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Two gifted physicians
join LifeCare's medical
staff
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LifeCare President/CEO Keith Okeson welcomes Annabi Djalo, M.D., to the medical staff of LifeCare Medical Center. A family practice physician from New York City, Dr. Djalo began treating local patients in the hospital on September 2, 2008. He also sees patients at the clinic in Roseau and travels one day a week to Altru Clinic Greenbush. |
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Welcoming a new physician to the hospital medical staff is always cause for celebration, says LifeCare President/CEO Keith Okeson.
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To Roanoke and Back
For Dr. Fredstrom, you could say the reason Roseau reminds her of home is because for a |
Dr Fredstrom
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But
having the good
fortune to do so
twice in just
over a month?
"That's almost
incredible," he
admits.Yet, that's exactly the case these days at LifeCare Medical Center where doctors Annabi Djalo, M.D., and Rene Fredstrom, M.D. are quickly becoming acquainted with each other and the LifeCare team. "It is interesting that two people who grew up thousands of miles apart would find the same reason to relocate to Roseau County and LifeCare Medical Center at basically the same time," Okeson says.
That reason, both agree, is a dedication to rural medicine in a place that reminds them of home.
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while
it was. A native
of Brainerd,
Minnesota, she
and her husband
Judd moved to
Roseau in 1990.
After some time
as a
stay-at-home
mom, she then
taught public
school in
Warroad and
later in Roseau
where Judd was
already a member
of the faculty.
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Dr. Djalo |
Rene Fredstrom, M.D., returns to Roseau after completing her residency and serving as a hospitalist in Roanoke, Virginia. In the 1990s she and her family lived in Roseau before leaving to pursue a medical degree at the University of North Dakota. |
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During that time she also served as one of the very first hospice volunteers through Roseau Area Hospital & Homes, before the program officially had any patients.
Through it all, her
childhood dream
of becoming a
doctor stayed
with her.
"Actually, I
decided I wanted
to be a doctor
when I was 14
years old," she
says. "My mother
died of ovarian
cancer at age
39, |
From the Bronx
Originally from Guinea-Bissau, Africa, Dr. Djalo (pronounced duh-ZHAW-lo) comes to Roseau from New York City, specifically The Bronx, where he lived for nearly 20 years.
Like many physicians, Dr. Djalo found his place in the medical field in a roundabout sort of way.
As a young man, he moved to the United States to study political science, and for a while considered returning to Africa believing he could help millions of his countrymen through a life in politics.
In the end he decided to stay, becoming a U.S. citizen and later a proud member of the U.S. Army Reserves.
"Rather than just focusing on one area such as cardiology or neurology, I chose family practice in order to experience a wider spectrum of medicine, including obstetrics and geriatrics."
He married his childhood sweetheart, Henriqueta, who grew up across the street from him back home. Once enrolled in medical school, he sent for her and their young son Mohamed. The two left Africa to join him in The Bronx.
As their family grew, the Djalos began looking beyond the crowded city for a place to raise three children. Mohamed, now 10, is big brother to Alpha Omar, 2, and Donna, 1.
"I noticed right away the change in mood and politeness of the Midwest.
People here are much more likely to smile and talk to you when they see you," he says.
That, and the local landscape, are what sold them on northern Minnesota.
"The flatness of the land here reminds me of home," he says. "To me, the terrain is something beautiful. You can see a great distance and the skies are so much bigger."
Still settled into their home near the Roseau public school, the Djalo family is pleased with the new surroundings.
"It's great to be able to send Mohamed off to school by himself. He is able to just walk down the block instead of getting escorted to school like in New York."
Dr. Djalo officially began his first day at LifeCare on September 2, starting with orientation, followed with clinic patient appointments, and then observing procedures in the hospital.
On Wednesdays he travels to the clinic in Greenbush, and for now looks forward to the 22-mile commute.
"We'll see how it goes in winter," he says. "I'll just drive 20 miles per hour if I have to." |
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and
it was the
experience of
spending several
months in the
hospital with
her that made my
future path
clear." Holding
to her promise,
she completed
two years of
pre-med after
high school
before taking a
year off for a
mission trip
with Judd to
Mexico. When
they returned,
parenthood was
waiting for
them. Four
daughters later,
she was able to
refocus on med
school. In 1999,
she enrolled in
medical school
at the
University of
North Dakota in
Grand Forks, and
when graduation
was in sight,
she accepted a
colleaguešs
offer to
complete her
residency in
Roanoke, VA.
After her
residency as a
physician in
internal
medicine, she
stayed on as a
hospitalist
where, during
certain shifts,
she was
responsible for
130 hospital
patients, three
residents, and
admitting
emergency
patients.
"Literally, on
one occasion my
pager went off
every seven
minutes for 12
hours straight,"
she says. To say
she looks
forward to the
pace of rural
healthcare is an
understatement,
but Dr. Fredstrom admits she is excited to join the LifeCare medical staff, especially around the same time as Dr. Djalo.
"It was a pleasure meeting him, in addition to getting reacquainted with and meeting other members of the LifeCare medical staff during my site visits. They are a wonderful group of physicians and I look forward to working with them on a daily basis," she says.
With their three oldest daughters Erica, Kady, and Heidi off to college, the Fredstroms are busy making Roseau home to 13-year-old Rachel.
October 13 marks Dr. Fredstromšs first day of practice at LifeCare Medical Center and Altru Clinic in Roseau.
"Her work in internal medicine and an emphasis on women's health is a good fit to our organization," says LifeCare chief of staff Ron Brummer, M.D. "We appreciate the individual perspective she and Dr. Djalo bring to our medical team." |
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Altru
Clinic Greenbush
now open five
days a week
Monday Dr.
Bryon VandeWege
and Martha
Lystad, FNP
Tuesday Martha
Lystad, FNP
Wednesday Dr.
Annabi Djalo
Thursday
Martha Lystad,
FNP Friday
Martha Lystad,
FNP
* Michelle
Franek, FNP,
will also be
available on an
intermittent
schedule
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