Where there’s a will, there’s a way

by Jacquelyn Blake

"When I dare to be powerful—to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid."
- Audre Lorde

A quote meant for a woman who envisions the path leading to her destiny and despite adverse conditions, continues to pry open sealed windows of opportunity; a quote no doubt meant for Dayna Lorraine Wolfe, Medical Doctor. Dayna, age 42, doesn't foresee becoming a doctor. She doesn't know if she can go to college, and a career in medicine, she never fathoms. However, once she has the notion she may be able to help people who experience physical and human rights challenges such as she has, she never looks back. She puts forth every ounce of courage, strength and determination she has to become the indestructible woman in her vision.

Dayna is a physically active girl. She excels in athletics, and becomes a highly regarded gymnast on her way to the Olympics. Growing up with a father who works 80 hours per week, and a mother she doesn't see much of, Dayna learns she has to look out for herself. She says, "My brother and I were basically on our own since age 10 and 12. I knew right from wrong and was an activist kind of person since I was 8 years old. I was painfully sensitive, and befriended those in school who were victimized by bullies, and I took care of hurt animals."

What some may perceive as obstacles, Dayna regards as competition and opportunity—the vault, bars and beam she graces in her gymnastic feats are metaphors for the many obstacles she overcomes on her turbulent journey. She achieves way beyond her own and others' expectations with her will and the help of mentors and catalysts strategically placed along her path. School is difficult for Dayna—she thinks she is dumb. She doesn't "get" what her teacher's are saying. She believes she is incapable of retaining much of what she hears. The truth is that she doesn't hear much. Dayna has a hearing impairment that isn't discovered until her tenacity to be accepted to Chicago's Western University Medical School, along with her failure to pass the MCATs, gets the attention of a College Entrance Committee Member who has a background in learning disabilities. Dayna remarks, "She had seen what was happening to me in people with hearing impairments—I had knockout interviews, skills and expertise, but I continued to fail the exams." Dayna suffers this disability her entire life until this woman shows up. She gets as far as applying to medical school, compensating for her deficits, hardly able to hear.

Dayna learns to read lips at a young age so she can decipher some of what she can't hear, but if, for example, a teacher's back is to the class, she can't hear or see. She remarks, "I missed out on a lot of instruction. I couldn't identify sounds, I missed in conversation what wasn't in the books, I couldn't look down at materials and watch lips at the same time, I couldn't hear in group situations. There were gigantic holes in my academics. I didn't have good enough grades to get into college."

Lacking parental attention, Dayna tries to keep busy. She discovers that she is good at gymnastics. She sets up a balance beam between two houses and practices on it daily. An assistant to her father, whose office is at home, notices Dayna's talent and when her Dad is on the phone, he sneaks away from his duties to coach her. A schoolmate involves Dayna in school gymnastics. Dayna claims, "Mary was my catalyst to a future I could envision." At age 14, Dayna has an epiphany while on the balance beam. She hears that a college entrance rule passes, allowing girls in Title Nine sports without good grades to get into college. She says to herself, "This is my way out—if I excel at gymnastics, I can get a scholarship to college." Dayna is an exceptional gymnast, and people that can help her progress are learning of her talents. Around this time, friends of Dayna's parents grow concerned that she isn't getting the support she needs at home, and help her find alternative living conditions. She bounces between the homes of her grandparents, a gymnastic coach, and friends.

At age 15, Dayna experiences back pain while practicing gymnastics. She's diagnosed with spinabifida, but pursues gymnastics as long as her health allows. At 18, she blows her knee out in competition. Her gymnastics career, and she assumes, her means to get into college, comes to a devastating end. Another window of opportunity arrives. Rehabilitation involves swimming, in which Dayna excels. She becomes a springboard champion. Dayna and her swim coach of whom Dayna says, "She was like a Mother Lion," conclude that her springboard talents are the key to getting a scholarship to college. She receives a diving scholarship to junior college, where she begins to fill her “gigantic academic holes.” She eventually earns a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology.

At age 23 Dayna encounters her first female doctor. She decides it is her mission to pursue becoming a rehabilitation and physical medicine Doctor. She's required to pass numerous exams to get into medical school. Throughout a series of experiences involving more mentors and catalysts, she gets the adequate schooling to fill the gaps in her education, hearing devices, many second, third, and fourth chances at taking exams, and an abundance of letters of recommendation, all enabling her to pursue her medical degree. Dayna begins medical school at 28. During school, she lives in an art co-op because the rent is cheap. She discovers that she has artistic talent—"A great healing mechanism," she says. Dayna creates art with chalk on the sidewalk outside the co-op's coffee shop where people offer her money. Those gifts along with student loan money help her pay her rent. Dayna isn't "selfish" with her meager earnings. She gives shelter to a homeless pregnant girl working at the coffee shop.

A couple of years into medical school, Dayna has shooting pains in her back and bladder. The spinabifida advances to stage two—symptomatic. Her spine tethers, resulting in her needing her spine fused and prosthetic discs implanted. She wears a lumbar brace for a few months and stays in bed. Dayna recalls, "I almost died; I had the wind knocked out of my sails. I never fully recovered physically, mentally or emotionally." Her best friend from medical school stays with her throughout rehabilitation. Dayna has debilitating pain and needs a wheelchair to get around. No cries of self-pity come from this warrior. She participates in wheelchair sports, and excels at wheelchair-basketball. A steel plate with electrodes was recently implanted to control the debilitating pain. She now walks with ease.

Dayna graduates from medical school with honors, but eventually sheds the "white coat," associated with traditional medicine. She stays true to her vision to become a holistic health practitioner for women with disabilities, but sees men and others who want her special care. Dayna has her own medical practice in South Minneapolis where she shares the space with another catalyst, a compound pharmacy. "They need me as much as I need them," she remarks. Her clinic is quaint and quiet—a small office, cozy examination room and the medical bag she brings with her when visiting non-ambulatory patients in their homes. Dayna schedules patients so that they get adequate time to tell their story. She says, "I listen deeply to their health concerns, including their entire medical history." She doesn't take insurance, only Medicare and Medicaid. However Dayna says, "Paying for their own health care creates intention and desire to be responsible and active in their care. People tend to heal at a higher rate when they become their own 'catalyst' in attaining good health."

Dayna also specializes in cross-cultural health care, focusing on nursing homes where the elderly have long-standing cultural beliefs regarding health care. Cross-cultural care along with services such as Social Medicine and the Arts, Human Rights Advocacy, Counseling, Family and Community Education, and Integrative Health Planning, are included in an organization she founded, "Global Rehabilitation." Its mission: "To provide healing services and create projects intended to mend and transform the world." Clients of Global Rehab pay what they can. Her interest in art, healing and community has led her to sculpt pieces relating to health and community issues, and to her upcoming ordainment as a Zen Buddhist Priest and Steward for Minnesota. She is interested in organizing community art projects and peace activities for the community.

Dayna was awarded the Upper Midwest Human Rights Fellowship for 2004, from the University of Minnesota. The host is Cross-Cultural Solutions, www.crossculturalsolutions.com. She will be working with women and children with disabilities at a Kilimanjaro community treatment center for three months. She says, "I hope to broaden my skills both as a medical professional and as a Zen Buddhist Peacemaker. I will bring what I learn from my experience home to complement my work with women with disabilities." In addition to her Human Rights Fellowship, she is working on a "Women with Disability Health Project" for the "Hesparian Foundation," a pioneer in community health education since the 1960s, specializing in creating easy-to-understand and thoroughly illustrated manuals. Dayna will develop culturally specific health materials designed specifically for women with disabilities, their health workers and allies.

Dayna Wolfe, M.D., leaves for Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Africa, the end of September. The fellowship only pays half her expenses, thus she's had to raise the rest of the money herself. Most of what she's receiving is from the mentors and catalysts she's had on her path. She still needs $8,000 to help pay expenses. She is taking donations until she leaves, and upon returning. If anyone is interested in helping Dayna accomplish yet another feat to add to her wondrous resume, she may be reached by calling 651-235-9029 or 612-722-3695. Or e-mail her at, peacemakerpriest@msn.com. Dayna could easily make more money by following mainstream medical conventions, but she lives by nominal means in a South Minneapolis apartment with her two dogs and one cat. She dares to be powerful; she uses her strength in the service of her vision. Dayna is not afraid.