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Dr. Toni Smith spent 14 years as a corporate pharmacist, before leaving to open her own pharmacy to give back to her community

Dr. Toni Smith an Dallas, TX native left corporate America to open her own pharmacy. Smith grew up in Oak Cliff and says she started her pharmacy to give back to the people who helped her become who she is today.

Smith spent 14 years as a corporate pharmacist, before the recent move to start her own pharmacy Fox 4 News reported.

Smith told the local news station the premature birth of he second child influenced her to start her own business. Born at 26 weeks and weighing just one pound and three ounces, Melissa Jo spent a year in the hospital and had a few close calls with death. Now she’s 2-years-old and healthy.

“It’s like she gave me my second wind,” Smith said. “She caused me to look at life much more differently.

Growing up as an only child raised by her mom and grandparents Smith said she is happy to help people in the same community that raised her.

“We just try to help as many people as we can,” she said.

Smith also makes deliveries to patients who cannot make it into the pharmacy the Fox News affiliate reported.

One of her patients Darlene Swanson said, “I’m really proud of her. It’s great for her to come back and be able to help.”

Smith credits her late grandfather, a mechanic for more than 50 years who taught her the importance of education and giving back to her community.

“By the time I went off to college, I had like 20 to 25 bonds. Some of them said $50,” Smith said. “He would tell us that these are for your education. I would go on to the bank sometimes and cash them and I would just be in tears. And I just knew I had to do something for my grandfather. And this is it.”

Smith Loop 12 Pharmacy has only been open for six months but she says her business is growing.

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