My Story: From Doctor to Patient to Doctor Again

By Dr Amy Walker

In 2021, my life changed overnight when I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Having worked as a Consultant Paediatric Anaesthetist for over 23 years, I was used to being the doctor in the doctor-patient relationship. Suddenly finding myself in the unfamiliar and vulnerable position of being the patient was a profound shock.

What made my diagnosis even more bewildering was that I had no family history of cancer. I was slim, fit, and ate what I thought was a healthy diet. I was facing a life-altering illness that seemed to have no obvious cause. It left me questioning everything I thought I knew about health and wellness.

I knew very early on that I would need to do more to support myself than what was being offered through conventional care. I felt a profound lack of control, as if my identity had been completely stripped away. I didn’t feel like a doctor anymore, and I didn’t feel fit and healthy anymore – two things that had defined me. Why had I developed cancer? Could my diet, stress levels, or lifestyle have contributed? What could I actively do to support myself through treatment? Could I run? … “Don’t overdo it,” they said. Should I change my diet? … “Have what you fancy,” they said, offering up cake. What can I do to reduce my risk of recurrence? “There’s nothing else you can do. You were just unlucky,” they said.

I wasn’t entirely onboard with it being a ‘luck thing’ so I carved my own path. I kept running, and when I couldn’t run, I walked. I started yoga, found a brilliant acupuncturist, researched supplements, learned about mindfulness, and cobbled together what at the time felt like a good diet. I had counselling, reflexology, and even learned to love an ice plunge. And honestly, I think it helped. I wouldn’t go as far as to say that chemo was a walk in the park, but I got through my treatment without too much trouble.

Then, having been ‘unlucky’ I actually got lucky and found an amazing breast cancer nutritional therapist who opened my eyes to the power of food as medicine and introduced me to the fascinating world of nutrigenomics (the interplay between our genes and food). I was hooked. I learned so much about myself and began to understand why I had developed breast cancer. I decided to leave my old career and retrain in Functional Medicine and Integrative Oncology. These disciplines focus on identifying and addressing the root causes of illness, combining the best of traditional medicine with evidence-based lifestyle and nutritional interventions. It felt like going back to medical school again, but now I was looking at health through a brand-new lens.

Three and a half years after my diagnosis, I now lead the Integrative Oncology service at Mosaic Medical. My overarching aim is to offer patients the kind of service I would have wanted during my own treatment journey. This means putting the patient at the centre of what we do and using evidence-informed interventions to support their conventional care – optimising treatment effects, minimising side effects, and reducing the risk of recurrence. One of the most important things we do is help patients understand their unique cancer puzzle, which is hugely empowering as it informs how they move forward.

And so, to others, it may seem as if I am now back on the doctor side of the doctor-patient relationship. But I know that I will always have my feet firmly planted on both sides of the fence, and I hope that I am a better doctor because of it.

Dr Amy Walker (MBChB, FRCA, PGCert, AFMCP) leads the Cancer Service at Mosaic Medical, a nationwide, doctor-led functional medicine practice. If you are interested in finding out more you can book a free discovery call www.mosaic-medical.com