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Medical Center of Plano CEO Shares Message of Hope, Life Lessons from the “Lost Boys of Sudan”

Written by

Businessman Charles Gressle

The holiday season has a way of reminding us of what is truly important. Family and friends; health and wellness; laughter, love and our very life, become more precious this time of year. Too often, and sadly, we take those things for granted. And then “life” happens and puts everything into perspective.

Three of our staff members at HCA Healthcare’s Medical Center of Plano (MCP) experienced devastating loss at an early age. David Deng, David Munduk and Bior Bior were just children when they were separated from their families by violence and civil war in south Sudan.  Our colleagues were three of an estimated 20,000 boys who fled their homes and traveled by foot across the war-torn country in search of food and safety. Many didn’t survive, most resettled in refugee camps, and some were offered opportunity in the United States.

A number of the Sudanese boys were relocated to Dallas, and in true HCA Healthcare fashion, we offered to help. I’m so grateful to be part of an organization that practices what it preaches – above all else, commitment to the care and improvement of human life. Fortunately – for us – three of those extraordinary men became members of the MCP family. More than 10 years later, they are still with us – thriving in their personal and professional lives; healthy, happy and ensuring our patients have the best experience possible.

Their story has inspired all of us at Medical Center of Plano to value what’s most important in life, not just during the holidays, but every day. They have certainly helped put things into perspective. And for that, we are grateful.

You may know them as “The Lost Boys,” but to us, David, David and Bior are home.  Watch as they share their journey of tragedy, hardship and hope:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9qBl5f9iN8

About HCA Healthcare

HCA Healthcare, one of the nation's leading providers of healthcare services, is comprised of 183 hospitals and more than 2,300 sites of care, in 20 states and the United Kingdom. Our more than 283,000 colleagues are connected by a single purpose — to give patients healthier tomorrows.

As an enterprise, we recognize the significant responsibility we have as a leading healthcare provider within each of the communities we serve, as well as the opportunity we have to improve the lives of the patients for whom we are entrusted to care. Through the compassion, knowledge and skill of our caregivers, and our ability to leverage our scale and innovative capabilities, HCA Healthcare is in a unique position to play a leading role in the transformation of care.

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