TEANECK, N.J.—Dr. Wendy A. Ward, a Teaneck resident, is a board certified anesthesiologist who practiced medicine for 30 years—and is now a life transformation specialist.
Ward received her Bachelor of Science degree in microbiology from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst and received her medical degree from Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City. She is also certified in the holistic disciplines of acupuncture and reflexology. She was the Advanced Gastroenterology of Bergen County director of anesthesiology from 2005 to 2016.
Ward, a true Renaissance woman, is the founder and CEO of MPower Productions—a multimedia inspirational educational production company—which she started 10 years ago. MPower allows her to feed her passion and use her eclectic array of talents and expertise, which include being a healer, educator, singer/songwriter, storyteller, filmmaker, inspirational speaker, award winning author and athlete, to serve.
As the daughter of an educator and a physician, her inherent passion and aptitude to “heal, inspire, educate, uplift and empower” others—especially youth—is woven into her DNA. Ward helps her clients transform their way of “thinking, being, doing and behaving,” empowering them to “survive, thrive and succeed!”
Ward has many honors and professional affiliations, including: The National Academy of Best-Selling Authors, Quilly Award Winner, 2019; the National Association of Experts, Writers & Speakers, Expy Award Winner, 2019; “Hollywood Live with Jack Canfield,” TV appearance, 2019; and Celebrity Press Editor’s Choice Award, “The Success Formula,” 2019.
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Hillary Viders: Your expertise in both pain management medicine and self-empowerment is fascinating. I’d like to begin by asking about your work as an anesthesiologist. What led you to choose this field?
Wendy Ward: Actually, the field chose me. When I entered medical school, I thought I would be a psychiatrist. As part of the program, I had to do several rotations to experience different specialties. My second to last rotation was in OBGYN, where I met a wonderful anesthesiologist who inspired me in the way that he cared for patients as my father had. I was also fascinated with the artistry and science of anesthesia.
HV: What have been the most significant advances in the field of anesthesiology?
WW: When it came into use in about the 1980s, the oxygen pulse oximeter provided an accurate way to measure a patient’s oxygen level during surgery. Anesthesia lowers the blood pressure and breathing rate, which reduces the amount of oxygen that is moved through the body. If that level falls too low, it can be very dangerous, even fatal. Before the oxygen pulse oximeter, checking the oxygen level was guesswork.
Another major breakthrough at that time was Propofol, which is a short acting anesthetic. It’s an amazing drug that allows the patient to wake up sooner after surgery and with less side effects.
HV: Wasn’t Propofol believed to have killed Michael Jackson? If so, why is it still widely in use?
WW: Propofol was given bad press, but it is a great anesthetic and not dangerous in responsible hands. Like any anesthetic, patients given Propofol have to be monitored meticulously and it has to be administered in an appropriate dose. Nobody knows exactly what happened with Michael Jackson, whether it was a case of not being monitored properly and/or whether he had other drugs in his system at the time.
HV: Given your own prestigious background, self-assurance and buoyant outlook on life, how did you become interested in the subject of empowerment? It seems like you already have achieved that superbly!
WW: Empowerment really called to me. Medicine was actually third on my list of career choices. I grew up wanting to be an entertainer and I also went to the University of Massachusetts on a full basketball scholarship. But my parents wanted me to be a doctor, so I went to medical school.
All my life, I was the type of person who wanted everything to be fair and just and I was very spiritual in nature and sought to discover “purpose.”
Three years ago, I stopped practicing medicine after 30 years, and I am extremely happy where I am now. I knew that I had a gift for healing, so empowerment, also a form of healing and making a difference in the world, was a natural transition.
I had a great role model for this in my mother, Dolores Ward, who was a teacher when we lived in the Farragut Housing Projects in Brooklyn. She had a talent for making children realize their potential and joy.
HV: What is your philosophy about empowerment?
WW: I believe that everyone has a purpose and deserves an even playing field of opportunity to maximize their full potential, realize their dreams and fulfill that purpose. I believe that as each person is able to fulfill their purpose, collectively, it serves as a major precursor to achieving the ultimate goal of establishing world “love, peace and unity,” creating a win-win for all.
HV: How do you promote this philosophy to young people?
WW: I do this in several ways. I created the CPR (Continuous Positive Reinforcement) for eMPOWERment multimedia content platform.
This platform includes my signature MPower “Science Of Success—Life Fitness Program” and MPower “Stress Management and Success” training system, which are designed to empower my clients to survive any life challenge, thrive in the face of adversity and succeed in every aspect of their lives.
Teamwork and a scientific and spiritually based reach-to-teach approach are the cornerstones of this program and system.
I also employ the utilization of multimedia interactive youth friendly vehicles that include music, audio-visual entertainment (films, shows, storytelling, gaming, etc.), sports and social media. This enables me to “reach” youth by meeting them in their familiar “comfort and passion” zone, allowing me to effectively teach and empower them.
I share my philosophy and beliefs by partnering and participating for over 35 years with various charitable, educational and youth empowerment organizations.
HV: Tell us about the work you do with these organizations.
WW: I am a mentor, participant and/or co-creator in countless empowering events, forums and platforms for both youth and adults. Organizations in which I participate include The Rotary, New York City Department of Education, New Jersey Department of Education, New York Foundling Preventive Program and numerous other charitable and educational organizations and endeavors.
HV: Can you recall a particular success that you had working with a child?
WW: I have a great story. I used to speak at career day at the Janis E. Dismus School in Englewood. One year, after they introduced me with my bio, I came in wearing my lab coat and a stethoscope around my neck. Then I took off the lab coat, and underneath I was wearing a New York Knicks number 10 jersey, the number of my favorite player, Wilt Chamberlain, and I started dribbling a basketball between my legs. The kids went insane! Then, I instilled in them my mantra, “Always think of the power of 10, because the ‘1’ means that ‘I’ can make my dreams come true and the ‘0’ means that nothing can stop me!”
I had the students repeat this mantra all through the presentation, so it was an interactive experience. I finished by handing out a questionnaire asking each student what he/she liked best. One 13-year-old boy insisted that I read his questionnaire right then. He wrote, “I learned that I can be enough.” About a month later, at an awards ceremony, the mother of that boy came up to me and said, “I don’t know what you said to my son, but you changed his life!”
HV: Do you also mentor older adults?
WW: Yes. Although my primary focus is adolescent youth, I believe that empowerment should be intergenerational. My “it takes a village” model to youth empowerment also allows me to train, teach and empower adults to survive, thrive and succeed, which empowers communities.
HV: Can you tell us about your new book, “The Success Formula,” that you wrote with Jack Canfield?
WW: It addresses many issues with the underlying philosophy that, “most everything that you want is just outside of your comfort zone and challenges are simply “life fitness trainers” preparing you to achieve your greatest success!”
I hope that this book will help people get to the heart and soul of their greatest ambitions! Dare to be the amazing person that they were born and equipped to be.
The book will give people an empowering opportunity to learn how to live their best life while helping others do the same.
A portion of the proceeds from “The Success Formula” will be donated to charities dedicated to creating awareness and providing support for youth education and empowerment, women’s issues and empowerment, and health related issues.
HV: What is your most valuable piece of advice?
WW: Always be you; do you; rock you; share you…The world needs what you have to offer!