HEROES of the FRONT LINE
Compounding compassion
Marie Ekpema wanted a more compassionate pharmacy.
She wanted a more caring pharmacy, so she built it herself
As Houstonians shelter in place, Summerwood Pharmacy has become a popular spot during the coronavirus pandemic.
Offering free delivery as well as prescriptions via FedEx for those beyond the delivery area, owner Marie Ekpema has also created her own hand sanitizer to give to first responders. “We made our first batch so they could still have some sort of protection,” Ekpema said. “Now we’re working on our second batch. We’re just trying to help them in whatever way we can.”
Ekpema makes informative posts and videos on the pharmacy’s Facebook page, alerting customers when face masks, shields, gloves and other necessities are available. She posts COVID-19 testing sites and tips. “This is a time for everyone to be healthy,” she said. “And we’re here for you.”
Going the extra mile to meet client needs is what inspired Ekpema, 38, to start her own business in the first place, she said. She could think of so many ways to improve a pharmacy that she decided to open one herself.
“It’s awesome to help people every day,” said Ekpema, who opened Summerwood Pharmacy four years ago. She spent nine years working in chain pharmacies before striking out on her own.
Ekpema wanted her pharmacy to feel more like a resource, where patients could discuss their health and consider a number of options for a path to wellness.
Cherly Shine found Summerwood Pharmacy when she was looking for a place to compound a specific medicine for her daughter with cerebral palsy.
“It’s a rare medicine that no one uses anymore, but it’s the only medicine that works for my little girl,” said Shine, who is now a loyal customer. “When I walked in, I not only found a pharmacy that would help, but they went above and beyond. They’re like family.”
Summerwood, which serves Kingwood, Humble and the Lake Houston area, is in Ekpema’s neighborhood. The full-service pharmacy offers vitamins, supplements and CBD treatments as well. Ekpema specializes in natural hormone replacement.
She also works with physicians and nurse practitioners to safely combine vitamins and nutritional supplements with prescriptions. She hosts seminars at Summerwood and speaks at schools, faith-based events and community organizations and teaches continuing education classes.
Ekpema was born in Louisiana and raised in West Africa. Her grandfather, who lived to 102, was an inspiration. “This man was the healthiest man you could ever meet. He was what I consider a great herbalist.”
He could go into his garden and return with just the right herb to serve as a remedy, Ekpema recalled. “Then he would mash it up with a mortar and pestle,” she said. “He knew what everything did. He piqued my interest.”
The memory stuck with her when she headed back to Louisiana to earn her doctorate from Xavier University College of Pharmacy. She wanted to start a pharmacy where she could combine the natural healing she saw work so well for her and her grandfather with the pharmaceuticals that she studied in school.
At Summerwood, Ekpema said, pharmacists are encouraged to spend time with clients. She has a couch at the pharmacy counter and wants clients to feel at home. “Some people need more than a minute or two,” she said. “Some people just want someone to listen. A lot of people need the words, ‘We’re here for you. It’s going to be OK.’ ”
Marie Ekpema
“This is a time for everyone to be healthy. And we’re here for you.”