Meet Ackneil Muldrow

Every one of us has a story we can share. Think of a past event in your life related to GBMC. Whether it’s care you received, an opportunity you have, or a loved one you remember, this event should have very personal meaning to you. What’s happened in your life since your experience at GBMC? Read Ackneil Muldrow’s story below, and share yours at www.gbmc50.com/mystory.

Ackneil Muldrow's Story: "My Physician Saved My Life"

Dr. Eugene Obah has been coordinating my care since 2004, from managing my diabetes to recognizing a life-threatening situation and ultimately saving my life. Dr. Obah has gone above and beyond when it comes to my personal health and is a caring and passionate physician. He spends time with his patients, communicates exceptionally well about health conditions, and takes the time to explain how it will impact your overall being.

In the mid-2000s, I suffered from a series of mini-strokes. Dr. Obah recognized my condition right away and did an excellent job caring for me. As a result of the mini-strokes, I also suffered from a partially collapsed vessel in my brain and had to get blood drawn monthly to manage and monitor this condition. Then, in 2010, I saw Dr. Obah for a regular checkup when he suspected I had internal bleeding. I felt fine so I was surprised, but he saw that my blood counts were not quite right.

He immediately made me an appointment with Dr. David Saltzberg for a colonoscopy, and it was confirmed that I indeed had internal bleeding. During the colonoscopy, some of the colon polyps were removed, but Dr. Saltzberg found an additional growth that required a general surgeon. Dr. Obah then arranged for me to see surgeon Dr. Francis “Frank” Rotolo. Within days, I was in surgery to remove an enlarged polyp and repair a hernia, when Dr. Rotolo also found cancerous tissue in two areas of my body. Fortunately, the cancers were discovered in time and successfully removed. To date, there have been no signs of cancer.

After this ordeal, I wrote Dr. Obah a letter, thanking him for his great observation of my condition and immediately taking a series of actions to bring me back to a state of wellness. A portion of this heartfelt letter reads:

‘My family – especially my wife Ruth – is greatly appreciative of your keen analysis of my health condition and your response with great dispatch in moving me along the healthcare continuum. With you and Dr. Saltzberg collaborating on my charts, the two of you felt that I needed immediate attention. And, thus, Dr. Francis Rotolo became the third participant in this GBMC partnership. I’m grateful for each and all of you.’

I give great credit to Dr. Obah, who saw the impending dangers and set in motion actions to keep me healthy.

Dr. Obah is a wonderful doctor who really cares about his patients. He’s not just my doctor, but is also my friend.  In fact, it’s gotten to the point where his staff schedules my appointments at the end of the day because we talk so much! He’s a wonderful person to talk with about life. We have a wonderful relationship beyond just healthcare.

GBMC certainly means a lot to me on a couple of levels. First, as a member of the GBMC Board of Directors from 1996-2004, the hospital has provided great governance experience. The Board is a diverse body of knowledgeable individuals in healthcare, patient care, fundraising and community service. The administration is exceptional in its approaches to growth and quality of care. Second, GBMC’s doctors and staff mean the world to me when it comes to patient services and customer satisfaction. The keen diagnosis by Dr. Eugene Obah and the actions of Drs. Saltzberg and Rotolo have prolonged my quality of life and has given me perspective on what quality of healthcare and service to a patient really means.  For all of this, I will be eternally thankful to GBMC.