"There are certain professions we rarely think of as having independent professionals. Nursing, for example. Terry Foody, TN, MSN, CCRC, is a registered nurse with a master's of science degree in nursing and is a certified clinical research coordinator, all under the name of her own company, Healthy Living.
Foody moved to Lexington 30 years ago from her native Elmira, N.Y. She was contemplating Colorado or Oregon, when someone suggested she try Lexington. "I asked if it had a vegetarian restaurant and a feminist bookstore," she said. "They took me to Alfalfa Restaurant and Sqecial Media in one night."
Back in Elmira, she had participated in public health nursing. "I pounded the sidewalks, wearing a cap and stewardess-looking uniform, carrying a black case," she said. Public health care involved seeing people in their homes and in their environment. "It ties into what I do now," she said, "health consulting with people."
Foody enjoys the challenge of establishing a rapport with clients, studying their family dynamics and finding out their goals. She has worked with every age group, from pre-natal to school health to adults and seniors. "I wanted to be a nurse because I was interested in the science part," she said. "I've always been interested in systems. The body's systems work together. It has always fascinated me."
In 1987, after working at the Fayette County Health Department and teaching nursing at Kentucky State University, she launched her own business. "I found out I liked to speak," she said. Foody began a speaking career, talking about nutrition and fitness to all kinds of groups and individuals. Then she became a full-time research coordinator for drug studies from '91 to '98, until the draw of self-employment pulled her back. "I never went back to full-time employment," she said. "This is what I want to do: speak and do workshops."
Her audiences vary from businesspeople to nuclear medicine technicians to halfway houses. Depending on the group, she'll actually get in the kitchen and show them how to prepare healthful food. She incorporates dairy products into her workshops and trade shows, by handing out samples of milk from Flav-O-Rich, Southern Belle or Trauth. "I like working with local dairies," she said. "They know who their cows are."
On Sundays, she sets up a table at the Farmers Market on Southland and takes blood pressure for no charge. "This is my neighborhood. It's a chance to do something for them," she said. She writes the person's blood pressure number on the back of her business card, and if the number is too high, she urges them to see a doctor as soon as possible.
Foody is also doing contract work with a physician at UK, coordinating the research project on a new vaccine to prevent lung cancer from recurring. "It's ground-breaking and looks promising," she said. In her spare time, she is conducting her own research on Lexington's cholera epidemic of 1833 and 1849, using this historical background of epidemiology for health lessons today. "Cholera is back," she said, "in Baghdad." According to Foody, 100,000 people died of cholera worldwide in 2006. This month she's speaking in Baltimore, addressing Sigma Theta Tau International, an honor society of nursing, about her cholera research. The convention's theme is "Global Health Through Collaboration." Foody was inducted into the honor society last year.
Passing along the message of healthy living is something Foody wants to do for quite some time on an independent basis. "I don't see myself going to another full-time job," she said. "It's not the best use of my time or talents." And she practices what she preaches.
"I eat well, and always have," she said. Her mother was a home ec teacher, so Foody learned about a balanced diet long before she heard about it in school. She's also physically active, noting that she's "never stopped playing." She's the master's chair of track and field for Kentucky USA Track and Field.
For individual clients, Foody's goal is to come up with a clear plan for their health. A young college graduate told her he had no idea what vegetables to buy or how to fix them, so Foody met him at the grocery store. For other clients, she'll explain what their doctors are telling them or help them interpret products they're buying. "I do make a few visits with families," she said. "I'd like to do more of that." Education and experience are what she brings to the table. "There are some people in the wellness business with no health degrees," she said. "I don't have to report to anyone about the number of products I've sold. I'm just interested in how people are doing."
Learn more about healthy living at www.TerryFoody.com."