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****SENSITIVE CONTENT WARNING*******

****This episode discusses suicide, which can be distressing for some. If this subject is triggering for you, please consider skipping this one. If you are going to listen, make sure to listen carefully and take good care of yourself. If you are feeling hopeless or suicidal, please find support, call the suicide and crisis lifeline 988 or click here****

In this episode, Dr. Blake Palmer's widow, Dr. Andrea Palmer, comes on to talk about Blake's life, his committment to his patients and profession, his struggles, the lack of support from his institution, and the circumstances leading up to his death. Blake's story highlights how the glaring lack of humanity in our systems and institutions leads to desperate measures, particularly for a surgeon who is empathetic and caring, who feels isolated, and who is poorly resourced. His story is unfortunately not unique. 

Consider supporting the well-being and mental health support of healthcare workers by donating to the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes Foundation here. Find an Internal Family Systems Practitioner near you here.

Find Dr. Andrea Palmer on instagram or email her at [email protected].

"Blake was a loving husband and father who enjoyed all things outdoors. From hiking mountains, to traveling, to running Spartan races with his wife and kids, he was a man who loved music, movies, good food and making people laugh with classic dad jokes.

Blake will be remembered as a skilled and caring surgeon who spent his working life devoted to his patients. Blake earned his Bachelor's degrees in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry from the University of Colorado and went on earn his M.D. from the University of Oklahoma, College of Medicine. He completed his Urology residency and Pediatric Urology Fellowship at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. He was board certified through the American Board of Urology in Urology and Pediatric Urology and was an active part of the American Academy of Pediatrics Section of Urology Executive Committee as the Vice-Chair for Education.

Prior to arriving in Fort Worth, Blake was an Assistant Professor in the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center Department of Urology, Director of Pediatric Robotic and Minimally Invasive Surgery for the Children's Hospital of Oklahoma and was Pediatric Surgery Director in the Oklahoma Transplant Center. At Cook Children’s in Fort Worth he developed the kidney transplant program, the robotic surgery program and was Chief of Urology from 2018 until his death."

Excerpt from Blake's obituary.