Tim Walters – FLORIDA TODAY (Dec. 21, 2021)

I recently surpassed the six-year mark since I took over handling the FLORIDA TODAY Health section.

At the time I took over in 2015, I wrote a popular parenting column called “Daddy Duty,” and I inherited a small group of local health professionals who contributed columns on various health topics for the section.

In the time since, I’ve been able to grow that small group into a network of columnists that provides its expertise on mental health, skin health, eye health, fitness, nutrition, senior health, pediatrics and so much more.

At this time of year when we’re thankful for so many things, I wanted to share my appreciation for these medical professionals who share their time and talent to inform Brevard County on the most important health topics through FLORIDA TODAY and floridatoday.com.

What’s more: many of our Gannett news sites across the country pick up their stories and post them to their websites.

It’s not uncommon for one of our health professionals to email me to let me know someone from Nevada, New Jersey, Ohio and other places have contacted them.

Here is a list of our columnists for whom I’d like to publicly thank for contributing work over the past year. If I forget someone (and I hope I haven’t) I sincerely apologize.

The Staff at One Senior Place: Barbara Fradkin, Brenda Lyle and Lisa Conway (with an assist from Joyce Wilden). One Senior Place in Viera provides a weekly column to help the county’s aging population. Barbara is a social worker, Certified Care Manager and the director of One Senior Place; Lisa is a Registered Nurse and a Certified Care Manager for Senior Partner Care Services; Brenda is a Certified Care Manager and Certified Dementia Practitioner; Joyce is President of BUZZ Biz Public Relations and makes sure I get a bundle of columns to start each month.

Susie Bond. Susie writes a column titled “Nutrition for Today” that generally appears the first week of the month. She is a registered and licensed dietitian/nutritionist in private practice. She can be contacted at NutritionistOnCall@gmail.com.

Dr. Sue Mitra. Dr. Mitra is a Board Certified Internist who writes about general health and well-being practices, appearing the second week of the month. Her office is in Melbourne and she can be reached at 321-622-6222.

Susan Hammerling-Hodgers. Susan writes a column called “Skin Matters” that appears the third week of the month. Susan is a PA-C (Certified Physician Assistant) and MPAS (Master of Physician Assistant Studies) and works at Brevard Skin and Cancer at the Merritt Island, Titusville and Rockledge offices.

Kristin Woodling. Kristin answers life questions from people in her column, “Pamper Your Mind,” which appears the third week of the month. Kristin is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Chief Executive Officer of Pamper Your Mind LLC in Satellite Beach. You can learn more about her at pamperyourmind.com

Dr. Frederick Ho. Dr. Ho writes an eye care column that appears the last week of the month called “Focus on Eyes.” Dr. Ho, a board-certified ophthalmologist, is the medical director of Atlantic Eye MD and Atlantic Surgery and Laser Center in Melbourne. He can be reached at (321) 757-7272.

Dr. Mike Ronsisvalle. Dr. Mike, a Merritt Island High grad, writes a column titled “Millennial Mind” that runs the last week of the month. He is a Licensed Psychologist and the President of LiveWell Behavioral Health, a psychological services agency that provides counseling to clients of all ages and addictions treatment to adolescents and adults. He can be reached at 321-259-1662.

We also have contributors who send columns from time to time.

Dr. Pamela Tronetti and Janet Rooks. Dr. Tronetti wrote a popular column for more than a decade and still sends columns from time to time. Dr. Tronetti is the Medical Director of Aging Services at Parrish Medical Center. She would often team with Janet to write informative columns to help our county’s seniors. Janet is the coordinator of Parrish Senior Solutions.

Gregg F. Martin, Major General, US Army (Retired). Gen. Martin has been good enough to provide first-hand accounts of his battle with bipolar disorder. He’s written related articles about mental health and military veterans.

Dawn Page. Dawn is the Infection Prevention Coordinator for Steward’s Melbourne Regional Medical Center. She’s written some stories that will make you think twice before leaping into a fresh water pond or heated body of water.

I’d also like to thank some columnists who wrote admirably for years but stepped away recently. They include:

Pediatrics in Brevard: Dr. Mary Ulrich, Dr. Betty Cheney Kelly, Margaret Nemethy and Lea Dickens (with an assist from Lisa Crites). They provided a monthly column for years, sharing helpful pediatric news and tips. Lisa was our conduit and always made sure the columns arrived on time.

Jim McCormick. Jim owns Cocoa Beach Health and Fitness and wrote helpful columns throughout the pandemic on staying fit and healthy. He’s a lifelong Brevard resident and a great ambassador for Cocoa Beach.

Additionally, I’d like to thank Steward Medical, Parrish Medical, Health First, OMNI Healthcare, MedFast, Pediatrics in Brevard and all other medical professionals who contribute to FLORIDA TODAY, and our community in general.

We are fortunate to have so much top-notch health care throughout the county, an asset we saw as they navigated the COVID-19 pandemic with preparation and professionalism.

I can’t say it enough. Thank you.

Walters can be reached at twalters@gannett.com