Dancing to the Rhythm of Superior Health Care
This story is shared in memory of Dolores Svoboda. May her legacy live on for generations.
Dolores and Dutch Svoboda danced together as kids. 80 plus years later, they’re still dancing, even if it’s more with their hearts than with their feet these days.
After running a successful dry-cleaning business in Iowa, the Svoboda’s moved to Sun City in 1974 to retire. Banner Boswell had just opened four years earlier. They threw themselves into community activities, including dancing, softball, and supporting their local Sun Health Hospital, then called Boswell Memorial Hospital.
We got involved because we knew how important Sun Health was to the community,” says Dutch.
The couple have been longtime supporters of Sun Health Foundation, the philanthropic arm for several local healthcare causes, including Boswell, now called Banner Boswell Medical Center.
With their help, they’ve been able to ensure that we have superior health care in the West Valley. The Svoboda’s are in excellent health for the most part, but not long ago, Dutch fractured his pelvis in a fall and wound up as a patient at Banner Boswell.Dutch explains, “I was in the kitchen having my breakfast and I heard Dolores call my name. I went out and saw she was under attack from a hornet, or hornets, I should say, and I knew that something had to be done. So I attempted to kill them, and in the meantime, I fell and broke my pelvis.”
“The ambulance took him to Banner Boswell, and then he was transferred over to the rehab center,” explains Delores.
With rehabilitation, his recovery went well. In 2019, there were more trips to the Emergency Department, when Dutch experienced heart trouble. He could hardly breathe. Minutes mattered.
It was then that Dutch met cardiovascular and thoracic surgeon Rajeev S. Kathuria, M.D., who recommended the trans aortic valve replacement (TAVR) heart procedure. At 94, he was grateful that he was a candidate. Now, he’s shooting for 100. Dutch, Delores, and their son, Dean, can’t thank Dr. Kathuria enough.
“If it had not been for Dr. Kathuria and his skills, I wouldn’t be here today,” says Dutch.
How reassuring it’s been to know that emergency care and cardiac services are available close to home…even more so today with the new, spacious, state-of-the-art Emergency Department, being made possible with charitable contributions.
“We are very fortunate to have a hospital in this community. Everyone should give back to continue making the best health care available,” says Dutch.
“Supporting Sun Health gives us a good feeling, like dancing to good music does,” says Delores.
“We have supported Sun Health all these years because we believe in it, and after being a patient many different times at Banner Boswell from emergency to sometimes care for several days, it just reinforces our thinking,” says Dutch. “Life has been great, and we’ve tried to use the gifts that God gave us, wisely.”
Dancing with the feet is one thing. Dancing with the heart is another.
“What do you know? We’ve still got it,” says Dutch.
“What do you mean,” replies Delores. “We never lost it.”
Follow your heart to support superior health care through Sun Health Foundation’s Generosity for Generations Campaign. Learn how at SunHealthFoundation.org/generosity.