Efé McWorter’s second act is an inspiration. After career highlights as a performing arts teacher, a professional dancer and an arts administrator in Chicago, she pulled up stakes and moved to California. While living with her daughter and helping to care for her two grandsons, she took up acting on a lark at 61.

Today, a veteran SAG actor at 74, she loves her avocation, which has included commercials, plays, voice-overs and even bit parts in movies. If you ask Efé, she’ll say her secret is staying open to new adventures. “I’m a ‘yes’ person,” she smiles. “I don’t look back. I’m always going forward. I say be in the moment and be happy you’re here because the possibilities are big and beautiful and wonderful.”

Preserving quality of life
With her trademark positive attitude, Efé doesn’t let much get in her way. Not even a stroke could slow her down, thanks to the advanced treatment she received at Providence Holy Cross Medical Center.

Efé doesn’t remember much about the day she awoke from a nap and realized something was off. Her daughter called 911, and Efé was rushed to Providence Holy Cross, where a surgeon performed a thrombectomy — a state-of-the-art procedure to remove a blood clot from her brain.

The fast action of the Providence Holy Cross team, combined with innovative treatment, saved Efé’s quality of life. After four days in the hospital, she was back to normal with minimal after effects.

According to Samuel Hou, M.D., Ph.D., a specialist in interventional neuroradiology at Providence, Efé’s amazing results are possible thanks to new advances in stroke care. “Thrombectomy represents one of the most effective new treatments in medicine,” says Dr. Hou. “It helps us restore blood flow to the brain as quickly as possible. This allows many patients to return home, recover and live independently following the procedure.”

Efé is grateful for the care she received. “I will always remember how kind and attentive my caregivers were throughout my ordeal,” she shares. “They spent time talking to me and holding my hand, which was a great comfort.”