Surgical Fire
What happened to my mother was horribly painful and sad. Before she died, my mother asked me to make sure something like this never happens to another human being. That is why I am working to create awareness of surgical fires and advocating for transparency in medical errors.

Lewis Blackman
Lewis Blackman, a healthy, gifted 15-year-old, underwent elective surgery at MUSC. In one of the state's most modern hospitals, he bled to death over 30 hours while those caring for him missed signs that he was in grave peril.

A Mom's Journey
So, when I went back to the many doctors the following week to let them know that my child was still bleeding long after surgery, I was surprised that no one called the surgeon. Feeling “safe” when he finally saw my baby after a full week, I knew everything was going to be okay because “my” doctor told me so.

A Husband's Journey
This surgery was performed in a hospital in a New York Suburb. She had a good surgeon but the care that she received in the hospital where he operates was unacceptable.

A Tribute To Mary M. Daly
The critical care unit had become a second home for my brothers and me since that phone call. “Your Mother needs emergency surgery” was the voice message.
A routine procedure, colonoscopy, would determine what route to take to put her back on the mend is what they told us.

Daniel Stratman
In 1996, Daniel Stratman went to the hospital for "minor" surgery. Due to errors administering anesthesia, profound neurological damage occured. Daniel's foundation was established in 2003 to provide information, resources, and support to people facing similar challenges

For The Love of My Daughter
On February 3rd, 1997, my youngest daughter went to our Primary Care Physician
complaining of pains in her chest, shortness of breathe and dizziness. They told her to breathe into a brown paper bag for the dizziness. They then sent her home.

Gene's Story: A Family Tragedy
Before our very eyes, a respected medical establishment let a man die at the hands of one of its most respected oncology groups. Before our very eyes, veteran physicians, not medical residents, systematically poisoned a man with chemotherapy drugs because they got the orders wrong.

Justice For Medical Victims
Kyle was born on October 12, 1989 after 2 1/2 weeks of labor. We had already made two trips to the hospital because the doctor would never return our calls when I felt like I could no longer walk...but the doctor said I had not dilated nor effaced and sent me home each time to wait and wait until I would have to be admitted.

Justin's Hope
Our 11 year old son, Justin, died on Jan. 16, 2001 following a ten minute minor surgical procedure at a hospital in upstate NY. He was a completely healthy, athletic child who had returned from school complaining of ankle pain and a slight temp. There was no known injury except for dental bonding 2 weeks earlier.

Marlene's Story
During the course of labor, while the attending physician and the labor nurse were within proximity, the anesthesia department was called and a resident was sent to perform a procedure. I later learned the procedure was an epidural. She rushed into the room, introduced herself as a Doctor, and ask me to leave the room. I thought that my wife was going to be prepared for delivery and I would return with a sterile gown. My wife and I were not aware that she was about to have a procedure.

Memorial2Taylor
When our 13 month old daughter was brought into the emergency room we were told that the shunt which was placed in her head at birth was in failure, her condition was "emergent", and that she required immediate surgery. We were then told that since the "OR" was too busy and due to the late hour and on the weekend, she was being bumped from surgery that evening and would have to wait until the next morning for surgery ( but she did not make it until the morning).

Merrick, New York
When I was mistreated by my physician, I looked to her for an apology, and an explanation. I could not move on unless I could try and understand why she left me with a severe GI Bleed and peritonitis for 3 days, telling me to take Mylanta when I told her my stomach hurt. I couldn't fathom why she let a diagnosed atopic pregnancy go on for so many days, surely a physician in practice as long as she had been has to know that untreated etopic pregnancy is the leading cause of mortality in women, and is often fatal.

Click here to see some of the faces of medical errors