ST. LOUIS PARK, Minn. — Inside Melissa Mark’s St. Louis Park home, there’s a space dedicated to her love of crafts.
“Whether it’s hand sewing, model car making, I’ve always been crafty,” said Mark.
More than a decade after graduating from the University of Minnesota Medical School, Melissa found herself wanting more.
“I knew I wanted to be a doctor when I was 4, my father is a doctor, my mom is a nurse,” she said. “I loved my patients, I did full-service family practice, I delivered babies, I did all of it, and I loved it but the other pressures I did not love, and it became more than I could handle and I burnt out.”
After a brief leave of absence, she decided to go back to work as a family doctor on a part time basis. Two years later, in 2014, her husband was in a traumatic biking accident where he lost sight in one eye and suffered several broken bones.
“He was out with a couple of buddies, and was off road and fell, hit his head,” she said.
While taking her husband, Melissa’s passion for making crafts reignited. “I needed to support myself and I started making jewelry for myself that held meaning, and I said I wonder if others will like that,” she said.
Combining her creativity with her love of medicine, she used positive affirmation paired with colorful gemstones.
“People would ask, “What you’re wearing?” and it expanded from there,” she said.
Now – she’s selling her creations at local fairs across the state and her online shop, to help others prioritize self-care.
“I do think I make a difference and that’s helpful for me and for them, and any win-win situation is the best,” she said.
For more information, visit her website here.