cantwell explained. “I enjoy being my patients’ quarterback and coordinating their care with other physicians. Through our electronic health records system, the referral process and communication with other specialists is easy and accurate.”
“At one point, we thought I might have had throat cancer,” said Frank. “Within a week, I was referred to a gastroenterologist and had an upper endoscopy that showed I actually had a hiatal hernia, not throat cancer. But it was really impressive, how quickly I was referred and seen, and that’s down to Dr. Cantwell and the Wellstar referral system.”
Wellstar provided support to Llen after diagnosing her with diabetes nearly 20 years go. Type 2 diabetes runs in her family, she says, but her care team helped empower her to take better care of herself to turn the disease around.
“The most rewarding part of what I do is making a difference in my patients’ lives,” Dr. Cantwell said. “I can help catch medical issues early before they become bigger problems and develop treatment plans that work best with my patients’ lifestyles. In Llen’s case with her diabetes, we came up with a diet and exercise regimen that continues to be successful today.”
“When I got diagnosed, it was a scary thing. But I have since said it's one of the blessings in my life because I changed. I started walking, which I do practically every day now. I ate better and lost 65 pounds, which I’ve kept off for 10 years.”
Seamless specialty care
Through speedy diagnostic services, referrals and treatment, Wellstar has helped both Frank and Llen become warriors for their own wellness.
He first beat melanoma with the help of Dr. Sartaj Sanghera, Wellstar Oncology Surgeon. Frank also overcame prostate cancer with the guidance Wellstar Urologist Dr. Murphy Townsend.
It was at Wellstar where Frank managed his atrial fibrillation (AFib) heart condition with Wellstar Cardiologist Dr. Paul Simonoff, allowing him to continue an active lifestyle. Today, Wellstar Neurologist Dr. Marat Reyzelman keeps Frank in the ring fighting Parkinson’s Disease through medication and therapy at a non-combat boxing class at Wellstar Health Place.
Llen is no stranger to fighting for her health and independence, either. After dealing with debilitating back pain for years, Llen found relief through surgery by Wellstar Neurologist Dr. Franklin Lin. She once couldn’t bear to stand, but she now walks three miles every day around Kennesaw Mountain.
A wellness partnership
Today, Frank and Llen spend time at their cottage-style home on Church Street while chasing their dreams.
Frank keeps working on his jabs in boxing class with the same dedication he brings to his music at New Horizons, a local Kennesaw band he has been with for 10 years. Llen paints rocks with inspirational pictures and phrases which she distributes along her daily walks around Kennesaw Mountain. Additionally, Llen volunteers each Monday at Wellstar Kennestone Hospital.
“One of my gifts is I'm a good listener. I like to be around people and I'm compassionate,” said Llen. “Volunteering has given those gifts purpose and it’s given me joy. It's made me look at life differently and helps me value my family, my husband and relationships. It's just pumped me up.”
The Ryans keep Wellstar near to their hearts and close to home, as they live a short walk from all their healthcare services. And from there, they continue the fight as a team.
“We are in collaboration with Wellstar. We work together. It's not just them alone,” Llen said. “It's a decision we make to stay healthy, to get up in the morning and ask yourself: ‘What drives me?’”
“I feel that my life is here because of Wellstar,” Frank said. “There’s no doubt about it. I wouldn’t have beaten prostate cancer and melanoma. I may have even had a heart attack because of my heart issues. Without Wellstar, I wouldn’t be here.”
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PeopleCare
RobertCare
Robert Frederick was living a typical life, going to work and spending time with his mother, siblings and children. But then it became hard to breathe when walking short distances or climbing stairs. He got dizzy. Perhaps most disturbingly, he passed out several times—once at a Braves baseball game he attended with his siblings.
"I didn't know what was going on!" Robert recalled.
Difficulty controlling AFib with medication
After passing out the first time, he went to urgent care and was then taken to the hospital by ambulance. He learned his symptoms were caused by atrial fibrillation (AFib), an irregular heartbeat.
Robert began to see Dr. David Caras, a Wellstar general cardiologist, and learned AFib is related to high blood pressure. Successfully managing high blood pressure often helps people keep AFib under control. Despite their efforts, AFib sent Robert to the emergency room two more times.
Suspicion of HCM
Dr. Caras reviewed Robert’s hospital records and found he had increased wall thickness of the left ventricle and a gradient—a pressure difference between the left ventricle and the aorta when the heart pumps. These findings were consistent with a condition called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). Characterized by abnormal thickening of the heart muscle, this disease makes it difficult for the heart to pump blood effectively.
Dr. Caras referred Robert to Dr. Melissa Burroughs, an HCM specialist at Wellstar. As a Center of Excellence designated by the Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Association, Wellstar is one of the leading providers of comprehensive HCM care in Metro Atlanta.
"We have physicians in the group—designated HCM specialists—that are the point person of the patient’s care," Dr. Burroughs explained. “This includes close communication and collaboration with electrophysiologists, surgeons, advanced heart failure specialists, social workers and behavioral health professionals.”
A rare finding leads to Mayo Clinic Care Network collaboration
Robert said, “Dr. Burroughs wanted to do genetic testing to verify that I had HCM."
But genetic testing revealed a rare genetic variant—one not known to be associated with HCM. Dr. Burroughs called it a “diagnostic conundrum.” The genetic variant found was typically associated with a different cardiac disease that Robert did not have. However, he did have clear signs of HCM.
To investigate further, Dr. Burroughs collaborated with other HCM experts through the Mayo Clinic Care Network, of which Wellstar is a member. Mayo Clinic, which is also an HCM Center of Excellence, provided access to its unpublished database, finding Robert’s rare mutation was present in two other family groups with HCM.
“It’s very important that we add to the science—that we include our patients in the registry to enhance what is already known about HCM,” Dr. Burroughs said.
Robert added, “Dr. Burroughs is very persistent. She wanted to know, ‘Why are you having these problems? What’s the root cause?’ She went above and beyond to find that out.”
Newsroom
Top Marks for Heart Care at Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center
Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center has received several major commendations highlighting the high level of heart care continuously provided to patients—putting Wellstar’s cardiothoracic surgery program among the top in the nation. The Marietta-based heart care program received:
- The coveted three-star rating in the following key areas from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS): isolated coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG, or open-heart surgery), aortic valve replacement (AVR), AVR + CABG, and multiprocedural cardiothoracic surgeries. This is the highest category of quality, placing Wellstar Kennestone among the best programs for heart surgery in the U.S. and Canada.
- The prestigious Comprehensive Cardiac Care Certification—the highest distinction awarded by The Joint Commission and the American Heart Association. Wellstar Kennestone was the first in Georgia to receive this certification.
These recognitions demonstrate Wellstar’s commitment to keeping advanced heart care close to home.
“These accomplishments speak volumes about the skill, precision and teamwork of our cardiothoracic team,” said Dr. Richard Myung, medical director of cardiothoracic surgery at Wellstar Kennestone. “We’re proud to deliver exceptional outcomes for patients from across the Southeast who have some of the most complex heart conditions.”
Three-star STS rating
STS ratings reflect not only surgical excellence, but also the quality of care patients receive in the critical 30-day period following surgery.
“This extraordinary recognition reflects the world-class quality of care offered by Wellstar,” said Lorrie Liang, president of Wellstar Kennestone and Wellstar Windy Hill. “To achieve this gold standard, a health system must demonstrate both clinical excellence and rigorous standards for follow-up care. At Wellstar, we provide all of this, along with a warm, people-centered experience. It’s what we call ‘PeopleCare.’”
These results highlight the importance of a multidisciplinary approach—one that includes surgeons, anesthesiologists, perfusionists, nurses, cardiologists, respiratory therapists, rehabilitation specialists, critical care specialists, hospitalists, advanced practice providers and many others.
“This achievement is a testament to the entire care continuum,” said Steve Cermak, executive director of cardiovascular service line and hospital operations at Wellstar Kennestone. “From the operating room to recovery and rehabilitation, every team member plays a vital role in delivering outstanding outcomes.”
Among the three-star rankings is CABG. This procedure is commonly performed to treat people having a heart attack or other conditions including coronary heart disease with chest pain, multiple blocked coronary arteries or serious heart failure. The procedure is performed by cardiovascular surgeons at Wellstar Kennestone—Dr. Theresa Luu, Dr. James Burke and Dr. Richard Myung—who work as part of a large multidisciplinary team to give every patient the highest quality care at every step of the process, from diagnosis through surgery and recovery.
“This amazing recognition is about the great lengths we go to care for our patients, and why people travel from across the region to receive their care at Wellstar Kennestone,” added Director of Wellstar Cardiothoracic Surgery Services and the Structural Heart and Valve Program Karrie Davis. “We care for every patient like they’re a family member or close friend. That’s why we hold ourselves to the highest standards.”
Wellstar Center for Cardiovascular Care offers patients care close to home across Georgia communities at more than 25 cardiovascular locations, with more than 110 cardiologists and cardiothoracic surgeons standing ready to provide heart care for both routine and complex heart conditions. Wellstar also has one of the largest cardiovascular rehabilitation programs in Georgia, which helps patients improve their long-term outcomes.
Certification by The Joint Commission
The Joint Commission has also awarded Wellstar Kennestone with a Gold Seal of Approval in conjunction with the American Heart Association’s Heart-Check mark and certification as a Comprehensive Cardiac Center for the third consecutive time.
For the certification, Wellstar Kennestone underwent a rigorous, unannounced onsite review. During the visit, a team of Joint Commission reviewers evaluated compliance with related certification standards including evaluating the care of the cardiac patient at every touch point in the cardiac care continuum with ongoing process improvement and health promotion for patients, as well as the community. Joint Commission standards are developed in consultation with healthcare experts and providers, measurement experts and patients. The reviewers also conducted onsite observations and interviews.
The hospital first received the two-year certification in 2019. This recertification makes the third cycle—or sixth year—it has remained in place. Wellstar Kennestone was the first hospital in Georgia and remains the only one in the state to hold the comprehensive certification.
From prevention to post-cardiac event recovery, our well-connected and collaborative heart care team is dedicated to empowering you to regain your strength and independence. We offer top-quality cardiovascular care including diagnostics, treatment, psychological support and ongoing monitoring all focused on your well-being. Learn more about award-winning heart care at Wellstar.
PeopleCare
MariaCare
Maria Fernanda Ortiz was a college junior, pursuing a degree in interior design. But at just 26 years old, her life took an unexpected turn. She discovered a lump in her breast, which led to a cancer diagnosis and expert, multidisciplinary care at Wellstar that would shape her professional aspirations in the future. Maria feels her hopeful attitude and compassionate care team at Wellstar helped her come through treatment with positive outcomes.
Feeling heard in healthcare
After Maria discovered a lump, she initially saw a doctor who went through the motions but didn’t seem to take her concerns seriously.
“He was so sure it was nothing because I am so young,” she remembered. “I didn’t think it was cancer, but I wanted someone who would get to the bottom of it.”
She then saw her OB/GYN who referred her to Dr. Laura Pearson, a Wellstar breast surgeon at Wellstar North Fulton Cancer Center, for a second opinion.
Maria got what she was looking for: a doctor who listened and would help her find answers.
“Maria is the perfect example of a patient advocating for themselves,” Dr. Pearson said. “She did exactly what she was supposed to do for someone her age who finds a lump. When it didn’t go away, she got it looked at. When she didn’t feel like she was being heard, she didn’t let it go.”
A surprising cancer diagnosis
Dr. Pearson immediately performed an ultrasound in the office, followed quickly by a biopsy, which came back positive for cancer.
"The diagnosis was scary," Maria said. “Dr. Pearson made it as simple as possible to understand by making sketches. She took the time to answer my questions—and she gave me hugs.”
Dr. Pearson added, “I try hard to be methodical and build a story: ‘This is what this means. This is how it applies to you.’ It’s important for patients to understand their plan and how it’s based very specifically on their situation.”
Maria was diagnosed with stage 2A breast cancer, meaning it was a small tumor but had spread to a nearby lymph node.
“The stage helps us understand how the patient is going to do with standard treatment,” Dr. Pearson explained. “At stage 2A, we’re looking at a 90% survival rate.”