From the young age of 3 years old, I was in and out of hospitals almost daily. I had started bruising all over my body and many people began to realize that I just didn’t look right. After countless tests and trips to the hospital, I was diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disease that causes my body to attack my platelets and results in my blood not being able to clot properly.

From then until about 12 years old, I went into the hospital everyday to get a CBC lab test done to ensure that my platelets were at a stable level. My parents always tell the story that from the age of about 5, they could drop me off in front of the hospital and I could make my way up to the lab, get my blood drawn, and meet them back down in the car. I remember one of the phlebotomists so vividly to this day. Each time after she drew my blood, she would pray with me that I would be healthy one day. It took years of prayers, trials, and treatments, but I finally ended up in remission.

Fast forward to my college years, when I was undoubtedly not living the greatest lifestyle, and my autoimmune condition had come out of remission. I had to reestablish care with hematologists and I could not find a doctor that would take me seriously. One of them almost laughed at me when I suggested that my fast food and alcohol intake, as well as my lack of sleep and exercise, had anything to do with me becoming sick again.

Through countless hours of doing my own research and implementing positive, healthy habits into my life, I was finally able to heal myself. It was during this time that I realized I wanted to get into the field of “natural medicine,” but I didn’t know what was out there. I was already on the pre-med track before all of these health issues resurfaced, but I knew I could no longer go the conventional route; it just wasn’t what I aligned with. Once I saw how much of an impact those changes I made had on my life, I knew that this was my passion. After many more hours of internet sleuthing, I discovered that there was schooling to become a Naturopathic Doctor – and the rest is history. This was absolutely where I was supposed to be, and I most likely would not have found this profession had I not gone through my own struggles.

I practice with empathy and compassion, and want each of my patients to feel heard and supported.