»editor’s letter
RISK VERSUS REWARD
Every day we encounter risks. Some do not seem that large. We fire up the grill for an afternoon barbecue, take the kids down to the beach for a swim, or enjoy some quiet time getting a manicure/pedicure. But what about the bigger risks? Are they worth it? Really great rewards often come at the price of great risk. In this issue of Pulse, we meet members of our community who have chosen to take the “path less traveled” in life, and because of it, they came out as stronger leaders. For instance, this issue’s Healthiest Person I Know, Joseph Nakagawa, MD—a physician with Torrance Memorial—is a risktaker in his personal life and at work—scaling the Eastern Sierras and working in the Emergency Department. The lessons he learns skydiving and rock climbing have helped him excel in his fast-paced, high-stress job. There’s also the Heartbeats profile of Daniel Doke, a college student who almost lost his life as a young boy in the hills of Palos Verdes but doesn’t let fear stand in the way. He continues to succeed, despite residual injuries, at physically demanding sports such as snowboarding, skateboarding, surfing and kiteboarding. His never-give-up attitude had him working toward his goal to become an engineer at a young age. Perhaps the greatest risk-takers are those who serve our country in the military for the most important reward of all: freedom. Torrance Memorial’s own Kris Kowalski, the director of hospice services, served as a flight nurse in the Gulf Wars and was a mass casualty/trauma nurse specializing in pediatrics in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Her risks at home and abroad have inspired others to live life to the fullest—even until the very end. What great rewards will you reap in life? —Jacqueline
»contributors
HELEN CHADE MAHSHI is a freelance magazine and newspaper writer living in Southern California.
LAURA ROE STEVENS is a freelance writer and editor and mom of two, with a soccer-crazed 11-year-old, and a four-year-old who is always on the go.
MICHAEL NEVEUX is a commercial photographer/videographer who shoots fashion, fitness, sports, product, architecture and lifestyle. He has had a studio in the South Bay for more than 25 years.
6 | PULSE
SUMMER 2013