Years of self-discovery and research into the nuanced, holistic aspects of health and thriving has inspired me to share my story with others.

In 2019, the culmination of years of sacrifice and study had finally come to a moment of fulfillment. I began my medical education at the Medical College of Georgia with the intention of becoming a physician. I was inspired and thrilled at the prospect of fulfilling my goal of serving and caring for patients. This trajectory, however, was suddenly halted as I developed a debilitating illness. It became evident after thorough testing that I had developed a serious bacterial infection, which, due to not being treated promptly, had led to significant immunological and neurological issues. I became very weak after losing about 80 pounds and began to almost pass out in labs. My school dean recommended that I take a medical leave, and I quickly found a specialist experienced in treating my particular infection. We pursued a grueling and aggressive antibiotic and steroid treatment, which exacerbated my health issues. What I thought would be a short treatment followed by a return to my studies turned into four years of my life crumbling apart.

Suffering has a way of becoming a beautiful gift.

This became true in my life. I had the distinct privilege of having every distraction, achievement, relationship, and identity stripped away from my life. I was forced to face meaning and purpose outside of temporal and material things. I began to read voraciously; I studied unique approaches to medicine and health. I deconstructed my false premise of faith, truth, and meaning, and created a reformed foundation of these core life doctrines. Through trial and error, I was able to heal and recover and was left with a resilience and grit I would have otherwise never achieved.

Verdano is built on that foundation — years of self-discovery and research into the nuanced, holistic aspects of health and thriving has inspired me to share with others that may be in a similar season of life.

I trust the resources here will be an encouragement and a help wherever you may be in your own health journey.

— Mark Dalrymple, Founder