FLORIDA

Horizon Open MRI Centers
	Centers in Boynton Beach, Bradenton, Clearwater, Coral Springs, Ocean
	Park, Sarasota. Centers in Ft. Lauderdale, Ocoee, and
	Orlando opening soon.
	877-OPEN-MR5 (673-6675)
	http://www.horizon-medical.com
	info@horizon-medical.com
	Self-referred.
	We consider ourselves to be a "fat friendly" environment. No one
	should be discriminated against or made to feel uncomfortable
	about their size; we believe that all patients deserve the same
	respect and consideration. Having a medical procedure is
	uncomfortable and stressful enough without the added stress of
	feeling uncomfortable walking into an office and being insulted!
	Our Open MRI machines are designed to make both claustrophobic
	and overweight patients feel at ease.

BOCA RATON
Robert Zann, Orthopedic Surgery Associates
	Offices in Boca Raton and Boynton Beach
	(561) 395-5733
	He has an outstanding reputation among local doctors for hip and
	knee replacements.

BOYNTON BEACH
Robert Zann, Orthopedic Surgery Associates
	See entry under Boca Raton.

CLEARWATER
Gerald Cappiello, OB/GYN 
Hugo Artilles-Perez, OB/GYN
        28960 US Hwy 19 N, Ste 109
        Clearwater FL 33761
        727-785-7686
        or
        4935 Mile Stretch Dr
        Holiday FL 34690
        727-938-1969
        Dr. Cappiello saw me through infertility treatments and my twin
        pregnancy. He never once mentioned my weight (his nurse
        suggested I not lose any weight during the pregnancy but that
        was a one-time comment). Dr. Perez filled in for him when I had
        an emergency room visit (miscarriage) and he's taken care of me
        ever since. He's never mentioned my weight. I've been with the
        two of them since moving to FL almost 16 years ago and won't
	ever change.

David O. Peterfreund, Obstetrics and Gynecology
	1055 S Fort Harrison Ave
	Clearwater, FL  33756
	(727) 447-7786
	Dr. Peterfreund became my doctor after my ordeal with a doctor
	who treated me badly. He is a very kind and gentle man who makes
	no judgements about my weight.  He treats me with respect and
	kindness, and his staff is just as wonderful.  I would recommend
	him to anyone. 

COCONUT CREEK
Sandy Aireolie, therapist (mental health issues)
	Renfrew Center
	Coconut Creek, Florida
	Inpatient facility; they also have outpatient groups. I highly
	recommend Sandy and her groups. The group I am in have become
	very close. 

FORT LAUDERDALE
Meera Patricia Kerr, yoga specialist
	2300 NE 33rd. Av. #805
	Ft. Lauderdale, Fl. 33305
	954-561-1356
	bigyogaonline.com
	Self-referred.
	"Yoga is an ancient practice for self-discovery and health
	maintainance which does not require the student to be any
	certain body type, although yoga magazines would lead you to
	think otherwise. In Big Yoga, the traditional yoga poses are
	adapted for the larger body. Yoga has been proven to reduce the
	health risks of obesity, boosts immune system, improves mood,
	tones internal organs, increases flexibility, and raises
	self-confidence and enhances spiritual life. You don't have to
	be thin to do yoga!"

GAINESVILLE
Karin Kratina, PhD, MPE, RD, LD/N 
Nutrition Therapist, Registered and Licenced Dietitian, Exercise Physiologist
	2631 NW 41st Street, E-5
	Gainesville, FL 32653
	352-372-8181
	www.nourishingconnections.com
	Self-referred.
	I am an author of Moving Away From Diets, a book teaching
	professionals about using the "Health At Every Size" approach in
	their work. I have been doing nondiet work since 1986. I have
	been leading professional workshops about this approach since
	1992. I am also a size acceptance activist.

Elizabeth Sanderson, Family Practice
	Primary Care Physicians 
	6440 W. Newberry Rd 
	Gainesville, FL  32605    
	352 333 5123
	When coming to this doctor, she once politely asked me if I was
	"concerned about my weight."  When I mentioned that I was not,
	she never brought it up again, and occaisionally commiserates
	that she is someone who enjoys food herself.
	*** DISSENTING OPINION (about the practice as a whole, not the
	doctor mentioned above) ***
	I found that practice to be very fat phobic. I was seeing a
	doctor in that practice when I learned I had diabetes. She had
	"500" written on a sticky note, shoved it in my face and she
	told me: See you are now a diabetic... time to really think
	about the Gastric Bypass. I walked out of there and never
	returned.  I had told her on several occasions this was not an
	option.  (At the time I had no idea what 500 meant, but it was
	suppose to upset me.  Today I know that is the blood glucose
	level.) The nurses in there got upset that I refused to weigh.
	I saw during the course of 5 years with that practice two other
	doctors and each time they harped on my weight. I weigh around
	250. I would have to tell them I am not interested in their
	thoughts on weight but on the issue at hand! But, it was always
	my weight that caused even a hang nail. One of my past student's
	mothers worked in that office.  She told me that they talk about
	fat people a lot.

HOLIDAY
Gerald Cappiello, OB/GYN 
Hugo Artilles-Perez, OB/GYN
	See entry under Clearwater.

JACKSONVILLE
Larger open MRI
	Mayo Clinic
	Jacksonville Fl
	(904) 953-0853 or request an appointment online using the link
	at the bottom of this page:
	http://www.mayoclinic.org/checkup-2004/oct-mri.html
	The Mayo Clinic has an MRI that's 4 inches wider than
	traditional machines and also uses a high field magnet which
	yields more detailed images (most open MRIs use a low field
	magnet).

Gavin P. Duffy, M.D., orthopedic surgeon
	Heekin Orthopedic Specialists
	10475 Centurion Parkway, Suite 220
	Jacksonville, FL 32256
	904.634.0640
	Dr. Duffy did two total knee replacements for me in 2002 when he
	was at the Mayo Clinic.  I do not consider him a fat positive
	doctor exactly, because he would like to see me lose weight.
	However, he does believe fat people are entitled to the same
	quality of life as anyone else and that means equal access to
	needed surgery and being treated with respect.  Part of his
	thinking in doing the surgery was that it was impossible for me
	to lose weight when I could not walk or exercise. I weigh 450
	pounds and have been told by other orthopedic surgeons for the
	past 12 years that my knees were bad enough for the surgery but
	that I weighed too much (350-450 pounds). They told me many
	horror stories about what would go wrong because of my weight,
	and said that any doctor who would do the surgery was a quack.
	So far Dr. Duffy has proved them wrong -- my surgical outcome is
	very good. He is a very kind man and an excellent doctor.  I am
	the largest person he has done knee replacements on and I think
	it was a learning experience for him. I highly recommend him and
	Mayo Clinic. He is the kindest doctor I have ever had -- very
	respectful and outraged at the way other orthos had treated me.
	I would recommend him to anyone. He is also fun to talk to --
	full of Irish charm. -- Cindy Cooper  cynlcooper@aol.com

JUPITER
Suzann M. Leslie, D.O.
	300 W. Indiantown Rd.
	Jupiter, Fl 33458
	561-743346
	She is a wonderful doctor, but she is only in one day a week on
	Tuesdays. She is patient and takes her time. 

LAKE WORTH
Lawrence Gorfine, MD
	Palm Beach Spine and Pain Institute 
	2290 10th Avenue North, Suite 600
	Lake Worth, Florida, 33461
	(561) 649-8770
	http://www.helpain.com
	I have been in for several treatments for my osteoarthritis
	symptoms, which include back and neck pain. Though many of the
	reasons for my condition are related to my weight, Dr. Gorfine
	was kind hearted and good natured. He never judged me or refused
	treatment as several other doctors in the area have done. His
	treatments have given me back my life. Adam Fiveson
	(adam@5webdesign.com)

MIAMI
Rolando Gomez, Jr., MD, Obstetrics and Gynecology
	Miami, Florida
	This OB is great!  He is VERY helpful and does not make any
	negative mention of my weight.  He lets me know that I'm right
	on track with weight gain and is running blood tests to make
	sure that I do not develop early Pre-eclampsia or PIH. He gave
	me a Level 2 ultrasound and he is also working on getting the
	insurance to cover a 3d/4d ultrasound for me. This is the
	friendliest provider I have ever been to...not just for OB/GYN.
	He makes sure you are comfortable, and asks for your opinion to
	make sure you're included in the decision making.  I would
	recommend this provider to anyone. 

ORLANDO
Debra Albers, General Practice
	Orlando, FL
	407.894.1931 (press 0 to talk to a person)
	I've been to her office a number of times, been weighed and had
	my vitals of all sorts taken and never once has she mentioned my
	weight. She has treated my complaint - I went to her for a sinus
	infection - as a valid piece of medical information and made me
	better. Her office even called to check and see how I was
	feeling several days after my visit. I've never had that happen
	before. 
	Listed Feb 08

Elizabeth Heil, Internist and Edward Whittington, OB/GYN
	521 Hwy. 434, Longwood FL (near Orlando)
	Both are absolutely WONDERFUL. -- Linda Olds

PALM BEACH GARDENS
Lisa Rollins-Garcia
	2700 PGA Blvd.Suite 101
	Palm Beach Gardens, Fl 33410
	(no area code provided) 625-9464
	She is a very caring person. 

PORT ST. LUCIE
Sandi Blankenship, LM, CPM, Licensed Midwife
	772-359-1258
	http://flamidwyfe.tripod.com
	Port St Lucie, Florida
	http://www.homestead.com/birthcenter/birth_announcement.html
	She is a midwife for out-of-hospital births.  LM means Licensed
	Midwife, so she is licensed with her state. CPM means Certified
	Professional Midwife, so she has certification through a demanding
	national midwives program as well. She states that one of her
	favorite births to attend was with a woman who was almost 300
	lbs. Plus-sized pregnancy does not have to mean hospital births
	or going to a high-risk OB practice, as long as you are healthy,
	have excellent nutrition, are well-informed about birthing
	options and wish an alternative to high-intervention birth. In
	fact, many larger women feel that they have better and healthier
	births with so-called 'alternative' birth practices.

ST PETERSBURG
Tim Carlson, M.D.
	9th Ave N.
	St Petersburg, FL

Frederick Guerrier, internist
	St. Petersburg, FL 
	He's *never* hassled about weight and has great bedside manner.

SARASOTA
Michael Finazzo, OB/GYN
        Sarasota Florida
        941-917-8565
        Became my dr after going through two very fat phobic drs, one
        had come out and said she wouldn't discuss my getting pregnant
        until I lost weight.  He's never once mentioned my weight to me.
        I miscarried once and developed Gestational diabetes and he has
        never attributed my weight as a factor in them!  After trying to 
        conceive for a year he was almost ready to start fertility
        treatment, but that was the month I finally did get pg.  I'm
        almost through this pregancy, and still feel he is a wonderful
        dr! -- Susan Brown  

TALLAHASSEE
Thomas Serio, M.D., Family Practice
	1803 Miccosukee Commons Drive
	Tallahassee, Fl 32303
	850-575-8899
	Doctor Serio treats both me and my mother, as well as several
	friends of ours -- all overweight or obese. He never suggests
	weight loss, or even discusses it unless it is brought up by
	someone else first. What he does do is listen to what I have to
	say and treat the actual medical conditions that I have. Some
	people complain that appointments take a lot of waiting before
	you actually see the doctor, and that is true. I often joke that
	I need to pack a sandwich and a pillow when I go to see him. But
	when you are seen, you are thoroughly seen. He reads your chart,
	he knows your history, he checks on things that you probably
	weren't even thinking about. I recommend him to anyone looking
	for a doctor who cares about his patients.
	Noreen Walsh (harshlands@hotmail.com)

WEST PALM BEACH
YMCA
	2085 So Congress Ave
	West Palm Beach, Florida
	561-967-3573
	I am very heavy and the swim classes have been very helpful in
	keeping me healthy. They have arthritis, pump, water walking,
	special needs, and an aerobics class that I can do. Very
	friendly group.