Patient gifts painting to hospital
St. Joseph’s Hospital-North in Lutz prominently displays a painting of a spring nature scene with trees, flowers and a small footbridge over a brook, in a team member common area.
There is a small gold plate attached beneath the painting inscribed with these words: “A Bridge to Recovery. To staff on 4 West for saving my life.”
The painting was done by COVID survivor Robert Sakoff, as a gift to the unit, according to a news release.
Sakoff spent 16 days in St. Joseph’s Hospital-North earlier this year as a COVID patient.
“I feel 120%,” said Sakoff, age 74, in the release.
Sakoff is originally from New York, but now resides in Tampa’s Northdale section.
He described his battle with COVID during his early days in the hospital as being serious and “on the brink.”
As he began to recover and to feel better, Sakoff started the painting.
His wife, Mary, brought painting supplies to the hospital entrance and team members would take the supplies to Sakoff’s room.
“It was kind of boring being by yourself,” said Sakoff. “It was lonely, you couldn’t have family or visitors, so I started the project of this painting….It took hours in the day and it also helped my recovery because mentally it helped me focus also.”
Sakoff said he was pleased with the way the paint-by-numbers painting turned out.
“The care that I received there (St. Joseph’s Hospital-North) was amazing. The people were amazing, they’re friendly, they’re efficient. In my gratitude, I finished the painting and wanted them to have it. The painting was a park scene with a bridge, so I titled it ‘A Bridge to Recovery’” he said.
Board certifications
Advanced Cancer Treatment Centers has announce that its radiation oncologists, Dr. Peter James Zavitsanos and Dr. Clayton Elliott Alonso, have been granted certification on radiation oncology and now can use the designation of Diplomate, American Board of Radiology.
Having completed the appropriate training for “Authorized User Eligibility,” Zavitsanos and Alonso also will receive the AU-eligible designation on their certificates.
The doctors’ names and demographic information will now be included in a directory published by the American Board of Medical Specialties.
