Patient Advocates

The amazing individuals below are advocates who have worked closely with the Patient Safety Movement Foundation sharing how medical error has touched their families and impacted their lives.

They are also known outside of our network as advocates advancing patient safety, speaking nationally and internationally about patient safety, serving on Patient and Family Advisory Councils (PFACs), serving on the Boards of other organizations in the world of patient safety, and serving on Patient Safety Movement Foundation workgroups and committees. The people below represent a fraction of the patient safety advocates out there but we want to share just a few of those in our Movement.

Founder of Mothers Against Medical Error Several days after surgery to repair a condition called pectus excavatum (a structural defect in which the chest wall does not grow straight), Lewis

Deahna Visscher is a mother that lost her infant son, Grant Lars Visscher when he was 11 days old due to an avoidable medical error.  Since his death in 2008

Katherine Kay is a Retired Registered Nurse and a patient of Kaiser Permanente. She worked in Maternal Child Health with Mercy Hospital from 1984 until she retired in 2007. In

Carole Hemmelgarn, MS, MS, has worked in healthcare for 30 years. Her personal interest in the field of Patient Safety has lead Carole to get a Master of Science Degree

Board Certified Patient Advocate, Founder, CampaignZERO: Family Checklists for Patient Safety (CampaignZERO.org) Author, Safe & Sound in the Hospital: Must-Have Checklists and Tools for Your Loved One’s Care

Scott Morrish is a photographer and the father of 3… Ben (thirteen), Ollie (six) and Sam… who should be eleven but — weakened by flu and overwhelmed by sepsis —

Jamie Thomas King is an English-American artist, actor and writer. He studied painting at Fine Arts College in London and acting at The London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.

Vonda Vaden Bates is an alliance builder and leadership coach. For over 30 years Vonda has guided professionals to succeed on behalf of their organizations and careers. She helps people

President & CEO, Emily Jerry Foundation Christopher Jerry lost his beautiful two-year-old daughter, Emily, after a fatal medication error in March of 2006. After the tragic loss, he created The