Doctors lend patients Helping Hands
Skip Long didn’t receive any of the free surgeries Tuesday that Las Vegas doctors performed on uninsured Southern Nevadans, proud men and women trying to stay afloat in a sinking economy even while battling health conditions that make it difficult to work.
But the stocky guy in a baseball cap who showed up at Medical District Surgery Center to offer moral support to a friend couldn’t have been more appreciative.
So often, Long said, he sees stories about American doctors going to help people in foreign countries. And while he is moved by that generosity, Long said he is moved even more by what 56-year-old Dr. Kevin Petersen began in October with Helping Hands Surgical Care, a nonprofit foundation with a mission of funding and facilitating surgery for the uninsured,
“We’re having a tough time in this country,” Long said. “This does my heart so good to see doctors helping people in this country. Everybody needs to do what they can to help people who are struggling right now. We need to take care of our own.”
Neurosurgeon Yevgeniy Khavkin repaired discs in the neck of Tina Driver, who no longer could do clerical work at a law firm because the pain from her condition literally drove her to her knees.
Dr. Ronette Cyka, a gynecologist, removed a uterine tumor from restaurant server Desta Collins. She prays she doesn’t have cancer.
Petersen, who listens to the songs of Johnny Cash in the operating room, did eight surgeries: six hernias and two gallbladders.
“Several other surgeons volunteered, but we need more acute care facilities for what they do,” he said before heading for the operating room. “We’re starting small, but it’s going to grow.”
Nine of the surgeries were performed at Medical District Surgical Center, a small outpatient facility near University Medical Center that was donated by its owners to Helping Hands for the day. Summerlin Hospital donated an operating room for Collins’ gynecological surgery. The medical supplier, Covidien, donated some of the medical supplies.
Long’s friend, Terence Butler, had his procedure done by Petersen.
Butler, 42, had to take a half-paid leave of absence from working at Target in July because of a hernia. Before he went under the knife Tuesday, he talked about what the operation means to him and his family.
“It gives me hope,” he said. “I’ve got three kids that I need to support, and this operation is going to help me do that. We’ve been through a string of bad luck. I got laid off from a job as a printer and was lucky to get on with Target. And then my wife’s car got hit by a hit-and-run driver, and she got hurt bad. And then I got hurt. It’s been one thing after another. I”ve had to go on food stamps. As a working man, it’s really depressing. I need to work. My leave of absence is almost up. We’re trying to live on less than $700 a month. “
The surgeries done Tuesday were all medically necessary elective operations for conditions that don’t pose an immediate threat to a patient but that can progress to life threatening.
“I’m so glad this is being done,” Collins said. “Because if my tumor is cancerous and they catch it early enough, I may be able to get the treatment so I can live.”
Petersen, who has become best known in Las Vegas for offering low-cost, cash-only surgeries to uninsured patients, said the impetus for Helping Hands came from the growing numbers of people showing up at his office desiring care but without the means to pay for it.
They are working people, men and women who fall through the cracks when it comes to health care.
“The impoverished qualify for government programs. But these are people who may be self-employed, who have bad credit and can’t can get a loan, people without insurance who are living paycheck to paycheck.”
Petersen said he continues to see people who are trying to work through terrible pain.
“These are people who often go to emergency rooms for years with pain because of gallstones and hernias, but because what they have is not deemed an emergency — something a hospital must take care of under the law — they are just stabilized, given some pain pills and a referral to a surgeon. Of course, they never end up having the surgery because the can’t afford it.
Two doctors who made sure the patients didn’t feel any pain Tuesday were anesthesiologists Albert Khavkin and Hosny Habashy, both of whom donated their time.
“It makes you feel good to help people who are having a difficult time,” Habashy said.
Petersen said Helping Hands has begun to receive monetary donations from the community. Anyone who wants to donate should go to HelpingHandsSurgical,com for information.
“I’ve lived in this community most of my life,” Petersen said. “There a lot people with big hearts. I’ve already had over a dozen doctors volunteer to help out. We just need more facilities to donate, and I believe we’ll get them. Nobody wants to see good working people having to try to live and work in pain.”
Contact reporter Paul Harasim at pharasim@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2908.
