As we celebrate Women’s Month, The Canna Club is honored to highlight the remarkable contributions of women in the cannabis industry in South Africa. We asked them a few questions and were honoured they took the time to answer our questions to share with you !
As we celebrate Women’s Month, The Canna Club is honored to highlight the remarkable contributions of women in the cannabis industry in South Africa. We asked them a few questions and were honoured they took the time to answer our questions to share with you !
Today, we turn our spotlight on Dr. Shiksha Gallow, a distinguished Holistic Integrative Practitioner, Cannabis Clinician, Health Coach, and Medical Researcher.
What inspired you to join the cannabis industry, and how has it changed your life?
I was working in the Clinical Trial department at Wits Health Consortium, and I was involved in the HIV vaccine study for many years. While I was busy with vaccines and looking at prevention of diseases, I was very curious about a more safe effective type prophylaxis treatment that was natural. I saw the adverse reactions we had to report with the studies I was conducting and saw how the patients were suffering and I realised many of the pharmaceutical drugs made patients more ill, and never really treated the root cause but the symptoms. I then went down a rabbit hole and found out about different plant based medicines and cannabis.
This changed my life, as I learnt so much I met such inspiring people in the industry and I just continued to study everything I could find on medical cannabis. I then found the Society of Cannabis Clinicians in the USA, and they interviewed me and offered me a position on the Board of Directors.
This then changed my whole cannabis journey as I was amongst the top performing global cannabis clinicians and I learnt so much from this network and continue to learn. I remain one of the first and only South African on this prestigious board. I then did my Clinician training certification course with the SCC and I was seeing patients and the difference the cannabis medicines made in their life and I never saw anything like it before in medicine and then the rest was history.
Can you share a moment when your work in cannabis made a positive impact?
I have a few lol. The first was seeing a family member of mine in full remission after three months of being on my treatment protocol. He was diagnosed with Stage IV cancer and the chemotherapy did not work and the Oncologists told him, they cannot do anything more for him. It is now 5 years later and he is still alive and well. Subsequently, I have helped over 300 patients with Stage IV cancer and helped improve their quality of life, and many are I remission.
The second was completing the first ever medical cannabis clinical trial in South Africa which ended in September 2023. The research was investigating the replacement of opioids with medical cannabis for chronic pain. We recruited a total of 308 patients and 93% of the patients were weaned off opioids in month six. They showed improved quality of life, less pain and improved sleep. My publication is currently under review and would be published soon.
My third moment would be my PHD , it was on the effects medical cannabinoids have on prostate cancer. This took me two years to just get my topic approved, as it was one of the first PHD studies on actual patients, cancer and cannabis. I completed my research and I am currently publishing three papers which are under peer review. The results were outstanding, and I was so humbled and honoured when I won first prize for medical research at the South African Medical Association Awards in February 2024.
Lastly, my work has made a positive impact on many patients and doctors as my medical cannabis training courses for medical doctors was approved in May 2024 with the Health Professionals Council of South Africa (HPCSA) through South African Medical Association (SAMA) and the University of Cape Town. This allows doctors to learn everything they need to know about medical cannabis, and this offers patients access to safe and effective
medication. Furthermore, this helps remove the stigma amongst the medical profession.
Additionally, I was appointed at the Tshwane University (TUT) as the Research Associate for medical cannabis. This is a significant breakthrough, as I will be lecturing third year students and I will also be co-supervising any Masters and PHD students, that want to conduct research on medical cannabis.
Can you share a personal favorite Motivational Quote with us ?
“Success is not final, failure is not fatal. It is the courage to continue that counts”: Winston Churchill. My journey in this industry has been a challenging one, however I continue to rise above all obstacles as everything I do is with a good heart and the correct intentions. I would love to empower and heal many more patient suffering from debilitating diseases, and I believe cannabis is the answer !
Conclusion
Dr. Shiksha Gallow’s story is a testament to the profound impact women are making in the cannabis industry. Her dedication to patient care, groundbreaking research, and advocacy for cannabis education embodies the spirit of innovation and compassion.
As we celebrate Women’s Month, we honor Dr. Gallow’s contributions and the countless lives she has touched with her expertise and passion for cannabis medicine.
Explore more about Dr. Gallow’s inspiring journey and her contributions https://www.hihealing.co.za/about
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