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Graham, Debra J.
DEBRA J. GRAHAM
Debra J. Graham, M.D., of Moreland Hills, Ohio died peacefully on September 24th, 2008, after a long and courageous battle with ovarian cancer. Dr. Graham was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on June 23, 1959. She graduated Summa Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Washington and Jefferson College in 1981 with a degree in Biology. Dr. Graham went on to the Hahnemann University School of Medicine in1985 where she was selected for membership in the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society. She completed her surgical residency at Case Western University in 1992, which included a two-year Dudley P. Allen research fellowship and work as a Metro Lifeflight physician. During her residency she was honored to be awarded both the Junior and Senior Resident Teaching Awards in the Department of Surgery. Dr. Graham was an Associate Professor of Surgery at Case Western Reserve University and served as both an Associate and Director of the Integrated Surgery Training Program from 1993-2007. Her responsibilities included directing the educational activities for surgical trainees in general surgery and surgical subspecialties at University Hospitals, MetroHealth Medical Center, Mt. Sinai Medical Center and the Cleveland VA Medical Center. She was awarded the Department of Surgery Faculty Teaching Award in 2002. Dr. Graham was a staff surgeon at the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center and served as the Chief of the General Surgery Section and the Chief of Surgical Services from 2001-2008. She was the local principle investigator for the National Surgical Quality Improvement Project, which is used system-wide within the VA and is now being applied in the private sector. The projects primary emphasis is focused on improving surgical outcomes and the quality of patient care. She was also the principle investigator for a study using NSQIP data and resident surveys looking at resident work conditions and quality of care. The Cleveland VA Medical Center received national recognition for outstanding quality of care and surgical outcomes during her tenure. Dr. Graham was a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and a member of numerous professional societies that included the Association for Academic Surgery, the Association of Program Directors in Surgery, the Midwest Surgical Association, the Central Surgical Association, and the Cleveland Surgical Society, where she was selected President in 2002. She was also an Associate Examiner for the American Board of Surgery Certifying Examination since 1992.
Dr. Graham will be remembered as a compassionate and caring surgeon, teacher, and friend. She was honored to care for her patients and their families, to teach and be a part of the professional development of surgery residents, and a member of the Cleveland medical community. Dr. Graham was an amazing woman and will truly be missed by her many friends, colleagues and family.
In addition to her professional career, Dr. Graham was an accomplished and eclectic home cook. She loved the planning and preparation necessary to present a special meal for friends and family. In recent years she developed a keen interest in Thai cuisine and was widely admired for her Asian culinary skills. She was a patron of the Shaw Festival Foundation and eagerly waited each new seasons theatrical productions and social events. Dr. Graham was a great friend and frequent visitor to St. John. Despite her busy surgical practice and responsibilities, she and her husband, Jim, regularly vacationed for a month or more each year in Coral Bay and East End, always appreciating the beauty, peacefulness and friendships to be found on the island.
Dr. Graham is survived by her beloved husband, James Brown, her brother William Graham of Wexford, Pennsylvania; and sisters Barbara (Wayne) Harms of Glenshaw, Pennsylvania; Sharon (Timothy) Peretik of Havelock, North Carolina; and six nephews and nieces. She was preceded in death by her mother and father, Sheila and James Graham of Allison Park, Pennsylvania, and brothers James, Thomas and Michael.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions be made in Dr. Graham’s memory to the Hospice of the Western Reserve, 300 East 185th Street, Cleveland, Ohio 44119. A celebration of her life was held at the Amasa Stone Chapel in Cleveland on the campus of Case Western Reserve University on Sunday, October 5th.
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