I am excited to introduce such a special individual in our Lake Country Community! Alison Tierney is a wife, mama, cancer survivor and thriver, and a registered dietitian board certified in oncology nutrition. She is also the owner and face behind Wholesome LLC in Oconomowoc, serving individuals in our community, all over the country, and even internationally.
Alison’s path towards becoming a registered dietitian specializing in oncology nutrition was a unique one, sparked by her interest in enhancing her own sports performance through nutrition, and later fueled by a personal connection to cancer within her family. Alison pursued her career, working as an outpatient oncology dietitian, then as an oncology dietitian for a local cancer center, and later establishing her own venture, Wholesome LLC right here in Lake Country. However, life presented her with an unexpected challenge when she was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 33. Despite the adversity, Alison chose to use her journey with cancer as an opportunity to further empower and inspire others. She continues to be a beacon of hope for individuals seeking to take control of their health through nutrition and lifestyle medicine. Her mission is to empower others to live their own Wholesome life with plant-based nutrition and lifestyle medicine.
I’ve admired Alison since we first met years ago, and have continued to be inspired and amazed by who she is, everything she has navigated through on her journey, and her outlook on life. I was so honored to interview her, and hope you feel inspired and empowered from her story! – Jessalyn Rich
About Alison Tierney
Q: Please tell us a little bit about your family.
My husband and I have two beautiful girls – Eleni who is 6 and Brooklyn who is 2. My husband also works within the community as a pharmacist at the Prescription Center Pharmacy in Oconomowoc. We love the ability to live, learn, and work all from a short walk from our home!
Q: Please tell us about your life and what you do (whether working in our community, a business owner, volunteer, etc.). How did you choose that path?
I didn’t always plan on becoming a dietitian. In fact, I have a bachelor’s degree in Business. My interest in nutrition actually started as an athlete, focusing on how I could improve my sports performance naturally. But, after several members of my family were diagnosed with cancer, my interest in nutrition started to shift to cancer. I wondered if nutrition could help alter paths and reduce the risk of cancer development, if it could help during treatment, and help survivors live high quality lives after cancer.
So, I headed back to school, earned a bachelor’s degree in dietetics followed by a master’s of science in Nutrition & Fitness. I found myself working in my dream job out of my internship as an outpatient oncology dietitian. Shortly into my career, a local cancer center was looking for an oncology dietitian to start, run, and grow a cancer nutrition program. I was offered the position and was so thrilled to be back in my community. After a few years and after having our first child, I started Wholesome LLC and found it time to leave my traditional role and left to pursue private practice exclusively. Today, I’m honored to be able to work with individuals right here in the community, but also all over the country and even internationally.
Q: What do you love most about what you do?
I am a nutrition nerd and believe deeply in the power of nutrition and healthy lifestyle. But it isn’t the better lab values or lower blood pressures that get me excited, it’s hearing individuals tell me about how they are able to live their life entirely differently than they were before. Having the energy to play with their kids or grandkids, find healthy relationships with food, and the ability to be present in the beautiful lives they have before them. Nutrition and healthy lifestyle have the power to play a big role in making that happen for us within our own unique life.
Q: What was the most difficult challenge in getting to where you are now or in your life?
In May 2022, I was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 33. Since then, I’ve undergone a double mastectomy with reconstruction, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy. I took a lot of time in the last year to think about whether or not I wanted to continue in my path as an oncology dietitian. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to be reminded of my own diagnosis as I worked with my own patients going through a similar, life altering experience. However, after much thought, I believe I have an awful lot to offer the cancer community – especially now after traveling my own journey with cancer. My passion for nutrition and lifestyle against cancer became a lot more personal!
Q: What is the most rewarding part?
I love to empower and inspire individuals to take control of the controllables. By sharing my own journey, I hope that I can inspire and show individuals that yes, although cancer and its treatments can be brutal, cancer doesn’t have to define you. And if you let it, it can be your teacher.
Q: What are some of your future goals? Do you have anything exciting coming up that you would like to share?
My own diagnosis led me to the opportunity to pivot a bit more in how I practice and I’m really excited about it! In July 2023, I’ll be launching a brand new program designed to empower others to live their own Wholesome life. I can’t wait to put it out in the world! I’ve been “secretly” working on it all through my own cancer treatments.
Q: What advice would you give to someone interested in doing something similar to what you have done/are doing?
Take action, even if it’s imperfect action. Sometimes many of us get so caught up in trying to get something perfect before we put it out in the world – often leading us to never put it out there. Just do it and learn from whatever the outcome is.
Alison Tierney & Our Community
Q: What is your favorite thing about our community, favorite thing to do, or something unique about our community that you love? (Feel free to share as much as you’d like!)
Wow – it is hard to pick just one thing! I love the robust offerings our community provides between events and activities – all year around. Even with an endless supply of things to do here, what my family and I probably love most is heading to various parks to play, laugh and be together.
Q: Do you have a favorite coffee shop, cocktail shop, or restaurant?
I spend an awful lot of time at Stone Creek Coffee in Oconomowoc!
Q: What 3 words would you use to describe our community?
Beautiful. Friendly. Family-oriented.
For Fun
Q: What is something interesting that most people don’t know about you?
I played ice hockey starting at the age 5 all the way through high school where I was the only girl on the boys’ hockey team.
Q: What is your favorite book, TV show, movie, poem, or song? Why?
Recently, my favorite song has been “See a Victory” by Elevation Worship. It has been a strong, inspiring and hopeful song for me in the last year.
Q: Who inspires you to be better?
My kids! I am keenly aware of how much they watch me and how what I do is a model for them. I always want to do better and be better for them.
Q: If you could have lunch with anyone, who would it be with? Why?
Jesus Christ – the greatest servant leader of all time who has showed us the perfect example of how to live with love, grace, mercy and compassion.
Q: What is something on your bucket list?
On top of mind lately is to take our girls to Disney World. After 1.5 years of dealing with cancer and its treatments, I want to take them to Disney to watch the pure joy on their faces. I’ve dreamt about it often in the last year or so!
Q: What makes you the happiest?
Being with my kids and husband and truly being present in the moment with them.
Q: Any general life advice you would like to share?
I’ve learned a lot since my cancer diagnosis. Although, of course, I wish a serious disease wasn’t what forced me to learn the lessons, I am grateful for all of the lessons I have learned and continue to learn from the experience. My biggest takeaway and advice is to truly identify what is most important and meaningful to you in life. Those things are those – that if taken away from you – you would do anything to have back. My guess is that its the many things that seem mundane and we often take for granted – the snuggle of a child, a laugh so deep your belly hurts, a walk through your neighborhood, etc. Figure out what is most important to you and protect it with everything you have.
Where to Find Alison Tierney
Alison Tierney
alison@wholesomellc.com
(414) 339-6125
Website: www.wholesomellc.com
Facebook: @wholesomellc
IG: @wholesomellc
