John Goss, M.D. and Karen GormanIn 2006, at the age of 46, Karen Gorman was the picture of perfect health. She kept an active lifestyle, playing co-ed soccer on the weekends and traveling as often as her schedule allowed. So it was unusual when Karen suddenly became ill while vacationing.
After returning home, Karen made an appointment with her gastroenterologist, who discovered a tumor in her liver. It was recommended that she see John Goss, M.D., chief of abdominal transplantation at Baylor College of Medicine, to have the mass removed.
Like many patients, Karen was anxious about undergoing the surgery. She says her nerves were eased by looking into Dr. Goss’s background and finding one phrase repeated over and over: “He is the best!”
Within one month, Karen was on the operating room table and her tumor was removed. She says she believes Dr. Goss saved her life.
“The surgery kicked my butt, but I had no recovery issues, and I owe that to Dr. Goss’s care,” she said. “He’s my hero.”
While in the hospital, Karen agreed to be visited by medical students, so that they could learn more about caring for her condition. Karen says she strives to follow the example of her parents, Pat and Fran, who always have made a priority of helping others and volunteering.
She didn’t stop there, however. With a new appreciation for life, Karen set out to help the causes that matter most to her by establishing a living trust. In addition to providing Karen and her family with financial security, her living trust enabled her to make thoughtful charitable gifts as part of her long-range estate and financial plans. She chose to leave the remainder of her estate to several organizations, including Baylor College of Medicine, where her gift will support research in the BCM Liver, Kidney and Pancreas Center.
“I feel good about making this gift, and even smile when I think about it. It’s all about leaving my mark by helping others,” Karen said.
Today, Karen is as active as ever. She hung up her soccer cleats for a tennis racket and continues to travel, recently swimming with whale sharks and manta rays while visiting Cozumel!