02/24/2026
❤️ Heart Month Spotlight: Roger Rhodes, MHA, FACHE
Chief Operating Officer, WVU Medicine Thomas Hospitals
For Roger Rhodes, heart health became personal in a way he never expected.
“I never smoked, I wasn’t obese, and I went to the gym,” Roger shared. “But I also ate whatever I wanted and never got serious about taking care of myself.” With a family history of high cholesterol, there were warning signs—but like many people, he brushed them off.
While playing guitar with his band, The Detonators, Roger noticed he was getting unusually short of breath and sweating heavily while moving equipment. After recovering from COVID, the shortness of breath didn’t improve—it got worse.
That led to testing that changed everything.
“A coronary CTA showed I had multiple blocked vessels, including a 99% blockage in my LAD,” he said. “I ended up needing a heart catheterization and then open-heart surgery—a five-way bypass—on October 16, 2025, performed by Nestor Dans, MD, a thoracic/cardiothoracic vascular surgeon at Thomas Hospitals.”
Roger was the 207th open-heart surgery patient at WVU Medicine Thomas Hospitals since the open-heart program launched in March 2024—a milestone that reflects the rapid growth and strength of the program.
Roger spent four days in the ICU and began a long road to recovery. After about a month, he started cardiac rehabilitation—a decision he credits with changing his life.
“I’m on my last week of cardiac rehab now, and I’m stronger than I was before surgery,” Roger said. “I’m eating better, focusing on portion control, and my blood pressure is now 110/60. Before surgery, it was 140/95.”
After 40 years in healthcare, the experience gave him a new perspective—not just as a patient, but as a leader.
“I have a whole new appreciation for our cardiac services team and ICU nurses,” Roger said. “Having open-heart surgery was the most overwhelming, humbling, and difficult experience of my life—and they were there every step of the way. I couldn’t even stand up by myself in the ICU. Now when I see them in the hallways, I just want to give them all a hug.”
Looking back, his biggest takeaway is simple but powerful:
“Listen to what your body is telling you. I ignored a lot of warning signs.”
As Heart Month continues, Roger encourages our community to take small, meaningful steps toward better heart health.
“Make healthy eating a priority. Know your numbers,” he said. “And if you’re looking for one simple thing to do today—go for a walk.”
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