My Gainesville journey began at Shands Hospital, after a life-changing bike accident at the Santos Vortex trail in Ocala. I sustained a spinal cord injury, paralyzed from the waist down. My back was broken; my life forever changed. I was willing to trade my recent world record for the simple task of walking again. Four teams of surgeons, headed by Dr. Richard Fessler, eleven hours of surgery, the grace of God and a summer in a hospital bed gave me the use of my legs again. Truly miraculous. Helping others to overcome health obstacles and remain functional became my passion.
My racing days may be over, but my gratitude to this community has not wavered. I was excited to be able to open our practice in Millhopper and bring you my medical training, which includes a focus on endocrinology and functional medicine. This approach, which I've coined at AZENA as “functional primary care,” is a patient-centered model that aims to address the root causes of disease and promote overall wellness.
Our clinical philosophy is more Eastern rooted: keeping you healthy creates mutual success. This approach, which takes a holistic view of health and focuses on the root causes of disease, serves as the core of our practice. We work as hard as you to get you to your best health, wellness, and functionality. I treat each one of my patients as my former Shands’ team treated me: with respect, dignity, and as your greatest fan. You are unique, and we treat you accordingly.
My motto is “Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a harder battle” -Plato. This saying, rooted in my medical background, has shaped my practice philosophy. I've learned that excellent outcomes happen when you treat people with kindness and listen with intent and dignity. To everyone in this community, I give thanks. Because without you, I would not be here today.