This weekend, the Kern chapter of the American Red Cross will honor ten people or groups in our community.
These 'real heroes' have done extraordinary things, while expecting nothing in return, like this year's Health Care hero, Dr. Royce Johnson, whose vast knowledge of Valley Fever is saving lives.
It's a typical day at the office for Dr. Royce Johnson, who specializes in treating patients with Valley Fever. On this day, he's preparing to perform a procedure on a long-term patient.
It's a passion that took hold of Dr. Johnson after he met Dr. Hans Einstein back in 1975.
"I was interested in that I knew it would be part of my practice. I didn't realize it was gonna be a life's work and a passion," said Dr. Johnson.
That passion grew over the decades as Doctors Johnson and Einstein worked together to try and unravel this complicated disease and create a vaccine.
"There was a vaccine project in the 80s and my father and Royce set that all up," said Paula Einstein, Dr. Hans Einstein's daughter. "Then my father said, by the way I'm going to L.A. to work at a hospital, have fun. Royce was really the one that did it."
"It's a very complicated disease. It has many manifestations and many problems. I'm very interested in the immunology and immunogenetics problems that remains to be solved," said Dr. Johnson.
Valley Fever is contracted from spores kicked up from dirt that are inhaled into the lungs. Each year, there are 2,000 new cases in Kern County.
These days, Dr. Johnson is called upon to treat the most difficult cases, and not just locally.
"He's an asset we have in our community. He gets phone calls frequently from other physicians, from the county, state, outside states and even international for the patients because his knowledge and experience is very unique in his field," said Dr. Arash Heidari, an infectious disease specialist.
And, that knowledge is saving lives, like in the case of an 8-year-old girl who came to Dr. Johnson with Valley Fever.
"She ended up with meningitis and nine bone lesions. She had three courses of IV and years of IV and four surgeries, maybe three. All she ended up with at age 16 or 17 was a stiff wrist. She is otherwise normal," said Dr. Johnson.
If you would like to honor Dr. Royce Johnson and the other real heroes, the dinner takes place Saturday, April 6th at the Bakersfield Jet Center by Loyd's Aviation.
For tickets, call the Red Cross at 324-6427 or visit www.redcross.org/kernchapter
These 'real heroes' have done extraordinary things, while expecting nothing in return, like this year's Health Care hero, Dr. Royce Johnson, whose vast knowledge of Valley Fever is saving lives.
It's a typical day at the office for Dr. Royce Johnson, who specializes in treating patients with Valley Fever. On this day, he's preparing to perform a procedure on a long-term patient.
It's a passion that took hold of Dr. Johnson after he met Dr. Hans Einstein back in 1975.
"I was interested in that I knew it would be part of my practice. I didn't realize it was gonna be a life's work and a passion," said Dr. Johnson.
That passion grew over the decades as Doctors Johnson and Einstein worked together to try and unravel this complicated disease and create a vaccine.
"There was a vaccine project in the 80s and my father and Royce set that all up," said Paula Einstein, Dr. Hans Einstein's daughter. "Then my father said, by the way I'm going to L.A. to work at a hospital, have fun. Royce was really the one that did it."
"It's a very complicated disease. It has many manifestations and many problems. I'm very interested in the immunology and immunogenetics problems that remains to be solved," said Dr. Johnson.
Valley Fever is contracted from spores kicked up from dirt that are inhaled into the lungs. Each year, there are 2,000 new cases in Kern County.
These days, Dr. Johnson is called upon to treat the most difficult cases, and not just locally.
"He's an asset we have in our community. He gets phone calls frequently from other physicians, from the county, state, outside states and even international for the patients because his knowledge and experience is very unique in his field," said Dr. Arash Heidari, an infectious disease specialist.
And, that knowledge is saving lives, like in the case of an 8-year-old girl who came to Dr. Johnson with Valley Fever.
"She ended up with meningitis and nine bone lesions. She had three courses of IV and years of IV and four surgeries, maybe three. All she ended up with at age 16 or 17 was a stiff wrist. She is otherwise normal," said Dr. Johnson.
If you would like to honor Dr. Royce Johnson and the other real heroes, the dinner takes place Saturday, April 6th at the Bakersfield Jet Center by Loyd's Aviation.
For tickets, call the Red Cross at 324-6427 or visit www.redcross.org/kernchapter