Celebrating First-time Dads on Father’s Day

As we honor fathers this Father’s Day, HCA Healthcare brings you the story of two dads who became first-time fathers with the help of HCA Healthcare-affiliate Wesley Medical Center (WMC).

David Rosales and Eli Diamond spent three agonizing years in the surrogacy process, overcoming obstacles and waiting patiently for the opportunity to become parents. So, when the couple from New York City was matched with a surrogate from Wichita, Kansas, they were excited but nervous.

“Before we first came to Wesley Medical Center to tour the hospital and meet the staff, we were a little apprehensive, since we knew our circumstances were unique,” Rosales says. “Meeting everyone at WMC put us at ease. They made us feel like we would have a tremendous amount of support and guidance as we continued on the next phase of our journey.”

The big day came, and the twins were born without complications at WMC. After the birth, Rosales and Diamond were provided a room in the postpartum unit to allow them to nurture and bond with their newborns, an unexpected but welcome surprise to the new dads.

“Everyone was so accommodating in allowing us to stay there,” Diamond says. “It was a unique situation, but the nurses went out of their way to help us.”

The compassion and understanding offered by the staff at WMC allowed Rosales and Diamond to focus on what mattered most: welcoming their new children into the world in a safe, supportive environment.

“The nurses were our guardian angels,” Rosales says. “They were so patient and caring. They taught us and reassured us and boosted our confidence during those critical first few days as parents. We are forever grateful to them.”

Given their work in the healthcare field — Rosales is a strategy consultant and Diamond is a cancer physician — they know firsthand how difficult it can be to provide excellent care. “We went into this situation knowing that healthcare is complicated,” Rosales says.

“But everyone gave it their best effort,” Diamond adds. “It showed us how much pride the staff of WMC take in their work. We both know how easy it is for things to become complicated, even with everyone having the best of intentions and knowing what they need to do.”

“We thank everyone at WMC for the great work they do every day and for making our experience of becoming parents such a healthy, special and meaningful one,” he says. “It’s been a long road, but many people gave us advice and encouragement along the way. We didn’t get discouraged. Now that we have the twins, all of the challenges we had have faded away.”

Wesley Medical Center is located in Wichita, Kansas and is a member of HCA Healthcare’s Continental Division. Photos are courtesy of Shannon Roddy.