Back in 2012, life threw me an unexpected curveball when I received a Stage I Papillary thyroid cancer diagnosis. At the time, I was only 23 and mid-way through my Master’s program, filled with dreams and the belief that I was invincible. However, in the face of this challenge, I made a decision guided by fear and the desire for a swift resolution—I opted for the standard of care treatment. Within the year, I got back to normal life and gradually started searching and implementing lifestyle changes in hopes of preventing future cancers.

Fast forward to 2022, and cancer reentered my life in the form of Invasive Ductal Carcinoma, a type of Breast Cancer, at Stage IIIA when I was 33 years old. This time I refused to be rushed into treatment I didn’t fully understand. Having been diagnosed with two different cancer types at such a young age made my doctors wonder what else could be causing it. I was offered extensive genetic testing, and the results were enlightening—I had a rare genetic mutation called FANCM, which predisposed me to both cancer types.

Knowing about this mutation became a pivotal point in my treatment journey. It guided my decisions and led me to choose a different path than would have normally been recommended. Armed with this knowledge, I embarked on an integrative approach that combined the best of both conventional and holistic therapies. The result was nothing short of remarkable—downgrading from Stage IIIA to a Prognostic Stage of IIA with “No evidence of disease” a year out from the start of my treatment. This journey underscored the incredible power of holistic approaches to healing.