Alum fills niche helping other Latino cancer survivors with wellness platform

When cancer survivor Nelly Pérez González ’05 emerged from the haze of oncology appointments, surgery, and chemotherapy, she felt suddenly alone.

“I felt very weak, was diagnosed with anemia, and I lost a lot of weight,” she says. “I didn’t feel like I had the same level of care I had received before.” So she decided to do something about it.

In 2024, after completing a course with My Own Business Institute (MOBI) through the Leavey School of Business, Pérez González launched Nutrivitamine. It’s an e-commerce platform for natural supplements and holistic health products catering specifically to the Spanish-speaking Latino community.

Pérez González, a former Spanish teacher and translator, says when she was searching for alternative therapies and holistic health resources after cancer treatment, she noticed a dearth of wellness services in predominantly Latino communities. Nutrivitamine was born of efforts she made to connect family and friends to helpful services. 

Today, Pérez González is pursuing health advisor certification and collaborates with nurses who offer services such as blood tests for hormone levels, thyroid health, and women’s wellness.