Dr. Shani: You May Have Cancer, But Cancer Doesn’t Have You

Going through cancer treatment can be a blur and a whirlwind process.   You may feel that you’re getting funneled from one treatment to the next, with no time to stop and process what is actually going on, and with no time for yourself!   Local Portland, Oregon area doctor Shani Fox has made it her mission to change this typical process.  Unlike traditional doctors, Dr. Shani takes care of you holistically.  She practices naturopathic medicine in order to fix the root cause, not just bandage the symptoms.  For example, an oncologist will take care of a tumor, while Dr. Shani will take care of the rest of the person during treatment – physically and emotionally. 

As a naturopathic doctor, she looks past traditional treatment and wants to heal the whole person.   Each person has a different individual experience while undergoing treatment, so she looks for ways to properly nourish each patient to get sufficient nutrients based on the situation.  She also looks for ways to increase energy and help you recover while finding ways to prevent future cancer so you don’t have to go through this experience again.  Dr. Shani really is a doctor for the body, mind, and spirit. 

After meeting Dr. Shani over coffee at a local pancake house in SE Portland, she was dressed in her Barre3 gear and out and about on a Sunday morning. Yet despite her welcoming and casual attire, she was extremely professional, motivating and inspirational. Her knowledge of how to treat your body while experiencing such a traumatic journey was something that I gravitated toward immediately. 

She spoke of topics that us cancer survivors think about frequently – Is soy ok for you? What kind of exercise should I be doing? Any vitamins that I should take? Am I making the right health choices? And so much more.

Dr. Shani’s mission is to put you back in control of your life during cancer treatment, which is so incredibly important.  There is a weird thing that happens when you go for your last chemo or radiation treatment and you feel – “It’s done (thank God!)…I’m so happy, but now what? How do I keep fighting this to make sure it doesn’t come back?”

When asked to provide some words of wisdom to patients, Dr. Shani emphasized the fact that “you may have cancer, but cancer doesn’t have you.”  In order to regain control during this hectic time, you have to believe in that statement and believe in a healthy future after cancer.  In believing that there is life beyond this roadblock, you can put yourself back in control of your wellness. 

We’d like to thank Dr. Shani Fox for her incredible inspiration to women fighting pretty everywhere and for showing them that they do have options to consider during their treatment.   We encourage you all to learn more about Dr. Shani’s practice, watch her video or get in contact with her, by visiting her website: www.drshanifox.com.