Allyson Brooks, M.D.,
Ginny Ueberroth Executive Medical Director Endowed Chair, Women's Health Institute at Hoag
At Hoag, we are privileged to have extraordinary physicians who are not just leaders in their areas of expertise, but who are dedicated healers. In this new column, we will celebrate the special bond between Hoag physicians who deliver compassionate care and their patients who are moved to support their work through philanthropy.
Keeping Patients Healthy in Body and Spirit
Eve Blackwood first met Allyson Brooks, M.D., Ginny Ueberroth Executive Medical Director Endowed Chair, Women’s Health Institute at Hoag, as a patient more than ten years ago. From the first moment they met, she felt comfortable and at ease. But she particularly remembers an appointment after she had lost her mother that changed their relationship forever.
“She could tell I wasn’t in a good place and she asked me about it,” Mrs. Blackwood recalls. “She really listened; and when I returned a year later, she followed up again.”
Even though she moved to San Diego, Mrs. Blackwood continued to see Dr. Brooks because she felt she was treated like more than a patient. Dr. Brooks took the time to listen and make sure Mrs. Blackwood was healthy in both body and spirit.
When Mrs. Blackwood learned of Dr. Brooks’ women’s health initiative at Hoag, she saw an opportunity to support this important work. “I want to invest in places where women can receive support and advice,” she said. “Dr. Brooks is a leader and teacher in how we can live better lives.”
When Dr. Brooks received the phone call from the Hoag Hospital Foundation about Mrs. Blackwood’s gift, she was flabbergasted at the unexpected generosity.
“I was completely humbled and deeply inspired to rise to the occasion that this type of commitment demands,” she says. “I feel like Eve was showing gratitude for the relationship that we have, but at the same time she was also challenging me to do more for the women in our community.”
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