We are thankful to partner with Memorial to introduce you to Dr. Tracy Sanford. We love to support and highlight women in business, especially mothers in our community.
MEET THIS NEW COASTIE MOM
We are so thrilled to introduce you to a new Gulf Coast mom who is passionate about family – and family medicine!
Dr. Tracy Sanford and her “big, noisy, and diverse” family recently moved to the Gulf Coast, with a goal of providing new primary care options to the area.
She along with her husband, Dr. Tim, their daughter, Dr. Laura, and their son, Dr. Mitch, are all family medicine providers through Memorial. Jaden, 12, Katie, 9, and Hope, 7, are their three adopted children.
“Family medicine is a specialty that deals with many things and most of them start with a conversation. I listen to the patient, they listen to me, and then together we make a plan.
This family of providers prioritizes preventive care and truly listens to their patients.
FAMILY IS PRIORITY
We wondered how Dr. Tracy manages an extremely demanding schedule with her family. And she told us a story that resonated with us as mothers.
When she started medical school, she was a non-traditional student who was also balancing parenthood and a career. She started her days early and finished late into the night but always made sure to kiss the little ones good night and good morning before leaving for work and school.
She vividly remembers one particular morning when she bent over to kiss her son Mitch, who was 15 months old at the time, and wondered why he was in a lamb costume. Before she reached the door to leave, she realized it was November 1 and had completely missed his first real Halloween. Sweet Mitch had refused to get out of his costume until mommy had seen him. She was heartbroken and knew she needed to make some serious changes for her family.
From there, she and Dr. Tim decided that family was the most important priority and that medicine would not monopolize their entire life.
A FAMILY DOCTOR FOR FAMILIES
In her practice, Dr. Tracy enjoys working with multiple generations in a family.
“As a family medicine doctor, I approach medicine much as I do parenting: let’s avoid the bad things when we can and face them head on, as early as possible, when we must.”
Her advice: Know your body, but also find a doctor you trust that listens to you and then listen to them.
Everyone needs a primary care ‘home’ before they are sick – and to help avoid things before they can possibly get worse.
BALANCING MOTHERHOOD & MEDICINE
When she has down time, Dr. Tracy loves to read and sew. She enjoys spending time with loved ones, whether that includes family dinner, board games, talking about difficult medical cases with her “big kids”, enjoying trips to Disney, traveling, or listening to/playing music.
Dr. Tracy and her family are down-to-earth people and, like many of us, with a busy schedule!
When asked what word she would use to sum up motherhood, she replies:
“Unpredictable! Just when you thought you knew how to parent, the next kiddo is totally different; just when you think you have one figured out, he or she changes! There are plenty of other words that apply like fun, scary, exhausting, emotional, busy. Every day is different, and if you ask me again tomorrow, it may be a different answer.”
She’s and her family love the Gulf Coast and plan to be here forever and can’t wait to fold themselves into our community. We can’t wait to see the impact they will have on the healthcare of families!
Looking for a primary care provider? Call 228-822-6456 to schedule an appointment or visit wearememorial.com to learn more.
She is a great doctor. My family loves her.
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