Precision, Passion and Cornhole

Heidi Harrington, M.D., has many qualities that you’d hope to see in a plastic surgeon.

She’s creative. She’s artistic. She’s unapologetically detail oriented. She’s passionate about the prospect of improving her patients’ lives and confidence through plastic surgery.

The self-proclaimed perfectionist is no stranger to the concept of teamwork, either – while leading the Beaufort Memorial Plastic Surgery & Aesthetics practice, she’s also working in tandem with board-certified and fellowship-trained breast oncology surgeons with the hospital’s Breast Care & Surgery Program to build a breast reconstruction program at Beaufort Memorial and offer life-changing procedures for breast cancer patients close to home.

The New Jersey native grew up on a horse farm and originally wanted to be a veterinarian. Shifting that focus, she attended medical school at Drexel University College of Medicine in Philadelphia, but completed her residency in plastic and reconstructive surgery on the West Coast – in southern California, to be exact.

No matter which coast Dr. Harrington called home, whether she was working in hospitals or private plastic surgery practices in the New England area, two qualities never wavered: her drive for perfection and her competitive spirit.

Throughout her life, she said, she has been involved with many obscure sports. That passion began at age four as a competitive equestrian, and she played rugby throughout college and medical school.

During her residency in California, she dabbled in amateur Muay Thai, and when she moved to New England to practice medicine, she enjoyed trailrunning in the White Mountains and dove into Olympic weightlifting and competitive Crossfit. But a few years ago, she turned her focus to a different kind of athletic venture.

“I got drawn into cornhole during the pandemic,” Dr. Harrington explained, “which people don’t realize is a really huge sport now on a national scale.”

To Dr. Harrington, the fast-growing sport is more than the “thunk” of a beanbag slapping a wooden board at a summer barbecue. She travels around the country participating in singles and team-based cornhole tournaments.

“I just have to have something like that in my life,” she said. “It’s a great community of people that like to get together and have fun – and also ultra-competitive people that want to win.”

Competition, fun and community is the name of the game for Dr. Harrington, and at her most recent position in Portsmouth, N.H. (just outside of Boston), the surgeon had established a community of fellow cornhole-lovers.

“The community is really the best part,” she said. “All different ages of people, people from different backgrounds enjoying time together.”

It’s not just a game to Dr. Harrington, though – it’s the vessel for a charity endeavor she kickstarted in New England, and one she hopes to bring down to the Lowcountry.

A few years ago, Dr. Harrington was playing at a cornhole tournament and struck up a conversation with another woman – her competition. While chatting, Dr. Harrington revealed her occupation as a plastic surgeon. Her opponent then shared something very personal: she was a breast cancer survivor, and she described to Dr. Harrington her journey and her reconstruction experience.

“I thought I was going to go play cornhole, to have that time away from work,” Dr. Harrington recalled. “And here we were, talking about something I never expected.”

The sport’s popularity has boomed nationwide as both a casual pastime and a competitive outlet, and women are the fastest growing population picking up the game, Dr. Harrington explained.

“One in eight women will be affected by breast cancer at one point in their life,” she said. “I just started realizing, ‘Wow, this is something that affects this community, too.’”

Thus, “Tossin’ for Tatas” was born – an annual charity cornhole tournament that brings the community together for a celebration of survivorship. The event, organized by Dr. Harrington, raises money for My Breast Cancer Support, a local charity for breast cancer survivors and their families on New Hampshire’s seacoast and southern Maine. Dr. Harrington said that once she’s settled into her position on Beaufort Memorial’s surgical staff, she plans to bring “Tossin’ for Tatas” to the Lowcountry.

Beaufort Memorial opened the Plastic Surgery & Aesthetics practice in November, led by the surgeon and her two decades of experience in reconstructive and cosmetic procedures. At the practice’s office in Okatie, Dr. Harrington and her team provide a comprehensive array of services for the face, breasts and body.

Outside of the practice, Dr. Harrington’s passions for community, competition and charity all intersect with the sound of a beanbag soaring through the air and hitting its mark.

Dr. Harrington sees patients at Beaufort Memorial Plastic Surgery & Aesthetics, located at the Okatie Medical Pavilion. To schedule an appointment, call 843-707-8020.