Dr. Renee Alsarraf has created four different veterinary oncology practices and led three veterinary radiation facilities. She has performed numerous veterinary clinical trials, co-authored peer-reviewed journal articles, and has lectured both locally and on the national level. She lives in Montclair, New Jersey, and is married to a veterinary ophthalmologist. They have one son, whom she cherishes, as well as Dusty, her beloved, bossy, six-year-old female boxer.

Sit, Stay, Heal: What Dogs Can Teach Us About Living Well is Dr. Renée Alsarraf’s unforgettable, often funny, and moving testament to the extraordinary healing nature of dogs and the resilience of the human spirit. For more than two decades, esteemed veterinary oncologist Dr. Renée Alsarraf treated cancer in canine patients. Then at age fifty-one, she was diagnosed with cancer herself.  But it was only in receiving her own cancer diagnosis that Dr. Renée realized the empathy she had for animals went both ways. It was her patients—those furry, four-legged, slobbering animals—who seemed to uniquely understand the jumbled language of her own difficult journey and who showed her the true power of positivity and unconditional love. Dogs don’t use words to communicate, but they can be incredibly supportive. Dr. Renée’s story demonstrates to readers why canines are the perfect guides to help humans navigate traumatic and difficult experiences. These wonderful animals generously show us what is available within ourselves.

As a speaker, Dr. Alsarraf is well-versed on topics related to oncology, the intersections between veterinarian and human medical practices, women in both business and medicine, the healing power of animals, and the experience of being a cancer survivor. Often, she finds lessons are more readily absorbed by using the dog as teacher because, as a veterinary oncologist, the human-animal bond is always at the forefront. When speaking to medical groups such as hospitals or pharmaceutical companies, Dr. Alsarraf discusses both the similarities and differences between human and veterinarian practices as well as how that knowledge impacted her time going through oncology treatment herself. Being a medically educated cancer survivor also makes Dr. Alsarraf a compelling speaker for cancer support groups or oncology patients. Women’s summits will identify with her as a working mom, juggling life and a teenager while facing her own mortality. They will see the power of female friendships through Dr. Alsarraf’s talks as well as insights on the disparities in medical insurance between men and women. 

Recently Dr. Alsarraf was the speaker for a regional Wells Fargo event. She has also participated on a panel discussion for Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and spoke with Hackensack Hospital collaborative and the Novo Nordisk pharmaceutical company. The women’s group, Parlay House, hosted Dr. Alsarraf for one of their events and she has also spoken at a wellness seminar and multiple veterinary conferences.