My Story
LISTEN
Anthony M. Avellino is a highly regarded pediatric neurosurgeon, experienced healthcare administrator, and endurance ultra-runner. He has battled with stuttering, obsessive-compulsive tendencies, depression, and suicide for as long as he can remember.
Anthony chose to be a neurosurgeon because he sought to live a life to bring healing to those with neurological disease. He completed his training with a tremendous sense of pride knowing that he was prepared to have a great impact on patients and families in their time of greatest need and hopelessness. He entered and ended each day with the knowledge that he had given his all. He, like many of his colleagues, ignored fatigue and underestimated the accumulated trauma of the occasions where you gave all you had but the neurological disease won.
And then, on September 12, 2009, in an unanticipated instant, he tried to commit suicide. His resolve was gone, replaced by fear, hopelessness, and a sense of inadequacy. He lacked the skills to respond to emotions he had never known and could not turn to loved ones for support lest lose their respect. The administrative, clinical, and personal stressors had struck down his physical and mental health.
LEARN
Anthony found his way out. He knows recovery is possible. He has recovered through family, friendships, and ultra-running. On June 10, 2016, he decided to speak up and raise awareness of mental health, as often you hear about someone’s depression after they take their life. Part of his everyday living is showing his vulnerability and telling his story to let others know to keep fighting for life and striving for an effective work-life balance.
His efforts have been to help others focus on raising awareness of mental health and removing the stigma so that we begin to talk about and develop wellness strategies and overcome the hills of life. We must all listen, learn, and heal with each other to achieve a healthy, peaceful, and purposeful life with optimum performance in mind, body, and spirit. We must remember we are never alone. And we must find hope even in the darkest moments, for the lessons learned can give us insights on how to bring light to others.
HEAL
Anthony has shared his journey of stuttering, obsessive-compulsive tendencies, depression, and suicide countless times with colleagues, medical students, and staff. He wishes he knew 35 years ago what he knows today as he would have lived a more peaceful life.
In Finding Purpose A Neurosurgeon’s Journey of Hope and Healing, Anthony shares his vulnerabilities of stuttering, obsessive-compulsive tendencies, depression, and suicide. His memoir empowers and inspires you to listen, learn, and heal to find purpose to be your best and achieve a happy, healthy, and extraordinary life. He shares three tools to help you begin your journey: Hills of Life, Life Balance Sheet, and TACTICS.