Whether it is prayer before surgery or traveling to remote areas of the world to provide medical services, physicians in Conway are not shy about sharing their faith.

In the Bible, the Apostle James asks, “What good is it my brothers if a man claims to have faith, but no deeds?” (James 2:14). Several healthcare providers in Conway have taken his words to heart, reaching out to patients physically and spiritually through a variety of faith-oriented activities.

For example, Doctors Tom Roberts, Mike Stanton, and Tod Ghormley have almost 90 years of surgical experience and have improved the quality of life of thousands of people using their surgical skills. But they would prefer to be known as men of faith.

Stanton, a general surgeon with more than 30 years in practice at Conway Regional Surgical Associates, says “My spiritual life is the most important thing to me. I think God puts us where we need to be.” He credits his faith for the way he views the team in the operating room.

“Every person you work around; every person has a significant role. None of us are more important than the other, and all of us need to be doing our best. Everybody’s got their role and that’s important,” said Stanton.

Stanton prays with his patients prior to surgery and finds it reassures them and the staff.

Tod Ghormley, MD, an orthopedic surgeon with more than 30 years with the Conway Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Center, agrees.  A prolific medical missions doctor, Ghormley began praying with patients during mission trips to Honduras before beginning the practice in Conway. “I began to ask myself ‘why can’t I pray for my patients at home?’”

Ghormley points to a seminar called Saline Solution, which is sponsored by the Christian Medical Dental Association, for his inspiration to bring faith elements into his medical practice.

“It transformed my practice. I wanted to share my faith with patients, but I didn’t want to be a spiritual dump truck,” Ghormley said.  “The course really helps doctors develop a relationship with their patients and just love them. People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. You can’t minister to people unless they know you really care for them.”

He added, “I ask patients if they would like me to pray with them before surgery, and most people here in Conway say yes. Most people are anxious. When I pray with them, there is something about the presence of God. They are just at peace. There is a burden that is lifted from them, and they know they are going to be okay.”

Ghormley says that when adversity strikes during surgery, those prayers are helpful. “Sometimes we encounter issues that are hard to deal with. We will stop surgery and pray. Amazingly the issues turn around in no time.”

Ghormley estimates that he and his wife, Mimi, have participated in about 25 mission trips to countries such as Haiti, India, and Thailand. However, it was a trip to a small town in Honduras that was most memorable.

Tod Ghormley had been doing surgery there for years, but violence began to spread across the town. He said, “Somebody started shooting through the windows of the hospital, and I was hugging the floor just trying to stay alive.”

While he has not faced life-threatening experiences, Tom Roberts, MD, is also using his skills for mission work.  An orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist with more than 28 years of surgical experience, Dr. Roberts participates in medical missions with the Conway Iguana Squad, a non-denominational faith group. The Iguana Squad makes annual trips to Belize to help under-served people.

The group’s leader, Rik Sowell, began the trips in the early 2000s, and Andrew Cole, MD, a Conway obstetrician/gynecologist, and Marcie Cole, a registered nurse, reached out to Roberts after they saw the need for medical missions. The group also involves other medical professions as well, including pharmacy and therapy. St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Conway also sponsors a medical mission trip to Guatemala each year.

“Andrew kept asking me about it,” said Roberts, “and when I got there, I realized that I can actually help some people with their needs and have a chance to share God’s love. It’s a blessing of working with the awesome nurses, therapists and anesthetist from Conway Regional and other hospitals in our area on these trips.”

” Due to lack of facilities and equipment, Roberts brought two patients back from Belize with him for knee replacement surgery at Conway Regional.

“It was awesome of the hospital and the Stryker Corporation to get behind what I was doing, but I realized that it was not sustainable,” said Roberts. His next step was to contact a friend, Bryan Wallace, who had been saving orthopedic surgery equipment for an unfulfilled medical mission. “Wow, what a Godsend. We collaborated and found a hospital in Belize that was excited about having us,” said Roberts. The hospital is in Belmopan in central Belize.

“The people there ride a bus for miles and miles just to come see us. The problem with doing surgery is we have to outline their rehab for the next six months until I come down again,” said Roberts. During her first mission trip to Belize, Conway Regional therapist Beth Milligan developed rehabilitation plans for Roberts’ patients.

“I feel a lot of times we are giving people hope; hope that they can resume their lives, hope that they can play with their children, hope that they can go out and pick mangoes that day because their family needs to eat,” Milligan said.

Whether in prayer or performing surgery on an international mission, all three surgeons share the same sentiment about the effect of faith on their lives. In Robert’s words: “You look at all the things that had to happen, and God’s hand was in all of that.”