It’s not every day you find a 31 years old doing something great with her life.Dr Foye surely belongs to this league. She opened a stand-alone emergency room in northwest Houston recently. Foye, a graduate of University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health is a Nigerian native, raised in the States and was groomed to care for the physical well-being of people. In this interview she opens up on what led her establish Life Savers Emergency
The beginning
I was raised in a education driven home. My father is a professor of veterinary medicine and also has a master’s in public health. He raised us to always value and respect the power of getting an education. I am so grateful for my parents who encouraged us to reach our full potential. Due to my parent’s encouragement, we were able to enroll in educational science programs each summer during middle school and high school. One of the coolest programs I was involved in was at the NASA institute during the summer preceding 9th grade, where I learned how to grow plants and vegetables using water and nutrients infused in the water. This technology is being used daily by astronauts to survive in space. Experiences like this grew my interest in science in general. My mother was also a nurse and worked in the Emergency Room. I had the opportunity to volunteer at the hospital a few times.
Moving from Ibadan to the U.S
I was born in Ibadan and moved to the U.S at the age of eight. I lived in Tuskegee, Alabama for a year and then we moved to Auburn, Alabama for about 5 years. We later moved to Atlanta. My father worked as a microbiology professor at Tuskegee and while my mother worked in a grocery store, the donut department precisely while she was in nursing school. She was working as an accountant in Nigeria but transitioned into the nursing field upon moving here. I remember how she would sit next to the heating vent and study after a long day at work. When you see your parents work hard like I did, you have no excuse for not doing your best and help your own family. I was fortunate enough to earn a full academic scholarship to the University of Georgia for my bachelor’s degree as well as a full scholarship to the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health where I earned my doctorate in medicine. I was determined to hit the ground running once I graduated.I am married to my best friend, Orseer Ikyaator and we have a beautiful son named Israel.
The birth of Life Savers Emergency
Life Savers Emergency Room was created to meet the medical needs of Houston. We are a Free Standing Emergency Room, meaning we are not attached to a hospital. I enjoy Emergency Medicine tremendously and at Life Savers ER, we are able to provide the same ER care much more efficiently than at the hospital because we have an onsite laboratory, radiology equipment and pharmacy. There is no waiting in line for your labs to get sent or processed. Nor is there the risk of waiting in the waiting- room for 3 hours to be seen by a doctor. We do not share our equipment with the ICU and medical floor so results are processed much faster than at the hospital. Patients have access to their results upon leaving the facility and we are able to get patients in and out within 1hr on average. Patients absolutely love the service we provide. We meet and exceed their expectations by not only addressing what brought them in, but also really taking the time to assess their current state of health and provide tips on how to stay healthy.
Bringing Life Savers Emergency to Nigeria
I am a proud Nigerian born woman and would love nothing more than to be able to take this service to Nigeria. During my residency training, I was able to spend some time in the Accident and Emergency Department of Lagos State University Teaching Hospital. This was an eye opening experience for me and gave me good understanding of the level of care available in the ER, medical and surgical ward.
The residents I worked with during my stay were amazing and very eager to learn and implement the strategies and practices we use in emergency care. However, the infrastructure needed must be in place for this to work. For example, doing CPR (Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation) a patient does not end when the patient regains a pulse. The patient needs to be placed on a ventilator and will need ICU care. This infrastructure is the first step that would need to be in place for an ER to function. The Intensive Care Unit is the destination for most patients who have had a near death experience such as a cardiac arrest, heart attack or stroke. I think there are a lot of challenges now within the basic healthcare infrastructure that have to be addressed in order for these services to be readily available.
Giving up
Like any human being, we are all faced with challenges. I believe in God and His word. His word promises us that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. Yes, I have felt like giving up in the past, but God has always come through on my behalf.
Being able to strike a balance
I have a supportive husband and a wonderful family. We take the time out to spend with ourselves and our God. We work hard with the understanding that the seeds we are sowing will germinate and produce a great harvest.
What keeps me going
At the end of the day, a simple thank you is always gratifying. I don’t need an award for what I do. Every day, I get to help people and make them smile. I put 100% of my skills into use for each patient and I believe they see this and are grateful.
Becoming a Woman of Rubies
I believe that we as women have a great responsibility of producing the next generation while serving as role models to our society and children. It is not good enough to have a wealth of knowledge or money and not impact those around you positively. I was raised in the midst of strong women who made great sacrifices for their families and community. A woman of rubies represents in my opinion, someone who knows the value of hard work who passes down the knowledge and privilege they have attained. I believe my embracing and daily practice of these values is what makes me a woman of rubies.