Health

San Diego Marathon Runner Gives Medal To Doctor

By Dwane Brown / KPBS Evening Edition Anchor/Reporter

Published June 1, 2015 at 2:57 PM PDT

This story was published more than 8 years ago.

San Diego Marathon Runner Gives Medal To Doctor

A man who ran his 25th marathon publicly thanked his surgeon at UC San Diego Health System on Monday.

John Perry, who ran the Rock 'N' Roll Marathon on Sunday, underwent a pulmonary thromboendarterectomy surgery 10 years ago after being diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension.

The surgery, conducted by Stuart Jamieson, cleared the lung's arteries of scar-like tissue that robs patients of their ability to breathe

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“Before the surgery I couldn’t walk more than 50 feet, immediately after I was breathing effortlessly, and a year later I was training for my first marathon ever,” Perry said. “I’m so excited to reunite with my surgeon and give him my 25th marathon medal as a sincere thank you for all he has done for me.”

Jamieson, who received Perry's marathon medal as a thank you gift, said the hospital has performed 3,500 similar operations. He said receiving the medal was "gratifying."

“Not only because he has lived such an active life since the PTE surgery, but because he was saved by an innovative procedure we devised at UC San Diego Health System,” said Jamieson.

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Dwane Brown

Brown started his career with KPBS in the early '90s as a radio anchor and reporter before expanding his broadcast news experience at CBS radio and television in New York. He’s been a news director, anchor, reporter and correspondent in San Francisco and has worked as a writer, producer, assignment editor and talk show host. He returned to KPBS in 2005. As the former anchor for KPBS Evening Edition, Brown provided an in-depth look at issues and stories relevant to San Diego. He spent nearly seven years as anchor/host of Morning Edition on KPBS Radio. Between 2006 and 2010, the San Diego Press Club named Brown "Best Morning Newscaster" in San Diego Radio. In 2006, the Society of Professional Journalists also named him "Best Morning Newscaster." During that time he managed and taught a two-week high school boot camp for aspiring radio reporters at KPBS in conjunction with the California Chicano News Media Association. Brown studied English/Journalism at San Diego State University and is a Fast Trac graduate from UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business. He’s a popular public speaker and Toastmaster International member. He’s been master of ceremonies for the American Red Cross, VA Medical Center San Diego, Urban League, San Diego Office of Emergency Services and numerous foundations. Brown is also a voice actor for movie, documentary, television, radio and Internet projects.

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