Today we’d like to introduce you to Eboni S. Hollier, M.D.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Dr. Eboni. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I have wanted to be a doctor for as long as I can remember. This dream started to become a reality for me when I attended college at Xavier University of Louisiana, which is ranked first in the country for sending African American students to medical school. I went on to become the very first physician in my family. I have always had a love for both science and children and this led me to pursue a career in pediatrics. When I was introduced to developmental and behavioral pediatrics during medical school, I knew I’d found my calling. The beauty of children’s growth, behavior, and learning fascinated me.
I completed a fellowship in Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics at the University of Chicago and I have been fortunate to care for hundreds of families with children with varying abilities. I later married the love of my life after attaining these career goals.
Though I’ve accomplished a lot professionally, personally, fertility has been my greatest challenge. It seemed so unfair and felt unbearably painful to have such a great love for children and not be able to have children of my own. My husband and I struggled to conceive, and we lost our first baby through an early miscarriage. I remember the excitement I felt when I learned that I was pregnant. That positive pregnancy test was the best news ever and elated us beyond our wildest dreams! A couple of days later, I had a test to ensure that the pregnancy was progressing well. I remember that day like it was yesterday.
My doctor’s office was in walking distance to where I worked. It was a sunny and warm day, but not too hot—remember I live in Houston! There was a gentle breeze that I felt on my face and I was wearing my favorite pink blouse. I felt so happy and excited. During my walk to the doctor, I spoke to every person I passed on the street. That evening as I awaited my test results, I envisioned myself holding my baby. When I received the call that my blood levels had dropped to near zero and that I’d lost our baby, I felt the floor fall from under me. I waited and hoped to hear that it was a mistake, but it wasn’t. I felt like the wind had been knocked out of me.
The pain and disappointment I felt at that moment was indescribable. I wondered if I’d ever feel whole again. In those moments and the days and months that followed, I felt as though I had lost all hope of becoming a mother. I often thought of my baby. I could see him smile, smell his hair, and feel him wrap his little fingers around mine. The loss we experienced was devastating. I wondered if this loss compared to the loss of the child so many of the parents I’ve cared for have experienced. So many parents have told me of the hopelessness that they have felt after being told that their child has a life-changing disability.
Though I harbored tremendous pain, in some way, it made me feel more connected to the families for whom I provide care. So, I now understand what it’s like to have a dream not realized. I now better understand that perhaps the child you have may not be the child you dreamed of, but he or she is yours and it’s up to you to support them and to help them become their personal best.
We eventually welcomed our first child to the world and it was by far the happiest and most exciting moment of my life! We encountered many bumps along the way, but a happy, healthy, bouncing baby boy was the outcome and we couldn’t be more thrilled! My training, my career, and my life experiences have guided me to this point and I am here to help families align their dreams with their reality. My goal is to help families feel less stress, be less overwhelmed, and to accept their child exactly as he or she is and to help their child reach their personal developmental potential as well as to support each family that I care for live happier, healthier lives.
Has it been a smooth road?
Professionally, I am most grateful that things have gone well for me over the years.
However, personally, I’ve struggled with infertility and that certainly drives me to do the work that I do to support children and their families.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
I am a Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrician. I have specialty training to evaluate, counsel, and provide a treatment plan for children with developmental and/or behavioral challenges. My business, Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics of Greater Houston, provides developmental and behavioral supports to families in the greater Houston area. What makes my company unique is that I provide services for children in their most comfortable and natural environment, their home.
These services include developmental assessments for families who have concerns about their child’s development such as their speech or their behavior, such as concerns for autism. I also provide in-home newborn visits for new moms and babies to help get families off to a great start. Additionally, I provide potty training supports for families. I am most proud of being able to deliver a high level of customized care for the families that I’m fortunate to care for.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
I absolutely feel that Houston is a great place for my business and other businesses like it. I would certainly recommend that anyone just starting out reach out and work hard to make community connection. Having a successful business requires building and maintaining community relationships.
Contact Info:
- Website: drebonipeds.com
- Phone: 832-703-0770
- Email: info@drebonipeds.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drebonipeds/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrEboniPEDS
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/DrEboniPEDS
- Other: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drebonipeds/
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