| About |
Dr. Marcy Zwelling -Aamot may have been small in stature, but she left a big impression. She had a great smile and an even more incredible laugh. In a dark world, she insisted on being sunshine. That radiant energy was how she treated everyone she met. Perhaps her most enduring trait was how much she cared about other people. She was passionate about her patient's entire well-being, not just their physical health. When a patient needed an advocate, she would move heaven and earth to help them. She was relentless on causes dear to her heart, and the most important one was maintaining the doctor-patient relationship without outside interference. Her goals were simple: "We must change the conversation about health care reform to center around patients and NOT insurance," she would tell politicians, TV audiences, and everyone she met. Marcy's professional success became the platform for her political career in health care. She served as president of the Long Beach Medical Association. LA County is the largest county in America. She served as President of the Los Angeles County Medical Association. She was on their Board of Trustees. She was appointed as a hospital commissioner for the County, which advises the Board on any policies about patient care. She was the patient's advocate that took her message to Congress to make health care in the U.S. work better. She was proud of her work with Pete Sessions, a Republican Congressman from Texas. Marcy educated him about the intricacies of health care and what was needed in federal legislation. She appeared on local and national television, breaking down the complicated medical system for the ordinary viewer. She wrote op-ed pieces for newspapers all over the country, trying to get her message to the public. Marcy would proudly have told you how she was born in Zanesville, Ohio and how much she adored her parents, Jerold and Ruth Zwelling. She was on the drill team at Zanesville High School as a "Devilette". She never attended Ohio State, but she was an Ohio State Football fanatic and loved going to games with "Daddy". Her patients knew she was fiercely intelligent, but her extraordinary academic record shows just how brilliant she was. Marcy was Valedictorian in Junior High and High School and graduated with honors from Wellesley College in Massachusetts, where she majored in Economics. She graduated from New York University Medical School at the top of her class. She did her residency in Internal and Emergency Medicine at Harbor-UCLA, one of the busiest trauma centers in the country. She was a quadruple board-certified physician, which is a notable achievement even among the best doctors in the nation. Marcy's life wasn't always about work. She taught aerobics at a fitness studio she owned in Torrance during this time. Meanwhile, in her continued quest to experience everything life had to offer, she wanted to learn to fly an airplane. That's where she met "Husband Lance" in 1985. They got married in 1986 and had lots of cat children. Anyone who came to her office remembers J. Solomon Katz, her favorite cat, whom she appointed Chairman of the Stress Management Department. In 1987, Marcy created her own private primary care practice in Los Alamitos and moved from her San Pedro home to Long Beach in 1992. Marcy and Lance bought a historic home on Ocean Boulevard that had been badly neglected. They spent years restoring the house to its original glory. Every vivid detail reflected Marcy's big personality. She would dream it up, and Lance would make it happen. In 2004, Marcy made the difficult decision to dramatically reduce the size of her practice, adopting the Concierge Medicine model to give her patients highly-personalized, comprehensive care. It was a decision that reflected her attitude toward changing medicine to serve her patients in the best way possible. But it was challenging, too, because she had such a personal bond with each and every patient. She went from 4,000 patients to 600 and was the first Concierge Physician in the Los Alamitos area. Because of her efforts, the Concierge model took off in the area. In her spare moments, she was able to get a patent for the "take-home Pap Smear". She formulated "Z's Choice," a shampoo that makes hair grow, and she was writing her autobiography. Marcy loved traveling the world, shopping, and design. She didn't look like the typical 'doctor' stereotype. She loved unique eyeglasses, purses, high heels, St. John knit suits, and the artist Erte. She loved and adored her husband, Lance. She cherished her friends and cared for others until her last breath. On January 17th, 2022, the PSP disease robbed us of more decades with her. Marcy fought back hard. She provided other physicians with information to help patients in the future. She stayed true to her convictions her entire life. She was a truly unforgettable woman - making her mark on the future of modern medicine. She was grateful for all the goodness in life. She has left a void in the world, and those who loved her will miss her forever. She was just 68 years old. Marcy is survived by Husband Lance Aamot and brother Stuart Zwelling, at least 7 cats whose lives were changed forever, and thousands of people who called her friend. |
