Geaux Health & Fitness Magazine June 2014 | Page 16

cover story

Dr. Cordel Y. Parris
My name is Dr. Cordel Y. Parris and
I am living the “American Dream.”
I am a mother, a physician and an
entrepreneur. As one of only a few
African American female cardiologists, I actually represent less than
.03 percent of those in my profession. The realization of the hopes
and dreams of my parents, as well as
many who blazed the trail before me,
are encompassed within my story. My
life is a microcosm of the multitude
of sacrifices my mother made as she
dared to embark on her immigrant
journey. I am living a true rags-toriches existence. These are the words
of my past, present and future.

“The sum of my experiences
from my neighbor suffering
a stroke and coping while
facing death, to my mother
suffering a ‘bleeding’ stroke
but still alive today, to my
father continuing to remain
encouraged even in the
last stages of his sickness, all
provide a riveting testimony
of God’s goodness. ”

My path has led me from the turquoise waters and golden sands of
Trinidad and Tobago to the concrete
jungles of the “Big Apple,” Flatbush Ave., Brooklyn, and the State
University of New York to the city
of “Brotherly Love,” Hahnemann
(Drexel University) Phila [XK