Patient Success Stories - CPMC - A History of Heart Health!

At California Pacific we're committed to total transplant patient care involving the patient, their family and the referring physician. Our focus is on providing experienced, personal care and managing the entire transplant process to an excellent outcome.

A dedicated, multi-disciplinary transplant team works closely with you and your doctor from evaluation through post-transplant follow-up. Our team consists of cardiologists, surgeons, transplant nurse coordinators, dieticians, social workers, admission/financial coordinators, researchers and others. We believe this focus on total patient care leads to a high quality continuum of care and to more successful transplant outcomes.

See photos from the Celebration of Life party for VAD patients and read below to see what some of our patients have to say about their experience at California Pacific Medical Center.

Our Patients' Stories

Bill Geyer

Bill Geyer is making history - as one of only a handful of patients to be living with a donor heart 25+ years after his transplant. Read his inspirational heart transplant story.

Butch Jones

Butch Jones jumped on a plane when he was told a new heart awaited him at CPMC. Read the story of how Butch got his new heart.

Qiaorong Joey Wang

She thought she had the flu. But Qiaorong "Joey" Wang nearly died. After VAD surgery, Joey's recovery included participation in CPMC's Cardiac Rehabilitation program. (Shown in photo, at left)

Irene Armendarez

Irene Armendarez discusses the HeartMate II VAD with her physician, Ernest Haeusslein, MD. She credits the VAD for saving her life.

Kimberly Farias

While Kimberly Farias was hospitalized in 1992 for a heart transplant, she credits the supportive staff for her recovery.

Brenda Locke

During Brenda's recovery from her heart transplant surgery in 2003, Brenda Locke discovered "It's the “patient comes first” attitude of the entire staff that truly defines the healing power of CPMC."

Bob Jennings

Bob Jennings credits his physicians and nurses for outstanding care during his 1996 heart transplant, and also realizes rthe value of the follow-up care he received after discharge.

Irene Morais

August 2000 Heart Transplant Recipient Irene Morais says "I've been in and out of many hospitals, but the care at California Pacific Medical Center is different than all of them. The nurses who helped me were all angels. And the heart transplant team is so dedicated and brilliant. The physicians, the nurses, the chaplains -- they're all like family to me."

Ted and Judith Fallas

When Judy Fallas needed a new heart in 2004, her husband Ted said "We could not have chosen a better team or hospital to give us a new lease on life."

Tom Berryhill

My life is as full as it was before my heart transplant. And I’m much healthier. My wife wishes she could keep up with me! I’m almost “a too good to believe story.” I thank God everyday.

-Tom Berryhill

Alejandro Ramos

Danny Ramos was able to return to biking 12-miles at a time after receiving his
heart transplant at CPMC.

-Danny Ramos
Heart Transplant Recipient, July 1998

Harlin Weatherford

Harlin Weatherford learned the importance of thespecially-trained heart transplant nursing staff after receiving his heart transplant.

-Harlin Weatherford

California Pacific's Heart and Vascular Center

California Pacific's Heart and Vascular Center is supported by one of the best heart hospital/center networks in the USA, offering quality, comprehensive patient-centered cardiovascular care by a team of top heart surgeons and physicians with leading-edge technology. Serving the entire San Francisco Bay Area, including San Francisco and Marin County, as well as the entire Northern California region, our team has many of the best cardiovascular surgeons and physicians in California and the United States.