Maybe, just this once, the uncertainty of this generation's political realm has produced a bonus.
Meet Dr. Davey Daniel, a medical oncology and hematology specialist with Tennessee Oncology, and this year's winner in the Champions of Health Care "personal physician" category.
Personal Physicians Award
Honors physicians whose performance is considered exemplary by patients and peersAccomplishments: A veteran oncologist, Dr. Daniel is praised both for his clinical and personal care, offering the latest in cancer treatments.
That's right, a potential career in political science was dropped for a purposed-filled journey in arguably the most agonizing field in the medical world.
"I started at the University of Georgia in political science," says the 44-year-old Signal Mountain resident who grew up in Rentz, a town of 300 near Dublin, Ga. "but I really didn't like the gray areas. I was really much better suited to the sciences."
His thirst for facts and scientific knowledge led him to Johns Hopkins Medical School and a residency and a fellowship at Duke University. And with that decision, a possible Mayor Daniel or State Representative Daniel became Dr. Daniel.
There were several threads of commonality in the nomination forms pleading for Dr. Daniel.
First, almost all of them were spouses of cancer patients who have died.
"Patients and their caregivers have different reactions to this disease: hope, denial, sadness, anger, fear, acceptance and a range of other emotions," says Scottie Summerlin, whose husband Dan was treated for paraganglioma, a rare cancer that only affects about 1 percent of the world's population. "Dr. Daniel not only spends his day as a cancer researcher, finding the best treatment options for his patients; he also spends his day as a counselor, finding the best way to tell patients and their caregivers the news they need to hear in a way they can both receive it best."
Second, they universally praised Daniel's temperament, flexibility and tender, yet direct approach.
"Davey Daniel is not a normal doctor," says Deseret Ward, whose husband was treated by Dr. Daniel for colon cancer. "He is one of the most humble individuals I have ever met.We are very fortunate to have had the pleasure to have Daney Daniel as our doctor through the most difficult challenge of our life."
Finally, to a person, they emphasized the humanity of his approach with the same anecdote: The doctor begged each patient and their families to make sure to drop the formalities.
"Please, just call me Davey," the doctor said to begin this interview, and just about every patient consultation ever.
It's a kind gesture. And a calculated one.
Daniel deals in death, plain and simple. Sure, he does everything his extensive and impressive training allows. He is willing to fight to the end or hold hands with a patient to the finish line.
"Your patient's goals always guide you in treatment decisions," Daniel says.
Making a patient comfortable after a cancer diagnosis, he said, is the first step toward alleviating the anxiety that comes with the countless doctor visits and sometimes long odds against a cure.
"Our goal is to cure if possible, but in the event that the cancer is not curable, we must preserve the quality of life as much as possible," Daniel says. "We try to have a specific goal for each patient.
"We face failure every day, but you must figure out what that patient's goals are - maybe an extra year, maybe maintaining some activity that is important to that person. Aim for that and you will have smaller successes every day."
Aside from the connection, maybe there's a utilitarian need for Daniel to be called by his first name. He's not the only cancer fighting Dr. Daniel in the family. His wife Brooke is one of the area's most-respected champions leading the fight against breast cancer.
"We joke with some patients that if you are seen by one of us, then you get an automatic second opinion by the other," he says.
The entire family tries to schedule regular getaways to a family farm in the no-traffic-lights town of Rentz, Georgia. There are no TVs. Little connectivity. Complete reconnection to family is the goal.
"Well, it has been a tough week," Daniel says when asked about the last time he cried. "But the years and the support of my family always helps.
"But every day can be tough."
Tough, even for a champion of health care.