"I don’t think I would have the outcome here in Florida that I had in Pittsburgh with the team at UPMC."
When Charlene was diagnosed with an aortic aneurysm, she knew she needed top-notch care.
That’s what led her to UPMC.
At just 46 years old, Charlene needed open heart surgery to replace her aortic valve. This would keep blood flowing through her heart and out to the rest of her body.
She was first referred to a surgeon in her home state of Florida who had not performed many valve replacement surgeries.
“I wanted a surgeon who has more experience, so I started researching,” she says.
Charlene, her brother, and a family friend did their research. All three found the experts at the UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute — among the world’s premier centers for comprehensive cardiovascular care.
"I felt comfortable from the beginning," Charlene says.
After her surgery, she spent five days in the hospital and three weeks at her parents' home in western Pennsylvania. She then traveled home to Florida.
“I can’t say enough about the care. I don’t think I would have the outcome here in Florida that I had in Pittsburgh with the team at UPMC,” she says.
At UPMC, Life Changing Medicine means peace of mind during life’s toughest challenges — even far from home.
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