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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Being proactive with his heart health proved lifesaving for Marion “Mario” Stokes—and paved the way for a minimally invasive artery replacement procedure that has given him renewed energy to do what he loves.
Catching a heart concern
Mario enjoyed a busy career as an attorney practicing commercial litigation. He also stayed active throughout his life, serving as a Navy Judge Advocate General Corps officer, becoming a certified scuba divemaster, and enjoying photography and studying history. When he noticed he was out of breath frequently—and his smart watch notified him of an irregular heartbeat—he discussed his symptoms with his primary care physician.
An electrocardiogram detected a leaky aortic valve, and after discussion with his care team at Wellstar Center for Cardiovascular Care, Mario decided to proceed with a transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR).
Advanced, minimally invasive surgery
Aortic stenosis occurs when the aortic valve narrows, preventing normal flow of blood from the left ventricle, also known as the pumping chamber of the heart, to the aorta and the rest of the body. Over time, this narrowing causes the heart’s left ventricle to pump harder to push blood through the stenotic aortic valve.
“TAVR is an amazing technology offering a minimally invasive alternative to open-heart surgery,” said Wellstar Cardiologist Dr. Nabil Sabbak, who performed Mario’s procedure at Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center. “The valve is delivered through a small catheter via a tiny incision in the groin, eliminating the need to open the chest or stop the heart. This approach is lower-risk for many patients and allows for a quicker recovery with less pain.”
Most patients are walking within hours of the procedure and leave the hospital within 24 hours, according to Dr. Sabbak. Many people return to daily activities within a week.
“I’m very sensitive to pain, but nothing ever hurt,” Mario said about his procedure.
‘It’s like a new heart’
Mario said his valve replacement has given him more energy than he had before, allowing him to enjoy his retirement and time with family. The improvement is evident in his regular walks around his neighborhood and exercise at Wellstar Health Place.
“There's a steep hill that's near our house. Before the procedure, I couldn't walk up the hill without stopping at least once or twice to pause and get my breath,” he said. “Now I can just walk right up—no problem. It's made a huge difference in my life."
He stays busy with his fiancée and their three-year-old granddaughter—taking her on trips to the zoo, botanical gardens and nature center—as well as visiting his two children in Las Vegas and Philadelphia.
“It's like a new heart. It's unbelievable really,” Mario said. “I slept twice as much before. Sometimes I'd sleep 10 or 12 hours a night and then maybe take a nap. I was really out of energy.”
He is also building strength at cardiac rehabilitation three times a week at Wellstar Vinings Health Park, as well as continuing treatment with his Wellstar heart care team.
“I have been super pleased with Wellstar,” Mario said. “The folks there are very professional, and they have a wonderful combination of intelligence, education and caring, from the receptionists to the nurses, physician assistants and doctors.”
Learn more about heart care at Wellstar.
Mario Stokes
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De'saCare
De'sa Fuller, an assistant principal in West Georgia, greeted teachers in the hallway like every other morning. But her day turned upside down when she lost her balance and couldn’t rise from the floor. Thanks to the immediate actions of those around her—from the teacher who called 911 to emergency medical services and her Wellstar team—De’sa recovered and is back to school. Her story is a powerful testament to how recognizing symptoms of a stroke, calling for help right away and having highly coordinated care can lead to remarkable outcomes.
Getting help when things go wrong
At 34, De'sa Fuller was living a vibrant life. She was a 6th grade assistant principal at Gardner Middle School in LaGrange. She loved her job, enjoyed traveling and was saving up to buy her first home. April 15 started out like any other day. Smoothie in hand, she greeted teachers in the hallway as she made her way to her office.
“I felt a little off,” De'sa recalled. “I just thought I was going too fast—I didn’t put much thought into it.” Then she fell. A concerned teacher asked if she was okay. De'sa, thinking she had simply tripped, said “Yes.” Her vision blurred as she tried to get up and she fell again. “I said, ‘I am not okay.’”
What began as a typical morning turned into a race against time. One teacher's quick thinking to call 911 activated a rapid chain of events that would save De’sa from permanent disability.
The critical first minutes
“The ambulance got there quickly. It was like they were around the corner,” De'sa remembered.
“We got a call that EMS was bringing in a female who had been found on the floor at work, experiencing right-sided weakness,” explained Ginger Truitt, stroke coordinator at Wellstar West Georgia Medical Center, a Primary Stroke Center. The EMS professionals also reported confusion, headache and vomiting. “Those symptoms suggest stroke. We activated quickly.”
As a result, Dr. Reginald “Ashley” Orr, an emergency medicine physician, was ready for her arrival.
“I was worried about an acute stroke by their description of her symptoms,” he remembered. “I evaluated her on the stretcher when she came through the door.”
A Code FAST was called with the goal of speeding up the time to start treatment to improve De’sa’s chances for better outcomes. They skipped the emergency department and took her for a CT scan. Then she was seen by the onsite neurologist, and the team quickly administered tenectoplase—or TNK—a clot-busting drug.
“Her symptoms were markedly improved,” Dr. Orr noted. “She was more awake.”
However, the CT angiogram showed an MCA M1 occlusion—a blockage in a major blood vessel in the brain. While she had shown some improvement, it wasn’t enough. De'sa needed a thrombectomy, a procedure to remove the clot and restore vital blood flow to the brain.
A seamless transfer
De’sa needed an immediate transfer to a thrombectomy center, and there are only a few in the state of Georgia. After a quick virtual consult with Dr. Ovais Inamullah, a telestroke neurologist at Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center—a Comprehensive Stroke Center—she was accepted for transfer. The Marietta-based Neuro Care program performs one of the highest volumes of thrombectomy and aneurysm treatments in the country.
Because time is of the essence with successful stroke treatment, transport by air is preferred. However, weather conditions threatened the flight’s safety. The ground EMS crew dutifully stood by in case they needed to drive De’sa.
Mercifully, the clouds lifted after a few tense moments and she began her trip to Wellstar Kennestone via helicopter.
“When we have this type of emergency, our goal is to get patients out the door for a thrombectomy in 90 minutes,” Ginger said. “In De’sa’s case, we did it in 102 minutes, which was still impressive because there was cloud cover and we weren’t sure at first if she would be able to fly.”
Upon arrival, De'sa was taken directly to the angio suite where Dr. Ahmad Khaldi, a Wellstar neurosurgeon, and his team were waiting. “Every minute counts,” he emphasized.
A thrombectomy is a procedure that treats a stroke without open brain surgery. A tiny catheter is threaded through a blood vessel in the arm or leg to the brain to remove a clot, restoring blood flow to help prevent permanent disability or even death.
“We finished surgery by 11:25 AM,” Dr. Khaldi said—just 20 minutes after the procedure began.
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.”