Dr. Elliott and Fred

David Elliott has been our family doctor for over 20 years, yes, even before he was affiliated with MDVIP. During that time, my husband Fred was diagnosed with oral cancer. From 2006 til 2021, he endured multiple treatments and surgeries with specialists. But his ongoing primary care provided a sense that Dr Elliott was onboard with his experiences and decisions. He was available to us during urgent situations, and gave Fred thoughtful, patient and meaningful counsel. I think they shared a mutual interest in planes and aerospace, Fred’s profession, giving them a common understanding of each other’s expertise. We have always been grateful for Dr. Elliott’s good care, up to and including Fred’s approach to the end of his life. He declared his understanding of his body’s decline with a statement he wrote to one of his oncologists: “You design an airplane for a graceful degradation in case of a total system failure.” Dr. Elliott would surely have understood the metaphor.