Dr. Denise Abbasi: Corning’s Beloved Pediatrician

Tehama County residents are fortunate to have the dedicated, compassionate care of Dr. Denise Abbasi (featured on our cover) a pediatrician for Adventist Health in Corning. Patients have described her as approachable, knowledgeable and, simply put, incredible. “She takes her time with both me and my child,” says one patient.” She is the best pediatrician we have ever had,” says another patient. Many patients enthusiastically tell others, “We love Dr. Abbasi!”

When asked about what inspired Dr. Abbasi’s dreams to be a pediatrician, she says, “I had three rotating pediatricians my whole life; Dr. Galani, Dr. West who delivered me, and Dr. Lim. Dr. Connie Lim was my primary. She was professional, warm and very knowledgeable. She got me through every transition time in my life from fear of shots as a young child to all the issues that come with puberty. I realize now how privileged I was to have had [these three doctors] as a constant presence my entire youth.”

Carmen’s serene, sweet countenance makes her a dream patient and everyone in the office wants a turn holding her. Photo by Keith Alton.

Diversity affords connection to patients

Dr. Abbasi’s youth was also rich with diversity, which has made her very approachable to her patients from many backgrounds. She experienced the tight-knit, multi-generational family unit that she sees among many of her patients in Corning. She explains, “We are a diverse bunch that are spread out all over the world. My dad was born and raised in Iran and my mom in Mexico. It has allowed me the opportunity to travel and see how my family and culture have adapted to new surroundings. My nuclear family has followed me and lived in foreign places supporting me in my pursuit of becoming a physician and have lived through very challenging times. We all sacrificed a lot to get where we are today.”

Corning has a large Hispanic community and Dr. Abbasi is happy to be able to converse with them in Spanish, albeit with a Borinquen (Puerto Rican) accent. Dr. Abbasi knows how difficult it can be to live in a foreign country with a language barrier. This makes a hard medical situation even harder and she hopes to relieve some of that burden with her fluency in Spanish. She is also fluent in English and French.

Dr. Abbasi says her multi-cultural childhood influenced further language studies. “My first language was Armenian, and Farsi was spoken in the family. My mom spoke Spanish, but not with me, and I grew up listening to Arabic. English was the primary language in my house. My aunts went to a French boarding school as kids and still speak French to each other to this day. I lived in France as a teen to learn French—which I finally did. I chose to go to medical school and residency in areas that were Spanish speaking to finally learn Spanish. That was tougher for me than French, but I finally learned Spanish.”

Knowing multiple languages allows for a more personal connection between Dr. Abbasi and her patients. Quincy Hudgens, a patient access representative who works with Dr. Abbasi at the Corning clinic, describes her as “relational.” Quincy says, “Dr. Abbasi spends time with her patients and addresses all of their needs as a part of Adventist Health’s whole person approach. People are more than just their medical need—we also want to address their mental, emotional and spiritual needs. Dr. Abbasi does this really well and we love having her here in Corning.”

Love for the North State

How does such a well-traveled person end up in Tehama County? Around 2000, Dr. Abbasi started visiting her in-laws in the Paradise area and fell in love with the community and the landscape. She said, “I would forage mushrooms down by the Honey Run Bridge, which always terrified the family!” Dr. Abbasi’s other interests include animals. She brought nine rescues from Puerto Rico where she did her residency—two dogs and seven cats, all of which have settled in well in Northern California. She adds that her family “loves anything Victorian and are big on antiques, furniture, literature, personal items and dining ware. Cooking is a big part of our life, making traditional meals and branching out to other cultures.”

What are Dr. Abbasi’s dreams for her future? “I would love nothing more than to stay right where I am and retire when it is time. I hope to get more involved in city council and push to have a children’s emergency room in either Chico or Paradise and a large medical center that can serve the North State.”