Laura Amodei

Age: 38
Director of MRI, The Charleston Breast Center
• Amodei developed and oversees the breast MRI and MRI-guided biopsy program at the Charleston Breast Center.
• She performs screening and diagnostic evaluations for patients including digital mammograms, physician-performed ultrasound, breast MRI and image-guided breast biopsies using all three technologies — all with the goal of finding breast cancers while they are still small and curable.

What made you select your chosen profession? It’s one of the parts of medicine where we know we can make a big difference. In 2010, a breast cancer one centimeter or smaller contained in the breast is 99.9% curable. Early detection saves lives.

What is your professional goal? To balance career and family as successfully as my mother, who raised two daughters, helped develop the national AP ecology program, has been married to my dad for 45 years and can still outswim me in a two-mile race.

What is your personal mission statement? To continually strive to be the best doctor, mother, wife and friend I can be.

What is the best career advice you’ve ever been given? Life is short, do what you love.

Books on your nightstand: Freakonomics, Toddler 411 and People magazine.

Best stress reliever: Hiking, biking, rock climbing — anything athletic or outdoors with friends and family.

Favorite vacation spot: Switzerland or anywhere my husband and I can kiteboard.

First job: Lifeguard/swimming instructor.

Favorite hour of the day and why: 7-8 p.m. I read books with my daughter snuggled on my lap, put her to bed and then have dinner with my husband.

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