Former hospital volunteer reconnects with Piedmont Athens Regional surgeon

“Our appreciation of Piedmont Athens Regional runs deep.” – Tony Ferguson, former Piedmont Athens Regional Foundation board member.

Tony Ferguson, Northeast Region Executive of External Affairs for Georgia Power, has always appreciated the impact that Piedmont Athens Regional makes in the communities it serves. Through his previous experience serving on Piedmont Athens Regional Foundation’s board of directors, Tony is familiar with Piedmont’s purpose to make a positive difference in every life we touch. He and his family even experienced it firsthand when his wife, Michelle, was diagnosed with stage 1 breast cancer in August 2020.

Tony reflects, “It was during the pandemic, I had been serving on Piedmont Athens Regional Foundation’s board of directors. We had just approved the creation of Piedmont Athens Regional’s Beautiful You Boutique (a mastectomy boutique specializing in products for women who have had breast surgery) without ever knowing Michelle would be a beneficiary of these services.”

The Ferguson family’s most recent patient experience with Piedmont Athens Regional occurred last December as they were preparing for their eldest daughter’s wedding in the Florida Keys scheduled for December 16, 2023. Tony’s youngest daughter, Mackenzie, was the maid-of-honor and was planning to drive her grandfather, Tony’s father, to the wedding.

Four days before the wedding, Mackenzie doubled over with intense abdominal pain. She was taken to Piedmont Urgent Care at the Piedmont Athens Regional Oconee Health Center, where after several tests, it was suspected that Mackenzie had a ruptured appendix. She was told to go to the Emergency Department at Piedmont Athens Regional’s main campus. Once there, Emergency Medicine physician Daniel Gowder, M.D., ran additional tests to verify the diagnosis, and found cause for immediate surgery, but not for an appendectomy. Tests indicated that Mackenzie had a large mass on her right ovary, and there was cause for concern regarding the health of her left ovary and the future state of her reproductive system, as well.

The very next day, Gynecologic Oncology surgeon Ben Wilson, M.D., performed emergency surgery during which he discovered and removed a 19.8 pound dermoid (enlarged ovarian mass) from Mackenzie’s right ovary. Tony said that Dr. Wilson was very informative and reassuring as he shared updates with the family.

Although the surgery was successful, Mackenzie was confined to bedrest and was not able to make the trip with her grandfather to attend her sister’s wedding. Not wanting to miss her maid-of-honor- duties, Mackenzie participated in the wedding via FaceTime and was even able to virtually deliver a heart-warming toast to her sister and new brother-in-law.

Because of the care she received at Piedmont Athens Regional, Mackenzie has made a full recovery and recently graduated from UGA law school. She has taken the Bar Exam and plans to practice law in North Carolina.

On July 8, 2024, Tony was able to reconnect with Dr. Ben Wilson, a new member of the Piedmont Athens Regional Foundation board, at an event where former board members welcomed new board members.

Piedmont Athens Regional CEO Michael Burnett reintroduced the pair and Tony was delighted to share his gratitude, “These doctors face a lot of serious situations, but to help Mackenzie handle what was happening means the world to our family.”