Ryan's Care Journey: Year End 2023

Dear friend,

The holiday season is upon us.

Your days and weekends are probably starting to fill up with seasonal celebrations.

Cookie exchanges, holiday movie night, community events and festive gatherings –your calendar is full of fun things to get in the holiday spirit.

There is rarely time to expect the unexpected.

For Lori, the unexpected came in the form of a life-changing phone call.

On the other end was a trauma doctor telling her that her 30-year-old son, Ryan, had been in a bike accident and was being treated for a traumatic brain injury. He was in critical condition.

You can be there for patients and families in their hardest times. Let me tell you how…

This holiday season, you can offer hope and healing to patients like Ryan at Iowa Methodist, Iowa Lutheran and Methodist West Hospitals. Your gift gives peace of mind, advanced technology and the latest in comprehensive care.

The first 48 hours after Ryan’s accident were critical. Every second meant the difference between life and death. Ryan needed surgery right away to help reduce the swelling and bleeding in his brain. Throughout every moment, his care team of trauma doctors, nurses and his neurosurgeon worked tirelessly to stabilize him.

“It was tough to see,” says Lori, Ryan’s mom. “Everything started feeling real when we saw Ryan intubated, in a collar with cords and tubes running across his body. The only thing we could do was pray because Ryan’s health was not in our hands.”

As the only Level I Trauma Center in central Iowa, our care teams are committed to caring for patients with the most complex needs. From a broken bone to life-changing accidents, every patient who walks through our hospitals are met with a specialized team of doctors, nurses and surgeons.

Donors are critical to delivering the best outcomes. When you donate, every dollar you give – 100% of it – provides patients with comprehensive care through essential state-of-the-art technology and equipment as well as the latest in research, innovations and education for our team members.

This holiday season, will you deliver the best in care to patients like Ryan?

From the Critical Care Unit, to moving to an inpatient floor and finally to Younker Rehabilitation, Ryan had one team who followed him throughout his care journey. Everyone worked toward the same goal: Get Ryan back to being healthy and feeling whole again.

Throughout every step in his care journey, donor support was felt.

Thanks to donors, Ryan is back to living his life. He loves to spend the weekends visiting his nephews and niece and support Iowa State University’s football and basketball teams with his family.

“I owe the rest of my life to the people who helped get me to where I am today,” says Ryan. “The situations they are put in are unbelievable. It’s remarkable how special the doctors and nurses are at UnityPoint Health to be able to do this day-in and day-out.”

You bring advanced, highly specialized comfort and care to patients. Donations makes a difference, and your year-end gift is no exception.

Your support is important and will ensure you, your loved ones and your community receive the best comprehensive health care possible.

“Your donation is invaluable,” says Lori. “Having care like this does not happen overnight and it requires funding. I hope you never have to experience what we did but it’s good to know there is an amazing team right here in the community and they could be saving your loved one someday.”

As you gather with your loved ones and celebrate this season, I hope you think of the many patients like Ryan who are spending their days in the hospital. They depend on your generosity for the care they need.

Take a moment and give the unexpected to a patient today. Your year-end gift will make a world of difference for someone like Ryan.

Thank you,
David Stark
President & CEO | UnityPoint Health – Des Moines

P.S. Your support matters. Outstanding health care depends on strong donor support. 100% of your gift will be dedicated to advancing the care at UnityPoint Health – Des Moines. Please make your year-end tax-deductible gift by December 31 online by clicking the link below.

DONATE ONLINE: https://bit.ly/UPHHOLIDAYWISHES

PICTURES OF RYAN'S JOURNEY