Pro athlete at 18 and ranked 14th in the world in cycling by the age of 20, Melanie Dorion, Practice Owner at Be Vital Health Center, was on her way to becoming what many children only dream of – an Olympian. Then two days before competing in the qualifying event that would serve as her ticket into the 2000 Olympic Games, Melanie had a life altering set back. She suffered a concussion after a fluke crash during training.
“I blacked out for a few seconds after hitting my head directly on a rock. So, I rested for the next two days, then competed with a headache, fatigue, and a hematoma that covered half of my right thigh. The race went beyond poorly, and I began a downward health spiral that seemed unstoppable.”
Broken hearted, Melanie retired from professional cycling and struggled with extreme fatigue, insomnia, and frequent illnesses for years. After the birth of her son, her symptoms grew worse, and she once again sought medical advice and once again received zero explanations from doctors.
“On paper I was healthy. My labs were normal, and no one could figure out what was wrong. I finally took matters into my own hands and decided to go to Naturopathic Medical School determined to resolve my health issues. I figured out I had Epstein Barr (EBV), Lyme disease, and mold illness and instantly became committed to healing not only myself but spreading the word to others about what I was learning. It wasn’t simply about healing; it was also about finding thriving health.”
Melanie hit the ground running after graduation and started practicing immediately. For the next five years she gained experience, refined her model, and shared an office space with colleagues. And when she found her “dream office,” she went for it; even though it meant investing her entire savings. Then, less than two months later – it was completely gone; and what followed was nearly two years of “pure hell.”
“It was so bad. I remember being on my kitchen floor crying because I was going to lose everything. Covid hit a month and a half after I opened my beautiful space, and I knew my family was in trouble. My life went to hell, and it brought me to my knees. That’s when FPC came to mind.”
Just before the covid surge, Melanie had gone to dinner with some of the FPC team after meeting them at a conference. When crisis struck, she put joining the community on hold but says that when she hit “rock bottom,” she reached out and said, “we need to chat.”
“I was going to have to abandon my dream if I didn’t get some help. I want to change the course of healthcare for chronic diseases. Boom – that’s my goal. And FPC promised to be fierce defenders of it. They promised support and guidance and I was terrified but took a leap of faith; and now it’s like I have hundreds of people I can turn to and ask for help. It’s so inspiring.”
Melanie ended up getting more guidance than she knew she needed during an FPC Two Day Launch event in San Antonio. As a new client, she had become overwhelmed with the content; and trying to prioritize among constant transitions while successfully leading her team became daunting.
“That intensive weekend was the best thing you guys could have done for me. I realized I was being overly sensitive to my teams need for slow change and had not fully stepped into that leadership role. I had a scarcity mindset- about getting employees, and about offering $8,000 programs. That weekend was such a great exercise on balance and leadership. I had one of those ‘come to Jesus’ moments and went home pumped.”
Reigniting peoples hopes and dreams and seeing them pay it forward is what fuels Melanie’s motivation. She hopes to have a massive impact on how chronic diseases are viewed and managed and believes that everyone has a right to live a thriving life in optimal health.
“FPC has given me hope that my dream life is attainable and I’m turning around and doing that for every single one of our members. I tell people to be clear on what they want their life to look like because they’re allowed to have it; and my team and I will fiercely defend their dream. FPC has done that for me. What I put on my vision board is what God put in my heart. It’s big and I can’t do it alone.”
