After over 14 years of treating patients with cancer, I knew there was something missing using only conventional medicine. Prescribing cancer treatment protocols without getting to the root cause no longer made sense. I started taking a deeper step with my patients to understand the cause of their symptoms, not just giving something for their symptoms. I needed to remove the barriers that were preventing them from being healthy as I knew the body has its own capacity to heal itself.
When I was in my early 30s, my twin sister was diagnosed with a grade IV retroperitoneal sarcoma, a very aggressive cancer which did not respond well to chemotherapy or immunotherapy, nor radiotherapy treatments. That was when I got a deeper understanding of what I was missing as an Oncologist. I realized I needed to see patients as a whole person, instead of being solely focused on treating the cancer.
We sought out alternative treatments to improve her quality of life and extend her life. I was surprised with their results. I began searching and learning about different therapies that we, medical doctors, are not taught in conventional medicine, including homeopathy, electromagnetism, thermotherapy, breathing techniques, healthy lifestyle, balanced nutrition, meditation, oxygen/ozone therapy, botanical herbs, hydrotherapy, quantum medicine, and so on. This helped me gain a better understanding of how these therapies work and I began researching naturopathic medicine as it provides a philosophy of practice that brings all other these therapies and conventional medicine together.
Following these experiences, I began my own journey with the confidence to leave Brazil to study English in Toronto, Canada, before I began my training in naturopathic medicine and earned my Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine degree at Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine. In parallel, I considered the opportunities for
free education in Germany, which could have further expanded my academic horizons.
My life experiences have taught me to expand beyond what is conventional to see the whole person and the life circumstances that contribute to health. I combine compassionate care with my medical experience to support and guide my patients and clients to make the best, informed decision for their health. My goal is to always recommend the best treatments approaches that integrate conventional and naturopathic treatments.
Dr. Fran, MD, ND, is a licensed naturopathic medical doctor with a focus on Integrative Medicine.
She earned her Doctor of Medicine degree from the Federal University of Maranhão in 2001, and after that completed 2 years of residency training in Internal Medicine and 2 years in Medical Oncology at Base Hospital of the Federal District in Brasilia, Brazil. After completing her oncology training, she was invited to work and open a new Oncology Center at São Rafael Hospital in Imperatriz, Maranhão, Brazil, where she was the Program Director of the Medical Oncology Department in 2006/2007. She is a member of the Brazilian Medical Association since 2002, and the Brazilian Society of Medical Oncology since 2007.
She also has previous work experience as a Medical Oncologist from 2007 to 2017 at the Aldenora Bello Cancer Hospital and Tarquínio Lopes Filho Cancer Hospital, in São Luís, Maranhão, Brazil. In 2017, she started an Observership / Fellowship in Clinical Oncology at Sunnybrook Health Science Centre in Toronto, Canada. She joined the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine in 2018 where she earned her Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine degree in 2022.
Currently, she is doing telemedicine with patients from Brazil and providing integrative medical care, in office, via home visits, and virtually in Lake Havasu City, AZ.
