Acadiana Profile February-March 2020

Top Doctors PG.45

Light Recipes 6 Nutritious and Delicious Dishes

Roasted Pork Loin Filet with Pomegranate & Pomegranate Molasses recipe PG. 39

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feb/march VOL u m e 3 9 n u m b e r 0 1

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l agniappe......................................... 08

A Little Extra

features

note de l’editeur............................ 12

Editor’s Note nouvelles de villes.......................14

News Briefs

food+drink 18

sur le menu . . .................................... 30

Culinary Celebration Hospitality and good will at Broussard’s The Point Seafood and Steakhouse de l a cuisine.. .................................. 32

Casual Repast Fresh, seasonal fare perfect for dining al fresco recettes de cocktails................. 34

Pass a Rummin’ Good Time POUR Restaurant and Bar in Youngsville debuts a seductively sweet Mardi Gras-inspired rum cocktail

home+style

culture les personnes.. ............................... 60

l a maiso n.. ......................................... 18

Out of the Box A new build in Youngsville strikes the perfect chord, featuring family-friendly functionality, designer details and plenty of character to go around

Of Hitting And Healing New Ragin Cajuns baseball coach Matt Deggs inherits a promising roster of players that, like him, are still in the midst of mourning late skipper Tony Robichaux lettres d’amour . . ........................... 62

p our l a maison. . ............................. 22

Metal Harmony Follow these designer tips, and you’ll be mixing metals like a pro

Uncovering History Discovering the roles of African Americans in New Iberia’s (and Louisiana’s) past and healing the present and future

À l a mod e ......................................... 2 4

Have a Ball Celebrate Mardi Gras and the kickoff to 2020s with Gatsby-approved glamour

en franç ais, s ’il vous pl aît........ 6 4

Le Campus Saint-Luc Un centre d’immersion et campus culturel à Arnaudville

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Light Recipes

45

Top Doctors

6 nutritious and delicious dishes

213 doctors in 40 specialties

by S ta n l e y d ry p h oto gra p h s by eugenia uhl

p r o fil e s by f r i t z e s k e r p o rtrait s by romero & romero

What is your favorite spring fitness or stress relieving routine for when you want to get a boost? lagniappe

A Little Extra

M a n ag i n g E d i to r

Learn French

Errol Laborde

Co py E d i to r

Sarah George

L e a d P h oto g ra p h e r W e b E d i to r sty l e E d i to r

Marie Elizabeth Oliver

Eat Smart

Alice Phillips

advertising V i c e Pr e s i d e n t o f S a l e s

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It’s more than just physical activity, which always feels great, but it’s also my ‘me’ time to enjoy fresh air and be alone, listening to music or a great podcast.” – Ashley

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Tra f f i c Ass i sta n t

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Gold Department

d i g i ta l o p e rat i o n s m a nag e r

Tra f f i c co o r d i nato r

Bronze Magazine Writer of the Year

Gold Food Feature

dig ital

produ c tio n

Ochsner Acadiana has compiled a list of 77 restaurants (and growing) through its Eat Fit program that offer tasty, nutritious and wholesome menu options each have less than 500 calories and are packed with nutrition.

These “smart menu choices” go way beyond lettuce and carrots, with healthy creations such as the “2-to-Tango” poké bowl from Poké Geaux, “Gulf Fish Acadien” from Café Vermilionville and “Simply Roasted Chicken” with citrus and toasted herb pan drippings from Blue Dog Café, just to name a few. ochsner.org/eat-fit/ regions-restaurants

Silver Photographer of the Year

Gold Art Direction of a Single Story

Jeanel Luquette

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Pro d u c t i o n m a nag e r

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mar keting d i r ec to r o f m a r k et i n g & e v e n ts

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Gold Overall Art Direction

2018

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Ev e n t Co o r d i nato r

DID YOU KNOW?

Danley Romero

Kelly Massicot

E d i to r ia l I n t e r n

“I love to get up early in the spring and take my dog for a walk while enjoying a cup of coffee. This is my meditation, hopefully accompanied by nice weather.” Abbie

Winner Magazine of the Year

Ashley McLellan

Liz Clearman

Art D i r ec to r

(n) doctor

2019

Melanie Warner Spencer

Ass o c iat e E d i to r

Médecin

translation: Medicines cure diseases, but only doctors can cure patients.

International and Regional Magazine Association

EDI TOR IAL E d i to r i n C h i e f

example: Les médicaments guérissent les maladies, mais seuls les médecins peuvent soigner les patients.

awards

Todd Matherne

Alan Campell

E x ec u t i v e V i c e Pr es i d e n t

“I like to download an audiobook and push myself to use the elliptical.

A friend advised that I only listen to the book when on the elliptical for motivation.

Once you’re hooked to a story, it’s hard not to secure a date with the elliptical!” - Rosa

Errol Laborde

Bronze Reader Service Article Bronze Travel Package 2017

Gold Overall Art Direction Gold Magazine Photographer of the Year Gold Art Direction of a Single Story Gold Food Feature Silver Cover Bronze Magazine Writer of the Year 2016

Gold Overall Art Direction

1 1 0 V eterans B lvd . / S u ite 1 2 3 / M etairie , L A 7 0 0 0 5 / ( 5 0 4 ) 8 2 8 - 1 3 8 0 / ( 8 7 7 ) 2 2 1 - 3 5 1 2 1 2 8 D emanade / S u ite 1 0 4 / L afay ette , L A 7 0 5 0 3 / ( 3 3 7 ) 2 3 5 - 7 9 1 9 e x t. 2 3 0 Acadiana Profile (ISSN 0001-4397) is published bimonthly with a special issue in September by Renaissance Publishing LLC, 110 Veterans Blvd., Suite 123, Metairie, LA 70005 (504) 828-1380 and 128 Demanade, Suite 104, Lafayette, LA 70503 (337) 235-7919 ext. 230. Subscription rate: One year $10; Foreign Subscriptions vary. Periodicals postage paid at Lafayette, LA, and additional mailing entry offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Acadiana Profile, 110 Veterans Blvd., Suite 123, Metairie, LA 70005. Copyright 2020 Renaissance Publishing LLC. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the consent of the publisher.

The trademark Acadiana Profile is registered. Acadiana Profile is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, photos and artwork, even if accompanied by a self-addressed stamped envelope. The opinions expressed in Acadiana Profile are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the magazine or owner.

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ĂŠq u i p e d e v e n t e

Rebecca Taylor Sales Manager 337-298-4424 337-235-7919 Ext. 230 Rebecca@AcadianaProfile.com

Colleen Monaghan Vice President of Sales 504-830-7215 Colleen@AcadianaProfile.com

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note de l’edi teu r

If you are a longtime Ac adiana Profile reader, you’ve probably noticed that in the February-March issue we offer up the annual “Top Doctors” and healthy recipes features.

Lest you start to wonder if we think y’all aren’t taking care of yourselves, I thought I’d share a little behind the scenes insight. You see, the “Top Doctors” list and profiles are born of industry research which tells us that magazines featuring this sort of list are popular with consumers. We are always interested in reader preferences and when possible, we give the people what they want and we aim to offer the best of the best. Therefore, as it says on page 56, we use Castle Connolly Medical Ltd., “a healthcare research and information company founded in 1992 by a former medical college board chairman and president to help guide consumers to America’s top doctors and top hospitals.” Doctors have to be nominated by their peers and then pass a rigourous screening process in order to get on the list. We are confident that the doctors presented in this list and in the three profiles truly are top doctors in their fields and that having this resource will make it a little easier to find a provider when you need one. The healthy recipes are a great complement to the doctors feature, given the important role nutrition plays in health and wellness. Also, well, the recipes Stanley Dry develops for us each year are just so delicious. We’d eat them even if they weren’t good for us. As Dry says in the story intro, right about now you might be struggling to keep up with your health-related resolutions (we know we are), so the timing is right to have a fresh crop of recipes to help you get on track. You’ve got this!

For anyone who isn’t in the market for a doctor or inspiration for tasty new dishes, we of course have a lot of other good stuff to enjoy. The eye candy that is our featured home for this issue is one option. The color palette with its shots of classic blue (Pantone’s Color of the Year for 2020) has me in the mind to redecorate.

It’s so crisp, calming and, well, classic. In the Culture section, Dr. Phebe Hayes (one of our 2019 Acadiana Trailblazer honorees) shares her story of discovering and sharing the history of black New Iberians and their myriad contributions to local and state culture. In keeping with our “Top Doctors” list, many were accomplished physicians.

As always, we hope you get as much out of reading the issue as we did putting it together for you. It’s our first of 2020 and we look forward to the many stories we have on tap for the rest of the year! Cheers!

Melanie Warner Spencer, Managing Editor 504-830-1380 • Melanie@AcadianaProfile.com

Get more Acadiana Profile at acadianaprofile.com and by following us on Instagram and Facebook.

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In Other News

by Lisa Leblanc-Berry

Sculpture Park Emerging St. Martin Parish Located between Arnaudville and Cecilia, the eco-campus, Atelier de la Nature, is expanding after purchasing 16 acres of unused farmland next door to its original 8.7-acre eco-site (north of I-10 Exit 115 Cecilia/Henderson). The development allows the nature reserve to create a Nature Art Sculpture Park complete with family-friendly trails. Dual language (French-English) cooking workshops, art and science educational programming, eco-workshops and guided nature walks are offered (atelierdelanature.org).

Sip While You Shop Lafayette

Opened in January, Wild Child is a hip new sip-and-shop concept reflecting a growing trend for amiable oenophiles who enjoy tasting several wines and lingering before making a purchase. The friendly “retail wine shop meets a wine bar” was inspired by Paris’ intimate Septime La Cave, a locals’ hangout in the Bastille neighborhood, famed for its rare vintages and zealous servers, jazz and tapas (Instagram @ wildchildwines).

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no uv elles de v i lles

n e w s by L i s a L e B l a n c- B e r r y

Plein Air Aplenty New Iberia After reviewing applicants from 18 states and Canada for the 2020 Shadows-onthe-Teche Plein Air Painting Competition March 14-21, 30 artists have been selected to paint outdoors within the surrounding six parishes, followed by an art exhibition, awards and a fine arts sale. (shadowsontheteche.org).

Opelousas

Roll the Dice for OpelousasOpoly To commemorate the Opelousas Tricentennial in 2020, an Opelousas version of Monopoly has been created as a limited-edition board game showcasing the city’s culture and heritage.

Instead of Boardwalk and Park Place, players can land on local businesses like Tony Chachere’s.

Instead of a car, or shoe or a top hat for game pieces, players can select a jukebox, a chili pepper, an antique car or a horse ($30; available at the Opelousas Tourist Information Center, Sebastien Dupre Jewellery, Back in Time, Frank’s Poboys and the Opelousas Museum and Interpretive Center).

Milton

Go Ahead, Sweeten Up A vibrant new, pastel-hued Corner Candy Creamery recently opened in Milton, featuring a variety of sweet treats including malt ice cream and candy, fountain sodas and Cajun plate lunches.

The spacious, 1950s-style setting is enlivened with peppy pop music (facebook.com/ cornercandycreamery).

First Riverboat Approved to Come Ashore Lake Charles The eight-member Gaming Control Board has approved a plan for Eldorado Resorts to build a new $112.7 million casino between the parking lot and hotel at the Isle of Capri riverboat casino in Westlake, just off I-10 west of Lake Charles. The new facility will have 72,000-square-feet of gaming space, almost three times the size of the riverboat, plus a VIP lounge and restaurants overlooking the lake.

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Youngsville

Timed for Crawfish Season Veteran crawfish farmers, Keith and Kelly Broussard, co-owners of C’est Bon Crawfish, are building a boiled seafood restaurant in Youngsville. Slated to open in April, 2020 at 3301 Chemin Metairie Parkway, the 4,000-square-foot restaurant and bar will specialize in boiled crawfish, shrimp and crabs. It will only be open seasonally, closing when crawfish is out of season (peak months are typically March, April and May).

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More Rice is Nice Crowley Supreme Rice in Crowley will undergo a $20 million expansion, securing the company’s position as a leading rice processor by adding 25,000-square-feet of manufacturing space. It’s the largest rice milling operation in Louisiana (supremerice.com).

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I n s p i r at i o n , d ĂŠ c o r at i o n e t a cc e s s o i r e s ch i c p o u r l a v i e

A new build in yo u n gs v i l l e m a r r i es a n e l e vat e d lo o k with lived-in com f o rt

home+sty l e / l a m a iso n

Out of the Box A new build in Youngsville strikes the perfect chord, featuring family-friendly functionality, designer details and plenty of character to go around

By M a r i e E l i z a b e t h O l i v e r p h oto s by h ay l e i s m i t h

W h e n Lea h Halv ers o n b e ga n pla n n i n g h er

dream home, she envisioned a beautiful space, but wanted to avoid making it “feel like a museum.” In fact, with two young boys and two dogs, she and her husband needed exactly the opposite.

Enter Holly Mathis, a Texas-based designer who has been featured in Better Homes & Gardens, Good Housekeeping and Country Living. Mathis worked with the Halversons on a previous project after the homeowner connected with the designer through her blog.

She says when it came to tackling a new construction, she knew she wanted Mathis on her team from day one.

“There’s no way I would do it without her,” says Halverson. “Holly was able to make our home beautiful and warm and inviting. She listened to our realistic needs.”

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The home’s interior walls and trim are covered in a crisp Eider White by Sherwin-Williams, giving free rein to color play. (See: Majolica plates adorning the entryway.) In the kitchen, bold cabinets pop against cool marble counters and subway tile. Brushed brass hardware from Lew’s Hardware and brass pendants from Visual Comfort & Co. add warmth. “The kitchen is truly the heart of the house in this home,” says Mathis, who designed the space to accommodate the homeowners’ passion for cooking and entertaining.

The Halverson family chose Jack Arnold’s Rochelle floor plan to serve as the foundation of their Youngsville home’s design, which Mathis describes as new traditional.

“They wanted it to be timeless and reflect the things they like, which are books, cooking [and] entertaining,” says Mathis. “It has an architectural feel because we really made detailed, non-conventional decisions.”

Custom details, such as antique, brass pushbutton lights, built-in bookcases and Schumacher fabric, give the home exactly the classic elegance Halverson craved. The chef-worthy kitchen has a Wolf range and built-in Subzero refrigeration alongside Serena & Lily outdoor counter stools that can be easily wiped clean.

For Halverson, collaborating remotely allowed her not only the opportunity to work with an out-of-state designer, but also the luxury to make selections on her own time.

She describes the design process as being done

With a young family and pets, the homeowners chose to eschew bespoke furniture and instead invest in high-impact accessories, such as lighting, tile and window treatments. Custom pillows in fabric from Schumacher, Quadrille and Lisa Fine add high-end flair to the space.

In the master bedroom, Audubon prints and oyster plates are a nod to traditional South Louisiana style, while a beaded chandelier adds of-the-moment whimsy.

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primarily through email and digital design boards, but still specific to the couple’s needs and tastes. Mathis says she served as a consultant throughout the process, while Halverson managed the project day-to-day. Because of this, the house feels rooted in South Louisiana, featuring locally sourced art, ceramics and textiles.

Halverson says Mathis’s expertise and vision helped them to design a home that would grow with their family. For example, their

boys’ current room downstairs, will eventually become a study when they are old enough to live upstairs.

“Holly considered the whole house when picking fabrics, furniture and accessories to ensure our home had a cohesive look,” says Halverson. “This approach has allowed us to move items from one room to another if we want to change things up and still maintain the original design aesthetic.”n

About the designer Based in Central Texas, designer Holly Mathis shares her passion for casual cottage style and love of fabric as a decorator, stylist and blogger. She accepts inquiries for a limited number of e-consults through her website. hollymathisinteriors.com About the builder Brian Guidry Custom Homes has specialized in custom builds and remodels in the Lafayette area for more than 25 years. brianguidryhomes.com

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home+sty l e / p o u r l a m a iso n

Metal Harmony Follow these designer tips and you’ll be mixing metals like a pro

How To

Mix Metal Finishes

by M a r i e E l i z a b e t h O l i v e r p h oto by R o m e r o & R o m e r o

❶ Determine your space’s overall style.

❷ Choose your favorite primary finish.

❸ Select a contrasting secondary finish.

❹ Pick out permanent fixtures, like plumbing, first.

❺ Opt for your secondary finish on hardware and lighting.

❻ Use furniture and accessories to balance the finishes.

❼

A s k a ny de s igner for adv ice a bout

creating a classic look, and chances are they’ll talk about mixing: old with new, highs with lows, bolds with neutrals. Just like your mawmaw’s gumbo, there’s not an exact recipe to follow.

It’s all about balance.

“It’s more of a put together feel — it’s not all matchy-matchy,” explains interior designer Paige LaVergne, owner of Acadiana-based LaV Designs.

LaVergne says metal finishes are no exception to this rule. In other words, just because you’re a big fan of polished brass, doesn’t mean it should be reflected on every knob and fixture in your home.

She advises her clients to choose two (no more, no less) complemen-

tary finishes to balance throughout their home. Her current favorites are brushed gold with polished nickel because they are on completely different ends of the spectrum. She also likes mixing matte black and chrome.

“Choose things that are opposite,” she explains. “Opposites complement each other.”

LaVergne prioritizes the finish on plumbing fixtures, such as faucets and pot fillers, first, opting for a more classic finish because most people will live with these choices for a long time.

She says she recommends a secondary finish for light fixtures and cabinet hardware.

One of the biggest mistakes she sees people make is trying to shop for

fixtures and hardware online, which can quickly become overwhelming.

She prefers buying these pieces locally, so “you can touch and feel and see the finish in person.”

“You don’t want to invest in something that may not be the quality you’re hoping for,” she adds.

However, her No. 1 tip to nailing the mixed metals look is to make absolutely sure your selections all adhere to the same design aesthetic.

“Whether it’s modern or traditional or transitional you can mix metals easily,” says LaVergne. “You want to keep within your style to make sure it all works well together.”n

Paige LaVergne, LaV Designs / 337-962-1508. paige.lavdesigns@gmail.com. Instagram: @Paige.LaVdesigns. FB: LaVDesignsLafayette.

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All selections should fall within a consistent design style.

About the designer:

Paige LaVergne is the owner and principal designer at LaV Designs. She holds a degree in interior design from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and specializes in residential design, from new constructions to full remodels.

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home+styl e / a l a mo d e

❷

❶

❸

❹

❺

❻

❼ ❽

Have a Ball Thanks to Carnival season, there’s no reason to hang up your party shoes after the holidays. In fact, it’s the perfect excuse for an upgrade.

Celebrate Mardi Gras and the kickoff to 2020s with Gatsby-approved glamour. Spring is the perfect time to shimmer and shine.

by M a r i e E l i z a b e t h O l i v e r p h oto by R o m e r o & R o m e r o

1. Black fur jacket from Little Town 2. French Connection metallic dress from Hemline 3. Gravati black leather dress shoe from F. Camalo 4.

Femme fan earrings from Little Town 5. La Chic beaded purse from Little Town 6. Amanda Uprichard Maggie blouse from Hemline 7. Italo Ferretti neckties from F. Camalo 8. Jeffrey Campbell Laura-JS heeled sandal from Hemline

Little Town. 1116 Coolidge St. Lafayette. 337-268-9499 / Hemline. 1910 Kaliste Saloom Rd. Suite 200, Lafayette. 337-406-1119 / F. Camalo. 416 Heymann Blvd. Lafayette. 337-233-4984

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Ça c’est bon

t h e J OLENE CO C KTAIL AT T H E p o i n t s e a fo o d a n d st e a k h o us e IS A DOLLY PARTON INSPIRED TAKE ON A MINT J ULEP

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fo o d+dr i nk / s u r l a m e nu

Culinary Celebration Hospitality and good will at Broussard’s The Point Seafood and Steakhouse

by J y l B e n s o n p h oto s by j o s e p h v i d r i n e

W it h twe n t y - s i x y ear s o f h o s p italit y

experience between them, in the fall of 2018 Candace Cooper and Jacob Sonnier decided it was time to make the move and open their own restaurant.

“The concept was a simple one,” Sonnier said.

“Get back to why we go out to eat.”

Their restaurant, The Point Seafood and Steakhouse, opened last spring in Broussard with an oyster bar and grill, a commitment to serving only domestic seafood, a full-service bar with a lively craft cocktail scene, a

bustling kitchen and a lovely dining room with striking whitewashed floors and tables covered in white linen. The elegant space with a coastal vibe is offset by the warm, personable service provided by a well-trained staff drawn by the restaurateurs’ commitment to creating a quality work culture for their employees.

Sonnier shared the company’s mission statement in both French and English: On veut fêter notre culture parmi notre famille, nos amis, et surtout notre communauté aussi bien que l’on veuille mettre en

The Point Seafood and Steakhouse / 811 Albertsons Parkway Suite o., Broussard, 337-330-2026.

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avance tout ce que l’industrie devrait essayer d’atteindre — l’hospitalité et la bienveillance.

(We want to celebrate our culture with our family, our friends, and especially our community as well as wanting to highlight everything that the industry should strive for — hospitality and good will).

“We want you to feel special, important, but most of all celebrated,” Sonnier said. “Oftentimes we feel like the industry forgot why we go to eat out with our families and friends. The food is always an important element to having a successful restaurant, but what distinguishes us from a corporate chain or any other is that we genuinely care about our guests. It’s this

menu

Try this

❶ Point Platter

Crab claws, catfish, oysters, crawfish tails, and shrimp all grilled or fried to your liking: Cornmeal crusted and deep fried or tossed in seasoned flour then fried. Served with two sides.

❷ Crab Cakes

Two bread crumb-crusted deep-fried crab cakes featuring jumbo lump, regular white lump and crab claw meat served with the creamy house sauce

❸ Boudin Quesadilla

A flour tortilla filled with pepper jack cheese and Billeaud’s boudin then grilled to a golden brown, so the boudin gets melty, then drizzled with house pepper jelly and served with a side of Steen’s Cane Syrup.

❹ The Jolene Cocktail

drive to please our patrons that spurs on our unique dishes, cocktails and personalized service; that leads to the celebration of food and drink, culture and connection.

“Take a bite from a Boudin Quesadilla, or a sip of the Jolene [cocktail]: We want you to be taken back to a time with family and Steen’s[Cane Syrup] covered biscuits, or a night out at an elegant bar meeting new friends.”

Cooper, an award-winning bar master, mans the bar and oversees the front of the house while Sonnier plays a double roll strad-

dling both the dining room and the kitchen he co-chefs with Marshall Harrison, Sydney Beck, Marshall Harrison and Reginald Charles Jr. The size of the kitchen staff and the years of experience they bring to their craft allows them to elevate old classics while creating new ones.

Weekly specials include 12-ounce ribeyes with grilled shrimp and a side for $17.99 and $4 glasses of Coastal Vines wine on Thursdays. Taco Tuesdays bring $10 taco platters and two-for-one margaritas. n

BONUS BITE Avec Bacon, Paul Ayo’s personal experiment in all things bacon, is now featuring a new creation, boudin bacon on the menu. Get it on a biscuit for $5.95 or indulge in a sandwich with pepper jack cheese and fig pepper jelly for $9.95. Avec Bacon Cafe, 4807 Johnston St. Suite L, Lafayette, 337-7896121, avecbacon.com

In 2017 bar master Candace Cooper took the title of People’s Choice Champion in “The Clash of the Cocktails” competition with this signature drink, a take on a mint julep with the addition of strawberry, inspired by Dolly Parton.

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fo o d+dr i nk / de la c u isine

Casual Repast Fresh, seasonal fare perfect for dining al fresco

by M a r c e l l e B i e n v e n u p h oto & s tyling by E u g e n i a Uh l

Can it be that the days are getting just a bit

longer, perhaps imperceptibly so, but longer just the same? As spring approaches I watch for telltale signs like the pale green leaves sprouting on the towering pecan trees in my backyard or on the graceful bald cypresses on the water’s edge. Even the air seems lighter, softer. Azaleas and delicate white flowers of bridal wreath brings riotous color at every turn.

Too, it’s the season for crawfish, the popular freshwater crustaceans that are the harbinger for al fresco dining. Crawfish farmers harvest the mudbugs from the acres and acres of ponds along the I-10 corridor. Fishermen in the Atchafalaya Basin scoop up sacks of the sweet delicacies to bring to market.

Up to the east and north of Lake Pontchartrain, in the parishes of Livingston and Tangipahoa, the indication of spring is the appearance of scrumptious, plump strawberries, ripe and ready for the picking. Since the 1930s, this area has been a stronghold for Louisiana’s berry crop.

A menu to serve for a casual repast on a tree-shaded patio is easy to plan from what is in season. n

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You can also add chunks of fresh pineapple and roasted pecan or walnut pieces, and a few extra grindings of black pepper.

starter

Sensation Salad Combine 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice and 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar in a small bowl. Whisk to blend.

Gradually add ⅓ cup olive oil (you can add more to taste), whisking constantly to blend. Add 4 crushed garlic cloves and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. In a large salad bowl, add 1 medium size head iceberg lettuce (cleaned, cored, and torn into bite-size pieces), 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (about 1 cup) and ½ cup freshly grated Romano cheese. Add dressing, at little at time and only enough to coat the lettuce evenly. Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes before serving. Any leftover dressing can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. Makes about 6 servings Add about 2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder to make chocolateflavored shortcakes.

❶

Place 4 cups of hulled and sliced strawberries in a large bowl and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar, or more to taste. Cover and refrigerate. Whip 1 pint whipping cream and add ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract.

Cover and chill.

❷

main course

Smothered Grits with Crawfish I have tried many versions of the Low-Country dish of shrimp and grits, but this recipe, inspired by Emeril Lagasse (with whom I worked for a number of years) using crawfish rather than shrimp is a winner in my book.

M akes 8 to 1 0 servings

1 pound peeled crawfish tails 1 teaspoon salt

Shrimp can be substituted for the crawfish.

for dessert

Strawberry Shortcake

½ teaspoon cayenne 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 cup chopped yellow onions 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon

chopped garlic 2 cups chicken stock 3 cups half-and-half 1½ cups quick-cooking white grits ½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

1

Toss crawfish tails with salt and cayenne in a medium mixing bowl.

2

Heat olive oil in a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring, until slightly soft, about 2 minutes. Add crawfish and garlic. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the stock and half-and-half and bring the mixture to a boil.

3 4

Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 2 minutes.

Add the grits and stir constantly until they are tender and creamy, about 10 minutes. Add cheese and stir until mixed and melted. Serve warm.

Preheat oven to 450 F. In a large bowl, mix 2 cups bleached allpurpose flour, 2½ teaspoons baking powder and 1 teaspoon salt. Using a pastry blender or two knives, cut in 6 tablespoons chilled butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add ¾ cup milk. Mix well and quickly. Turn the dough out onto a floured board and knead briefly.

❸

Roll out dough to ½-inch thick. Cut into 3-inch rounds and place on ungreased cookie sheet. Brush tops with a little milk and sprinkle, if you like, with a little sugar. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes.

❹

Let biscuits cool for a minute or so, then split open and spread each half lightly with butter.

Place berries and whipped cream on bottom half and cover with top half.

Add more whipped cream and berries.

Garnish with whole berries and fresh mint springs.

Makes 6 to 8 servings

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fo o d+d r in k / r ec ettes d e co c kta ils

Pass a Rummin’ Good Time POUR Restaurant and Bar in Youngsville debuts a seductively sweet Mardi Gras-inspired rum cocktail

by L i s a L e B l a n c- B e r r y p h oto by R o m e r o & R o m e r o

Feeling romantic? Then head to Youngsville

around dusk, when acoustic guitarists begin amorous, tender tunes at POUR, the new hot spot in Sugar Mill Pond (situated along the March 2 Mardi Gras parade route). Arrive about an hour before nightfall, sink into deep leather chairs near the Dutch Kepler paintings or the bar area and just watch.

“It’s the most romantic place to be at sunset,” says general manager Lauren Adams. “The view as the sun is going down is incredible.”

Since opening in June, 2019, neighborhood regulars and fashionable couples visiting the area have been arriving in everything from golf carts to luxury whips for tipples, tapas and twilight views.

The sleek-and-sexy scene is a magnet for discerning date night-trippers. On weekends, folks gravitate to the Bloody Mary bar until mid-afternoon.

Under new management since POUR Holdings, Inc. assumed ownership of the original POUR in Lafayette (from Double R Restaurant Group), the 3,000-square-foot Youngsville location was redesigned to create just one large space that incorporates both the restaurant and lounge areas, adjoined by a lovely patio.

Bar manager Andrew Valdez, a native of New Orleans, has created a new hit cocktail, Rummin’ Thru Da Bayou. Smooth and creamy, redolent of vanilla and orange marmalade flavors balanced with bitters, its frothy finish pops with a basil-citrus garnish. Order one while enjoying duck empanada tapas or a charcuterie board with bacon jam and fruit.

“I’m passionate about each and every cocktail that I make,” says Valdez. “Named for its main ingredient, Bayou Rum XO Mardi Gras, Rummin’ Thru Da Bayou is ideal for any brunch event.” n

POUR Restaurant and Bar / 1901 Chemin Metairie Road. Youngsville. 337-573-4315. eatatpour.com

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make at home

Rummin’ Thru Da Bayou Shake 1 ½ ounces Bayou Rum XO Mardi Gras, 3 dashes orange bitters, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract and ¼ ounce pure maple syrup over ice, strain. Then dry shake (without ice) with ¾ ounce liquid egg whites to create a froth on top. Pour into a coupe glass. Garnish with orange peel twists and basil leaves.

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Chicken thighs are a good source of protein, niacin, riboflavin, vitamins B12 and B6, as well as minerals and amino acids.

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recipes by Stanley Dry photography by Eugenia Uhl

Come February, our New Year’s resolution about eating healthier has begun to fade from memory, so now’s a good time to reinforce our resolve. This month’s recipes, created with an eye to limiting fat and calories, can help. They are both nutritious and delicious, none of them are difficult to execute, several of them feature fruits and vegetables and all of them will bring smiles around the dinner table.

Light Recipes

Thin Pork Chops with Dried Fruit

For this dish, use very thinly sliced boneless pork chops, sometimes labeled “Breakfast Pork Chops.”

It takes about six of them to make a pound. They are lean and cook quickly.

NUTRITION FACTS

RECIPE 4 dried apricots 1 cup freshly brewed strong black tea 4 dried plums (prunes) ¼ cup golden raisins 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar cayenne pepper to taste

Pork is an excellent source of protein and minerals.

4 thin pork chops coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste STEP 1 Simmer

apricots in tea, covered, until plumped, about 10 minutes. Uncover, add plums, raisins, vinegar and cayenne.

Simmer until the liquid is thick and syrupy.

STEP 2 Preheat oven

to 375 F and oil a nonreactive baking dish large enough to hold chops in one layer. Cut away visible fat from pork chops, pat dry with paper towels, add to baking dish and season with salt and black pepper. Spoon fruit and syrup over chops and bake until pork is cooked through, about 10 minutes.

STEP 3 Serve over

couscous or rice.

SERVES 4

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Dried fruits are a good source of fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

Spaniards brought apricots to Mexico, and in the 18th century cultivation of the fruit spread to California.

Sow in Love Pork loves sweet and tart flavors.

Pomegranate molasses (available in Middle Eastern stores) provides both.

Roasted Pork Loin Filet with Pomegranate and Pomegranate Molasses “Spanish sailors took the pomegranate from the Mediterranean region, where it had long been cultivated, to America.”—The Oxford Companion To Food 1

1

½ ¼

½ 2

½

pork loin filet (about 1½ pounds) tablespoon extra virgin olive oil teaspoon coarse salt teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper lemon tablespoons pomegranate molasses plus additional for garnish cup pomegranate seeds

1. Rub pork with olive oil.

Combine salt and pepper and rub into meat. Place loin in a plastic bag. Squeeze lemon juice over meat and add 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses. Squeeze bag and rotate loin so that it is completely covered with the seasonings. Seal bag and marinate for a few hours or overnight in the refrigerator.

2. Preheat oven to 350 F.

Pomegranates provide fiber, as well as a variety of vitamins and minerals.

Place pork loin in a shallow baking pan and roast, basting occasionally with marinade, until juices run clear when pierced, about 45 minutes. Let meat rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Serve drizzled with pomegranate molasses. Garnish with fresh pomegranate seeds.

SERVES 4

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An Act of Gourd Cushaw, like other winter squashes, is extremely versatile and can be used in everything from soup to pie. Extremely large specimens can be difficult to peel, but small ones are easily dispatched when cut into manageable portions.

This very basic dish showcases the sweet and delicate flavor of cushaw.

Parmesan is high in vitamin B12, minerals (especially phosphorus) and amino acids.

Baked Cushaw with Parmesan and Parsley Cushaw, which is also known as sweet potato pumpkin or Tennessee sweet potato, can grow to 20 pounds.

1 small cushaw (about 2 pounds) 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan 2 tablespoons chopped parsley 1. Preheat oven to 350 F and oil

a 9-inch baking dish. Cut off neck of squash and cut a slice off the bottom. Split squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out seeds and fibers. Cut each half lengthwise into strips about 1½ inches wide. Peel squash and cut into 1-1½ inch cubes. Toss with olive oil, season generously with salt and pepper and turn into baking dish.

2. Bake in preheated oven

until squash is tender, about 45 minutes. Sprinkle with Parmesan and chopped parsley.

SERVES 4

40 acadiana profile february/march 2020

RECIPE 1 large or 2 small fennel bulbs 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 1 teaspoon lemon juice coarse salt to taste 1 large or 2 small navel oranges fennel fronds ½ cup pecan pieces STEP 1 Cut fennel

bulb(s) from stalk and remove tough outer leaves. Cut bulb lengthwise into two pieces and cut away the core. Using a mandoline or very sharp knife, cut into very thin slices.

Julienne slices, add to salad bowl and toss with olive oil and lemon juice. Season with salt.

STEP 2 Peel

Fennel, Orange and Pecan Salad This is a wonderfully bright and refreshing salad.

Exact measurements are difficult because fennel bulbs and navel oranges vary so much in size.

Fennel, along with celery, chervil, dill and parsley, is a member of the carrot family.

orange(s) and remove all pith. Section orange(s) and cut each section into 2 or 3 pieces, depending on size. Add to bowl.

Separate fennel fronds and scatter over salad. Add pecans and toss.

SERVES 4

NUTRITION FACTS

Fennel provides fiber, vitamins A and C and a variety of minerals.

Navel oranges are an excellent source of vitamin C, as well as minerals and amino acids.

Pecans provide fiber, protein, calcium, iron, a variety of vitamins, minerals and amino acids.

ac adianaprofile.com 41

Winter Vegetable Soup

This is one of my favorite seasonal soups. With good bread, it is substantial enough to make a meal. Use enough cayenne pepper to give the soup a little kick, providing a contrast to the sweetness of the vegetables.

RECIPE Eat soup first and eat it last, and live till a hundred years be past.

French proverb

8 cups chicken stock 3 tablespoons tomato paste 2 medium onions 1 pound carrots 1 pound parsnips 1 pound turnips 1 pound winter squash coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste cayenne pepper to taste extra virgin olive oil to taste Âź cup chopped parsley STEP 1 Combine stock

and tomato paste in a large, heavy pot and bring to a boil.

STEP 2 Chop onions

and add to pot. Peel carrots, cut into chunks and add to pot. Peel parsnips, slice and add to pot. Peel turnips, cut into chunks and add to pot. Peel winter squash, cut into chunks and add to pot.

STEP 3 Simmer until Winter squash is a good source of Vitamins A, B6 and C, as well as minerals and amino acids.

vegetables are tender.

Season with salt, black pepper and cayenne.

STEP 4 When serving,

add some of your best olive oil to each bowl of soup and garnish with chopped parsley.

SERVES 6

NUTRITION FACTS

Carrots are an excellent source of vitamin A, other vitamins, minerals and amino acids.

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Parsnips are an excellent source of vitamin C, provide fiber and a range of vitamins and minerals.

Turnips provide vitamin C and a range of minerals and amino acids.

Fowl Play Lemon and green olives transform bland chicken thighs into a bright and flavorful dish.

Orzo, the rice-shaped pasta, adds substance.

Chicken Thighs with Lemon, Green Olives and Orzo “The lack of flavour has meant that chickens are particularly suited to dishes which involve distinctive added flavours.”—The Oxford Companion To Food 4

2 1 4 24 1 1

boneless, skinless chicken thighs Cajun/Creole seasoning to taste tablespoons extra virgin olive oil cup chicken stock lemon slices green olives tablespoon lemon juice cup orzo coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Pat chicken thighs dry with paper

towels, then sprinkle liberally with Cajun/Creole seasoning. Add olive oil to a large, nonreactive skillet and cook chicken thighs on medium heat until nicely browned, about 6 minutes. Turn chicken and brown on the other side, about 4 minutes. Remove chicken from pan and pour off fat. Add chicken stock and scrape up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Return chicken thighs to pan and place a slice of lemon on each thigh. Add olives and lemon juice to pan and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, cook orzo until al dente,

Lemon juice and peel are good sources of Vitamin C.

according to package instructions.

Drain orzo, reserving some of the cooking water. When chicken is done, remove thighs from pan and add orzo.

Season with salt and pepper. Simmer orzo for a minute or two to meld flavors, adding some of the cooking water, if necessary. Return chicken to pan and serve.

SERVES 4

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TOP DOCTORS 213 Doctors 40 Specialties + toughest cases

p r o f i l e s by f r i t z e s k e r p o r t r a i t s by r o m e r o & r o m e r o

P

eople are never more vulnerable than

when visiting doctors. Whether it’s for a routine checkup, treatment for a life-threatening illness or an auspicious occasion like the birth of a child, the patient will always feel at least some anxiety and uncertainty. There are often questions, concerns or even fears. A great doctor provides excellent medical care and advice, but also treats the patient as a human being. It’s a mixture of scientific skills and social skills. Fortunately, Acadiana has many doctors who fit that profile.

The physicians profiled in our Top Doctors issue of Acadiana Profile this year work in a variety of medical fields, but share a common denominator of providing excellent medical care that treats the whole person. Drs. Katherine Pearce, Jason Cormier and Brad Forsyth have helped countless patients over their considerable careers. But with each profile, we hoped to highlight one or two cases that stood out to them as both particularly challenging and uniquely rewarding.

ac adianaprofile.com 45

TOP D O CTO R S

Dr. Katherine Pearce An internist at Our Lady of the Lake in Baton Rouge, Dr. Katherine Pearce cares for her patients through problems big and small and forms real relationships along the way.

D

r. Katherine Pearce, an inter-

nist at Our Lady of the Lake in Baton Rouge, has always had a fondness for science and problem solving. That problem-solving skill has served her well in almost 30 years of practicing medicine.

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The variety of the work the 55-year-old Dr. Pearce does keeps it fresh and interesting on a daily basis for her. As an internist, she treats a broad scope of medical problems. She works with patients who suffer from ailments ranging from sinus infections to hypertension to dementia.

“Every day is different,” Dr. Pearce said. “Even patients I’ve seen for many years are different every time they come into my office.”

A recent case Dr. Pearce found rewarding was a young woman (Dr. Pearce treats only women in her practice) suffering from a rash. At first, the woman thought it was just allergies.

She saw a nurse practitioner about the problem, but it did not get better.

So, she turned to Dr. Pearce for help.

Dr. Pearce recognized the rash was a symptom of a blood disorder and was able to refer her patient to a hematologist for proper treatment.

Since Dr. Pearce sees her patients for years, she gets to develop real relationships with them. She watches them grow and change throughout their lives, and they do the same with her.

Reading people and getting them to open up is an important part of Dr. Pearce’s job. Some people are worse than others at conveying what’s wrong, some have personality disorders, and some suffer from early onset dementia but don’t know it. As a result, people skills are as vital as medical skills.

The people skills are also important when telling patients that they need further testing for a troubling issue.

She has to communicate the potential seriousness of an issue without overly alarming a patient.

Fun Facts Dr. Pearce, a Baton Rouge native, About The Doc feels that the physician workforce has become much more diverse since she Five years ago, started her career. When she was in Dr. Pearce ran in the New York medical school at LSU-Shreveport, there City Marathon. were less than 15 women in her class.

But now, Dr. Pearce’s son (one of three Dr. Pearce is an children) is in med school and more avid reader. She splits her time than 50 percent of his classmates are between fiction women. She added that as recently as and nonfiction 20 years ago, you would not have seen books. The last a female orthopedist in the South. Now, one she really enjoyed was there are two in Baton Rouge alone.

Melinda Gates’ Even though Dr. Pearce has prac"The Moment ticed medicine for almost 30 years, she of Lift: How is still excited about what the future Empowering Women Changes holds in her profession. The scienthe World." tific advances in targeted therapy for cancers based on individual genomic She also loves to markers in the tumors will be very travel. In recent years, she has helpful to cancer patients. visited Vietnam “With everything we are learning and Thailand, about the human genome, we’re really as well as Costa on the cusp of an exciting revolution Rica for a mother-daughter trip. in medicine,” Dr. Pearce said.

Allergy & Immunology

Cardiac Electrophysiology

Jibran Atwi Our Lady of Lourdes Women’s & Children’s Hospital Pediatric Group of Acadiana 401 Youngsville Hwy, Ste 100 Lafayette 337-330-0031

Kenneth Civello Jr Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Louisiana Cardiology Associates 7777 Hennessy Blvd Medical Plaza II, Ste 1000 Baton Rouge 225-767-3900

John Erffmeyer Ochsner Medical Center-Baton Rouge Ochsner Health Center Allergy & Immunology Dept 10310 The Grove Blvd Baton Rouge 225-761-5200 Bernard Fruge Jr Our Lady of Lourdes Women’s & Children’s Hospital Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Center of SWLA 320 Settlers Trace Blvd Lafayette 337-981-9495 Bina Joseph Our Lady of Lourdes Women’s & Children’s Hospital Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Ctr of SW LA 320 Settlers Trace Blvd Lafayette 337-981-9495 James Kidd III Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Kidd Allergy Clinic 8017 Picardy Ave Baton Rouge 225-769-4432 Powlin Manuel Our Lady of Lourdes Women’s & Children’s Hospital Manuel Allergy Center 104 Genevieve Drive Lafayette 337-984-0110 Prem Menon Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Asthma, Allergy & Immunology Center 5217 Flanders Drive Baton Rouge 225-766-6931 Joseph Redhead Jr Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center The Baton Rouge Clinic 7373 Perkins Rd Baton Rouge 225-769-4044

C Smith Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Louisiana Cardiology Associates 7777 Hennessy Blvd Medical Plaza II, Ste 1000 Baton Rouge 225-767-3900

Cardiovascular Disease Esmond Barker Heart Hospital of Lafayette, The Barker’s Cardiovascular Center 4212 W Congress St, Ste 1800A Lafayette 337-981-7677 Bart Denys Thibodaux Regional Medical Center Cardiovascular Institute of the South 1320 Martin Luther King Drive Thibodaux 985-446-2021 N. Joseph Deumite Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Louisiana Cardiology Associates 7777 Hennessy Blvd Medical Plaza II, Ste 1000 Baton Rouge 225-767-3900 Michael Dibbs Heart Hospital of Lafayette, The Cardiology Center Of Acadiana 121 Rue Louis XIV Bldg 4 - Ste B Lafayette 337-984-9355

Babu Jasti Lane Regional Medical Center Cardiovascular Institute of the South 6550 Main St, Ste 1000 Zachary 225-654-1559 Joseph Kowalski Heart Hospital of Lafayette, The Cardiology Specialists of Acadiana 315 Rue Louis XIV Lafayette 337-269-9777 Nakia Newsome Baton Rouge GeneralBluebonnet Baton Rouge Cardiology Center 8888 Summa Ave Baton Rouge 225-769-0933 John Winterton Lake Charles Memorial Hospital Lake Charles Memorial Hospital Heart & Vascular Surgery Center 1717 Oak Park Blvd Fl 2 Lake Charles 337-494-3278 Kevin Young Lake Charles Memorial Hospital Lake Charles Memorial Hospital Heart & Vascular Surgery Center 1717 Oak Park Blvd Fl 2 Lake Charles 337-494-3278

Clinical Genetics Duane Superneau Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Our Lady of the Lake Physician Group 8415 Goodwood Blvd, Ste 202A Baton Rouge 225-765-8988

Colon & Rectal Surgery

Daniel Fontenot Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge Cardiology Center 5231 Brittany Drive Baton Rouge 225-769-0933

Louis Barfield Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge Colon Rectal Associates 7777 Hennessy Blvd, Ste 206 Baton Rouge 225-767-1156

Steven Gremillion Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Louisiana Cardiology Associates 7777 Hennessy Blvd Medical Plaza II, Ste 1000 Baton Rouge 225-767-3900

Richard Byrd Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge Colon Rectal Associates 7777 Hennessy Blvd, Ste 206 Baton Rouge 225-767-1156

ac adianaprofile.com 47

TOP DO CTO R S

Dr. Jason Cormier Neurosurgeon Dr. Jason Cormier is regularly thrust into high-stakes situations, but he thrives on the pressure as he fights to save his patients' lives and mobility.

Fun Facts About The Doc Dr. Cormier played point guard for LSU’s basketball team during the storied Dale Brown era.

His teammates included Chris Jackson (now known as Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf) and Shaquille O’Neal.

He even played professional basketball in Madrid for 14 months.

A

s a neurosurgeon, Dr. Jason

Cormier is often placed into high-stakes situations. But the pressure and the challenge of his work is part of what drives him to be the best he can be.

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While the Lafayette-based Dr. Cormier has helped many memorable patients over the years, one in particular stands out. Several years ago on Mother’s Day, he was called in to operate on a woman with a severe

It should not be surprising based on his work with motorsports, but Dr. Cormier is also an avid racing fan.

He races go-karts in his spare time.

Dr. Cormier is a graduate of St. Thomas More High School in Lafayette.

blood clot in her brain. She had been in a car accident with other family members. The radiologist could not believe the woman was still alive with a blood clot that size. Dr. Cormier was in disbelief, too.

Dr. Cormier operated on the woman, then successfully operated on her son, who sustained a spinal injury in the same car accident. After another examination of the woman’s brain, Dr. Cormier discovered an additional blood clot. He removed that one as well and reconstructed her skull. At first, the woman struggled. After two days, it seemed like she might not recover.

But on the third day, she slowly began to regain her health.

The journey to recovery was not easy for that patient, but through physical therapy, she was able to walk again. She has never forgotten Dr. Cormier, either.

Every year on Mother’s Day, she drops off a home-cooked meal at his office as a thank you.

“She’s just a miracle,” Dr. Cormier said.

Aside from the patients, part of what keeps the work exciting for Dr. Cormier is staying at the cutting edge of his profession. There have only been 35 spinal cord rotations performed in history, and he has performed nine of them. The procedure sacrifices a few nerve roots to loosen and rotate the spine, so the surgeon can fix the problem in a way that’s safer for the patients and reduces the risk of paralysis. His patients have been able to walk out of the hospital after the surgeries.

Since the surgeries Dr. Cormier performs are serious, it is important to communicate with concerned family members. He said he strives to be compassionate, but also give loved ones realistic expectations as to what is likely to happen during and after the surgery.

Dr. Cormier is also the founder and CEO of Motorsports Safety Group. He started the group as a means to promote health, wellness and preventive practices within the sport of auto racing.

A native of Lafayette, Dr. Cormier has long held an interest in medicine and science. He thinks much of this stems from his mother, a science teacher.

“Science always made sense to me,” Dr. Cormier said.

Initially, Dr. Cormier wanted to be a heart surgeon, but he changed his mind and switched to neurosurgery because he liked the challenges it offered.

Dermatology Tamela Charbonnet Thibodaux Regional Medical Center Grafton Dermatology & Cosmetic Surgery 327 Bayou Gardens Blvd Houma 985-876-5000 Mary Dickerson Louisiana Dermatology Associates 10154 Jefferson Hwy Baton Rouge 225-927-5663 Lee Grafton Thibodaux Regional Medical Center Grafton Dermatology & Cosmetic Surgery 327 Bayou Gardens Blvd Houma 985-876-5000 Laurie Harrington Lane Regional Medical Center Advanced Dermatology 20474 Old Scenic Hwy Zachary 225-654-1124 Scott Jackson Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center The Baton Rouge Clinic 7373 Perkins Rd Baton Rouge 225-769-4044 W. Trent Massengale Atlas Dermatology 163 Burgin Ave Baton Rouge 225-313-4560 Ashley Record Atlas Dermatology 163 Burgin Ave Baton Rouge 225-313-4560 Ann Zedlitz Z Aesthetic Dermatology 5305 Flanders Drive Baton Rouge 225-778-7540

Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism Sandra Dempsey Imperial Health Endocrinology Center 1727 Imperial Blvd Lake Charles 337-310-3670 Gary Field Baton Rouge General Medical Center The Baton Rouge Clinic 7373 Perkins Rd Baton Rouge 225-246-9240 Timothy Gilbert Imperial Health Endocrinology Center 1727 Imperial Blvd Lake Charles 337-310-3670

Robin Kilpatrick Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Our Lady of the Lake Physician Group 5428 O’Donovan Drive Baton Rouge 225-300-1076 Joel Silverberg Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center The Baton Rouge Clinic 7373 Perkins Rd Baton Rouge 225-769-4044

Family Medicine Danielle Angeron Terrebonne General Medical Center South Louisiana Medical Associates 181 Corporate Drive Houma 985-262-1639 Donald Brignac Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center LPG Concierge Medicine 5428 O’Donovan Drive, Ste B Baton Rouge 225-330-0480 Kelly Cahill Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center - Lafayette Lourdes Physician Group 3220 Kaliste Saloom Rd Lafayette 337-470-3370 Andree Caillet Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center - Lafayette Lourdes Physician Group 3220 Kaliste Saloom Rd Lafayette 337-470-3370 Nandita Chadha Chadha Medical Clinic 140 W 4th St Dequincy 337-786-5007 Indira Gautam Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center - Lafayette Comprehensive Family Care 327 Iberia St, Ste 3A Youngsville 337-857-3512

Elizabeth McLain Lafayette General Medical Center Lafayette General Medical Center Family Medicine Department 1211 Coolidge St, Ste 404 Lafayette 337-289-8478 Darrin Menard Scott Family Physicians 202 Westgate Rd Lafayette 337-232-1802 Patrick Moore Moore Healthcare Group of Lafayette 307 Alcide Dominique Drive Lafayette 337-706-8986 Joseph Orgeron Lafayette General Medical Center Orgeron & Pillette Family Medicine 4906 Ambassador Caffery Pkwy Bldg M, Ste 1302 Lafayette 337-534-8964 Cassandra Pillette Lafayette General Medical Center Orgeron & Pillette Family Medicine 4906 Ambassador Caffery Parkway Bldg M, Ste 1302 Lafayette 337-534-8964 Arthur Primeaux Lake Charles Memorial Hospital Imperial Health 771 Bayou Pines Drive E Lake Charles 337-433-1212 Paul Stringfellow Acadia General Hospital The Family Clinic of Crowley 345 Odd Fellows Rd Crowley 337-783-7004

Gastroenterology

Karrie Kilgore Acadia General Hospital The Family Clinic of Crowley 345 Odd Fellows Rd Crowley 337-783-7004

Stephen Abshire Lafayette General Medical Center The Gastro Clinic 1211 Coolidge Blvd, Ste 303 Lafayette 337-232-6697

Sunshine Little Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center - Lafayette Lourdes Physician Group 3824 NE Evangeline Thruway, Ste B Carencro 337-470-3280

Irfan Alam Lafayette General Southwest Gastroenterology Center Of LA 4212 W Congress St, Ste 2400E Lafayette 337-984-4350

1103 Kaliste Saloom Rd # 104 Lafayette, LA 70508

(337) 289-9129

Southern Spine Institute is an outpatient physical therapy clinic that treats a wide variety of orthopedic conditions. These conditions include but are not limited to neck and back injuries; shoulder and upper extremity injuries; and hip, knee or ankle injuries. The staff at Southern Spine Institute is committed to providing quality physical therapy services with an emphasis on returning the client to the highest level of functioning. We now offer dry needling.

Most insurances are accepted. ac adianaprofile.com 49

TOP DOCTO R S

Dr. Brad Forsyth OB-GYN Dr. Brad Forsyth compassionately guides women through the challenges and joys of bringing new life to the world at Lake Charles Memorial Hospital for Women.

Fun Facts About The Doc When Dr. Forsyth was a child, he wanted to quarterback the New Orleans Saints and become the governor of Louisiana.

S

tarting a new family is one

of the most important times in many people's lives. There is plenty of excitement and anticipation during the pregnancy, but there is also some fear and worry because so much is at stake. As an OB-GYN at Lake Charles Memorial

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Hospital for Women, Dr. Brad Forsyth helps ensure that it all goes as smoothly as possible.

“Every day, you’re adding to people’s families,” Dr. Forsyth said of his work.

“When you sit back and see the joy people have, it’s hard to beat that … You are at the threshold of life. It’s a real privilege.”

A man of devout faith, Dr. Forsyth teaches Sunday school classes to 10th graders.

Dr. Forsyth used to be a marathon runner until an ankle injury sidelined him.

The work has its challenges. Recently, the 45-year-old Dr. Forsyth treated a patient who went into labor on a Tuesday at noon, but the baby was not delivered until 2 a.m. on Wednesday.

The woman originally wanted a natural birth, but changed her mind and asked for an epidural. Then, there were concerns that a C-section would be required.

It wasn’t necessary, and Dr. Forsyth delivered a healthy 9-pound baby.

Dr. Forsyth, who is married and has three children of his own (boys ages 16 and 12, a girl age 9), said part of the work is being patient and flexible with people’s wishes. Different mothers have different birth plans. It’s an OB-GYN’s job to listen and do their best to accommodate the patient’s wishes within reason.

While most of his patient interactions are happy ones, Dr. Forsyth understands the importance of being there for his patients when things end sadly, too.

Recently, one of his patients became pregnant after trying for a long time. But when she came in for a 9-week checkup, the fetus had no heartbeat. Dr. Forsyth spoke to and listened to his patient and they prayed together.

Dr. Forsyth, who graduated medical school from LSU Health Science Center in New Orleans in 2004, remembered his first interest in medicine coming from an unlikely source: Sunday school. He noticed that his 4th grade Sunday school teacher would miss church every other Sunday. When Dr. Forsyth asked why, he learned that the man was a doctor and was on-call every other week. He knew that if the teacher was allowed to miss church, then his job had to be very important.

His curiosity continued through his youth. When he was in high school, he cheered for the LSU basketball team.

The team’s star at the time was Shaquille O’Neal. The young Dr. Forsyth wondered what makes one person 7 feet and 4 inches, and another person 5 feet and 3 inches. The mysteries of genetics and biology fascinated him.

The decision to pursue a career in medicine is one that Dr. Forsyth is grateful for every day. OB-GYNs see patients on a regular basis, so he develops relationships that last for decades. He learns about his patients’ lives, families, jobs and more.

“You get to be a part of someone’s story,” Dr. Forsyth said.

James Balart Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge Clinic 7373 Perkins Rd Baton Rouge 225-246-9240 Charles Berggreen Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Gastroenterology Associates 9103 Jefferson Hwy Baton Rouge 225-927-1190 Richard Broussard Lafayette General Medical Center Acadiana Gastroenterology Associates 439 Heymann Blvd Lafayette 337-269-0963 David Pellegrin Terrebonne General Medical Center Gastroenterology Center of the South 8120 Main St, Ste 200 Houma 985-851-5206 Douglas Walsh Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Gastroenterology Associates 9103 Jefferson Hwy Baton Rouge 225-927-1190 Nathaniel Winstead Terrebonne General Medical Center Houma Digestive Health Specialists 1023 Wood St Houma 985-601-2662

Hand Surgery Rasheed Ahmad Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge Orthopaedic Clinic 8080 Bluebonnet Blvd, Ste 1000 Baton Rouge 225-924-2424 Michael Robichaux Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge Orthopaedic Clinic 8080 Bluebonnet Blvd, Ste 1000 Baton Rouge 225-924-2424

Internal Medicine Michael Alexander Lafayette General Medical Center Internal Medicine of Acadiana 461 Heymann Blvd Lafayette 337-289-8717

Leo Blaize III Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Our Lady of the Lake Physician Group 7777 Hennessy Blvd, Ste 7000 Baton Rouge 225-765-8829 Brian Clements Lake Charles Memorial Hospital Memorial Medical Group Internal Medicine Clinic of Lake Charles 2770 3rd Ave, Ste 350 Lake Charles 337-494-6800 C. Ray Halliburton Jr Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Our Lady of the Lake Physician Group 7777 Hennessy Blvd, Ste 7000 Baton Rouge 225-765-8829 Susan Ieyoub Lake Charles Memorial Hospital Memorial Medical Group Internal Medicine Clinic of Lake Charles 4345 Nelson Rd, Ste 201 Lake Charles 337-494-6800 Mark LaFuria Lake Charles Memorial Hospital Memorial Medical Group Internal Medicine Clinic of Lake Charles 2770 3rd Ave, Ste 350 Lake Charles 337-494-6800 Bryan LeBean Sr Lafayette General Medical Center LeBean Sleep Center 2930 Moss St, Ste B Lafayette 337-261-0559 Bradley Meek Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Our Lady of the Lake Physician Group Internal Medicine at Picardy 8119 Picardy Ave Baton Rouge 225-214-3638 Katherine Pearce Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Our Lady of the Lake Physician Group Primary Care for Women 5131 O’Donovan Drive, Ste 201 Baton Rouge 225-374-0220 Karen Smith Lafayette General Medical Center 461 Heymann Blvd Lafayette 337-289-8646

Interventional Cardiology Donna Adams Baton Rouge General Medical Center Baton Rouge Cardiology Center 5231 Brittany Drive Baton Rouge 225-769-0933 Peter Fail Terrebonne General Medical Center Cardiovascular Institute of the South 225 Dunn St Houma 985-876-0300 Pradeep Nair Terrebonne General Medical Center Cardiovascular Institute of the South 225 Dunn St Houma 985-876-0300 Christopher Paris St. Charles Parish Hospital Cardiovascular Institute of the South 107 Maryland Drive Luling 985-308-1604 Andrew Rees Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Louisiana Cardiology Associates 7777 Hennessy Blvd Medical Plaza II, Ste 1000 Baton Rouge 225-767-3900 Fernando Ruiz Lafayette General Medical Center Cardiovascular Institute of the South 441 Heymann Blvd Lafayette 337-289-8429 Christopher Thompson Lake Charles Memorial Hospital Lake Charles Memorial Hospital Heart & Vascular Surgery Center 1717 Oak Park Blvd Fl 2 Lake Charles 337-494-3278 Charisse Ward Baton Rouge General Medical Center Cardiovascular Institute of the South 8401 Picardy Ave Baton Rouge 225-308-0247

Maternal & Fetal Medicine Paul Dibbs Lafayette General Medical Center Maternal Fetal Medicine of Acadiana 105 Corporate Blvd Lafayette 337-593-9099

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TOP DOCTO R S Robert Moore Woman’s Hospital Woman’s Maternal Fetal Medicine 100 Woman’s Way Baton Rouge 225-924-8338

Medical Oncology Bryan Bienvenu Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Louisiana Hematology Oncology Associates 4950 Essen Ln, Ste 500 Baton Rouge 225-767-1311 B.J. Brooks Jr Ochsner Medical CenterBaton Rouge Ochsner Health Center Medical Oncology Dept 10310 The Grove Blvd Baton Rouge 225-761-5200 Vince Cataldo Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center 4950 Essen Ln, Ste 300 Baton Rouge 225-757-0343 David Hanson Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Louisiana Hematology Oncology Associates 4950 Essen Ln, Ste 500 Baton Rouge 225-767-1311

Michael Roppolo Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Renal Associates of Baton Rouge 5131 O’Donovan Drive, Ste 100 Baton Rouge 225-767-4893 James Yegge Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Renal Associates of Baton Rouge 5131 O’Donovan Drive, Ste 100 Baton Rouge 225-767-4893

Neurological Surgery Alan Appley Lafayette General Medical Center Acadiana Neurosurgery 155 Hospital Drive, Ste 100 Lafayette 337-235-7743 Charles Bowie NeuroMedical Center Surgical Hospital, The The Neuromedical Center Clinic 10101 Park Rowe Ave, Ste 200 Baton Rouge 225-769-2200

Steven Saccaro Lafayette General Medical Center Lafayette General Medical Center Cancer Center of Acadiana 1211 Coolidge St Lafayette 337-289-8400

Jason Cormier Lafayette General Medical Center Acadiana Neurosurgery 155 Hospital Drive, Ste 100 Lafayette 337-534-8680

Derrick Spell Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Louisiana Hematology Oncology Associates 4950 Essen Ln, Ste 500 Baton Rouge 225-767-1311

Kevin Callerame Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Our Lady of the Lake Physician Group 5247 Didesse Drive Baton Rouge 225-215-2193

Nephrology Raynold Corona Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Renal Associates of Baton Rouge 5131 O’Donovan Drive, Ste 100 Baton Rouge 225-767-4893 Mitchell Hebert Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Renal Associates of Baton Rouge 5131 O’Donovan Drive, Ste 100 Baton Rouge 225-767-4893

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Neurology

Gerard Dynes Jr Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center The Baton Rouge Clinic 7373 Perkins Rd Baton Rouge 225-769-4044

Obstetrics & Gynecology Randall Brown Woman’s Hospital Louisiana Women’s Healthcare 500 Rue de la Vie, Ste 100 Baton Rouge 225-201-2000

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Frank Caillet Our Lady of Lourdes Women’s & Children’s Hospital 4650 Ambassador Caffery Parkway, Ste 101 Lafayette 337-981-3363 Francis Cardinale Our Lady of Lourdes Women’s & Children’s Hospital Acadiana Women’s Health Group 4640 Ambassador Caffery Pkwy Lafayette 337-984-1050 Rachel Chua CHRISTUS Ochsner Lake Area Hospital 4150 Nelson Rd, Bldg C, Ste 9 Lake Charles 337-419-0900 David Darbonne Lake Charles Memorial Hospital 1890 W Gauthier Rd, Ste 120 Lake Charles 337-474-3883

Michelle Stutes Our Lady of Lourdes Women’s & Children’s Hospital Women’s Healthcare Associates of Lafayette 4630 Ambassador Caffery Pkwy A Bldg - Ste 408 Lafayette 337-534-0018 A Thibodeaux Our Lady of Lourdes Women’s & Children’s Hospital Hamilton Medical Group 4630 Ambassador Caffery Parkway, Ste 208 Lafayette 337-981-6100

Ophthalmology Frank Culotta Jr Lafayette General Medical Center Acadiana Retina Consultants 1101 S College Rd, Ste 304 Lafayette 337-232-2710

Edward Darby West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital OBGYN Clinic 1200 Stelly Ln Sulphur 337-312-1000

Donald Falgoust CHRISTUS St Patrick Hospital Falgoust Eye Medical & Surgical 1980 Tybee Ln Lake Charles 337-477-0963

Bradley Forsyth Lake Charles Memorial Hospital 1890 W Gauthier Rd, Ste 140 Lake Charles 337-480-5570

Scott Gauthreaux Acadiana Retina Consultants 1101 S College Rd, Ste 304 Lafayette 337-232-2710

J. William Groves Jr Lake Charles Memorial Hospital 1890 W Gauthier Rd, Ste 130 Lake Charles 337-480-5530

Thomas Heigle Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Eye Medical Center 7777 Hennessy Blvd, Ste 4000 Baton Rouge 225-766-7441

Ann Marie Lafranca Woman’s Hospital 500 Rue de la Vie, Ste 210 Baton Rouge 225-928-5951 Opal LeBlanc Our Lady of Lourdes Women’s & Children’s Hospital Women’s Healthcare Associates of Lafayette 4630 Ambassador Caffery Pkwy A Bldg - Ste 408 Lafayette 337-534-0018 Charles Padgett Our Lady of Lourdes Women’s & Children’s Hospital 1211 Coolidge Ave, Ste 405 Lafayette 337-233-7524

Kirk LeBlanc Lafayette General Medical Center 1000 W Pinhook Rd, Ste 303 Lafayette 337-234-8533 Robert Mason Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Retina & Vitreous of Louisiana 10202 Jefferson Hwy D Bldg Baton Rouge 225-768-8833 Allen Pearce Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Eye Medical Center 7777 Hennessy Blvd, Ste 4000 Baton Rouge 225-766-7441

Orthopaedic Surgery Joseph Broyles Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Bone & Joint Clinic of Baton Rouge 7301 Hennessy Blvd, Ste 200 Baton Rouge 225-766-0050 David Clause Opelousas General Health System-Main Campus Opelousas Orthopaedic Clinic 4015 I-49 S Service Rd Opelousas 337-942-6503 Geoffrey Collins West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital Collins Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine 1625 Wolf Cir Lake Charles 337-905-7100 Gabriel Dersam Our Lady of Lourdes Women’s & Children’s Hospital Lourdes Physician Group Pediatric Orthopedic Clinic 4704 Ambassador Caffery Pkwy Lafayette 337-371-3102 Robert Easton Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge Orthopaedic Clinic 8080 Bluebonnet Blvd, Ste 1000 Baton Rouge 225-924-2424 Henry Eiserloh III Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge Orthopaedic Clinic 8080 Bluebonnet Blvd, Ste 1000 Baton Rouge 225-924-2424 Harold Granger Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center - Lafayette Hamilton Medical Group 4809 Ambassador Caffery Parkway, Ste 200 Lafayette 337-988-8855 Craig Greene Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge Orthopaedic Clinic 8080 Bluebonnet Blvd, Ste 1000 Baton Rouge 225-924-2424

R. Bryan Griffith Jr Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge Orthopaedic Clinic 8080 Bluebonnet Blvd, Ste 1000 Baton Rouge 225-924-2424 Michael Alan Hinton Lake Charles Memorial Hospital 230 W Sale Rd Lake Charles 337-477-5252 Mary Mayeux Lafayette General Medical Center Lafayette General Medical Doctors Orthopaedics 4212 W Congress St, Ste 3100 Lafayette 337-235-1600 Thomas Montgomery Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center - Lafayette Montgomery Orthopedics & Sports Medicine 1301 Camellia Blvd, Ste 102 Lafayette 337-235-2264 John Noble Jr CHRISTUS St Patrick Hospital Imperial Health Center For Orthopaedics 1747 Imperial Blvd Lake Charles 337-721-7236 David Pope Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Bone & Joint Clinic of Baton Rouge 7301 Hennessy Blvd, Ste 200 Baton Rouge 225-766-0050 Catherine Riche Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge Orthopaedic Clinic 8080 Bluebonnet Blvd, Ste 1000 Baton Rouge 225-408-7864 Matthew Williams Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center - Lafayette Louisiana Orthopaedic Specialists 108 Rue Louis XIV Lafayette 337-235-8007

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TOP DOCTO R S Otolaryngology John Alldredge Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center - Lafayette Lafayette Ear, Nose & Throat Specialists 225 Bendel Rd Lafayette 337-232-2330 Moises Arriaga Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Our Lady of the Lake Physician Group Hearing & Balance Center 7777 Hennessy Blvd, Ste 709 Baton Rouge 225-765-7735 James Broussard Thibodaux Regional Medical Center Southern ENT Associates 604 N Acadia Rd, Ste 101 Thibodaux 985-446-5079 Lisa David Lafayette General Medical Center David & Eldredge ENT Specialists 109 Rue Fontaine Lafayette 337-266-9820 Maria Doucet Doucet Ear, Nose & Throat 4630 Ambassador Caffery Pkwy A Bldg Ste 402 Lafayette 337-989-4453 Brytton Eldredge Lafayette General Medical Center David & Eldredge ENT Specialists 109 Rue Fontaine Lafayette 337-266-9820 Phillip Noel Abbeville General Hospital Phillip Noel ENT 100 Phoenix Abbeville 337-898-3700 Daniel Nuss Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Head & Neck Center 4950 Essen Ln, Ste 400 Baton Rouge 225-765-1765

Otolaryngology/ Facial Plastic Surgery J. Kevin Duplechain 1103 Kaliste Saloom Rd, Ste 300 Lafayette 337-456-3282

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Jeffrey Joseph Lafayette General Medical Center Acadian ENT & Facial Plastic Surgery Center 1000 West Pinhook Rd, Ste 201 Lafayette 337-237-0650

Pain Medicine Jimmy Ponder Jr Terrebonne General Medical Center Headache & Pain Center 123 Frontage Road-A Gray 985-580-1200

Pediatric Allergy & Immunology Theron McCormick Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Our Lady of the Lake Physician Group Pediatric Specialty Clinic 7777 Hennessy Blvd, Plaza 1, Ste 408 Baton Rouge 225-765-6834

Pediatric Cardiology Michael Crapanzano Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Pediatric Cardiology Associates of LA 7777 Hennessy Blvd, Ste 103 Baton Rouge 225-767-6700 Rufus Hixon III Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Pediatric Cardiology Associates of LA 7777 Hennessy Blvd, Ste 103 Baton Rouge 225-767-6700 Mudar Kattash Lake Charles Memorial Hospital Pediatric Cardiology Of Southwest Louisiana 2005 Southwood Drive Lake Charles 337-562-2293

Pediatric HematologyOncology Ammar Morad Our Lady of Lourdes Women’s & Children’s Hospital Lourdes Physician Group Kids Specialty Center 4704 Ambassador Caffery Pkwy Lafayette 337-371-3101

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Pediatric Surgery Deiadra Garrett Our Lady of Lourdes Women’s & Children’s Hospital Lourdes Physician Group Pediatric General Surgery Clinic 4704 Ambassador Caffrey Parkway Lafayette 337-371-3101

Pediatrics Brian Bailey Our Lady of Lourdes Women’s & Children’s Hospital Lafayette Children’s Clinic 5000 Ambassador Caffery Pkwy, Bldg 12 Lafayette 337-989-5061 Jennifer Boustany Our Lady of Lourdes Women’s & Children’s Hospital Lafayette Pediatrics 4630 Ambassador Caffery Pkwy, Ste 102 Lafayette 337-989-2322 Robert Drumm Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center The Baton Rouge Clinic 7373 Perkins Rd Baton Rouge 225-769-4044 Bernard Ferrer Terrebonne General Medical Center Bayou Pediatric Associates 569 Enterprise Drive Houma 985-872-6405 Jennifer Hogan Ochsner Medical CenterBaton Rouge Ochsner Health Center Pediatrics Dept 10310 The Grove Blvd Baton Rouge 225-761-5200 Michael Judice Our Lady of Lourdes Women’s & Children’s Hospital Lafayette Pediatrics 4630 Ambassador Caffery Pkwy, Ste 102 Lafayette 337-989-2322 Jamar Melton Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center The Baton Rouge Clinic 7373 Perkins Rd Baton Rouge 225-246-9290

Henry Peltier Thibodaux Regional Medical Center Center for Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine 604 N Acadia Rd, Ste 200 Thibodaux 985-448-3700

Ernest Clyde Smoot III Lake Charles Memorial Hospital Lake Charles Plastic Surgery 4150 Nelson Rd A-2 Bldg Lake Charles 337-478-5577

Edward Sledge Jr Ochsner Medical CenterBaton Rouge Ochsner Health Center Pediatrics Dept 10310 The Grove Blvd Baton Rouge 225-761-5200

Taylor Theunissen Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Plastic Surgery Consultants 5233 Dijon Drive Baton Rouge 225-218-6108

Jenny Thomas Lake Charles Memorial Hospital The Pediatric Center of Southwest Louisiana 600 Cypress St Sulphur 337-527-6371 Mark Waggenspack Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center The Baton Rouge Clinic 7373 Perkins Rd Baton Rouge 225-769-4044

Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Craig Morton CHRISTUS St Patrick Hospital Imperial Health Center for Orthopaedics 1747 Imperial Blvd Lake Charles 337-721-7236 Gregory Ward Baton Rouge Rehabilitation Hospital Louisiana Institute of Physical Medicine 10627 Hillary Ct Baton Rouge 225-766-1616

Plastic Surgery Stephen Delatte Jr Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center - Lafayette Delatte Plastic Surg & Skin Care Specs 100 Drury Ln Lafayette 337-269-4949

Psychiatry Renee Bruno Woman’s Hospital 7470 Highland Rd Baton Rouge 225-615-8102

Pulmonary Disease Glenn Gomes Ochsner Medical CenterBaton Rouge Ochsner Health Center Pulmonary Disease Dept 9001 Summa Ave Baton Rouge 225-761-5200 G. Gary Guidry Lafayette General Medical Center Lafayette Pulmonary Clinic 155 Hospital Drive, Ste 101 Lafayette 337-234-3204 Mark Hodges Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center The Baton Rouge Clinic 7373 Perkins Rd Baton Rouge 225-769-4044 Gary Kohler Lake Charles Memorial Hospital Pulmonary Associates of Southwest LA 2770 3rd Ave, Ste 350 Lake Charles 337-494-2750

Michael Hanemann Jr Baton Rouge General Medical Center Hanemann Plastic Surgery 5233 Dijon Drive Baton Rouge 225-766-2166

Michael McCarthy Baton Rouge General Medical Center Baton Rouge Clinic 7373 Perkins Rd Baton Rouge 225-246-9240

Kenneth Odinet Jr Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center - Lafayette 200 Beaullieu Drive, Ste 6 Lafayette 337-234-8648

Kevin Reed Baton Rouge General Medical Center 8585 Picardy Ave, Ste 313 Raton Rouge 225-381-2755

Radiation Oncology Julian Krawczyk Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center - Lafayette OncoLogics Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Ctr 4809 Ambassador Caffery Pkwy, Ste 100 Lafayette 337-769-8660 Andrew Lauve Baton Rouge General Medical Center Radiation Oncology Center 6180 Main St, Ste B Zachary 225-570-1212 James Maze Lake Charles Memorial Hospital Memorial Medical Group Radiation Oncology 1701 Oak Park Blvd Lake Charles 337-494-2121 Perri Prellop Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center - Lafayette OncoLogics Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Ctr 4809 Ambassador Caffery Pkwy, Ste 100 Lafayette 337-769-8660 Jason Shumadine Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center - Lafayette Southern Surgical & Medical Specialists Lafayette Diagnostic & Radiation Treatment Center 120 Rue Louis XIV Lafayette 337-769-7779 Stephen Wilt Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center - Lafayette OncoLogics Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Ctr 4809 Ambassador Caffery Pkwy, Ste 100 Lafayette 337-769-8660

Reproductive Endocrinology/ Infertility Susan Conway Our Lady of Lourdes Women’s & Children’s Hospital Fertility Answers 206 E Farrel Rd Lafayette 337-989-8795

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TOP DOCTO R S John Storment Our Lady of Lourdes Women’s & Children’s Hospital Fertility Answers 206 E Farrel Rd Lafayette 337-989-8795

Rheumatology Ronald Ceruti Jr Baton Rouge General Medical Center Baton Rouge Clinic Osteoporosis Center 7373 Perkins Rd Baton Rouge 225-246-9240 James Lipstate Lafayette General Medical Center Lafayette Arthritis & Endocrine Clinic 401 Audubon Blvd, Ste 102B Lafayette 337-237-7801 Jennifer Malin Lafayette General Medical Center Lafayette Arthritis & Endocrine Clinic 401 Audubon Blvd, Ste 102B Lafayette 337-237-7801 Sean Shannon Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Our Lady of the Lake Rheumatology 7777 Hennessy Blvd, Ste 501 Baton Rouge 225-765-6505

Sleep Medicine Matthew Abraham Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center - Lafayette 100 Asma Blvd Bldg 1 Ste 205 Lafayette 337-470-3475

Surgery Jason Breaux Lafayette General Medical Center Southern Surgical & Medical Specialists 457 Heymann Blvd Lafayette 337-237-5774 Daniel Carroll Lafayette General Medical Center 1000 W Pinhook Rd, Ste 310 Lafayette 337-233-9900

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Keith Chung CHRISTUS Ochsner Lake Area Hospital Obesity Surgery Center of Louisiana 4150 Nelson Rd B Bldg - Ste 6 Lake Charles 337-433-1303 Michael Hailey Woman’s Hospital Breast Specialty of Baton Rouge 500 Rue de la Vie, Ste 201 Baton Rouge 225-751-2778 Mark Hausmann Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Surgeons Group of Baton Rouge 7777 Hennessy Blvd, Ste 612 Baton Rouge 225-769-5656 Henry Kaufman IV Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center - Lafayette Lafayette Surgical Specialists 457 Heymann Blvd Lafayette 337-237-5774 William Moss CHRISTUS Ochsner Lake Area Hospital Ochsner CHRISTUS Clinic General Surgery 4150 Nelson Rd G Bldg - Ste 3 Lake Charles 337-656-7873 Thomas Rossowski Lake Charles Memorial Hospital Memorial Medical Group Surgical Associates 2770 3rd Ave, Ste 120 Lake Charles 337-494-4868 Richard Shimer Lake Charles Memorial Hospital Memorial Medical Group Surgical Associates 2770 3rd Ave, Ste 120 Lake Charles 337-494-4868 Jonathan Taylor Baton Rouge General Medical Center The Baton Rouge Clinic 7373 Perkins Rd Baton Rouge 225-246-9240

Thoracic & Cardiac Surgery C. Swayze Rigby Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Our Lady of the Lake Physician Group Cardiothoracic Surgery 7777 Hennessy Blvd, Ste 8001 Baton Rouge 225-490-7224

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Urogynecology/ Female Pelvic Med & Reconstruct Surg Phillip Barksdale Woman’s Hospital 500 Rue de la Vie, Ste 511 Baton Rouge 225-752-3000 William Kubricht III Baton Rouge General Medical Center Louisiana Urology 8080 Bluebonnet Blvd, Ste 3000 Baton Rouge 225-766-8100

Urology Angelo Annaloro Jr Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge Urology 7777 Hennessy Blvd, Ste 2004 Baton Rouge 225-769-2500 Kenneth Blue III Baton Rouge General Medical Center Louisiana Urology 8080 Bluebonnet Blvd, Ste 3000 Baton Rouge 225-766-8100 Thad Bourque Lafayette General Medical Center Southern Urology 120 Rue Louis XIV Lafayette 337-988-1803 Christopher Fontenot Lafayette General Medical Center Southern Urology 120 Rue Louis XIV Lafayette 337-233-6665 James Jancuska CHRISTUS Ochsner Lake Area Hospital Lake Area Physicians Urology Center of SWLA 234 Dr. Michael DeBakey Drive Lake Charles 337-439-8857 Scott Neusetzer Lafayette General Medical Center Southern Urology 120 Rue Louis XIV Lafayette 337-233-6665 William Roth Lafayette General Medical Center Southern Urology 1000 W Pinhook Rd, Ste 304 Lafayette 337-289-9155

Farjaad Siddiq Lake Charles Memorial Hospital Advanced Urology 1715 Wolf Cir Lake Charles 337-480-7499

Vascular Surgery Michael Conners III Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center CVT Surgical Center 7777 Hennessy Blvd, Ste 1008 Baton Rouge 225-766-0416 P. Michael Davis Jr Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center CVT Surgical Center 7777 Hennessy Blvd, Ste 1008 Baton Rouge 225-766-0416 Racheed Ghanami Lafayette General Medical Center Southern Vascular Clinic 5000 Ambassador Caffery Pkwy Bldg 1, Ste 100 Lafayette 337-534-4444 Christopher LaGraize Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center - Lafayette Acadiana Vascular Center 129 Rue Louis XIV Lafayette 337-289-9700

About the List Castle Connolly Medical Ltd. is a healthcare research and information company founded in 1992 by a former medical college board chairman and president to help guide consumers to America’s top doctors and top hospitals. Castle Connolly’s established nomination survey, research, screening and selection process, under the direction of an MD, involves many hundreds of thousands of physicians as well as academic medical centers, specialty hospitals and regional and community hospitals all across the nation. Castle Connolly's physician-led team of researchers follows a rigorous screening process to select top doctors on both the national and regional levels. Its online nominations process – located at www.castleconnolly.com/nominations - is open to all licensed physicians in America who are able to nominate physicians in any medical specialty and in any part of the country, as well as indicate whether the nominated physicians are, in their opinion, among the best in their region in their medical specialty or among the best in the nation in their medical specialty.

Careful screening of doctors' educational and professional experience is essential before final selection is made among those physicians most highly regarded by their peers. The result we identify the top doctors in America and provide you, the consumer, with detailed information about their education, training and special expertise in our paperback guides, national and regional magazine “Top Doctors” features and online directories.

Doctors do not and cannot pay to be selected and profiled as Castle Connolly Top Doctors.

Physicians selected for inclusion in this magazine's “Top Doctors” feature may also appear as online at www.castleconnolly.com, or in in conjunction with other Castle Connolly Top Doctors databases online and/or in print.

Castle Connolly Medical Ltd., was acquired

by Everyday Health Group (EHG), one of the world’s most prominent digital healthcare companies, in late 2018. Everyday Health Group (EHG), a recognized leader in patient and provider education, attracts an engaged audience of over 53 million health consumers and over 780,000 U.S. practicing physicians and clinicians to its premier health and wellness websites. EHG combines social listening data and analytics expertise to deliver highly personalized healthcare consumer content and effective patient engagement solutions. EHG’s vision is to drive better clinical and health outcomes through decision-making informed by highly relevant data and analytics. Healthcare professionals and consumers are empowered with trusted content and services through the Everyday Health Group’s flagship brands including Everyday Health®, What to Expect®, MedPage Today®, Health eCareers®, PRIME® Education and our exclusive partnership with MayoClinic.org® and The Mayo Clinic Diet.® Everyday Health Group is a division of J2 Global Inc. (NASDAQ: JCOM), and is headquartered in New York City.

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joie de vivre

R agin ’ ca j un s b a s e b all coac h M att D eggs

c u ltu r e / l es p e rso n n es

Of Hitting And Healing New Ragin’ Cajuns baseball coach Matt Deggs inherits a promising roster of players that, like him, are still in the midst of mourning late skipper Tony Robichaux

By W i l l i a m K a l e c p h oto s by B r a d K e m p

A s the applause fades, a trio of hot podium

microphones pick up the minutiae of the moment.

Formal introductions like these are often clunky, everyone dressed in suits and ties to announce the hiring of someone paid to coach a kids’ game in a kids’ uniform, so please excuse University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletic Director Bryan Maggard and new baseball manager Matt Deggs for this undertheir-breath back and forth as they position themselves for the cameras.

“We’ll hold this up like that,” Maggard says at this mid-July 2019 press conference, handing Deggs a jersey and fresh-out-the-box ballcap, “and do the photo op.”

Deggs glances at the hat. It’s pristine and perfect — ­ unbefitting of a guy with a muddybut-motivational past. This won’t do.

“Lemme fix this bill,” he replies, shaping a quick curve and bend to give the cap a little drink-from-the-waterhose personality.

The crowd laughs at the line, not because it’s necessary funny but because it’s a changeup to the reprise of pain that’s persisted the last few weeks. On July 3, 2019, beloved baseball coach Tony Robichaux — the legendary and likable face of the Ragin’ Cajuns program for a quarter century who led them to their only College World Series in 2000 — died 60

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unexpectedly from complications stemming from a heart attack that happened a few days earlier. He was 57.

To accommodate the number of people wishing to pay last respects, Robichaux’s public viewing was held in the spacious Cajundome.

Deggs, then still the coach at Sam Houston State, and his family were among those in attendance.

Days later, he’s here, all eyes on him in a situation Deggs called “surreal” because the dictionary doesn’t have a better word to describe it — officially accepting a job he couldn’t turn down but desperately wishes wasn’t available.

He stepped up to the plate and now takes on the daunting responsibility of carrying on a winning tradition amid uniquely difficult and heartbreaking circumstances.

There’s no blueprint outlining how to handle this.

No script to follow.

And yet, as he leans in to address the media and those still mourning, Coach Deggs somehow knows exactly what to say.

This just speaks to the power of love and redemption— seven years ago, Coach Robichaux saved his life.

They met in the lobby of a San Marcos, Texas hotel room. Coach Deggs can’t remember the name of it, but given the area’s

options, it was probably a place where the breakfast is free and tastes like it, too.

This was March 2012. Matt Deggs will tell you that back then, he was a broken man.

Once a well-paid, rising young assistant at college baseball goliath Texas A&M, Deggs’ dependency on alcohol swiftly pushed him from that perch. When he finally landed, Deggs moonlighted as a laborer loading trailers at an East Texas feed mill making close to minimum wage. From there, he became a failed pharmaceutical salesman which, considering his knack for attracting elite high school baseball recruits, seems preposterous. While trying to be something he wasn’t to make a buck, Deggs applied for baseball coaching jobs on various levels — frankly, places well beneath his experience and expertise.

Nothing developed.

“For a guy whose identity is soaked in baseball at that time,” Deggs says, “you’re not just talking about employment, you’re talking about your existence. I’d been out of the game for 400 days and was pretty much near my end.”

Then, a phone call. It was Coach Tony Robichaux. The two never really sat down and talked shop for any significant period of time prior to this, though Coach Robichaux was always a fan of Deggs’ “The Pack” offensive philosophy.

Instead, Robichaux felt inclined to reach out thanks to a recommendation from someone on UL’s staff after the Cajuns’ hitting coach/ recruiting coordinator position unexpectedly opened midway through nonconference play.

“So, I have to sit down in front of him and tell him, ‘I’m a drunk. I got fired. I lost everything,’” Deggs says.

Without much fanfare and unconcerned with prying deeper, Coach Robichaux calmly told Deggs he wasn’t interested in what he’s done. The only thing Coach Robichaux wanted to know is what Deggs planned to do about it.

“That’s the first time anybody had said that to me, ever,” Deggs says.” And from that day forward, what started off as a boss and mentor ultimately became a best friend and brother.

That’s kind of the beginning.”

Because of the abrupt nature of Deggs’ hiring, Robichaux insisted the new guy not mess with installing a hitting system, but rather focus on recruiting as the Cajuns meandered through a forgettable sub-.500 season.

“The whole time,” Deggs says, “I’m still living a lie.”

Despite Coach Robichaux’s implied suggestion that Deggs figure out a way to straighten out his alcohol addiction, the drinking didn’t stop. Battling through various stages of grief, anger and bitterness for all he once lost, Deggs continued to search for solutions at the bottom of a bottle.

Things began to change that summer when Deggs’ wife, Kathy, and their three kids moved to Lafayette. Deggs strengthened his relationship with God — a faith he’s both forthcoming and unapologetic about — and was able to

stay sober for a few weeks at a time before partaking in a drink or two. It wasn’t until Deggs paused for a second and fully understood the challenges and hardships his own UL players faced — broken homes, friends in trouble with the law — and the incumbent responsibility of a coach to help them through it all that he gave up drinking entirely.

He remembers the date: Feb. 28, 2013.

Perhaps not coincidentally, that season and the next turned out to be some of the most successful in the history of Ragin’ Cajuns baseball. Sparked by Deggs’ lineup of feared hitters, UL racked up a school-record 58 wins in 2014 and entered the NCAA Tournament as the nation’s No. 1 overall seed. Because of his success as an schedule assistant, Deggs was offered and accepted the Ragin’ Cajuns head job at Sam Houston State where in five Baseball Home years he led the Bearkats to three conference Games championships and two NCAA Tournament appearances.

Beyond winning a bunch of ballgames, Feb.14 vs.

Deggs chose outwardly to share his story of Southeastern lost opportunities and unexpected second Louisiana chances during speaking engagements Feb. 15-16 vs. throughout Texas.

Louisiana Tech “The only thing more agonizing than living Feb. 19 vs. Tulane in a prison, a place someone put you, is living in a prison of your own making,” Deggs says. Feb. 21-23 vs.

Virginia Tech “And in absolute truth, there’s freedom. Being vulnerable, being open, it’s freedom. And what Feb. 26 vs. people don’t think about is, on the flipside, in Northwestern State absolute truth there’s accountability. I can’t Feb. 28-March 1 vs. share my story one minute and then go buy Sam Houston State a 12-pack in the store the next.

March 13-15 vs.

“I don’t ever want people to hear my story Coastal Carolina and wonder whether I’m true to the lessons March 17 vs. Lamar found within it.”

The string of unanswered texts, get-well March 18 vs. Nicholls messages which still remain on Deggs’ State phone eight months after they were sent to March 24 vs.

Coach Robichaux, serve as a reminder that Louisiana Tech this somber homecoming is as much about March 31 vs. brotherhood as it is baseball.

McNeese State The Ragin Cajuns enter the 2020 season April 3-5 vs. UT ranked in the Top 25 — a distinction listed Arlington in Coach Deggs’ Twitter feed sandwiched April 14-15 vs. between posts of highlighted Bible verses Houston and quotes from Sunday’s pastor reflective of Coach Robichaux’s legacy.

April 17-19 vs. Little To most, that is the ultimate challenge of this Rock upcoming season, finding the balancing between May 1-3 vs. Georgia properly mentoring those who are still mourning. Southern To Coach Deggs, that is the opportunity of May 14-16 vs. this upcoming season.

Louisiana-Monroe “When you lose a guy who literally saved For game times, your life, you can’t help but feel alone. My tickets and more life came full circle because of Coach Robe information, visit and his family,” Deggs says. “God used that ragincajuns.com/ man to save another man. He stood for some- sports/baseball thing bigger than himself and it’s impossible to count the number of people he impacted.

When you die and your viewing is at a basketball arena you’ve done something pretty special.

“I promise you one thing: We’re not going to let Coach Robe down. It’s an honor to coach this team through the discomfort of losing someone we love. This is our team — all of ours. Everybody. It’s time now, more than ever, to be a competitor and let’s go do something crazy.” n ac adianaprofile.com 61

c u ltu r e / l ettr es d’a mo u r

Penned by a different author in every iss u e

Uncovering History Discovering the roles of African Americans in New Iberia’s (and Louisiana’s) past and healing the present and future

By D r . Ph e b e H ay e s illu s trati o n b y C h r i s t i n a B r ow n

A f ter retiri n g f ro m t h e U n i v er s it y o f

Louisiana at Lafayette in 2013 as Dean of the then-College of General Studies and Professor of Communicative Disorders, I assumed that my retirement years would be a period of extended leisure and relaxation. Instead, I discovered a latent passion for local history particularly as it applies to African Americans of Iberia Parish. The more I studied my community’s history, the more fascinated I became by the roles African Americans played in that history. For example, I discovered that Iberia Parish was the home of the first Black woman (Emma Wakefield-Paillet, M.D.) to earn a medical degree in Louisiana (1897) and to establish a medical practice in the state. Her father, Samuel Wakefield, represented Iberia Parish in the state senate (1876-1878) and her brother, Adolph J. Wakefield, was elected Clerk of Court for Iberia Parish (1884 to 1888). To uncover evidence of the history of African Americans in Iberia Parish, I spent (and continue to do so) many hours in libraries, archives and courthouses. Along the way, I learned that black men (including several of my ancestral grandfathers) enslaved on St. Martin and St. Mary Parish plantations escaped those plantations and joined the Union Army in Brashear City (i.e., Morgan City) not as “contraband” but as “men” who like other men craved freedom for themselves and their loved ones.

In our parish library, I discovered books written during the Jim Crow period (in 1963) that celebrated the “Great Doctors of Iberia Parish, from 1859-1959.” Unbelievably, all were white and male. Growing up in New Iberia, I knew this was false because I personally knew Dr. George W. Diggs whose office was only a block away from my childhood home. I passed his office every day on my way to and from Florence A. Pemilton Elementary School. Dr. Diggs established his medical practice in New Iberia in 1946, only two years after four other black doctors had been violently expelled from the parish for daring to defy Jim Crow and advocating for the civil rights of Blacks in Iberia. I proceeded to search for evidence of blacks practicing medicine in Iberia and to my surprise found

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over 20 black doctors (including two dentists) associated with Iberia Parish from 1859-1959.

Some were from Iberia Parish and practiced medicine in Iberia; some were from Iberia but practiced medicine elsewhere; and the others were born elsewhere, but came to Iberia Parish to practice medicine. Incredibly, four of the 20 black doctors found so far were women: Drs. Emma Wakefield-Paillet, Margaret Johnson

Vital, Myra Elise Chatters and Viola Johnson Coleman.

In addition I’ve found other Jim Crow-era books that celebrate the veterans of Iberia Parish and like other books of the time, omitted the service and sacrifices of its black veterans. The inherent danger of such books is obvious. Uncorrected they misrepresent the military service of veterans based on skin

color. I approached historically black and white veterans’ groups of Iberia Parish (VFW 12065, VFW 1982, American Legion Post 335, American Legion 533) about the lies represented by these books. The Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints congregations of Iberia Parish and Lafayette Parish offered their help and together we placed over 300 flags in the historically black cemeteries on Fulton Street in New Iberia: A visual representation to the public of the service of black veterans from the Civil War to the Vietnam War. Recently, these same veterans’ groups went a step further. With the assistance of Hon. Rep. Terry Landry, Rep.-elect Mr. Marcus Bryant and community volunteers, they erected a flagpole at the site of one of the Fulton Street cemeteries (St. Matthew Benevolent Society Cemetery) in honor of those veterans.

So, you may wonder how I, a child of formerly enslaved humans, can pen what amounts to a tribute to Iberia Parish with its history of racism and suppression? As founder and president of The Iberia African American Historical Society, I work closely every day with community and civic leaders who have embraced the truths our research uncovered and are committed to including those truths (some extremely painful, such as beatings and lynchings) in the narratives told to the public.

We have received strong support from city and parish political leaders allowing us to teach large segments of the public about that history. Their support has been priceless as we continue to commemorate our history with state historical markers in the city and parish.

In addition, support has come from local businesses and individuals excited about our efforts to uncover the previously unknown history of Iberia Parish African Americans. Our work has led me to understand that, although we cannot undo the horrible inhuman acts of the past, we must acknowledge that those acts did occur and we must use that knowledge to heal the deep wounds that still exist. How? By providing lots of opportunities for civil discourse and by using history as evidence of the need to do things differently. So, if a community has the practice of naming its streets, bridges, overpasses, buildings, schools and so forth after prominent citizens who have made substantial contributions to that community, shouldn’t we see the names of African Americans on some of those streets, bridges, overpasses, buildings, schools and the like?

I strongly encourage all formerly segregated communities to consider establishing historical societies such as ours aimed at researching the history of its African American communities before that history is lost forever. n About the author Dr. Phebe Hayes is a retired University of Louisiana at Lafayette dean and professor and founder and president of the The New Iberia African American Historical Society.

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c u ltu r e / e n f ra nç a is, s ’il vo us p l a ît

Le Campus Saint-Luc Un centre d’immersion et campus culturel à Arnaudville pa r Dav id C h erami e

Au b o u t de la pé n i n s u le c a n adie n n e de la

Nouvelle-Écosse, à plus de deux mille miles de la Louisiane, se trouve un petit village à côté de la baie Sainte-Marie qui s’appelle la Pointe-de-l’Église. Avec un peu plus de mille habitants, on sera surpris d’apprendre qu’il y siège une université francophone. Ce qui serait encore plus étonnant pour les non-initiés, c’est que l’Université Sainte-Anne, avec ses programmes d’immersion française, compte parmi ses anciens étudiants des centaines de Louisianais. Depuis une trentaine d’années, des dizaines de jeunes et moins jeunes de notre état font le long périple chaque été vers la terre ancestrale des Acadiens afin de se réapproprier la langue de nos aïeux. Le voyage n’est pas facile et peut coûter cher, sans compter les frais d’inscription. Depuis des années, on se dit que s’il y a une telle demande, s’il y a tant de gens qui sont prêts à faire le sacrifice et dédier six semaines de leur vie, souvent en prenant leurs journées de vacances pour s’absenter de leurs obligations professionnelles et personnelles, il doit y avoir un marché énorme pour les Louisianais moins avantagés financièrement, mais autant motivés à apprendre le français.

C’est l’essentiel d’une conversation que j’ai eue avec George Marks, artiste et activiste à Arnaudville, presque dix ans passés. Je lui ai dit le type de bâtisse qu’il faudrait : une cuisine, une salle à manger, des salles de classes, une chambre commune et des chambres à coucher.

Le tout dans un environnement francophone où les étudiants pourraient pratiquer leur français en public. Avec son énergie habituelle, George m’a dit de monter avec lui dans son char. « Je vais te montrer quelque chose, » m’at-il dit. Deux minutes plus tard, on descendait devant un hôpital désaffecté situé au milieu d’un grand terrain. Il ouvre la porte et on entre. Dedans, on trouve tout ce dont une école d’immersion pour adultes aurait besoin.

Il n’y avait qu’un problème, mais il était de taille. La bâtisse n’appartenait pas à une, mais deux paroisses : Saint-Martin et Saint-Landry. english translation / ac adianaprofile.com

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La politique étant ce qu’elle est en Louisiane, il a fallu la patience d’un saint pour qu’on arrive, dix ans plus tard, à la vente de l’ancien hôpital Saint Luke à une organisation à but non-lucratif, le Centre d’immersion et campus culturel Saint-Luc, présidé par l’infatigable Mavis Frugé.

Saint Luc est le saint patron des médecins et des guérisseurs, mais aussi des sculpteurs et des peintres. Son symbole est le taureau pour représenter le sacrifice. Ce n’est que justice poétique qu’avec l’aide d’un groupe

d’artistes un ancien hôpital devienne, après une décennie de persévérance, un centre culturel et linguistique accueillant celles et ceux qui souhaitent remédier les maux perpétués sur les générations précédentes de Louisianais privés de leur langue d’héritage.

Des étudiants d’ailleurs vont se joindre à eux, comme c’est déjà le cas avec le programme Sur Les Deux Bayous, infusant de l’argent à l’économie locale et créant une communauté francophone centrée à la jonction des bayous Fuselier et Tèche. n

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