"A cheerful heart is good medicine" claims the old proverb. Lauderhill family-owned Ramil Pharmacy lives by this motto, helping patients maintain their health throughout life's journey.

"Healthy lifestyle means looking at the total person – what they eat, their exercise," says pharmacist and owner of Ramil Pharmacy, Dr. Raymond Ramsay. "Medication is my last choice. You only use medication when the good effects outweigh the bad."

Ramil Pharmacy takes a wholistic approach to patient care. The pharmacy provides personal counseling and includes a detailed leaflet description with every prescription. Patients also enjoy free local delivery services and complimentary glucose meters and blood pressure tests. Ramil Pharmacy also guarantees the most affordable prices in the area for a wide selection of medications.

An integral part of Ramil Pharmacy's dedication to the community is providing free services at many local health fairs. Dr. Ramsay himself has also preached about the close connection between health and spiritual wellbeing for many congregations, including the Maranatha SDA Church in Miami and the Lauderhill SDA Church in Lauderhill. One of his most popular sermons reflects on the biblical journey from Jerusalem to Jericho, and how it "mirrors life on earth and the struggles we have to go through and how we must maintain our health so we can complete our journeys."

"[I wanted] to meet people, share my knowledge ... try to help somebody to get better or prevent them from getting sick," says Dr. Ramsay about his own journey- leaving his hospital pharmacy career to open a more personal, community-driven, independent practice.

Dr. Raymond Ramsay was born in Ocho Rios, Jamaica and attended Fern Court High School in St. Ann. He originally wanted to be a mechanical engineer due to his love for reviving cars, but found a similar satisfaction in pharmacy and enrolled at C.A.S.T (now University of Technology), in Kingston, Jamaica. Ramsay interned at the Kingston Public Hospital and Cornwall Regional Hospital in 1979. He then worked at St. Ann's Bay Hospital until 1980, when he became Director of Pharmacy at Ulster Springs Hospital in Trelawny, Jamaica.

Ramsay joined his family in the United States, where he earned his bachelor's degree at Long Island University and a doctorate at Nova Southeastern University. He worked as a hospital pharmacist at Hialeah Hospital, was pharmacy manager at Jackson Memorial, and director of pharmacy at North Broward Medical Canter before opening his practice in 2009.

Opening Ramil Pharmacy has been a dramatic journey for the entire family. His son Jermaine works as a pharmacy technician and is training to pursue his father's footsteps. Jermaine also keeps his father up-to-date with technology and streamlines services for their customers. Ramsay's wife, Merna is a registered nurse, and comes in often for client consultations. With daughter Nedeeka Ramsay Dawes, a dentist practicing in Maryland, the entire Ramsay family is dedicated to health and wellbeing.

Dr. Ramsay says Ramil Pharmacy plans to introduce products popular among the West Indian community, including worm cleansers and herbals treatment. Ramil Pharmacy is already the exclusive provider of skin care products from popular Jamaican spa, Jencare Skin Farm. He also plans to expand his intimate approach to other pharmacy branches.

"I want people to know that they have a shoulder to cry on," Ramsay says.

The Ramsay family is grateful for the warm embrace they have received from the community and thanks all their patients for their support on this new journey together.

Meet Dr. Ramsay and the Ramsay family at Ramil Pharmacy, in Sunrise Professional Center Plaza, at 2331 N. State Rd. 7, Suite 121, Lauderhill, FL 33313

You can call at 954-533-9792, or visit their website.