Better Health - Paying It Forward

As a child, I watched my parents work seven days a week — my mom worked two jobs —and struggle just to make ends meet. They never complained when the bills came due, did what they had to do to raise five kids in a cramped two-bedroom home, and instilled in each of us a strong work ethic and a desire to succeed. They taught us to rely on ourselves, not on government handouts. My brother and I worked as paperboys, lifeguards, house painters, and professional mates on fishing boats. We never knew we were poor.

My parents taught us the invaluable lesson to dream big. They wanted more for their five children. They taught us that having a desire for anything, but not working towards it, was just a fantasy. Having a desire and working for it was a dream that could be successful and could come true. We believed in Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, and the Tooth Fairy growing up, but my parents instilled in us there was no magic way to earn money.

A knee injury during a high school football game changed the direction of my life forever. After the college sports scholarship offers were withdrawn, I had to go to “Plan B,” which unfortunately did not exist. I was devastated, afraid, and had to figure out a new dream.

I went to the University of Florida and it was there that I found my calling. I studied hard, got good grades, and worked multiple part-time jobs during those four years to pay my own tuition. I decided I wanted to become a medical doctor specializing in ophthalmology. I would be able to restore vision and prevent blindness. I felt that this was the ultimate goal of "paying it forward and helping others.” After four years of college, I spent four years in medical school and four more years in eye surgery residency training to become an eye physician and eye surgeon.

My professors at Harvard reminded me that the three simplest steps to do this were:  “See one, do one, and then be able to teach one.” I realize that they may have been wrong. I found that I had to see one, see one done "correctly," do one, finally do one "correctly," try to teach one, and then actually teach one "correctly" to my young doctors in training. I have continued to follow this philosophy and teach this philosophy over the years — to my family, my staff, the doctors I train, and the doctors I teach.

I came to St. Petersburg in 1980 and started the ophthalmology department at the Suncoast Medical Clinic. It grew over the next 30 years to become one of the largest medical facilities in St. Petersburg. It’s hard to believe that it’s been almost 20 years since I founded the Florida Eye Center in St. Petersburg, and became the medical director and head surgeon. When the Tampa Bay Rays professional baseball team was formed in the 1990s, they selected me as their first team eye doctor, their first team LASIK doctor and I am honored to remain in that role to this day.

Though I thank my parents every day for raising me with the morals, education, ethics and work principles that led to my success – to succeed by working harder. I look back now and I realize that my parents raised us like they had been raised, to work hard, but unfortunately, they never addressed the potential health issues I would face later on in life.

Issues like smoking, cancer, heart disease, stroke, macular degeneration, immune system problems, and damage to my skin from the sun and free radicals are such important topics that I wish had been taught earlier. Information about vitamins, minerals, supplements, diet, skin care, and everything related to health and preventive measures were being discovered. My Mom was even a nurse at the time, but she was busy raising her family! It wasn’t because she and my Dad didn’t care or love me, rather they simply did not possess the scientific knowledge we now have at our fingertips today.

After watching my parents pass away, then losing my older brother a year or so thereafter and then my younger brother in 2009, I realized I had to do something to make others aware. We all needed to pay more attention to our health. There had to be a better way and I was committed to finding the answers and the solutions to prevent others from losing over half of their family within such a short time, as I did. And I found it.

I found the company, the science, the products and the solution that I could finally offer, not only to my remaining family members, but everyone else as well.

I also found my mission in life: to “Pay It Forward” and go beyond restoring vision and to actually help restore health as well. No, I can’t stop the disease ravaging the bodies of those who are terminally ill; no one can. I can, however, pray for them, offer my support and provide them with the comfort of knowing I shall take care of their family in the best way possible. That care will come through science, education and proven products that will help them to look better, feel better and live better.

As a Doctor who has seen countless deaths which could have been prevented, I am blessed to have the opportunity to change lives, from the inside out, including my own!

It’s all about “Paying It Forward.” Ever see the movie? I help you, you help others. It’s that simple. You must take the action needed to change your future and the future of your loved ones.

Visit the web site DefyAgeToday.com to get started.

As for me, to my parents, Jack and Alyce Sibley, I say,

 “Mom and Dad, you were proud of me before and now I am going beyond just helping others locally, I am helping them globally ... and it’s all for you!"
Love Always,
Your Son,
Mark