‘Walking Miracle' Roland has VFW to thank for heart surgery

‘Walking Miracle' Roland has VFW to thank for heart surgery
Creswell Chronicle
Published: August 29, 2012
Story by Gini Davis

Dennis Roland of Creswell is a "veteran" twice over: he served with the U.S. Army in Vietnam in 1968-1969, and now he is also a survivor of major heart surgery to implant an LVAD (Left Ventricle Assist Device).

Roland's life-saving, half-million-dollar operation was funded through the Veterans' Administration (VA), thanks to the efforts of Creswell VFW Service Officer Vern Beard, who helped Roland secure a VA disability rating and financing for the procedure.

"The VFW helps veterans, and this is one of our success stories, because Dennis' condition was really deteriorating, and if he hadn't gotten this operation he'd probably be dead by now," said Creswell VFW Post Commander Rick Higgins, terming Roland a "walking miracle."

"Not probably—I would be dead," said Roland. "I was getting sicker and sicker. I'm told I was kind of getting that gray coloring, and when you get that ash color you're pretty close to dying."

Roland, 65, was first diagnosed with serious heart problems, starting with a left bundle branch block, in the 1980s and has been receiving treatment through the VA since 2002.
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