Kathy van Gogh from British Columbia is a retired entrepreneur and decorative artist who transitioned into natural health after experiencing life-threatening health challenges and systemic failures in the medical system. A former systems analyst, computer programmer, and international decorative painter, Kathy raised four children and now enjoys being a grandmother. Her turning point came in 2016 when she developed high blood pressure following a burst appendix and sepsis. Initially managed with pharmaceuticals, she endured years of side effects and increasing dependence on prescription renewals while struggling to access consistent care due to doctor shortages, closed clinics, and overburdened virtual services.

In this interview, Kathy shares how the healthcare system’s cracks forced her to become her own doctor, monitoring her blood pressure and learning about her medications’ impacts. When access became unreliable, she turned to plant medicine—studying herbalism, enrolling in courses, and methodically tapering her prescriptions while testing herbal remedies. Through careful monitoring, she successfully replaced pharmaceuticals with natural solutions, stabilizing her blood pressure and improving her sleep and overall well-being. Today she makes over 50 remedies for her family and friends, from tinctures to creams, while voicing deep concern over government attempts to regulate natural products like pharmaceuticals. Her message to Ottawa is blunt: fix the broken medical system and stop trying to eliminate people’s alternatives. For her, herbal medicine is not just empowerment but survival.