Patient Testimonial- Mohammed Rahman

Posted on February 21, 2026 by Jamaica Hospital Medical Center

Patient Mohammed Rahman was taken to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center’s Emergency Room after experiencing a fall at home. He was transferred to the ICU after he was diagnosed with internal bleeding. His daughter Suraya Clemente recounts the care he received.

My dad, Mr. Mohammed Rahman, is a father of three and a grandfather of four. He is a man of few words. However, his presence speaks for itself. He is admired by not only me and his family and friends, but also his colleagues, neighbors, and the Bangladeshi community. My father is charitable and an active member of a donation-based Bangladeshi organization.

During the autumn of 2025, my father unfortunately had an accidental fall at home. This fall resulted in a deep laceration and internal bleeding. After being taken to the ER at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, the bleeding seemed to have stopped. He was then transferred from the ICU to the med-surge unit within two days. Soon after the transition, he started to experience symptoms that suggested further internal bleeding. My family members and I were extremely worried and started to panic. That’s when we met Dr. Benjamin Hartley. He appeared in the hospital room with absolute grace and kindness. He helped us feel seen and heard through his authenticity and empathetic personality. Dr. Hartley explained the CT results and the complications of a brain bleed thoroughly. He was confident and knew exactly how to steer my father towards recovery.

Dr. Hartley took the time to get to know us during our initial conversation. He was genuine, transparent, and personable while still maintaining professionalism. Dr. Hartley’s presence and competence was significantly comforting to my family members and me. He kept an open line of communication with us through text, which was incredibly generous.

My family and I felt a sense of relief and knew my father was in good hands after speaking with Dr. Hartley and knowing he’d oversee the surgery.

My sisters and I are forever grateful to Dr. Hartley for saving our father’s life. He’s the best doctor we’ve met, and he is an irreplaceable gem in Jamaica Hospital. My father is also very grateful to Dr. Hartley, as he explained, “Dr. Hartley is a saint that was sent to me in human form. He helped me in my weakest moment by holding a glass of water with a straw for me to drink. He did not hesitate to recline my hospital bed. He did not hold back in taking the best care of me. He’s down to earth and carries no prejudice.”

Though it’s been less than three months since his brain surgery, my father feels like he’s slowly getting his old life back. “I can walk long distances alone and without any assistive devices. I also look forward to start driving soon,” he said.

Thank you,

Suraya Clemente

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Patient Testimonial- Wayne Texeira says, “Dr. Lasic and Jamaica Hospital Medical Center Gave Me a Second Chance.”

Posted on April 25, 2025 by Patrick Hercules

“I got a second chance”, is what Wayne Texeira said after his experience at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center. While working at Jamaica Hospital, Mr. Wayne Texiera suddenly couldn’t breathe and fell to his knees. He saw the lights fading and passed out. While in the ER, he was told his lungs were filling with fluid, he had heart failure, and he almost died. His doctor, Dr. Zoran Lasic, told Mr. Texiera that he had to change his lifestyle after performing an angiogram that showed that he had 30% functionality in his heart.

Over the next year, through the care and recommendations from Dr. Lasic, Mr. Texeira lost 45 pounds, quit smoking, and stopped eating unhealthy foods. He also gained 60% functionality in his heart, which is remarkable. “I am very grateful to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, the staff, and the doctors. My perception changed after I got a second chance.” Now living in Georgia with his wife and daughter, the catalyst for his lifestyle change, “I kept looking at her and I didn’t want her not to have a father, Mr. Texeira said. With a second chance, Mr. Texeira is grateful, “Life has been good. I have no regrets.”

Patient Testimonial – Agostino Romano says, “If it wasn’t for Dr. McKenzie, I’d be dead”, after Dr. Katherine McKenzie Saved His Life.

Posted on February 7, 2025 by Patrick Hercules

“If it wasn’t for Dr. McKenzie, I’d be dead”, is what Agostino Romano said after his experience at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center. Mr. Romano has been a patient of Dr. Katherine McKenzie for the last four years. He was first seen by her to treat perforated appendicitis in 2021. During this time, Dr. McKenzie observed that Mr. Romano wasn’t responding well to standard treatment. She suspected an underlying malignancy and investigated further. Dr. McKenzie diagnosed Mr. Romano with a rare and aggressive cancer called Burkitt’s lymphoma.

Mr. Romano received treatment for the cancer and has been in remission. He returned to see Dr. McKenzie for surgery, an abdominal wall reconstruction with a component separation in 2023. He recovered and is doing well. He continues to see Dr. McKenzie every four to six months. He is back at work and has been able to resume his passions which include cooking and sharing Italian food. He has even made trips to see his family in Italy.

“I wouldn’t go to any other hospital. I’ve formed a bond with them,” Mr. Romano said of Dr. McKenzie and her team. Born in Italy, Mr. Romano lives with his wife of 30 years in Ozone Park, Queens. Despite the surgeries and cancer diagnosis, Mr. Romano keeps a positive perspective: “I have nothing but great things to say, even in the dark times.”

Patient Testimonial: Dwayne Bull says, “I could never find words to express how thankful and how grateful I am”, After Dr. Mangla, his team, and the Jamaica Hospital Staff Save His Husband Arthur’s Life

Posted on December 5, 2024 by Patrick Hercules

“I could never find words to express how thankful and how grateful I am”, is what Dwayne Bull said after his husband Arthur’s surgery at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center. On September 11^th, 2024, Mr. Arthur Dower Bull took a short walk with his husband Dwayne to shop in their neighborhood. After about a block of walking, Arthur began to show signs of passing out. At that moment, Dwayne immediately called 911. Leading up to that moment Arthur passed out, Dwayne explained, “Arthur had been complaining about pain in his left leg and shortness of breath since having two surgeries two weeks prior.” The ambulance arrived and Arthur was taken to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center.

Arthur was being evaluated in the ER while Dwayne waited for news on his condition in the waiting room. A doctor approached Dwayne and told him that Arthur’s heart had stopped and he had to be revived. When the doctor told him that, Dwayne said, “My heart stopped, and I had never experienced that mental state in my life.” Dwayne recounted seeing a team of people standing over Arthur attempting to revive him again. He says, “I felt the pain of losing someone for the first time in my life and the hardest part was not being able to do anything about it.” For Dwayne, sitting in the waiting room feeling alone, nervous, and scared and not knowing what was happening, was the hardest thing for him.

Then, Dr. Aditya Mangla appeared. Dwayne recalls that Dr. Mangla was “extremely calm” and had a “positive presence about him”. “He gave me peace”, said Dwayne. Dr. Mangla told Dwayne that Arthur had blood clots in his lungs and blood stopped flowing to his heart. He expressed that if he did not perform immediate surgery Arthur wouldn’t make it and if he does perform the surgery, there still might be a chance that he wouldn’t make it because of the severity of his condition. Dr. Mangla told Dwayne there was a “30% chance that Arthur could survive the surgery”. Dwayne says Dr. Mangla, “assured me that he was extremely knowledgeable in this area of medicine and that he and Arthur were in the right place.”

Dr. Mangla allowed Dwayne to see Arthur one last time before surgery. Dr. Mangla told Dwayne, “I will treat him like he’s one of mine”. Dwayne waited in the waiting room for 90 minutes but remained positive because he knew Arthur was in good hands due to Dr. Mangla’s sincerity and level of experience. Then Dr. Mangla appeared with a certainty and enduring smile expressing that the surgery was successful. He then showed Dwayne pictures of the blood clots that were removed from Arthur’s lungs. When Dwayne finally got to see Arthur after the surgery, Arthur’s first words to him were, “You’re here.”

Dwayne would like to thank Dr. Mangla for the impeccable service he received. “Dr. Mangla is an angel,” Dwayne said. He would also like to thank Dr. Mangla’s team, the ICU nurses, and the rest of the hospital staff. “The hospital should be given an award.”

Dwayne and Arthur moved here from California last year and have been enjoying the sights and culture of the city. Thanks to Dr. Mangla, his team, and the hospital staff, they can continue to do so. “Dr. Mangla saved the life of my loved one. I wanted to say thank you, and I will never forget your unconditional support or allowing God to use you by the power of prayer.”