Michael B FisherDr. Fisher received his medical degree from SUNY in 1968 and did his nephrology fellowship at UCLA in 1972. He has been the Medical Director of Acute Dialysis at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital from 1984 to present. He has done 131 teaching lectures a this hospital including topics such as management of malignant hypertension, renal management of toxic shock syndrome, and NSAID drug-induced renal failure. Dr. Fisher was voted by the medical residents the outstanding teacher of the year on 1988. He is active in promoting well-being among renal patients and educating them on care options. Dr. Fisher's career was shaped by two distinct events. While he was preparing for his practice, Dr. Fisher served as a Peace Corps physician serving in La Paz Bolivia from 1969 to 1971. In his own words: "One of the key lessons I learned in Bolivia was how much we all have in common. People want to live healthy lives and they want the same for their loved ones. Most importantly, it was clear to me that having loved ones around during surgery or sickness was powerful medicine." In 2013, Dr. Fisher was diagnosed with lung cancer. "I suddenly became a patient myself and came face-to-face with the idea that I was no longer a part of the "temporarily healthy." Walking in the slippers of my patients allowed me to more fully understand the challenges they faced and the courage that they found to overcome them. I realized that I had been in the presence of heroes, my patients, and I was determined to get well and to write a book to tell their remarkable stories as way of honoring them. My hope is that such a book will inspire all who face major life challenges to find their own inner fiery spirit and to succeed in overcoming adversity." Read More Read Less