Marcus’ Story
“Without Richmond Hospital and the team of health care professionals there, I simply might not be alive.”
There was a time when abdominal pain would wake me up every single night. As the nights wore on, the pain grew increasingly overwhelming, eventually reaching a point where we had no choice but to call an ambulance and rush me to the Emergency Department at Richmond Hospital.
At the hospital, they quickly organized imaging tests of my abdomen and decided that immediate surgery was required. It was at that moment I realized my life was in jeopardy and it became crystal clear that the only priority was to get treated. Nothing else mattered.
My name is Marcus Choy, and to this day, I still feel I owe my life to Richmond Hospital.
This was when I realized the importance of supporting your local hospital. When you need urgent medical help, they are the ones who step up to provide the critical care you require. Please make a generous gift to help ensure Richmond Hospital is there for everyone in our community like it has been for me.
Intestinal surgery usually takes about 2 ½ hours, but I was in surgery for about 6 hours! In the morning, the attending doctor told me that they had to remove one third of my intestine. Thankfully I did not require a colostomy. He said that in 95% of cases like mine, it would be determined that there was cancer present in the intestine, but we would have to wait for the results of the biopsy for confirmation.
I then stayed in Richmond Hospital for just over a week in order to recover and was taken care of by compassionate and expert health care professionals. I will always remember just how caring the staff were. They checked on me every few hours to make sure I was moving and that my healing was progressing as it should. Their warmth and sincerity was the reassurance I needed while I anxiously waited for the biopsy results.
Finally, the results came in. Imagine my relief to hear that there was no cancer. My symptoms were because of a rare form of gastrointestinal tuberculosis.
I was discharged from the hospital and treated with medication for my condition. At that time, I weighed only 90 pounds.
Without Richmond Hospital, I simply might not be alive. What if the necessary equipment hadn’t been there? What if the hospital wasn’t able to provide me and others with the care we so desperately needed? The thought is chilling.
That’s why I believe that everyone should support them. I am so grateful to the doctors and nurses who so quickly and diligently assessed my condition and took such the necessary actions to save my life.
A few years later, my wife and I were overjoyed when the wonderful staff at Richmond Hospital delivered our baby boy. My entire family feels that this is our hospital… they helped save my life and brought my family new life! I proudly tell my friends and fellow community members how much Richmond Hospital means to me and our community.
Please join me and my family in support of Richmond Hospital Foundation and make as generous a gift as you are able. Your generosity will help provide excellent care to countless individuals, giving them a chance at a healthier and more prosperous future.
With gratitude,
Marcus Choy
P.S. As a long time monthly donor myself, I can tell you that a really great way to support Richmond Hospital is by making a monthly gift. Your regular monthly donation makes a huge difference to those who need it most. So please consider joining me as a monthly supporter!
