In keeping up with our “Living the Haute Life” Holiday Series, we wanted to introduce to you one of our favorite businesses, Avalon Medical Spa and tell you the story of the strong-willed owner who came to the United States all alone to follow and make her dream a reality.
Located in New Bedford, Massachusetts, Avalon Medical Spa is nestled in downtown, not far from the busy fishing piers and cobblestone streets. Avalon opened its doors five years ago in July, and since then has renovated, expanded, and is also opening a second location in Bristol, Rhode Island.
Avalon Medical Spa has been the dream of owner Flavia Thornson since she was a little girl living in Brazil. Flavia had big dreams to do a student exchange when she was just 13-years-old. She had hoped to travel and go to medical school. But, a fact to which most of us can attest is that life always throws a curve ball or two. It’s as if life is intentionally challenging us, saying, “How badly do you want that dream in your heart?”
Flavia had to catch a couple of these curve balls. But, she quickly realized they serve a purpose. They help us learn and grow and also prompt us to take risks and act!
Flavia first heard that challenge when she was 19-years-old. She knew the answer and she decided to go for it! She left her home in Brazil and landed in NYC- alone. Being alone in NYC as an American can be challenging. But, coming from a foreign country can make the city that never sleeps seem even bigger. Flavia, being a strong woman could handle it, but it worried her family. So, eventually, she finally agreed to appease her mother and go and stay with relatives in Dartmouth, Massachusetts.
Dartmouth turned out to be a significant move for Flavia. It was there that she fell in love, got married, and had her first child; she set aside her dream of medical school to be a wife and mother. But, this is also where Flavia was tested, as she eventually found herself in a bad marriage. Strong-willed Flavia was willing and ready to act again. She wanted to take care of herself and her daughter and to have independence. So, she applied to nursing school. With virtually no support system, a young child to care for, and the demands of nursing school, Flavia’s days were not easy. But, she managed to find her inner strength and graduated with high honors.
For many years she worked in hospitals and also did home care. Still she wanted to go back to medical school and become a Plastic Surgeon. Her passion was to make men and women feel good about themselves. As she contemplated this next chapter in her life and how she would ever make it possible, God had a plan and she met her husband Bill. They both talked about opening a Medical Spa and he kept encouraging her to make her dream come true. She says to this day that she would never have been able to launch her business without him.
There is a quote we love ” Ten years from now, make sure you can say that you chose your life, you didn’t settle for it.” – Mandy Hale
Today, Avalon Medical Spa in New Bedford greets you with floor to ceiling glass doors, chandeliers, and elegant decor mixed with exposed brick and beams of the old 20th century textile mill. Flavia, along with her business partner Silvia Goncalo and staff, are there to educate and help you look and feel beautiful. They take a lot of pride in enhancing a women’s natural beauty. You feel pampered, safe and confident when in their hands.
So, we thought we would end the year by coming out of the closet sort of speak. You see, women of the south coast of Massachusetts have a secret, a very well kept secret and her name is Flavia. Back in 2010, when Kim started this blog, Flavia was a beautiful, warm and knowledgeable woman. She taught Kim so much about skin care and she took off the years when she introduced her to the Obagi Skin Care Line.
The transformation was amazing. It made Kim a firm believer that skin care purchased at a Medical Spa is the way to go. Kim took a quick hiatus from Obagi and tried out Rodan and Fields which did a good job maintaining what Obagi had already repaired. But, Kim says, “To me there is no comparison to the strength of a medical grade skin care regimen and back to Obagi I went and Falvia welcomed me back with open arms and maybe a little I told you so. ;)” Since then, Kim has purchased such services from Avalon Medical Spa such as facials, laser hair removal and is very excited to try a procedure called Micro Needling after the holidays. Avalon also offers Coolsculpting, Kybella, Botox treatments, Radiesse for Men, Micro Dermabrasion, The perfect Peel, Platelet Rich Plasma, Skin Rejuventation, Hair Restoration and more.
This holiday season, visit Flavia and her team not only to look beautiful, but to discover the true beauty of confidence, which lives inside all of us. And, who doesn’t like to hear the words wow! you age like fine wine 😉
Happy Holidays,
The Haute Life
Flavia and her husband Bill Thornson
