My Family’s Health Experience Led Me To Homeopathy

From Vanessa P., Thornhill

I am a twenty one year old woman completing my undergraduate degree in languages at York University, therefore the “why homeopathy” question is very relevant to me. I had not even heard of homeopathy until four or five years ago. My father had herniated two discs in his back before I was born, when he was working construction. He suffered for many years of excruciating pain and the unpredictable side effects of many pharmaceuticals. Finally he started looking into natural ways to lessen his chronic pain so he would rid himself of these pharmaceutical drugs forever. This is when he introduced my family to the concept of natural and alternative medicine. With these new ideas in mind, I noticed more and more the faults of (Western) allopathy.

In 2011 my grandfather Mario had to undergo a triple bypass surgery. He had not had any strokes or heart attacks prior so the surgery was preemptive. But for a man with an allergy to anesthesia, it’s potentially fatal. After this surgery, he turned his life around (he was only 68 at the time). He began to exercise, eat better and became more careful with his health. Situations such as the ones of these people closest to me pushed my interest in homeopathy.

Up until 2013 a career in homeopathy seemed like an impossibility for me. I had no connections, no information and no encouragement from my friends and family to pursue such a career. It was in January 2013 that my grandfather Peter died in hospital from complications of pneumonia. Everything that could have gone wrong, did. He required a pacemaker, several blood transfusions, constant sedation, his medications were reacting to the medication administered in hospital and he became severely dehydrated as his time there passed. It seemed ridiculous that he went in with a slow heart beat and never left. The constant poking, prodding and incompetence was frustrating to watch. For a hospital that is “world renowned” for cardiac care, I was not even remotely convinced that this accolade was deserved. Obviously I’m upset by the loss of my grandfather but I am more upset by the idea that people are suffering and dying unnecessarily every year due to a flawed medical system. I wondered how many people: young, old, immigrants, families, are unaware of their health care options. How many people have died and suffered senselessly from preventable and curable, chronic diseases? This is when I began searching for careers in natural medicine. I wanted something that suited me.

I have a cousin who studied Holistic Nutrition at an affiliate college of CCHM. So through her LinkedIn page and Google searches, I found CCHM. I had no idea this school was one subway ride away from where I live. I spent countless hours on the website reading, exploring and thinking.  Since speaking with Joyce Edge, my anticipation to join this program has been immeasurable. Once she extended the invitation to “Student for a Day” with Dr. Kellerstein, I immediately purchased the recommended books and began reading. Hahnemann’s Organon… Wow! Within my first 10 pages I was dumbfounded that more people have not read the book. I found it to be in line with the way I think about health. I was so excited to take part in “Student for a Day” and once I was there, I felt like a student and I knew that I simply had to get into this program!

All that said, I know I’m young and I do not have much life experience because of it but I am eager to learn and a fast learner at that. One of the biggest things I want out of my life is to have a career in which I can improve the lives of others and be a lifelong learner.