Women's Physician Appreciation Event honors, enlightens SWFL doctors

ESTERO, Fla. - Oct. 12, 2023 - PRLog -- Nearly three dozen doctors enjoyed five-star cuisine, culinary inspiration and camaraderie during a Women's Physician Appreciation Event held Oct. 5 at Lee Health Coconut Point in Estero.

Hosted by Drs. Graciela Garton and Amy Fox from Advocate Radiation Oncology, Chef and Sommelier Harold Balink, and Lee Health, the event started with a happy hour before moving into the Healthy Life Center. There, Balink explained his farm-to-table approach and culinary philosophy of food as medicine.

"Think about your body like it's a car," said Balink, who owns Harold's in Fort Myers. "If you give it lousy gas, it's going to break down."

Guests at the Women's Physician Appreciation Event enjoyed sous vide king salmon over a dollop of pea puree, topped by frisée with almonds and asparagus. Physicians represented a variety of medical specialties, including oncology, breast surgery, obstetrics, pathology, internal medicine, hematology, family health, radiology, geriatrics and more.

"The number of female physicians in Southwest Florida is growing across all disciplines of medicine, and it's especially encouraging to see so many talented young women becoming doctors," said Garton, a board-certified radiation oncologist at Advocate Radiation Oncology. "The goal of this event was to bring women physicians together for a casual discussion of our experiences while strengthening professional bonds across specialties, which ultimately enhances patient care and outcomes."

About Advocate Radiation Oncology

Advocate Radiation Oncology has a mission to provide compassionate health care expertise to cancer patients. The practice's world-class, board-certified radiation oncologists and researchers trained at some of the nation's top medical schools and access industry-leading technology to treat patients with breast, prostate, lung, brain, head and neck, rectal, liver, bone, cervical and other types of cancers. Advocate is a locally owned practice with eight cancer treatment centers across southern Florida. For more information, please visit AdvocateRO.com.