Bakersfield Magazine • 23-6 Sizzlin' Singles

Page 56

time I close an incision I am reminded of that day as the thrill and excitement of surgery live on.

amir berjis

Surgery My First Surgery Amir Berjis, Surgeon The first time I held a needle in my hand, I knew I was destined to be a surgeon. The year was 1997 and I was a third-year medical student at Saint Louis University. My chief resident asked me to close an incision at the conclusion of a gallbladder surgery. I was petrified as I took the needle driver. My heart was racing and perspiration began to form, but I closed that incision the best

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I could. One month later, I participated in a heart/double-lung transplant as a medical student. Even though I only held retractors, I was fascinated by the operation. I knew immediately that I wanted to be a thoracic surgeon. What other profession can provide such a thrill and satisfaction at the same time? Several years later, I performed my first lung resection as an attending. My heart was racing and I was anxious, but the surgery went well. Over the years, every

My First Time Getting Involved with Bakersfield Homeless Center Darlene Molkhe, VP Sales and Marketing, Castle & Cooke There are many first in one’s life if they are fortunate enough to grow old, or rather mature nicely. I was a young married mother and had the wonderful support of a hardworking husband who said “raise our children to make a difference in their world and, in turn, a difference will be made in the world.” So when I was ready to start a career some 18 years after having our first child, I looked for something that would make a difference in my life and my community. I believed, and continue to believe, that Castle & Cooke would fulfill both of these visions. My position has provided me the opportunity to continue my involvement in charitable giving by supporting many organizations, but I hold one most dear and can remember the first time I met the new director of the Bakersfield Homeless Center, Louis Gill; a young man, with a degree in nonprofit development who came to meet me, a board member.

He started off telling me about how the face of homeless has changed and how we were not serving children and families, and we needed to get prepared as an organization, as a community, and as a nation to what was headed our way. I was a little stunned and thought “this guy is too young and way too smart to stick around,” so I bluntly asked him how long he planned to stay in Bakersfield, my much loved community, having such a big vision that would surely take him elsewhere. I think I floored him and he said “long enough to make a significant difference in the future of homeless children.” Roll forward a few short years and I was out at the homeless center and I walked for the first time to our “free” licensed day care facility, Discovery Depot,

Darlene Molkhe


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