The Changes that Come with Cancer with Dr. Sagar Shah

Dr. Sagar Shah is a general dentist in the Bay Area. He was diagnosed with B-cell lymphoma in May 2020 at the height of the pandemic and lockdowns. He is currently in remission and has started an Instagram page called myheadisacanvas, where he uses his chemo-induced baldness as a canvas for paintings and art pieces done by his wife. Sagar earned his DDS from NYU College of Dentistry.

In this episode, Sagar shares how his life changed after being diagnosed with cancer during the pandemic. He describes the emotional and mental toll the disease took on his career and his perspective on life. He explains why having Stage IV cancer is not a death sentence and how he has prepared for the worst-case scenario. Sagar also discusses how he and his wife coped with his diagnosis, the creativity that came out of it, and the advice he would give dentists for their health and their practice.

"Cancer, in a lot of ways, has political connotations in a sense that it's a random disease." – Sagar Shah

This week on T-Bone Speaks Dentistry:

• Who Sagar Shah is and why he pursued a career in dentistry
• How lymphoma changed his perspective on life
• Why Stage IV cancer isn’t necessarily a death sentence
• Where Sagar was in his career when he found out he had lymphoma
• The preparations Sagar had for the worst-case scenario
• What professionally changed with Sagar after he was diagnosed
• The personal changes Sagar felt he needed to apply
• Sagar's health advice to remain healthy and motivated
• What Sagar would tell dentists regarding his experience and the changes he made

Our Favorite Quotes:

• "It takes disruptions like this to really experience life." – Tarun Agarwal
• "You become what you feed your body." – Sagar Shah
• "Your body has a whole spectrum of what it can feel like physically." – Sagar Shah

Connect with Sagar Shah:

• Sagar Shah on Instagram
• Sagar Shah on LinkedIn
• Email:shahsv86@gmail.com

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