CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, Ohio — News 5 continues to focus on your health and overall well-being, as well as the serious disparities impacting Black and brown communities across the area.
An estimated eight million people in the U.S. suffer from a disease called Peripheral Artery Disease.
It results in the narrowing or blocking of major arteries in your body—leading to limb loss.
Black and brown adults are nearly twice as likely to develop Type 2 Diabetes, which can lead to limb loss and amputations, according to health experts at University Hospitals.
Research shows Black patients are three to four times more likely to undergo an amputation than white patients.
More than 500 patients have their legs amputated each day in the U.S.
Doctors stress amputation is not normal.
They are now doing everything in their power to highlight there are other viable options for treatment.
Doctors at University Hospitals say education is vital, especially following April's Limb Loss Awareness month.
Their efforts are ongoing as they work to save and protect new patients each day.
Leroy Williams spent the majority of his life high atop buildings and bridges across Cleveland as a union Ironworker.
"I turned around and worked and did that for 30 years. I did a lot of welding, a lot of connecting things," Williams said.
The 68-year-old is now enjoying the sites of his community in retirement from an elevated level on his balcony in Cleveland Heights.
However, he admits things have felt slightly different.
"I wasn't getting circulation in my foot," Williams said.
Peripheral Artery Disease would change his life forever.
He was forced to undergo an amputation and lost his right leg back in 2020 as the pandemic hit.
"The vessels had tightened up in the foot. The veins wasn't getting no blood to the foot," Williams said.
The experience was life-altering.
Each day, he now preps and attaches his prosthetic, while still maintaining his signature sharp sense of style.
He even learned how to drive with hand controls in his truck.
"You pull down too hard, it's like stepping on the gas. So, you have to learn how to keep up with the traffic," Williams said.
Living with high blood pressure, high cholesterol and kidney disease—the issues continued.
This time, the problems occurred in his left foot in 2021.
He feared the worst.
"I'm like oh my goodness. I'm gonna lose both my, I'm gonna be a double amputee," Williams said.
At the suggestion of others and in an effort to protect his leg and dignity, he sought out an urgent second opinion from Dr. Mehdi Shishehbor, President of University Hospitals Harrington Heart and Vascular Institute.
"You know, he was in trouble at the time and he had in another institution, he had the procedure done with balloons and stents in trying to open up his arteries that was not successful. He had then undergone a bypass procedure to try to get blood flow to his foot to save his leg. That was not successful," Shishehbor said.
Shishehbor and his team did everything in their power to save his leg, and it worked.
It's a critical move as research shows patients who lose their leg—experience a higher mortality rate than all cancers combined.
"But in any case, at that time, we were able to re-vascularize him and get blood flow to his foot. He underwent a small toe amputation. We call it a minor amputation. The wound rapidly healed and it's been now three years and I'm proud to say that he is doing very well," Shishehbor said.
"I have a great level of gratitude because Mike—I'm involved in the ministry and part of the ministry is walking through the territory," Williams said.
Williams says while life has slowed down a bit, he has found balance and peace.
His faith is stronger than ever.
"Anybody that's got hope they gonna keep fighting and fighting for the better," Williams said.
Shisehbor says he's honored to save and change lives thanks to UH's Limb Salvage and Amputation Prevention Program and Council.
"We are getting a group of interdisciplinary team of vascular surgeons, interventional cardiologists, vascular medicine, podiatrists and wound care doctors that attend to any patient that is going to be scheduled for major amputation. So, we don't allow the major amputation to happen until this committee. This council meets and evaluates the patient," Shishehbor said.
UH's Limb Salvage and Amputation Prevention Program started in 2019.
The council advocates for amputation prevention through dietary changes, diabetic care and other measures.
They say since 2019—they have been able to save a patient's limb 75% of the time, and Shishehbor says that is a tremendous outcome.
Williams says when in doubt—all patients should get a second or third opinion.
It saved his limb and life.
For more information on UH's Limb Salvage and Amputation Prevention Program and Council, click here.
