I had an older cousin who passed away from stomach cancer. Unfortunately, by the time he was diagnosed, it was already an advanced case, and we lost him six months later. He was in his final year of medical school. The experience of seeing someone with their whole life ahead of them affected by cancer left a big impression on me.
My role is to use evidence-based integrative therapies, including nutrition, mind/body practices, and conservative use of natural products, to help patients manage the side effects of cancer treatments and improve their overall health. I work with patients to develop integrative treatment plans that align with their goals and values and meet their specific needs during and after cancer treatment.
Cancer can be one of the most challenging times in a person’s life, so I want to help make sure patients have what they need to feel supported — emotionally, physically, and spiritually. Many people diagnosed with cancer experience anxiety, depression, stress, difficulty sleeping, and physical symptoms like fatigue, nausea, and pain. I want patients to know that in addition to conventional treatments, there are many integrative therapies we can use to help them.
I am guided by the principles of naturopathic medicine, including doing no harm, treating the whole person, treating the cause, focusing on prevention, serving as a teacher and partner, and supporting the body’s natural healing processes.
Integrative medicine
I am a naturopathic physician who sees patients at SCCA South Lake Union.
I work with a high proportion of patients diagnosed with breast cancer, but I see people with many different diagnoses. Cancer treatment is one of the places in medicine where we can bring together conventional and complementary therapies to deliver patient-centered care and really focus on whole-person health.
We know that many cancer patients use, or are interested in using, some form of complementary or integrative medicine therapy during their treatment — whether that be taking supplements, changing their diet, having acupuncture, or using cannabis products — so I want to make sure patients know they can feel comfortable having an open conversation with me about these options, and we can talk through which ones are most likely to be safe and effective.
All Cancer Types
English
Undergraduate Degree
University of Michigan
Graduate Degree
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Medical School
Bastyr University
Residency
Integrative Oncology, Goshen Center for Cancer Care, Goshen Health
Fellowship
Postdoctoral Research Fellowship, Integrative Medicine and Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Certification
Plant-Based Nutrition, Center for Nutrition Studies, eCornell
At Fred Hutch, you receive care from a team of providers with extensive experience in your disease. Your team includes doctors, a patient care coordinator, a registered nurse, an advanced practice provider and others, based on your needs. You also have access to experts like nutritionists, social workers, acupuncturists, psychiatrists and more who specialize in supporting people with cancer or blood disorders.
Fred Hutch accepts most national private health insurance plans as well as Medicare. We also accept Medicaid for people from Washington, Alaska, Montana and Idaho. We are working to ensure that everyone, no matter what their financial situation, has access to the care they need.
The Media Relations team at Fred Hutch is available to assist members of the news media who would like to arrange interviews with providers.
Email media@fredhutch.org or call 206.667.2210