Team Mindset, Humble Leadership Inspire New Fellowship at UH Harrington Heart & Vascular Institute
At UH Harrington Heart & Vascular Institute, a new named fellowship inspired by one woman’s journey will shape those of countless future patients. With a generous gift, the Cathi and John Drake Endovascular Interventional Fellowship will support the training of early career cardiovascular specialists, equipping them with the skillset and ethos of limb preservation that profoundly benefitted its namesake.
A Promise for More Time
Cathi Drake had no idea she had suffered a silent heart attack until years later, when an anesthesiologist preparing her for routine eyelid surgery delivered the shocking news. Despite significant heart damage, she had been fully engaged in her family and business, unaware of the battle unfolding within her.
Yet the diagnosis made sense given Cathi’s family history. Her mother had peripheral artery disease, passing away at just 46, not long after a leg amputation. Like Cathi’s mother, John’s mother also passed away too soon. She was 66 and had endured four years of brain cancer.
Over time, Cathi’s health challenges mounted. A cardiac arrest in 2006 prompted the Drakes’ decision to sell their family business, which had developed computerized grinding machines for decades. They were committed to making the most of their time together.
“We were determined not to follow the same course as our parents,” said John. “We wanted to enjoy retirement together, which they never had the chance to do.”
A Doctor Who Listens
Through it all, John became Cathi’s fiercest advocate. Some physicians were intimidated by my clipboard and pen at the ready,” chuckled John. “Dr. Shishehbor was different. He welcomed it.”
In 2010 and again in 2019, Cathi’s severe leg pain led the couple to Mehdi Shishehbor, DO, MPH, MD, President, UH Harrington Heart & Vascular Institute; Director, Lorraine and Bill Dodero Limb Preservation Center; and Angela and James Hambrick Chair in Innovation. His minimally invasive procedures helped Cathi manage the same disease that afflicted her mother. Where other doctors had recommended relatively drastic measures, Dr. Shishehbor believed he could simply clear the blockage with a medicated stent in the affected vasculature.
“And he did,” said John. “A few days later, Cathi was on her feet, in charge of our Thanksgiving dinner.”
The Power of a Team
Yet John does not attribute the result to any single caregiver – even one as capable as Dr. Shishehbor. “It’s the team spirit,” he said.
Unlike programs that leave major decisions to a single physician, UH physicians in the newly named Lorraine and Bill Dodero Limb Preservation Center (previously the UH Limb Salvage and Amputation Prevention Program) submit weighty decisions to a panel of peers. John, who had implemented strong quality control measures for the teams at Drake Manufacturing, sees wisdom in requiring physicians to justify crucial decisions before others.
“Everyone makes mistakes. Ego makes that hard to admit – especially when you are highly skilled,” said John. “I saw it among even my best engineers. But Mehdi and his group submit the big decisions to peer review.”
Investing in the Next Generation
With John’s unwavering support, care from her team at UH, and her own fortitude, Cathi shared 15 active years of retirement with John before her passing in 2021, at age 80. In her memory, the Cathi and John Drake Endovascular Interventional Fellowship will train cardiovascular specialists to carry forward both the skillset and the ethos of limb preservation that extended her life and improved its quality.
“We need to create more Mehdis,” said John. “Not just in terms of knowledge, but attitude. We need leaders who challenge their teams to reach ever higher levels of effectiveness in saving limbs. That’s Mehdi. He is a real leader.”
“‘No limb left behind’ is our unwavering mission,” said Dr. Shishehbor. “John’s commitment to education will mean more physicians saving more patients from amputation. I am thankful not only to have served Cathi and John, but that their experience will change the outlook for so many others.”