From Cancer to Clarity: How My Diagnosis Led Me to Become a Doctor

Every year, I pause and remember the day my life changed forever. On February 4th, 2010, I answered the phone and heard the words no one ever wants to hear: “You have cancer.”

At that moment, time stood still. My heart pounded, the world blurred, and a thousand questions raced through my mind. It’s a day etched in my memory with vivid clarity but here’s the unexpected gift: when I look back now, I don’t just feel fear or sadness. I feel gratitude.

I smile because of how far I’ve come, the lessons I’ve learned, and the path that diagnosis led me down. A path that not only changed my health, but shaped my purpose.

This is the story of how a devastating diagnosis led me to become a Naturopathic Doctor, dedicate my life to helping women heal, and uncover the real reasons behind hormone imbalance so we can all live with more energy, fewer symptoms, and greater vitality.

The Wake-Up Call

When I first heard “you have cancer,” my only thought was survival. I didn’t think about hormones, nutrition, or stress I focused on getting through treatment. Chemotherapy, scans, labs, and the emotional rollercoaster became my new normal.

But even as I was doing what I needed to do day by day, something inside me knew I couldn’t stop at just being “cancer-free.” I needed to understand why my body had broken down and how to protect my health moving forward.

That wake-up call planted a seed: if the body can break down so drastically, maybe it can also heal when given the right support.

The Hormone Connection I Couldn’t Ignore

Physically, I bounced back fairly quickly. But inside? My body was still a mess.

I told myself I was “one and done” with cancer but a breast scare and multiple skin cancer diagnoses later, I had to face the truth: something deeper was going on. And I couldn’t ignore it anymore.

Doctors need their own doctors too. And in 2024, I finally took a deep dive into my own labs and symptoms and realized my body was still under attack.

Cancer and its treatments can disrupt your cellular health in ways that make you more vulnerable to future illness. I had done so much healing already, but I hadn’t addressed the root causes of what put me at risk in the first place.

That’s when everything shifted. I stopped asking “what treatment do I need?” and started asking “why did this happen?” and “what does my body need to truly heal?”

A Different Kind of Medicine

That curiosity, and let’s be honest, a bit of stubborn determination led me to naturopathic medical school.

There, I learned how nutrition, stress, sleep, toxins, and mindset all affect hormone health. I learned how to support the body without suppressing symptoms. And I saw firsthand how many women were stuck in survival mode, being offered birth control or pain meds instead of real solutions.

Although I don’t treat cancer in my practice, my own journey gave me a clear calling: to help women balance hormones naturally and stop normalizing period pain, fatigue, and frustration.

You can fix irregular cycles, calm PCOS or endometriosis symptoms, and improve your mood and energy when you look at the whole picture.

The Framework I Now Teach

Through research, clinical work, and my own recovery, I developed a step-by-step approach to support women’s hormone health and provide real period relief:

• Assess nutrient status to support energy, mood, and cycle health.
  
• Balance blood sugar to stabilize hormone production.
  
• Support liver detox for healthy estrogen metabolism.
  
• Lower stress hormones with lifestyle strategies and mind-body tools.
  
• Prioritize sleep to allow the body to truly reset.
  

When you work with your body instead of against it, everything shifts.

A Patient Who Reminded Me Why I Do This

One of my earliest patients came to me after years of battling painful periods, mood swings, bloating, and fatigue. She had seen multiple doctors, all of whom offered the same answer: birth control or “just deal with it.”

Together, we focused on targeted nutrition, stress support, and sleep hygiene. Within 12 weeks, her cycle was regular, her symptoms eased, and she had her energy back.

What she told me still gives me chills:  “I didn’t know it was possible to feel this good naturally.”

Simple Ways to Start Balancing Hormones

You don’t need a complete overhaul to start feeling better. Here are a few simple, sustainable steps:

• Track your cycle – awareness is the first step to understanding your body.
  
• Eat healthy fats – they’re essential for hormone production.
  
• Avoid extreme diets – they can throw your cycle off balance.
  
• Move your body daily – walking, yoga, or strength training all help.
  
• Limit alcohol – especially important for estrogen balance, particularly post-breast cancer.
  

And just as important:

What to avoid:

• Masking symptoms instead of asking why they’re happening.
  
• Ignoring environmental toxins.
  
• Pushing through burnout instead of resting.
  

From Cancer to Purpose

Cancer taught me resilience. But the healing journey afterward taught me something even more important: how to listen to my body, support it with what it truly needs, and never settle for “you’re fine” when something still feels off.

That’s why I created Hope Natural Health to help women like you uncover the root causes behind period problems, low energy, and hormone imbalances. Your symptoms are real. And there’s a way forward.

If you’re feeling unheard, dismissed, or just exhausted from not feeling like yourself, I want you to know:

You don’t have to keep going through the motions.
You can feel better in your body again.

Book a Discovery Call and let’s find out what your body’s been trying to tell you.