AdventHealth
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. That commitment to service came full circle recently as he became the patient in a procedure that made medical history.
Kelly underwent robotic-assisted prostate surgery, performed by Vipul Patel, M.D., FACS, medical director of the Global Robotics Institute at Advent- Health Celebration and director of urologic oncology at AdventHealth Cancer Institute. It was 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,” said Kelly. “I try to lead my wing and my life by focusing on three things: faith, family, and mission, in that order. “The next 20,000 isn’t about more surgeries,” said Patel. “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.”
For 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,” said Patel. “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.”
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,” said Patel. “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,” said Patel. “It’s time we treat prostate health with the same urgency as other cancers.”
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,” said 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.”
AdventHealth | March 2026
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