Doctors Get Cancer Too

Welcome back to WellSeekers as we start a brand new five part series talking about focusing on cancer. In this series, we’ll share inspiring and powerful conversations full of encouragement, hope, wisdom, touching personal stories, and most importantly real world solutions; all from a holistic perspective. We’ll talk with professionals and friends of the show on what it’s like to hear those words “you have cancer”, real life and practical wisdom and solutions for supporting those diagnosed and living with cancer, support for caregivers, and their heroic kind and self-less acts. So join us on this extraordinary series as we want to help you grow and thrive in the face of a cancer diagnosis if you’ve been diagnosed with cancer, are living with cancer, know someone dear to you with cancer, or want to prevent this fast growing, deadly and sometimes chronic disease.

On today’s show, we welcome our first guest Dr. Anisha Patel. She’s not only a doctor and General Practice partner based in West Sussex in England, but also was diagnosed with advanced rectal cancer in 2018. Dr. Patel aims to raise and promote awareness of all cancers, and educate and support others affected by this disease as she shares her unique experience as a doctor and a patient with cancer. We’ll talk about navigating the medical system and various and cutting edge treatments, and the importance of caring for yourself and your loved ones with nutritional care, emotional care, physical care, and holistic care.

Medical News Today recently published an article citing in 2010 that 18.7 million people was diagnosed with cancer, and 8.29 million of those people passed away due to cancer. And more recently in 2019, 23.6 million people received a new cancer diagnosis, with 10 million cancer deaths. These numbers have increased significantly with cancer becoming more and more prevalent. So join Lucia and Dr. Patel on this important and powerful show as we want to help you grow and thrive in the face of a cancer diagnosis.​

Be sure to follow Dr. Anisha Patel on IG @doctorsgetcancertoo

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About Anisha
Dr. Anisha Patel is a GP partner working at Holbrook Surgery, Horsham, West Sussex.  Anisha qualified with a degree in medicine from the University of Birmingham in 2002 and worked as a junior doctor in and around Birmingham whilst training to initially become a hospital consultant in Respiratory Medicine. After working in hospital for 6 years, Anisha took the leap to move into General Practice, taking her specialist skills into the community.  At this time, she completed a Diploma in both ‘Family Planning’ and ‘Obstetrics and Gynecology’, giving her expertise in women’s health. Whilst in vocational training, Anisha had two children, which has helped her with real life pediatric experience! 

In September 2018, Anisha was unexpectedly diagnosed with advanced bowel cancer. Since her diagnosis, her aim has been not only been to complete treatment, recover and survive, but she has been driven to use her unique experiences as both doctor and patient in helping others navigate their patient journey.

Anisha has set up an open, cathartic page on social media @doctorsgetcancertoo which has grown and evolved, which aims to health promote, raise awareness of all cancers, and allows Anisha to educate and support others affected by this disease. She has shared the highs and lows of life during and after cancer, and documented the difficulties cancer posed for mental health, the trials and tribulations of returning to work as a doctor, and her subsequent recovery to health.

Anisha’s passion outside of work includes time spent with friends and family (children aged 9 and 10 and husband Gareth, a Consultant Gastroenterologist). She enjoys cooking, travelling, running, swimming, tennis, and reformer Pilates. Anisha recently completed the London Marathon, sharing her training and fundraising efforts through her social media page and raising £9000 for Bowel Cancer UK in the process!

​Dr. Anisha Patel
MBCHB, MRCP, DFFP, DRCOG, MRCGP
Bowel Cancer Survivor, GP, Mum, Speaker, Campaigner, TV Doctor