( continued from page 30 ) and I ’ m very active with the ALO .”

She regularly visits friends in Los Angeles , and has driven up and down Europe through Spain , Italy and parts of France . “ We pick up a convertible and hit the road . Me with my music ! It ’ s so fun .”

Back in Louisville , she ’ s renovating her house and exercising to stay active . “ I go to the Y a couple of times each week . I still play basketball on Wednesday nights . I put my earbuds in . It ’ s heaven . The kids call me ma ’ am !” she laughed .

Thanks to that little voice in the back of her head that kept her on a path moving forward , Dr . Carmel Person has changed her life , as well as the lives of her friends , colleagues and patients , for the better .

“ I considered a future with Harvard Geriatrics in order to pursue my MPH . But , I had to ask myself , ‘ Carmel , exactly what do you want to do at Harvard ?’” In the back of her mind , Dr . Person knew that Louisville was home . “ This was where my life started in health care . This community has never ever failed me ,” she said .

When she finds time to step away from the career she loves , her passions are music , travel and fitness . Just this year , she ’ s seen Coldplay , Yo-Yo Ma , Barbara Streisand , Josh Groban , Sting and Peter Gabriel , to name a few . “ I try not to miss an orchestra event ,

“ I ’ ve stepped in enough potholes , but I ’ m grateful for them now ,” she said . “ I ’ ve been blessed with opportunities to get right sized along the way . It ’ s been the successes and failures that I ’ ve learned from that allow me to be a better version of myself .”

Aaron Burch is the communications specialist for the Greater Louisville Medical Society .

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