Hi, I'm Dawn.

I just knew I had multiple sclerosis. Having once been a runner who competed in half-marathons and Ragnar races with a great group of other physician friends, there came a day when I literally could not get off the toilet. I was only 46 years old.

I had suffered an injury that, despite working with an incredible chiropractor in town, just wasn’t improving. My muscles were getting weaker, and I attributed it to not being able to work out due to my injury. I started pilates, which helped tremendously. I was getting stronger but was never able to get back to my competitive place. Then, one day, I just couldn’t stand up without using my hands on the walls. I was afraid to get on the floor because I would have to crawl to the couch to get to my feet. I gained over 20 pounds. I was tingling in my hands and feet and felt heaviness in my legs. I have had migraines since childhood and they were getting worse again.

I just knew I had MS because my dad was diagnosed at nearly the same age as I was currently. After a few months, I finally took a step back and asked myself, “If this was one of your patients, would you tell them you think this is MS?” Being able to look from the outside told me im

I have been treating women with HRT for more than a decade but, obviously, had never experienced it myself. As an osteopathic physician, people expect me to hear them and consider the full body in my practice of medicine. I would listen to their stories, tweak their hormones, and try to understand just how I was helping. But, despite improvement, some women would still have concerns that I couldn’t answer. That bothered me, but never as much as it did when I started to understand exactly what they were feeling. Yes, HRT has a huge impact but there is still more that needs to be investigated.

I have always been on the outskirts of functional medicine, understanding the need for a healthy microbiome, believing there are more options outside of conventional medicine. Instead of just treating women I want to be able to help them get back their vitality and expected lifestyles.  I knew there was something else I was not giving these women and I did not want to be another dismissive doctor in their lives. I knew I had to stand up and get off the floor so that I could help other women do the same. Functional medicine will help us all do that together.