A traumatic injury can happen to anyone, anytime – which is why having a world-class team of experts available around-the-clock to provide lifesaving medical care is so vital to the health and safety of our community.
Kevin Adams, a family man and CEO, was seriously injured during a ride with his cycling team. Thanks to the care he received at Regional One Health, he was back on his bike just 12 weeks later.
Since 1984, Regional One Health’s Elvis Presley Trauma Center has fulfilled this crucial role for patients throughout the Mid-South. When life suddenly turns upside down, our multidisciplinary team has the skill, resources and compassion to help patients in their time of need.
Kevin Adams experienced this firsthand in 2013. A CEO, family man and avid cyclist, the last thing Kevin expected was to need the services of a Level-1 Trauma Center.
However, during a bike ride through Shelby Farms with the CdV (Cirque du Vélos) cycling team, he clipped the back wheel of a rider who slowed suddenly in front of him. Kevin flew over the handlebars of his bike with his feet still clipped to the pedals, somersaulting to the ground.
Even after the accident, Kevin didn’t immediately realize how badly he was hurt. He assured his teammates he was fine, then got back on his bike to finish the ride.
However, when he began having trouble breathing and experiencing severe pain in his left hand, he knew he needed medical attention. “When I arrived at the trauma center I learned that I had multiple injuries. My collarbone was broken in two places, my left hand was broken, and my left lung was punctured and had collapsed,” Kevin said.
Along with providing the critical medical care Kevin needed, physicians at the trauma center helped him understand what he was up against and recommended a treatment plan. For Kevin, it was a path back to doing what he loves – in just 12 weeks, he was back on his bike.
A life-threatening injury can happen to anyone, anytime. The Elvis Presley Trauma Center is able to provide the critical care patients need by having a multidisciplinary team of experts available around-the-clock.
Helping patients like Kevin recover from sudden accidents and return to a normal life requires specialized care and state-of-the art equipment, and at the Elvis Presley Trauma Center, that is made possible by generous Regional One Health Foundation supporters.
“I don’t think people in the Mid-South realize the significant role Regional One Health plays in our community,” said Kevin. “I am from Houston, which is well-known for its world-class medical facilities. Until the day I needed it, I didn’t know I had the same caliber of world-class medicine in my own backyard.”
Like many patients who are involved in sudden serious accidents, Kevin wasn’t all that familiar with the trauma center until he became a patient.
“What I discovered was a state-of-the-art facility with world-class doctors that far exceeded my expectations. I can’t say enough good things about the care I received,” he said. “The entire staff took ownership of what they were doing. It is obvious that it’s not just a job to them.”