A growing community: Ave Maria’s medical providers and businesses
Erica Fish, Ave Maria Development
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Ave Maria’s growing list of medical providers have become staple conveniences for residents and surrounding community members looking for care not far from home. Recent arrivals of husband-and-wife chiropractors Duane and Stephanie Olson, Dr. Raul Enad atCadenza Medical Clinic, Dr. Ana Garcia-Iguaran at Mater Dei Clinic, plus pediatrician Dr. Emily Walkey at Little Flower Pediatrics, have helped meet the demand for wellness services in town.
“The community’s range of ages require a variety of health-specific needs and it felt fitting to establish in Ave Maria because of that,” said Dr. Stephanie Olson of Family Chiropractic and Sports Rehab.
For many physicians and business owners, the decision to serve Ave Maria was also a love story; often finding their forever home with the mission of bringing their needed services to the town and surrounding areas. Sylvia and Craig Horgan opened Ave Maria Hearing in 2016, a year after they moved to town.
Dr. Del Toro performs eye exam.
Weston optometrist Luisa Del Toro knew she belonged in Ave Maria the first time she visited, and when she discovered the town lacked an optometrist, she sold her busy South Florida practice, bought a house here and opened the Town Center’s Ave Maria Optical in late 2020.
“Ave Maria is like a big family,” said Dr. Del Toro. “Neighbors know each other and help each other.”
Cadenza Medical Clinic is accepting new patients.
Establishing his concierge medicine and medical spa in December 2022, Dr. Enad soon after moved into his Ave Maria home with his wife and three daughters. His clinic specializes in internal, functional, regenerative and aesthetic medicinal treatments. “It is my practice’s goal to bring a comprehensive approach to any illness, and by offering in-depth testing to tailor a personalized treatment plan, ensures the incorporating of safe, affordable and ethical wellness tools.”
Doctors Emily Walkey and Garcia-Iguaran both traded large practices for a small-town patient-centric setting. Since 2017, Dr. Walkey has practiced in Ave Maria at Little Flower Pediatrics. As a direct primary care clinic, she introduced a new model of health care, giving members 24-hour access to her via text or phone, enhancing the patient-physician relationship with more face-to-face contact. One convenient and affordable option for Ave Maria University students is a care membership fee of $199 a semester.
Mater Dei Clinic’s growing medical staff.
Dr. Ana Garcia-Iguaran retired her busy South Florida OB-GYN practice for Ave Maria, attracted by the town’s values and the opportunity to make a difference in an area without women-specific health services.
“I’ve been in an urban setting for 15 years and felt my practice was stifled in some ways,” she said. “When I realized Ave Maria was so close to my Miami home, there was no hesitation in moving my practice to this community. This is a long-term commitment for me.”
For information about additional medical practices and services in Ave Maria, visit www.AveMaria.com.