'Get to UCLA, Now'

“I had a good experience and wanted to make the process better for other people, so they have as good an experience as I did,” reveals Scott Laskey, a member of the Neurosurgery Patient and Family Advisory Council(Link opens in new window) at UCLA Health. “This group is very passionate about executing changes, so patients have the best experience possible. No one likes being in a hospital unless you’re having a baby. There isn’t much that’s rainbows and butterflies about neurosurgery. My doctor noticed the nerves in my eyes were swollen, which was an indication something was pressing up against my occipital lobe. I did an MRI, and an hour later, she called me and said, ‘Get to UCLA now.’ I had a brain tumor. I was unconscious the entire time, but my family was here and felt a lot more stress. UCLA Health is a big organization, and groups like this help facilitate the experience. We want to make everyone feel comfortable with what is being thrown at them.”