
Why I Packed the Parachute
My father, a respected physician, taught me that medicine is both science and compassion. When he became the patient, even his expertise couldn’t protect him from the fragmentation of the system. Watching that struggle reshaped my life’s purpose.
I founded Healthcare Parachute to ensure patients have the guidance, preparation, and voice they deserve. Today, I help clients and families navigate pain, complex diagnoses, and healthcare barriers with empathy and precision.
– Shiella Dowlatshahi, MSc, Board-Certified Patient Advocate (BCPA)
Shiella's Credentials
& Expertise
Education
MSc–Pain Research, Education, and Public Policy, Tufts School of Medicine
Certification
Board-Certified Patient Advocate (BCPA)
Background
Leadership roles at Acacia Pharma, Scios (J&J), Myogen (Gilead), and Cadence/Mallinckrodt
Specialties
Pain, Cardiovascular, GI Disorders, Complex Case Advocacy, Insurance Appeals, Acute and Chronic Disease, Inpatient Care, and Rare Disease


David C. Liu, MD
Chief, Clinical Advisory Board
David C. Liu is a board-certified cardiothoracic surgeon affiliated with Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and serves as an Assistant Professor of Surgery at Harvard Medical School. He specializes in complex cardiac and aortic surgery, minimally invasive cardiac procedures, valve repair and replacement, and advanced cardiovascular care.
Dr. Liu earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Cornell University and received his medical degree from Tufts University School of Medicine. He completed his General Surgery residency at the Medical College of Ohio (now the University of Toledo College of Medicine), a research fellowship at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and his Cardiothoracic Surgery fellowship at Tufts University–New England Medical Center.
As Chief of the Clinical Advisory Board for Healthcare Parachute, Dr. Liu provides strategic clinical insight and educational guidance in complex medical situations. His role includes helping patients and families better understand diagnoses, treatment options, evolving therapies, and relevant clinical research to support informed decision-making in collaboration with the treating medical team.
Dr. Liu serves in an advisory capacity only and does not direct medical treatment or establish physician-patient relationships through Healthcare Parachute.
Author, Pack Your Own Healthcare Parachute: A Physician's Death Through His Daughter's Eyes, 2023
Winner: Best Publication in Patient Advocacy, 2023
Board Certified Patient Advocate-2023
Author, Oxford University Press (2024) –
Board Member, Crohn's and Colitis Foundation-New England Chapter
Board Member-Patient Advocacy Certification
Member, National Association of Healthcare Advocacy (NAHAC)
Member, Greater National Advocates (GNA)
Member, Massachusetts Health Care Advocates (MAHCA)
Member, Alliance for Professional Healthcare Advocates (APHA)
Member, PULSE Center for Patient Safety, Education, and Advocacy

