Beaumont Doctor Heads to London Olympics

With the opening ceremony less than two weeks away, Dr. Peter Donaldson, a sports medicine doctor, feels lucky to participate in the 2012 London Summer Olympics as a physician for the U.S. equestrian team.

"I know once I get to London I am going to be working around the clock with no days off, still I feel really fortunate," Donaldson said. "It feels bigger than life."

Donaldson, of Grosse Pointe Park, has been assigned to work with the U.S. equestrian team. He will travel with athletes to all the equestrian events and when the team is off, he will be working as a shared provider in clinic that will be used by more than 500 U.S. Olympic athletes.

"Admittedly, everyone in London is healthy and ready to go," Donaldson said. "They are well-prepared and hope they will never have to use me."

Much of what Donaldson will do is proactive. He will make sure athletes are getting the nutrition and sleep they need and are in the proper mental state to reach those gold medal goals.

Donaldson, who applied for the Olympic position seven years ago, was involved with the U.S. equestrian team in the Pan Am Games.

"We kind of clicked," he said. "They got to know me and I got to know all the staff. It was easy to bring me on."

Athletes and team physicians are arriving in London this week, Donaldson said. The opening ceremony is July 27.

"There is a lot of processing that must be done in advance," he said. Athletes get their credentials, information packets and have doping rules explained, he said.

This will be Donaldson's first trip to the Olympics and though he was born in England and studied at Oxford, he hasn't been back in 20 years.

"I'm looking forward to catching up with the medical staff and athletes, going to all the venues and meeting lots of new people," he said. "I plan on sleeping when I get home."