My Complex Journey through Chronic Illness and Leadership Stress to Vitality
When you’ve spent decades walking through doctor’s offices, hospital corridors, and leadership boardrooms, it’s easy for your struggles to become invisible—even to yourself. While many know me as a transformative leader in nonprofit and education, or a dedicated mother and supportive wife, I’ve battled some tough health challenges.
Living with Chronic Disease: The Long Road
At age 12, I was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease—a reality that shaped my adolescence and launched my early battles with chronic pain, fatigue, and uncertainty. By 15, I underwent major surgery to remove segments of my intestines, my appendix, and repair severely connected fistulas between my intestines and other organs; for over 26 years, Crohn’s seemed to explain every ache, every flare, every hospital visit, every day I felt less than whole.
But here’s what no one saw coming: Despite all those years of diagnosis, powerful medications that failed me on multiple occasions, and resilience, it wasn’t until 2024 that I finally discovered another culprit contributing to my suffering—Endometriosis. So much of my pain was not just Crohn’s. It was endo, quietly mimicking flares and complicating my health journey for years.
For so long, I wondered which condition was truly causing my trouble. Was it Crohn’s or something else? That uncertainty was exhausting—physically and emotionally. I looked healthy, but inside, I was running on empty. I ignored my body, suppressed my needs, and tried to “push through” for my team and family. The toll on my emotional well-being, my family life, and my sense of self-worth was profound. I felt unseen and unheard, especially when others couldn’t grasp or empathize with my struggle. My family has always been my number one support system, but the fact that I could look ‘great’ to others (outside my family) while dealing with such internal turmoil didn’t help.
Choosing Myself: A Leap Toward Healing
In August of 2024, I made the most difficult—and the most empowering—decision of my life: to temporarily step away from my career, yes an official sabbatical, to focus on reclaiming my health and sense of purpose, experience real joy with my family, and eventually re-establish my health coaching business while conducting critical doctoral research. Why? Because my limited time hindered me from researching my own challenges and truly experiencing the blessings that were right in front of me. I also needed to process what I had newly learned and had a strong desire to advance my education on wellness and effective nonprofit leadership in preparation for helping others like me. I wanted to prepare for leading education, non-profit, and healthcare transformation as an expert in maintaining organizational and individual wellness.
During my rest, I began seeing both a functional medicine doctor and a naturopathic doctor (ND). I revisited some a my old hobbies, music and art, and spent much more time with my family. For the first time, I felt hope. While I struggled, my symptoms were noted, acknowledged, and researched; I was educated. I felt more empowered and confident to empower others on the same journey. With chronic diseases, I deal with pain and other symptoms, but my treatment plan is more targeted more tailored to me as an individual, and aligned with my values and needs to accomplish healing overall. Right now, I’m enjoying more intentional balance, with even more expertise to operate as a high performing C-suite leader with work life harmony.
Why Holistic Health and Wellness Consultation?
My lifelong love of medicine (I was once pre-med and attended pharmacy college) finally found its calling in Holistic Wellness. It aligned with my core beliefs: that healing should be whole-person, integrative, and compassionate. Now, I’m dedicating my career to Flourishing Vitality: Cultivating Sustainable Health and Wellness—a space where your voice matters and your wellness is the focus.
My Mission: Empowerment, Advocacy, and Flourishing
I want to lead nonprofits in a sustainable manner, advocate for those who feel unseen, empower others with knowledge, and foster a future where all people can receive equitable, holistic health and wellness coaching. My journey taught me resilience—and now, I want to help you discover lasting vitality in every season of your life, no matter how complex your story may be.
Subscribe, comment, and connect—your journey matters here.
Flourishing Vitality 