Excellent Care Inspires Ferris’ to Give Back

Gift of stock is aimed at having the greatest impact on care possible

While out raking leaves last fall, Jim Ferris felt like he was getting short of breath without very vigorous effort. Typically, he was one to work in the yard until the work was done, but on this occasion, he was forced to take frequent breaks. A day or two later he also noticed that he got fatigued much more quickly while walking on the treadmill.

Worried something was wrong, and with his planned snowbird trip to Arizona with wife Kathy approaching, Jim decided it would be a good idea to get checked out.

“There was no chest pain at all,” Jim says. “It was just a feeling that I was winded. That was enough for me to make an appointment to be seen.”

His workup with his primary care provider, Arul Molian, M.D., included a stress test that showed further testing was needed. When Jim went for an angiogram, it became clear he had a cardiac blockage that would require intervention.

Jim had two stents placed to restore proper blood flow to his heart, approximately a month apart. He says he was confident he was in good hands with the providers at Mary Greeley Medical Center, and that his relief was almost immediate.

“I got up the morning after the first one and felt so much better,” he says. “It was unbelievable that I was no longer short of breath. I had no pain, nothing. I was so happy that I was able to get it done here in Ames.”

The excellent care that Jim has received at the medical center over the years – including a gall bladder removal and a bowel resection – prompted him and Kathy to make a significant gift to the Mary Greeley Foundation.

“The gift came from a desire to ensure the hospital is able to continue to provide the level of care we have received well into the future,” Kathy says. The Ferris’ gift of stock is not designated to a specific program or area. They wanted it to be used where it could make the greatest impact. “It is important to have such a great hospital in Ames. I know that people come from all around the area for care. We just want to ensure that it is always here.”

Jim echoes Kathy’s sentiments and adds that he is very thankful to all who served him during his most recent procedures.

“I thank all the staff, from those who assisted in the surgery to the recovery room and just everyone,” Jim says. He was especially complimentary of the compassion and skill shown by interventional cardiologist Snehitha Vijaykumar, MD. “I have received nothing but excellent care at Mary Greeley and cannot thank Dr. Vijaykumar enough. We are very lucky to have a hospital like this here in Ames.”