Donations of food and toys are collected at Blue Water Spa.
Kile Law says she is having a midlife crisis. The Raleigh mother of two and co-owner of Blue Water Spa says being 40-something has meant much more than dreading the visible signs of aging. “I’m sure I’m not alone in this, but it’s been a time for serious reflection,” she says. “I’ve really been focused on the legacy I want to leave, the lasting impression I want my children to have – not only of me, but about the way we should treat others.” A midlife crisis, however, doesn’t fully explain Kile’s commitment to leading Blue Water Spa’s charitable efforts since it opened more than 10 years ago. You have to look deeper to learn the motivation behind the contribution of more than $3 million in cash and in-kind donations to the causes she cares so deeply about. Kile and her husband, Michael Law, MD, a board-certified plastic surgeon, established Blue Water Spa in 2003, and from the beginning they realized their medical spa was more than a business:
They saw it as a way to serve their community. Dr. Law’s father is a retired minister who served in Raleigh for more than 30 years and impressed upon his son the importance of giving back. Kile’s mother, a public school teacher for 48 years, spent the final years of her career teaching in Compton, California, – an area notorious for illegal drugs and gang violence. From her, Kile learned the meaning of sacrifice and the value of helping others. When her mother passed away several years ago, Kile was devastated. “She was a single mom and a generous, giving person; losing her was very hard,” she says. Kile decided to channel her sadness into doing something positive for others. “I will be the first to admit that this started from purely selfish reasons,” she says. She began by organizing a food drive to benefit the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle (IFFS), a tradition that has since collected more that 150,000 pounds of food. The support from enthusiastic clients and the satisfaction of providing food for holiday meals were energizing and uplifting during such a difficult time, and Kile says she can’t think of a better way to honor her mother’s memory.
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