Page 14 - HealthnetworkMagazineSpring2020-p7.indd

More Time

R andy and Susie Papé were in their
mid-40s and life was lovely. They
traveled often with their three
sons for work, for YPO, and for fun.
2008 was still a decade away and business
was great. Then, one summer day, it all came
to a screeching halt.
The first hint that something might be
wrong surfaced while on a fishing trip in
Alaska with their sons and some friends. Randy
was having a hard time keeping food down.
He had no other symptoms so the stomach
problems were a mystery. At Susie’s insistence, Randy and Susie Papé in 2006 when they
Randy went to the ER when the family received the University of Oregon Pioneer
returned home to Oregon. Award honoring them for their business and
From there, things went off the rails. philanthropic contributions.
The ER checkup moved to admittance, then
turned into a surgery, which led to a shocking to decide which of their institutions Randy
should go. They were told Mayo Clinic in
diagnosis. Cancer of the jejunum, the middle Rochester Minnesota was their best chance, as
segment of the small intestine, which is where he had just had surgery and the other two
the aorta brings nutrient-filled blood to the institutions would have to wait for the surgery
intestines. Inoperable, the doctors said. to heal before beginning treatment.
Untreatable. They estimated Randy had four Susie remembers that Friday afternoon,
months to live.
He would be gone before Christmas. “I received a call from the head of cardiology
at Mayo Clinic.”
“You just don’t think anything like this is ever He said, “Mrs. Papé, I’m here for you. Anything
going to happen. You’re volunteering, raising I can do, I’m right here.”
money for good causes, running companies, Susie was grateful for the call but confused.
going to YPO parties, traveling to universities “I think someone may have given you the
around the world. Then something like this…it wrong information,” she said. “I need an
just cuts you off at the knees.” oncologist, not a cardiologist.”
When Randy awoke later that evening, Susie The doctor explained that their chief
was by his side. He’d already been given the oncologist for the Mayo system was flying
prognosis while alone in recovery after his back from a speaking engagement in India. “He
surgery. Before Susie could say anything, will pick up your case on Monday, but I didn’t
Randy spoke. want you to feel alone over the weekend.”
“He looked at me and said, ‘Call Bill Rowley.’”
“Who does that?” asks Susie, still touched by
the gesture years later. “Amazing!”
In Good Hands Susie was still wracked with worry for
By 6:00 a.m. the next morning, Susie had Randy, but she knew they were in good hands.
reached Bill. From there things started moving Two days later, Susie and her sons took
quickly again—but this time it felt less like a Randy home. The house was a snapshot of
runaway train, and more like a well-oiled their life in motion.
machine operating with efficiency and purpose. “We had three piles of the boys’ belongings
Bill and his team at Healthnetwork connected around our home because each son was
with three specialists at three major hospitals, heading off to a different location in the next

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