Camille Hancock Friesen, M.D.
Dr. Camille Hancock Friesen is a pediatric cardiothoracic surgeon, artist, and regenerative cattle rancher. She lives in Nebraska with her husband Jeff, their two sons, Spencer and Beckett, and their dog, Austin. Camille is among a small group of highly specialized pediatric cardiothoracic surgeons in North America. She is the Surgical Director of the Pediatric Heart Transplant and VAD program at Children’s Nebraska and the co-chair of the Criss Family Heart Center Patient Quality and Safety Committee. She has spent a career fixing hearts and innovating in patient safety with a focus on moving upstream to prevent complications and improve outcomes for patients and their families.
Originally from a grain farm in Western Canada, Camille grew up with a deep reverence for the land. Her father, an early adopter of soil conservation strategies, also introduced her to welding during a transitional season in her career, which she calls her “self-made sabbatical.” That time sparked a new creative pursuit that continues today.
Her sculptures, often made from discarded surgical instruments, explore the emotional terrain of healing, team performance, and the patient journey. With work grounded in both precision and beauty, her art reflects the same creative energy she brings to the operating room. Whether sculpting steel, tending her herd of black Angus cattle, or operating on a child’s heart, Camille is always asking the same essential question: how can we do better?
