Renowned heart surgeon meets former patient at Clarkson University graduation
May 15—POTSDAM — When Diana L. Caswell heard that Dr. Delos M. "Toby" Cosgrove III was to be honored at Clarkson University's Class of 2022 commencement, she decided she wanted to see the person who changed her life 25 years ago.
She was 46 at the time and was seeing doctors in Syracuse for a tear in her mitral valve. The mitral valve is one of four valves in the heart that keep blood flowing in the right direction.
Mrs. Caswell could have the valve replaced or repaired. If it was replaced, she would be on blood thinners for the rest of her live. A repaired valve would lead to a more normal life.
"They (the Syracuse doctors) told me if anyone could repair the valve, Dr. Cosgrove would be the one," she said.
Dr. Cosgrove, a native of Watertown and a 1958 graduate of Watertown High School, was one of four people honored with honorary doctorates at Clarkson University Saturday.
"I have just always wanted to catch up with him at some point," Mrs. Caswell, who lives in Canton, said.
Mrs. Caswell said she remembers being led to the operating room and speaking to Dr. Cosgrove about Watertown.
"We made the connection that he was from the north country too," she said.
Joseph L. Rich, of Watertown, knows about connections with Dr. Cosgrove. The two were students at Watertown High at the same time and both have their pictures on the school's Wall of Fame.
In 1998 when Mr. Rich needed an aortic valve replacement, he was told to go to the Cleveland Clinic but was warned that it would take some time to get an appointment.
"I called Toby and he said 'Joe, we're friends, what are you doing tomorrow?"
Mr. Rich described going to the Cleveland Clinic and moving to the front of the line.
"I just can't get over how wonderful he was to people from the north country," Mr. Rich said. "He always had time for us."
On Saturday, Dr. Cosgrove told the Clarkson Class of 2022 to not be afraid to fail.
"Many of you may assume that failure is something to avoid," Dr. Cosgrove said. "I have good news and bad news. The good news is that failure can be avoided, by saying nothing, doing nothing and being nothing. The bad news is that if you are to achieve anything you must accept risk. And with risk comes the possibility of disappointment and failure."
If you have never experienced failure, he told the graduates, you have probably never pushed the envelope or stretched hard or long enough to reach your potential.
"For those of you that have never tasted serious disappointment or failure, be patient, it's coming," he said.
Failure is a great teacher, he said.
"You may learn that your present strategy won't work. You may learn that your goal was not worthy. You may learn that you quit too soon," Dr. Cosgrove said. "You must recover from defeats and failures afflicted but not crushed, humbled but not despairing, knocked down but not knocked out."
The only true failure, he said, is when you fail to rise and try again.
Dr. Cosgrove retired from the Cleveland Clinic in 2017. He had served as the president and CEO of the $8 billion dollar health system since 2004.
Under the Obama administration, Dr. Cosgrove served on the Department of Veterans Affairs Commission on Care.
In 2014, he told the Watertown Daily Times he didn't know he was dyslexic until he was 34. Dr. Cosgrove finished in the bottom of his class at University of Virginia Medical School, but credits his learning disability with giving him an innovative way of thinking.
A cardiac surgeon for nearly 30 years, Dr. Cosgrove performed 22,000 operations, earned an international reputation for valve repair, and has filed 30 medical patents.
Mrs. Caswell got to meet with Dr. Cosgrove before Saturday's graduation ceremony. After Dr. Cosgrove received his honorary degree and was leaving the stage, Clarkson University President Anthony G. Collins stopped him, and with his arm around his shoulder pointed out Mrs. Caswell to the crowd and told how the two had met again that afternoon.
"That's a great story," Mr. Collins said.
