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Fearfully and Wonderfully Made by Philip Yancey and Dr Paul Brand

A brief biography:

Dr Bob Lewis was born in Pontiac, Michigan in 1944. His father (Lynox) was the first in his family to graduate from college (Mississippi State). Lynox established connections with the YMCA while persuing a Masters in teaching at George Williams college in Chicago. His mother (Elizabeth) was working at a settlement house in Chicago when Lynox and Betty met. In 1948 Lynox accepted an offer from the International Committee of the YMCA to be the director of the Mexico City YMCA canp (Camohmila) near Cuernavaca, Mexico.

Bob and his older sister lived at Camohmila in and adobe house (no electricity or running water) for 3 years before the family moved into Mexico City. His elementary education was at the American School in Mexico City where half the courses (by Mexican law) were in Spanish.

In 1958 Lynox and Betty declined the YMCA's offer to move to Columbia (South America) and took the family to Berkeley, California. There Bob and his siblings got to experience an integrated school system just about the time the Civil Rights movement was begining in this country.. He helped form a group called Students for Equality.

Bob graduated from Berkeley High School with a passion for reading, science, and music. His college years at Harvard were enriched by music by Mozart, Bach and Gilbert and Sullivan. A biochemistry major led to a wonder of the miracle of life at the cellular and electrical level. The idea of becoming a physician came more from his friends in college than from family members. Georgetown Medical School proved to be a great fit for his interests in science and his passion for working with people.

Bob met Laurie (his wife) at Yale New Haven hospital where she was working as a new head nurse on a medical ward, and Bob was starting his internship. Bob and Laurie married during his residency and when they headed to Los Angeles for his infectious disease fellowship at UCLA they were proud parents.

The experience at UCLA included two years on the faculty before Bob chose patient care over laboratory science. Laurie and he set up a solo medical practice in San Pedro, California (before managed care contracts made it impossible to start a solo practice). The dream was big enough to overcome 22% interest rates and a number of people who told me it couldn't be done. Having a plan, doing the work, getting out of the office to meet people, making and keeping promises all were instrumental in making it work.

The 30 years of medical practice in LA led to growing the preeminent Infectious Disease practice in the area. We partnered with hard working, extremely bright physicians. In our private life Laurie and I coached soccer and baseball. Laurie volunteered as PTA president. We were blessed with four wonderful children, all of whom are now married and proud parents in their own right.

When a stroke abruptly ended my medical practice over 14 years ago I had the opportunity (and necessity) to reinvent myself. I began the journey back by training for and walking marathons (over 10 now). I had to regain my balance in the process.

I subsequently became a teacher of ESL (english as a second language) and then a teacher of ESL teachers.

More recently I became a certified nutritionist and a proponent of a diet rich in antioxidants. Most chronic debilitating diseases are associated with low antioxidant levels in our blood streams. Our journey along this path has been enhanced by a new health and wellness company (Jeunesse) and their study of youth enhancing science and products.