September 2007

Dear Friend:

It only takes an instant for your life to change forever. I know because 10 months ago my life changed in unimaginable ways when I was struck by an SUV while riding a bicycle near my home. Paramedics rushed to the scene and administered care that kept me alive despite significant life-threatening injuries. I was flown to an Emergency Department/Trauma Center where I received the care that saved my life. Three weeks later I awoke to learn I would live the rest of my life as a paraplegic. The next eight months were spent in recovery and rehabilitation.

Despite my personal tragedy, I am lucky to be alive and am grateful for the availability of dedicated Emergency Department/Trauma Center personnel and resources near the site of my accident and my home.

I have now returned to work which, ironically, is in the Emergency Department/Trauma Center at Highland Hospital, one of the most renowned facilities of its kind in the United States, a teaching hospital and the designated Trauma Center for Northern Alameda County. For the past seven years, I have been an attending physician involved in providing emergency medical care to the people of Alameda County. Daily, my colleagues and I see patients involved in every conceivable medical situation from acts of violence to horrendous accidents to household mishaps.

Last year over 84,000 people received treatment in our Emergency Department/Trauma Center. That is, on average, 230 people every day of the year. This large volume takes a toll on the equipment and facilities, yet we are committed to keeping the Emergency Department/ Trauma Center in tip-top operation so every person who comes through the doors can receive the highest quality emergency medical treatment available. I hope I never see you or your loved ones in our Emergency Department/ Trauma Center, but if you are ever taken to the facility at Highland Hospital, you are assured of the highest quality of care.

It never occurred to me I would one day owe my life to treatment received in an Emergency Department/Trauma Center. Although I no longer provide the hands-on care I was trained to, there is still a lot I can teach medical students and resident physicians in training. Of all the things I can pass along, the most important one is compassion and understanding of every patient’s needs.

How You Can Help

The Alameda County Health Care Foundation is dedicated to supporting the facilities needs and programs of the Alameda County Medical Center that includes the Emergency Department/Trauma Center at Highland Hospital. Please join me in supporting the Foundation by making a tax-deductible donation of any amount. Your contributions help ensure medical care and treatment are available to every resident in Alameda County. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Bradley Frazee, M.D.
Emergency Department Physician
Alameda County Medical Center

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