Patient Stories

With our mission to preserve and enhance our tradition of medical excellence and compassionate care for the Tampa Bay community, it is a great honor to hear that we are making a difference in the lives of our patients.

These patient stories exemplify the level of care we strive for at St. Joseph’s Hospitals.

Caroline West

Caroline’s Story: The Mission to Provide Chronic Care That’s Always There 

Like most parents, there is nothing Tish and Bill West wouldn’t do for their 25-year-old daughter Caroline – but when your child is born with an extremely rare neurological disorder…

Kate

Foundation President and Recent Patient: Why Kate Sawa Is Doubly Proud to Be Part of the St Joe’s Family

Kate Sawa is no stranger to the impact an amazing non-profit can have on people’s lives. As a new college graduate, Kate started a non-profit called On Our Own to…

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Video Gaming Skills, Get Put to the Test at St. Joe’s

Shonda called her son repeatedly, but she couldn’t speak.  The words wouldn’t come out of her mouth.  She clenched the phone.  Still nothing. Then she called her daughter over and…

Jay

St. Joe’s Not Only Kept Jay Davis Alive, But Enabled Him to Thrive

Jay Davis, a London transplant who has called Tampa Bay his home since 2005, was a cross country athlete and an avid soccer player throughout his teen years. In the…

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Mom Rests Assured: St. Joe’s is The Place to Deliver

Jennie Restrepo is a marketing director for a title company in Tampa Bay, but more importantly, her predominant job is being a mother. When Jennie found out she was pregnant…

Gal

Care for St. Joe’s Pediatric Heart Patient Galaxi Is Out of This World

At 17, Kim Guyette was diagnosed with endometriosis and told she would never be able to get pregnant. It was a harsh reality for the teen, who often spent evenings…

John

“I Don’t Have Much Money, But Thanks to Joe’s I Have My Life. That’s Why I Give.”

In 2003, the 63-year-old recalled not feeling well for a few weeks and his sister persuaded him to visit St. Joe’s ER. “I expected to be there for a few…

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From St. Joe’s Special Needs Patient to Special Olympian

When 37-year-old special needs patient Everald Nelson came to St. Joe’s in 2020, his diabetes was spiraling out of control and the damage to his kidneys caused him to go…