Feb 12

Feb 12 The Dr. Gallahers, a family affair at UNC Lenoir Health Care

The father is a pulmonologist with 30 years of experience, and the son is an infectious disease doctor during a pandemic. It’s the perfect match for UNC Lenoir Health Care.

Dr. Robert Gallaher, a board-certified Pulmonary Disease, Critical Care, and Sleep specialist practicing in Kinston, and his son Dr. Ryan Gallaher, board-certified in Internal Medicine and Infectious Disease, have worked together to combat the pandemic.

"Dr. Robert Gallaher has been a pillar of our medical staff for over 30 years. We feel privileged and thankful for his service to our community, especially through the COVID crisis. The addition of his son, Dr. Ryan Gallaher is certainly an added bonus,” said Beverly Jenkins the Director of Marketing and Medical Staff Development.

Dr. Robert Gallaher has been a practicing pulmonary, critical care, and sleep specialist for the past 32 years. He came to Kinston in 1989. He formed Kinston Pulmonary Associates and then, after 15 years of private practice, he was asked to join Lenoir Physicians Network.

“Fortunately, under the tutelage and direction of my son, we have established protocols, which have kept our patients and staff safe from infections. I’m not sure that we even have one hospital employee that has been infected while working taking care of these very sick patients,” said Dr. Robert Gallaher.

Dr. Ryan Gallaher, a native of Lenoir County and graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill is an Internal Medicine Physician with a specialty in Infectious Diseases. He’s worked with UNC Lenoir as their Medical Director of Infection Prevention and Epidemiology for two years. The husband, and father of three, is very thankful to practice medicine in this region.

“He's a marvelous man and very skilled clinician. God has truly blessed the hospital region having him here and I'm blessed to call him dad. It's amazing how smart he got since I was in high school when he was just the dumb, uncool dorky guy who always embarrassed me,” said Dr. Ryan Gallaher.

When he’s not working, Dr. Robert Gallaher enjoys fishing and spending time with his grandchildren. He feels privileged to work alongside his son, as well as his partner, Dr. Juliana Barahona.

“I am extraordinarily blessed to work alongside my son who I feel is one of the sharpest and best clinicians that I have ever met. It makes me proud when I step back and just watch him work,” said Dr. Robert Gallaher.

The terrible impacts of COVID-19 have stressed the staff as well as the patients who are being treated for it.

“It's stretched me, us, our system in ways I never imagined, but has also shown what we can do when we come together which has been mind-blowing,” said Dr. Ryan Gallaher.

The pandemic has made Dr. Robert Gallaher more empathetic and sympathetic for patients. There have been many times on the way home from the hospital that he’s felt dejected and helpless because he felt he’d not been able to make a difference in the sick patients’ lives.

“Sometimes I look at patients that are my age, that are on ventilators, and think that could be me. I still have a lot of things in life that I want to accomplish, especially watch my grandchildren grow up, and ride off into the sunset with my wife, enjoying retirement, but every time I put on protective gear, I’m putting my life at risk to care for others,” said Dr. Robert Gallaher.

Dr. Ryan Gallaher stated that working with his dad has been the best thing in his career, not only before the COVID-19 pandemic but more especially during. While he worries about his father’s health, he’s grateful that his father received the vaccine.

“Both Dr. Gallaher's have played integral roles in our battle with the coronavirus and we are lucky to have this great duo,” said Jenkins.