Ray Ecke knew that one of the valves in his heart was no good. It was a condition he had lived with for five years. But lately, it seemed to have gotten worse. He was easily winded. Fatigued. A trip to Mexico—meant to give him a little vacation from his work—only proved to make him irritable from its physical demands. When the 65-year-old insurance agency owner returned home, he saw his cardiologist, and heard what he had feared might happen: His heart valve was indeed worse. Now pumping at just 10 percent of capacity, it was becoming a threat to his life. If he didn’t get a valve replacement operation soon, the odds of him surviving the next 18 months were only 50/50. “I’m good with numbers,” Ray says now, chuckling, “and I didn’t like those odds.” But Ray’s health concerns were only just beginning. An angiogram to check Ray’s heart valve revealed he had coronary blockages—three in fact—that would require bypass surgery as well. In cases like this, doctors do both surgeries at once, requiring upwards of four to six hours on the operating table. It was a major undertaking. The question now was where to have it done. Ray was more than familiar with Good Samaritan Hospital. His wife worked there. Ray himself had volunteered to organize golf outings to benefit the hospital. And he knew about the hospital recently opening the Active International Cardiovascular Institute. Still, there were choices. Over the Hudson River, not far from Ray’s Oakland, New Jersey, home was New York City—with its mega-center hospitals and reputation. A little closer to home were some reputable hospitals in New Jersey. Ray started making appointments with doctors, and talking to friends and colleagues for advice. An internist friend said that if he were faced with valve replacement and open heart surgery, he would choose Good Samaritan, hands down, because of its all-new, advanced technology; expert staff; and the reputation of its surgical team. In his travels and research, Ray had even spoken to a well-known cardiothoracic surgeon who had operated on a United States president. But it was in meeting Dr. Lundy, chief of cardiac surgery for the Active International Cardiovascular Institute, that Ray knew he was in the best hands. “I was impressed as soon as I met him,” Ray recalls. “He’s done literally thousands of valve replacements and open heart surgeries. I knew I was going to be all right with him.” An added plus for Ray was that Lundy himself would do the surgery. Many big-name hospitals teach surgery to fellows in training. The surgeon may oversee the operation, or a least be present, but it’s the surgeon in training that does the actual work. Although Ray admired the fact that these hospitals train future full-time surgeons, he was comforted by the idea of having the expert do the operation himself. Despite the full four-and-half hours for the valve replacement and an additional hour-and-a-half for bypass, the procedure went exceedingly well. Ray’s valve was replaced with a cow’s valve—a common choice, because it lasts from 15 to 20 years. And he was impressed with how well everything went. “I can’t say enough good things about everyone there,” Ray said. “Every nurse, technician, Dr. Lundy—they were all first-rate professionals, but they were also so empathetic. Simply wonderful.” Ray felt an improvement in his health almost immediately. With heart valve replacement, patients typically feel a near sense of euphoria, owing the surge of oxygen and nutrients now pumping freely in their hearts. Four weeks later, Ray returned to his business, working just a few hours a day to start. He now walks a mile every day and is enjoying a newfound feeling of health. “The institute was the perfect choice for me. I’m not an expert on this, but when you have top surgeons and staff, all new technology, it gives you a real sense of confidence. It’s amazing what modern medicine can do. I have a new lease on life.”