Testimonial
“As a young, healthy, and active young woman with no family history of cancer, I was an anomaly to my doctors when I was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 36. Some doctors advised me to do all the chemotherapy and radiation I could; others advised me against such services and instead pointed me to strict anti-estrogen regimes. Needless to say, it was a confusing time for me. I spent most nights reading medical journals and trying to discern why I got cancer and how to treat it. The more I learned, the more I became interested in the aspects of my lifestyle that no doctors asked about—like diet, sleep, stress. This led me to a new appreciation for the wholistic nature of true wellbeing.
Several years later when I relocated to North Carolina, I took on the Herculean task of rebuilding my team of doctors. This time, I vowed to find doctors whose knowledge of medicine took into account the whole person. After asking my new oncologist who his wife saw for gynecological services, he named Dr. Alyson Miletich.
On my first visit, I was skeptical. Given my experience with cancer, I had become accustomed to being my own health advocate. In fact, I had become too reliant on my own medical research, and it was taking its toll on me. After several minutes of pleasant conversation, Dr. Miletich asked me about my diet. I was surprised by this, as she was literally the first doctor to ask me this. Next, she asked me how I coped with stress. I didn’t have an answer because no doctor had ever asked me that. She asked about my gratitude practice and how I was sleeping. After more than an hour of conversation and discussion, I left the doctor appointment feeling informed, empowered, and perhaps most importantly, supported.
In the three years since that initial visit, Dr. Miletich has become the most vital voice on my healthcare team. Despite all I felt I had learned during my own research, she has taught me more about the interconnectedness of mind, body, and spirit than anyone else. Most importantly, she has offered me the gift of support. I no longer feel that I have to carry the burden of my wellbeing alone. She is my ally on the path to wellness. Our conversations have not only changed the way I treat, feed, and nourish my body, they changed the way I think and interact with the world and people around me. I no longer feel like a cancer patient; I feel like a human, with the power to care for my body and offer what it needs—not only to avoid disease—but to live the fullest life possible. Is there any greater gift?”
