she was simply a worried wife watching
her husband go into surgery. The staff at
Wilcox was there for her.
“I started to cry and whoever walked me
out to the waiting room, sat me down
and said, ‘He’s going to be fine,’” she
said. “’I know this is going to be tough
on you, but we’ll keep you informed.’”
The family was also impressed with the
orthopedic surgeon. Dr. Daniel Judd
had just begun his shift that day and
decided to take the lead on Wynand’s
operation. It was fortunate timing for the
active family. Dr. Judd is an ankle and
foot specialist and worked for nearly
seven hours to ensure his patient would
regain as much mobility as possible.
“It is a privilege to work with so many
skilled providers, when complicated
cases like his come in,” Dr. Judd said.
“It is very reassuring to know that there is
a strong team backing you up, everyone
striving to provide the highest level of
care possible.”
The operation went well. Recovery
was going to take some time. Dr. Judd
came by every day to check on Wynand,
taking the time to change his patient’s
bandages and to remind him that this
was a life-altering event.
Wynand left Kaua‘i in a wheelchair and
had to stay off his feet completely for
three months. But back in Canada he
felt even more confident in what was
done at Wilcox.
“My orthopedic surgeon is blown away
with what he saw in x-rays and what
my healing incisions look like,” said
staff to function at that level because of
the difference it can make in both the
family’s and the patient’s experience.”
Dr. Daniel Judd
Wynand. “Even the physical therapist
can’t believe the range of motion that I
have in those joints, and they attribute
a lot of that to the skill of Dr. Judd.”
Mary Clare echoes the accolades,
both from a professional and a
personal perspective.
“I’m impressed that there is that type
of trauma care on a small island like
Kaua‘i. It’s unbelievable,” said Mary
Clare. “The caring and compassion was
simply incredible. I hope to inspire my
While he still faces challenges, Wynand
is moving forward. He is now walking,
driving, cycling daily and has even hit
the golf course twice. He still has to ele-
vate and ice his ankles three times a day
to reduce swelling. Wynand will likely
never run again, but that isn’t keeping
him from his next big goal—getting
back on skis with his family. And another
trip to the islands may also be in the
Egberts future.
“For the first month or so, we couldn’t
talk about going back to Hawai‘i,”
Wynand said. “Now I can actually say
I want to return to Kaua‘i and walk into
Wilcox. My goal is to come back and
shake Dr. Judd’s hand, standing!”
Excellence in Emergencies:
Wilcox Trauma Center
A S TH E L A R G ES T NO T-F O R -
PR O FI T H O S PI TA L O N KAUA‘I,
Wilcox Medical Center recently earned
recognition for its excellence in emergen-
cy care. The emergency department is the
first in Hawai‘i to earn verification by the
American College of Surgeons (ACS) as a
Level III Trauma Center. The verification recognizes a center’s dedication to provid-
ing optimal care for patients in several categories, including prompt assessment,
intensive care, surgery, resuscitation and stabilization of injured patients.
The ACS verification process is distinguished by the rigor and breadth of its require-
ments. A team of ACS trauma experts visits hospitals for an on-site review. The
experts who examined the 20-bed department meticulously reviewed everything
from readiness and resources to commitment and patient care.
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