In April of this year, an elderly member of our community was diagnosed with a kidney disorder. He lives east of Sultan and has to wake at 4 a.m., three times a week to be at Providence in Everett by 5 a.m.
Luckily, this gentleman has a great friend named Robert Hazelbrook. Mr. Hazelbrook noticed that all of this was taking a great toll on his friend, so he decided to do something about it. He first went to the very capable CEO of Valley General Hospital, Mark Judy. He learned that there is a satellite kidney dialysis station in Mount Vernon and one in south Snohomish County, but none in east Snohomish County. Mr. Judy did some research and put Mr. Hazelbrook in touch with the also very capable Harold Kelly, the CEO of Puget Sound Kidney Centers. Mr. Kelly gave Mr. Hazelbrook an education on dialysis quotas per zip code, etc. Mr. Kelly said that he approved of an east county center, he would research the numbers and make sure that the area qualifies.
A week later, Mr. Hazelbrook was invited to a luncheon at Valley General Hospital with Mr. Judy and Mr. Kelly with great news. The east county was over the required quota and the Puget Sound Kidney Center will be building by Frye Lake in the near future.
Mr. Hazelbrook could not wait to tell his friend the great news! In helping one good friend, Mr. Hazelbrook has also touched the lives of 35 other dialysis patients in the east Snohomish County.
Thanks, Bob Hazelbrook. We need more friends like you!
CINDY BURGGRAFF
Monroe
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