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Meet Your Neighbor: Meet The Neighbor – Drs. Yevgeniy & Jeannie Khavkin
By Callie Thomas
Apparently, art does imitate life. 89135 resident Dr. Yevgeniy Khavkin has often been compared to the ABC television character Doogie Howser, M.D., the sixteen year old physician. Yevgeniy also became interested in medicine at a very early age. Growing up, he observed his mother, a pediatric surgeon, in the operating room and knew he wanted to do the same. Yevgeniy started medical school at the age of sixteen, a few years later than Doogie, but went on to become a young neurosurgeon specializing in minimally evasive treatments of spine disorders. Yevgeniy’s wife Jeannie also watched as her mother, a neonatal critical care specialist, received enormous gratitude from the parents of her young patients and was determined to follow her mother’s example by becoming a doctor. She completed her residency in head and neck surgery, followed by a fellowship in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery.
Together, the doctors have not only been instrumental in caring for their patients, but they also help others locally and internationally through their humanitarian efforts. Here in Nevada, the doctors lend their expertise to the Helping Hands Surgical Care organization. Yevgeniy is a former president of the Russian American Medical Association and donates time to MiraMed, which helps to secure a healthy and productive life for disadvantaged children in Russia. He also assists Jewish Healthcare International and Eagle Condor International. Jeannie is a founding board member of Smiles for Survivors Foundation, which provides oral rehabilitation to breast cancer survivors. The two share a profound love for each other and their family and are passionate about helping others and giving back to the community. They talk about their charitable efforts here and abroad, as well as the roots they’ve planted in Las Vegas as residents for the past two years.
While you are both involved in individual nonprofit organizations, you both assist Helping Hands Surgical Care.
Yevgeniy: “Yes. It is a Las Vegas based nonprofit whose mission it is to provide medically necessary surgeries for uninsured Nevadans. As you know, surgery is very expensive, and while there are many surgeons such as ourselves who donate surgical time, there are other costs associated with undergoing surgery. Helping Hands was created to obtain support from the community to help pay these costs.”
Jeannie: “Being involved in organizations that provide services to benefit members of our community has been a very rewarding experience.”
We hear that you have also lent your musical talents to help support the community?
Jeannie: “Both Yevgeniy and I share a love of music and we recently performed at Doctors in Concert, which benefits Nathan Adelson Hospice. Yevgeniy played guitar and I accompanied him on piano.”
Your have also lent your support internationally. How does it feel to know you are making a difference abroad?
Yevgeniy: “Doing international humanitarian work is a very humbling experience and puts things in life in a very different perspective. We would recommend that everyone gets involved in these kinds of organizations, especially young adults deciding what to do with their lives.”
As relatively new residents of Las Vegas, what are your most memorable experiences so far?
Jeannie: “Our two children were both born right here in Las Vegas!”
Although it is highly unlikely, if you were not doctors, what other career or job would you choose?
Jeannie: “I studied music at an early age and aspired to become a concert pianist. I’m also a foodie and we often go on an adventure in search of a good meal, especially when we travel.”
Yevgeniy: “Since we bought our house in the Ridges, I’ve discovered that I enjoy interior design.”
What do you attribute your success in life to?
Yevgeniy: “We love each other and our family and we love what we do professionally. One of our favorite inspirational quotes is by Francois Constantin, ‘Do better if possible and it’s always possible.’ ”
