Editor:

We are very grateful for the coverage in the local media regarding the opening of Rocky Mountain Family Medicine, LLC. We know that it will be of great benefit to our practice and hopefully to our potential patients that have learned about us from Allison Rupp's thoughtful article.

We are writing in response to the June 30 editorial ("Casper can grow as a regional medical center"). Although it was well-written and well-intentioned, there are some errors and some very important omissions. Dr. Tooke is not retired and is still accepting new patients. Dr. Lawrence graduated from Texas College of Osteopathic medicine. He is from Texas and is staying here largely based on two factors: his love of Wyoming and the outdoors and his reverence for and relationships with many in the Casper medical community that have helped educate him as a resident.

Dr. Strand is a Casper native that graduated from Tulane University School of Medicine. He has had a lifelong goal of opening a practice in Casper that will soon be fully realized thanks to the help of many individuals, but most importantly the considerable financial assistance of the Wyoming Medical Center. This assistance was negotiated and agreed upon between the WMC Board and Drs. Strand and Lawrence.

We are very grateful for this assistance that has allowed us to remain in Casper. We will be opening Aug. 3 and begin scheduling appointments July 20. Again, we would like to thank the local media for their coverage and good intentions. City and/or state assistance would, in our opinion, be an appropriate and welcomed incentive.

JASON STRAND, M.D.

and ERIC LAWRENCE, D.O., Casper