A non-invasive cardiologist, Dr. Paola Casanova’s career path was influenced by the coronary artery disease her father was diagnosed with when she was 13 years old. “His condition required surgery, which was only available in Lima, Peru’s capital city. The situation impacted my entire family and as the oldest child it was my job to take care of my siblings,” she said.
The experience piqued her interest in cardiology, which she studied in Mexico. Reading American journals focused her attention on the U.S. and the cardiac research done here. Meantime, she never forgot what being the family of a patient felt like.
“I do my best to reassure family members and constantly communicate with them,” said Casanova. “This was especially important during COVID-19 when they couldn’t be together with loved ones. Sharing information builds trust and answer questions ‘Dr. Google’ just can’t match.”
