Dominika Laureto (maiden name Liwinska) was born in Poland and grew up in a communist country. Her family was poor, like many others struggling around them. She says they became strong-minded out of necessity because they didn't know any other way to live. "As children, we had to be very creative just to survive, and we found ways to find happiness. We were melting sugar in a pan to make candy and other treats that we didn't have access to," Dominika shared. When Poland became democratic, her family discovered quality products and services that Europeans and Americans took for granted. Still, they remained poor and couldn't afford this new lifestyle. When Liwinska went to college in the United States, she had only $500 in her pocket.

Her story is remarkable. In Poland, she finished high school as the top student academically. She got a college scholarship and halfway through decided to complete her education in the United States. "I came here for my American dream with nothing but five hundred dollars and a winning attitude. I learned to survive no matter what and never gave up," Dominika reflected. At first, Dominika cleaned houses and lived in a Polish family's basement. She attended college studying English as a Second Language (ESL).

Her professors and mentors encouraged her to take regular courses while she worked and studied. Eventually, she enrolled in nursing school and worked through college without taking loans. After becoming a nurse, Dominika worked in a busy hospital Emergency Department for eight years, which made her question Western medicine. "It just made me realize this is not how I wanted to practice medicine. I don't want anyone to misunderstand because I know most doctors in the United States are great. However, there's a pervasive idea that the healthcare system is broken, which I tend to agree with. Working in the emergency department was an eye-opener because there are so many people who come through the door who are chronically sick on fifty different medications, and we wonder how they got there. Where were they ten years ago? What was happening to their health, and why weren't the underlying symptoms being addressed?" she explained.

Read the full article here: https://issuu.com/topdoctormagazine/docs/issue_180_web/32