I’ve always been fascinated by people — how we think, why we behave the way we do, what helps us thrive, and what gets in the way. I studied Psychology at university, then spent 12 years working in pharmaceuticals and medical devices, which gave me a front-row seat to the extraordinary things modern medicine can do.

From there, I moved into executive and leadership consulting, working with leaders to understand themselves more deeply and lead in a way that felt more authentic, human and connected. Later, through my own business, I worked with leaders and teams to help them understand one another better — because when people feel seen and understood, they tend to communicate, collaborate and work together a whole lot better. 

Then, in 2020, life took a rather dramatic left turn.

I was diagnosed with breast cancer and went through the full conventional treatment pathway: chemotherapy, surgery, radiation and more surgery. I did everything I was told to do and was enormously grateful for the expertise and care of my medical team.

But the cancer came back. In my brain. Three times.

Nearly three years ago, I was told it was terminal and that I likely had only weeks to live.

That kind of news has a way of sharpening your focus.

I had already been exploring far beyond what I had previously understood about health and healing. I am deeply curious about the effects of stress, emotions, mental patterns, the nervous system and energy on the body — not as a replacement for medicine, but as another part of the picture.

Qigong has become central to that exploration.

I’ve now been practicing for six years, and my desire to understand it properly has taken me three times to China, as well as to Thailand for an intensive healing residency with Chinese masters. I’ve immersed myself in Zhineng Qigong not only as a movement practice, but as a whole way of understanding health, energy, mind and the body’s capacity to change.

Along the way, something extraordinary happened.

The tumors in my brain affected my right vagus nerve and left me unable to swallow solid food, unable to speak, and unable to properly lift one of my arms. I was told that neurological function was unlikely to return and I would have to live with these effects for the rest of the time I had available to me.

Today, I have full range of motion in my arm, I can swallow normally, and my voice continues to return. My doctors have been amazed by the recovery.

I don’t see this as a story about rejecting Western medicine. Quite the opposite.

I believe Qigong helped me make the very best use of modern medicine — preparing and supporting my body, helping me tolerate treatment remarkably well, and allowing me to work with my medical team rather than feeling like treatment was simply being done to me. And beyond that, my own experience has shown me possibilities for healing and restoration that went beyond what my doctors expected.

Most importantly, I am not merely still here.

I have energy, vitality and a deep, abiding joy in being alive.

That is why I now feel so passionate about sharing what I have learned. Not because I believe there is one magic answer — sadly, I have yet to locate the secret trapdoor marked “instant enlightenment and perfect health” — but because I have experienced just how powerful it can be when we understand our bodies differently and learn how to actively participate in our own wellbeing.

And I can’t wait to share that with you.