LifeChoices Family Medical, a DBA of LifeChoices Women’s Care, Inc., is a nonprofit 501c3 organized solely for the general religious, charitable and educational purposes pursuant to the Florida Corporations Not for Profit Law set forth in Section 617 of the Florida Statutes.
The Beginning of a Vision
Founded in 2009, our organization grew out of the Lutz–Land O’ Lakes Pregnancy Center, a ministry established through the collaborative efforts of churches across Northern Hillsborough and Central Pasco Counties; including. Our Lady of the Rosary, St Timothy, St Paul, and St Mary.
In the spring of 2010, Ana Hidalgo Stooks was appointed as our founding Executive Director, providing leadership and vision that helped shape the future of the organization.
As the needs of our community continued to grow, the pregnancy resource center evolved. In 2012, we adopted the name LifeChoices Women’s Care, Inc., expanded our services to include limited obstetrical ultrasound, and moved into a larger facility to accommodate an increasing number of patient visits.
In 2015, we broadened our scope of care and began the transition from a pregnancy resource center to a comprehensive women’s healthcare clinic. We secured our current 4,700-square-foot facility and filed a Doing Business As (DBA) under the name Guiding Star Tampa. The following year, Jill Casciello joined the organization as Assistant Executive Director to lead our medical expansion. We also welcomed Tammara Taylor, our first advanced practice nurse practitioner and certified nurse midwife, marking the beginning of our medical care services.
In 2017, we received licensure from the Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) and became a certified Pro Women’s Healthcare Clinic (PWHC). Through this national network, we collaborate with healthcare providers across the United States who share our commitment to natural and holistic women’s healthcare.
In 2020, we expanded our services to include family medicine with the addition of Dr. Mariana Girón, our first family practice physician. During this time, we also adopted our guiding tagline: “Healthcare that Upholds the Dignity of the Human Person.”
To better reflect the breadth of care we provide, we changed our name to LifeChoices Family Medical in 2021.
In 2025, LifeChoices Family Medical entered a new chapter with the retirement of our founding Executive Director, Ana Hidalgo Stooks, after 15 years of dedicated service and leadership. Succeeding her was Chris Markford, a local healthcare executive and active member of the Catholic community. Under Chris's leadership, LifeChoices has continued to expand its services to meet the growing needs of families in our community. This growth includes the addition of an OB/GYN specialist and two pediatric specialists, allowing us to provide more comprehensive care for women, children, and families throughout every stage of life.
Today, LifeChoices Family Medical serves as a healthcare ministry of the Roman Catholic Church, carrying out its mission through compassionate, patient-centered care. Across all of our clinical services, patients can expect care that upholds the dignity of every human person and remains faithful to these principles. Families can be confident that the care they receive reflects our commitment to both clinical excellence and Catholic values, providing a trusted environment in which children, parents, and individuals are respected, supported, and cared for.
We serve in the health ministry of the Roman Catholic Church and carry out its mission. The philosophy of the corporation mirrors the philosophy of the official teachings of the Roman Catholic Church and the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Services, as approved by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
Vision
Mission
The vision of LifeChoices Family Medical (a DBA of LifeChoices Women’s Care, Inc.) is to create a culture of life in the Tampa Bay, Florida area by providing the highest quality of healthcare that promotes scientifically based and ethically sound medicine, which respects the dignity of women and families.
The mission of LifeChoices Family Medical is to transform healthcare by providing natural, holistic and life affirming medical care.
We have established a healthcare clinic for women, men and families, specializing in gynecology and obstetrics, pediatrics and primary care.
Our goal is to provide the healthiest options for achieving wellness by caring for the mind, body and spirit, and promoting restorative reproductive medicine. We provide services through medical physicians and nurse practitioners, in a comprehensive care model that honors the unique beauty of every person by promoting dignity of life.
Our focus has been on providing exceptional healthcare regardless of one’s ability to pay.
Our purpose is to restore the dignity and beauty of the human person.
Our passion is to provide healthcare and knowledge to women and families who are uninsured, underinsured, and the abortion vulnerable. We are driven to help women reverse the effects of a chemical abortion, saving their babies. We also partner with organizations who help women get out of human trafficking, the adult entertainment business and abortion clinic workers.