Love, Medicine, and Community: Physician Couples Find Their Place at Phoebe

Albany, GA | February 12, 2025 – At Phoebe Putney Health System on Valentine’s Day – and every other day – love isn’t just in the air. It’s in the halls, operating rooms, and clinics where dedicated physician couples balance their passion for medicine with their commitment to each other.

From young love forged in college classrooms, to marriages spanning three decades, Drs. Dominic and Kayla Suma, Drs. Dare Adewumi and Susan Orillosa, and Drs. Cindy and David Drury are among multiple physician couples who have found homes at Phoebe, where they heal patients while strengthening their partnerships.

From College Classmates to Colleagues: The Sumas’ Journey

Dr. Dominic Suma, a vascular surgeon with Phoebe Vascular Surgery, and Dr. Kayla Suma, a physician with Phoebe Primary Care at Northwest, met at 18 while studying at Berea College in Kentucky. Dominic, from Cleveland, calls them “star-crossed lovers,” while Kayla, a proud Cincinnati native, insists they were “frenemies” before friendship turned into something more.

“We were both teaching assistants—him for chemistry, me for biology,” Kayla recalls with a smile. “But he really carried me through physics.”

After attending medical school together at the University of Kentucky, their residences took them in separate directions, Kayla to Savannah and Dominic to North Carolina. But Dominic wasn’t about to let distance get in the way.

“I like to say I quit my job and moved cross-country for her,” he says with a laugh.

Last year, the Sumas came to Phoebe where they are thriving as they enjoy serving the Albany community in their respective specialties.

“There aren’t many places where we could both do what we love at the same time,” Kayla explains. “Everyone at Phoebe has gone above and beyond to integrate us, not just into the hospital, but into the community.”

Through the challenges of medical training and moving at least 15 times together, they remain grounded by their love and their one-year-old daughter, Delphine.

“Residency isn’t easy, and we wouldn’t be here unless we had each other,” Dominic says.

Kayla nods in agreement. “You don’t get anywhere by yourself.”

A Page, A Plan, and a Partnership: Drs. Adewumi and Orillosa

For Dr. Dare Adewumi, a neurosurgeon with Phoebe Neurosurgery, and Dr. Susan Orillosa, a pain management specialist with Phoebe Pain Management Clinic, their love story began during their residency training in the high-stakes world of neurosurgery and intensive care.

“I was in neurosurgery, and she was in the medical ICU,” Dare recalls. “I knew who she was before we met, I just needed an opportunity to talk to her. One day, I received a page, I recognized her voice and answered it. I had an ulterior motive.”

That moment sparked a relationship that led to their marriage in September 2016. Since then, they have worked together in Houston, Atlanta, and now Albany, balancing demanding careers with raising their two children, Adonis (3) and Adora (6).

Through their years together, they’ve learned that love is an active choice. “The butterflies fade after four, five, or six months,” Dare said. “Love isn’t just a feeling; it’s a decision you make every day.”

Susan nods, “Once you decide that this is your partner and you’re in this together, you make a conscious choice to make it last.”

Their marriage is built on mutual respect, understanding, and a balance of strengths. “We grew to become friends, then best friends,” Dare reflects. “Fifteen years later, here we are.”

A Lifetime of Love and Medicine: The Drurys’ Story

Drs. Cindy and David Drury have spent more than 30 years balancing their marriage and medical careers. The couple first met at Georgia Southern University in 1990 while studying physics and have been married for 32 years.

“We can vent to each other knowing there will be understanding and sympathy. We also try to divide responsibilities at home so that the workload is shared,” said Cindy.

While both are family physicians at Phoebe Primary Care of Camilla, they rarely work side by side. But they do find joy in brief hallway encounters. “If we have a little break at the same time, we may discuss a difficult case, but mostly, we just pass each other in the halls on our way to see patients. If we’re lucky, we might even have lunch together—but that doesn’t happen often,” David said.

The Drurys credit their lasting marriage to faith and prioritizing their relationship above all else. “No one will remember how many patients you saw in a day. If you’re blessed, you’ll be remembered for being a good spouse, parent, and person—who happened to be a doctor,” said David.

For younger medical couples, they offer this advice: “Do not put your career ahead of your relationship. A resume looks nice, but it can’t comfort you when you’re hurting, care for you when you’re sick, or help you when you’re lonely,” said Cindy.

While their dream vacations may differ – Cindy leans toward London or Paris, while David favors Cairo or the Holy Land – one thing remains clear. “We will go wherever Cindy wants to go,” joked David. “Remember, guys, always say, ‘Yes, ma’am.’”.

Through all of life’s demands, their greatest joy remains their two daughters, Grace (22) and Kate (20).

Building Love and Community at Phoebe

For all three couples, Phoebe is more than just a place to work, it’s a place where they can grow, both professionally and personally.

“There have always been people looking out for us—even when we didn’t realize it,” Dr. Kayla Suma. “It really does take a village.”

And at Phoebe, that village is made stronger by physicians who share a commitment, not only to healing their patients, but also to supporting each other, proving that love and medicine can thrive together.