From Cancer Survivor to Cannabis Pioneer: The Vanessa Jarvis-Findlay Effect

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Sep 6
3 min read

Front Page News Vanessa Jarvis Cannabis Activist Clarens Lady Godiva — Vanessa Jarvis

How one woman’s healing journey sparked a plant-powered movement in the heart of Clarens.

In a world still tangled in stigma, Vanessa Jarvis didn’t just light a joint — she lit a revolution.

Before she was the maverick behind NEKED Cannabis Café — the unapologetic, boutique dispensary nestled in Clarens — Vanessa was fighting a battle far more personal: cancer.

But this isn’t a sob story. This is a phoenix-rising, weed-smoking, freedom-riding power story.

Because Vanessa didn’t just survive — she transformed. And in doing so, she’s now helping thousands of South Africans reclaim their health, their autonomy, and their connection to this misunderstood plant — one handcrafted bud and one well-dosed drop at a time.

The Diagnosis That Changed Everything

When Vanessa was diagnosed with cancer, she did what strong women have always done — she fought. But not just with hospitals and scripts. She turned to her roots, to nature, to consciousness, and most powerfully — to cannabis.

As she radically shifted her diet, lifestyle, and mindset, Vanessa also began exploring full-spectrum cannabis oils, especially FECO (Full Extract Cannabis Oil), CBD, and THC. She didn’t just dabble — she studied, experimented, and ultimately healed.

She turned pain into purpose, illness into intuition, and what could’ve been a silent battle into a platform for collective healing.

Healing Is Political — So She Got NEKED

In 2019, Vanessa founded NEKED Cannabis Café, a bold, beautiful, and cannabis-positive space that celebrates the plant, the people, and the freedom to choose our own path to wellness.

It wasn’t just a store. It was (and still is) a statement. A sanctuary. A plant-powered experience that says: “You’re not broken. You’re waking up.”

NEKED is where the plant is respected, not feared. Where your budtender might be a Cheeba-trained consultant or a traditional healer. Where you can sip a CBD coffee, explore functional mushroom blends, and chat about terpenes in front of an original painting of a nude goddess.

It’s where cannabis and community come together in ways that are… well, revolutionary.

When Vanessa Rides, She Rides NEKED

Yes, literally.

In one of her boldest (and most iconic) moves, Vanessa took to the streets of Clarens nude on a white horse, Lady Godiva–style. But this wasn’t a protest against criminalisation — cannabis had just become legal in South Africa.

This was a freedom ride. A symbolic moment of celebration. A bold act of cannabis activism that said:

“We’ve waited long enough. We’re not hiding anymore.”

The image of Vanessa — wild, powerful, and gloriously unfiltered — became a symbol of what NEKED stands for: not just cannabis access, but plant liberation, personal sovereignty, and full-blown permission to live life on your own terms. Vanessa is not a nudist and is quite body shy due to all her surgeries.

More Than a Café. A Sanctuary. A Spark.

Vanessa didn’t just heal herself — she created a space for others to do the same. NEKED Cannabis Café quickly grew into a trusted name in South Africa’s cannabis movement, offering:

Full-spectrum oils, premium THC & CBD flower, vapes, topicals, and edibles
Functional mushrooms like reishi, cordyceps, lion’s mane, and chaga
A welcoming, inclusive space for education, exploration, and empowerment
Cheeba-certified consultants, traditional doctors, and a multi-generational team with over 250 years of combined plant wisdom
A fiercely woman-led, queer-friendly energy that redefines the cannabis experience

NEKED isn’t here to imitate Amsterdam. It’s here to create something entirely South African — rooted in healing, honesty, and high vibes only.

The Vanessa Jarvis Effect

Today, Vanessa continues to lead with fire, humour, and unshakable authenticity. She’s not just a cannabis entrepreneur. She’s a cancer survivor, a SAMA Award–winning executive music producer, a vegan celebrity chef, a cookbook author, tv show host and a creative force whose work has helped reshape the public perception of cannabis in South Africa.

She’s walked through the fire — and now lights it for others.

People may walk into NEKED for the bud. But they stay for the feeling. The knowing. The permission. To heal. To feel. To get NEKED — body, mind, and spirit.

What You Can Learn From Her Story

That healing doesn’t have to be sterile, scary, or secret.
That cannabis is not a crutch — it’s a catalyst.
That women belong not just in the cannabis space — but at the head of the table.
That joy, community, and rebellion can coexist beautifully.