One thing Dr. Lindy Wolfenden loved about practicing medicine was the people.
As a pulmonologist, she often would treat patients for a specific ailment and they'd never return.
But providing care in the field of cystic fibrosis allowed the Emory University physician to establish long-term relationships. She might see patients three or four times a year, maybe more if they got sick.
"You invest in cystic fibrosis patients for a lifetime," said her husband, Dr. Arjun Srinivasan of Atlanta. "She got into medicine for the people."
In 2008, the Emory School of Medicine established an adult cystic fibrosis program to complement its pediatric work. Dr. Wolfenden was its founding director. Much credit for the program's success goes to Dr. Wolfenden, said Dr. David M. Guidot, division director of pulmonary and critical care at Emory University.
"She was instrumental in improving the quality of care for those patients and leading our clinical efforts," he said. "She took over a multi-disciplinary team of nutritionists, respiratory therapists, nurses and others to provide comprehensive care for patients. That combination made the adult center well known for high-quality care."
Last May, Dr. Linda Lucetta "Lindy" Wolfenden, 40, was diagnosed with breast cancer. She died from complications of the disease on Saturday at her home in Atlanta. The funeral will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday at All Saints Episcopal Church in Atlanta.
Dr. Wolfenden was born in Providence, R.I., but spent her childhood in Florida, where her parents helped found the Tampa Preparatory School. She graduated from Boston's Commonwealth School, then earned a bachelor's degree in biology at the University of Chicago.
In 1997, she graduated from Boston University's medical school and started her residency at Johns Hopkins Hospital. There, she met Arjun Srinivasan, a fellow resident whom she married 11 years ago. He is an associate director in the division of health care quality promotion at the Centers for Disease Control.
In early 2000, Dr. Wolfenden started work at Emory as a general pulmonologist. An interest in cystic fibrosis led her to advocate for an adult program. Before the program was begun in 2008, she visited other locations to observe their operations.
"Her input was critical for us going forward," Dr. Guidot said. "One of the challenges is that most physicians trained in pulmonology for adult care don't train in CF. It's a very unique calling [due to] the complexity of the patients and issues a lot of doctors don't know how to care for."
The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation recently granted full accreditation to Emory's adult program.
"It's fair to say that she was nationally recognized for her work," her husband said. "When the program was granted full accreditation, leaders in the CF field called to congratulate her."
Additional survivors include two sons, Jackson Wolfenden Srinivasan and Joseph Wolfenden Srinivasan, both of Atlanta; her mother, Barbara Wolfenden and her stepfather, Martin Owens, both of Stow, Mass.
About the Author
The Latest
Featured
