An airman’s courage and a surgeon’s calling align in life-changing moment

CELEBRATION, Fla. — At 50 years old, Col. Brandon Kelly has spent his life serving others as a husband, father and decorated U.S. Air Force leader from a proud law enforcement and military family. This Veterans Day, that commitment to service came full circle as he became the patient in a procedure that made medical history.

Kelly underwent robotic-assisted prostate surgery performed by Dr. Vipul Patel at AdventHealth Celebration. It was Dr. Patel’s 20,000th such procedure, the most by any surgeon in the world. But for both men, the story goes far beyond numbers.

For both Kelly and Patel, Veterans Day now holds a new meaning, one grounded in purpose, awareness and gratitude.

“For me, Veterans Day is now even more powerful,” Kelly said. “I try to lead my wing and my life by focusing on three things: faith, family and mission, in that order. Your faith keeps you grounded in what’s good, your family stands beside you and then the mission follows. This surgery will bring me peace, and I’ll continue to pay it forward. That’s what veterans do. We support the next generation who choose to serve.”

“The next 20,000 isn’t about more surgeries,” Patel said. “It’s about helping more men live whole, healthy lives through education, advocacy and early detection.”

Kelly agrees. He insisted on undergoing prostate cancer testing after his father was diagnosed and eventually died from the disease. He didn’t know prostate cancer ran in his family until then.

“If sharing my story helps one man get screened sooner, then it’s worth it,” he said. “That’s how we take care of each other, by paying attention, by acting early and by believing healing is possible. Be proactive and don’t take no for an answer.”

“This surgery will save my life,” Kelly said. “I’ve spent my career protecting others, but I also realize how important it was to protect my own health. Early screening caught my cancer in time and now I want every man to know that early detection truly matters.”

For Dr. Patel, who leads the Global Robotics Institute at AdventHealth Celebration, Kelly’s story captures the very heart of whole-person care.

“Healing isn’t just about removing cancer,” Patel said. “It’s about restoring hope, body, mind and spirit. Brandon’s courage is a reminder that prostate cancer doesn’t have to be a silent disease. When men are screened early, their chances of cure are incredibly high.”

Dr. Patel is using this milestone moment to raise awareness about the need for earlier prostate-cancer screening, especially for men at higher risk including those with a family history or African American men.

“We’re seeing younger men and more aggressive cancers because screening has declined,” Patel said. “The average man should begin screening at 50 but many need to start at 40. Every man deserves the chance to detect cancer early when it’s most treatable.”

He and his team are also advocating for updated national screening guidelines, urging policymakers to make prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing a standard part of men’s preventive care. “We’ve written to national health leaders asking for change,” Patel said. “It’s time we treat prostate health with the same urgency as other cancers.”

Dr. Patel’s record-setting 20,000 robotic prostatectomies reflect more than two decades of innovation, research and compassionate care. His team’s work has led to faster recoveries, improved outcomes and expanded global training for surgeons through telesurgery, including a world-first procedure in Angola earlier this year.

“Dr. Patel’s milestone underscores the kind of leadership and excellence that define AdventHealth,” said Doug Harcombe, CEO of AdventHealth South Market. “His pioneering work has transformed prostate-cancer treatment and created a legacy that will benefit patients and surgeons for generations.”

“Dr. Patel’s achievement is extraordinary not only for its scale but for what it represents in whole-person care,” added Amanda Maggard, president and CEO of AdventHealth Celebration. “He continues to redefine what’s possible through innovation, research and compassion that meet every patient where they are.”