Massachusetts General Hospital

It Takes a Team to Save a Life

Ten years ago, Robert Franco, MD, was walking off a plane with his wife and three boys in a Tennessee airport when he realized something was not right. He had recently been feeling ill, and at that moment, he knew something more serious was happening to him. He and his family immediately headed to the hospital, where doctors concluded that Dr. Franco had suffered from a rare stroke at just 48 years old.

Dr. Franco’s stroke was the culmination of a pre-existing heart condition and “thick blood.” After receiving care in Tennessee, Dr. Franco’s physician referred him to Igor Palacios, MD at Massachusetts General Hospital for further treatment. Dr. Palacios—an internationally recognized expert in interventional cardiology—and his team, were uniquely positioned to study and treat Dr. Franco’s condition. Employing Mass General’s interdisciplinary care model, Dr. Franco received treatment from experts in neurology, blood disorders and internal medicine.

Robert Franco, MD (right) and his son. Join Dr. Franco in supporting
the MGH Fund. Make a gift

That year, Dr. Franco made his first gift to the MGH Fund in recognition of the life-saving, specialized care he received at the hospital. Prior to his stroke, Dr. Franco spent 15 years as an orthopaedic surgeon focused on sports injuries. He knew the hallmarks of a world-class medical institution and saw them demonstrated in the care he received at Mass General. “The doctors at Mass General are truly experts,” says Dr. Franco. “It’s a large institution, but it is so specialized in each area. The care of the individual is met at a phenomenal level.”

Dr. Franco has continued to generously support the MGH Fund each year and became a member of The 1811 Society in 2011. Though Dr. Franco and his wife reside in Jacksonville, Florida, they often visit their son who lives in Boston. When they are in town, Dr. Franco makes a point to visit Mass General and say hello to the team that saved his life. “The doctors here are not only competent, but compassionate,” says Dr. Franco. “For me, Mass General is the epitome of what excellent care is about.”