The oncologist asked Melisa, who had cervical cancer that had spread to the liver and lungs, to have her liver surgically removed. There were about thirty spots of varying sizes in her liver. Melisa asked the oncologist how such surgery could possibly save her. The oncologist was irritated and replied: “Who is the doctor, you or me?”
Melisa was right. By declining the surgery she saved herself from unnecessary sufferings and also her life! Medical tradition regards patients as passive elements in the technological battle between the doctors and the cancer. The ideal patient therefore is one who is under anaesthesia!
Now, there is a new awakening that patients who participate in their healing succeed while those who take their fate ‘lying down’ fail. We have been taught that when we are ill it is the medicine that cures. Modern medicine has long ignored the self-healing ability of our body. We take healing for granted. We never realise that our body heals by itself. Let me remind you of the following:
1) The healing power of the body is within us. There is healer within us and this power heals us absolutely.
2) Many of us are ignorant or are unaware of our own body’s healing potential.
3) Many of us block ourselves off from this potential, preferring to trust others whom we think can ‘cure’ us rather than trust our own ‘Infinite Intelligence’ within.
4) Many of us create unhealthy circumstances with negative and self-denying thoughts and these eventually make us sick. We fail to recognise that these are the root causes of our many illnesses.
5) We are unaware that from the day we are born, we have been bombarded with negative suggestions. Negativity begets illness.
Joseph Murphy in The Power of Your Subconscious Mind wrote: “Think good and good will follow; think evil, evil follows. Change your thought and you change your destiny.”
The very first step in healing is for every cancer patient to recognise the influence of his own mind on his illness and recovery process. A negative mindset leads to more trouble and possibly unnecessary death, while a positive mindset gears you towards recovery. Many a time I asked patients if they carry any emotional ‘baggage’ or harbour any ‘unresolved’ emotional conflicts within them. Invariably the answer would be: “No, no, I have no emotional problems at all”. They simply do not want to admit or discuss them; perhaps for fear that people know their ‘secrets’ or they do not see the relevance or relationship between unresolved personal ’emotions’ and their cancers. After all, in schools we are taught that illness is caused by some kind of a ‘bug’, virus or germ and that it has nothing to do with the head.
Most patients would tell me that whatever ‘problems’ they have are all ‘old issues’ and have ‘long been forgotten’. Such comments and attitudes only go to show sheer ignorance or ‘arrogance’. Think again I say; do you carry any ‘baggage’? Remember that you are not just a machine — without any mind or soul. You are sick because ‘something inside is eating you up’.
Let me, however, clarify myself. I am not against anyone taking medicine for his/her illness. By all means, go and see a doctor and take the medicine prescribed. When an illness has reached an advanced stage, the use of medicine becomes inevitable. By taking medicine, be it chemical, drug or herb, what we are doing is to help in the healing process.
Let me suggest a list of some active steps that you can take to heal your mind, your soul and lastly, your body.
1) Think positively; as you think, so you become! Cultivate positive attitudes of love, joy, happiness, sharing, caring, promotion of self-esteem and self-confidence.
2) Free yourself of negative thoughts. Many negative thoughts are ingrained into our subconscious mind and they become part of us. You and I have similar problems. And more often than not, we do not even know that these negative thoughts ever exist or are causing us all these problems. We are the products of our environment and experiences of our lives. To be able to free ourselves from these negative thoughts we must, first and foremost, be aware and recognise that these negative thoughts are in us. If we keep denying that they are non-existent, there will be no reason for change.
3) Be the active participant in your healing. You cannot remain neutral in your healing. You can either be passive or active. The golden rule of psychosomatic medicine is that patients must actively take charge of their illness. Get rid of the psychological or emotional cancer in you. Doctors cannot help you with emotional cancer. Indeed, no one can help you deal with that, except yourself. On the other hand, if you decide to be passive, then by default, you are encouraging the cancer to take over you. So, the choice is yours. Again, remember that a positive mindset promotes healing.
4) Accept the diagnosis, NOT the prognosis. When diagnosed with cancer, it seems the most popular question asked of the doctor is: “How much longer do I have?” Patients then get answers like: “At most three to six months,” or “Go home and get your papers in order.” If we understand voodoo, then know that such answers are indeed a voodoo curse. They are like hypnotic instructions. The patients’ mind will bring that prognosis to pass. Doctors give the death sentence and the patients keep the bone pointing at themselves.
Norman Cousins (Head First: The Biology of Hope) advised: “Don’t deny the diagnosis, just defy the verdict that is supposed to accompany it.” It short, accept the diagnosis but do not believe the prognosis. Know that the prerogative of living and dying rests with the Almighty God, not men.
Any moment of thankfulness, Is a moment of living.
When we are young, fit and healthy — how many of us would ever believe that perhaps … yes, perhaps … that the next few minutes, hours, or days, that “this good fortune” may just reverse?
We all see many people dying or seriously ill, but how many ever “believe” that this may happen to us too?
Most people think that it happened to “them” but it will not happen to me. But suppose that this happens to us, would we ask: Why me? What bad things have I committed to deserve this? And say: God is not fair!
Today, there is a concept in psychology that says there may be something good in something bad that had happened. To know the good, we just need to search for it or experience it. How can this be? I believe that as we are lying on our back in the hospital bed staring at the empty ceiling, that is the time when we begin to realize that we are vulnerable, when life is severely at stake, and perhaps when our money or wealth that we had been accumulating may not mean much anymore. Perhaps this is also the time we begin to ask: where am I going from here?
Though I have not suffered serious illness before, my association with thousands of cancer patients have taught me to empathize with their plight. At times it is heart breaking. I often ask: why must cancer strike this young and innocent child? Why must it happen to a mother and then now, her daughter? Why is life so cruel? I find no answer except to accept that that is the way life is.
In early 2006, we asked cancer patients to write down their answers to this question: Have you experienced any other significant changes in your life as a result of your cancer experience?
Here are some of their answers:
Patient 1: Yes, unlike before, now I only do short term planning. I started to wind up risky business to regain peace of mind and reduce stress. My aim is to enjoy the remaining part of my life — to relax and stay happy. I now concentrate on getting more knowledge on alternative medicine, nutrition and health which I believe to be the missing link to my healing journey.
With the knowledge that I have gained I discovered that other people knew so little about taking care of their health and when they are very sick or told that they have cancer, they thought that their doctors can tell them what to do. This is what that leads them to their downfall.
With the knowledge that I gained I also give help and advice to other sick people — to encourage them, give them hope and teach them to decide what to do. I felt very pleased when I have given them hope. I wish I could give help and hope to more people.
Patient 2: I experienced significant changes in my life as a result of my cancer experience. Positively, my cancer has caused me to stop and think, to pray and know God better. During the period when I was recovering from the painful effects of radiation to my mouth and neck areas, I was unable to talk very much; even a sip of water was painful. The only person I can talk to then was God who provided all the consolation and blessings. On the negative side, the permanent damage caused by radiation to my physical self, has caused me to be socially less active significantly affecting relationships with friends and relatives. The change in my diet to one of only vegetables, fruits and fish is a tall order and my discipline in doing so has made me more reclusive and domesticated. Although I believe that it has helped me in my overall health, I do not quite like the present lifestyle that I have been compelled to live by. I would have preferred my previous lifestyle where I am socially more active and very flexible.
Patient 3: I am a Christian, believing that everything that God has allowed to happen in my life has a purpose. Since I was diagnosed with cancer, I was at first very confused and sad as of why it should happen to me. But I can only do what I can control and surrender the rest to God. Since then I really experience the real meaning of knowing how much He loves me and make me worthy in His eyes. Ephesians 3:17-19. What things happened, it is our reaction that matters the most: either I can cry, question and blame God or any other reason for the situation. Or I still can cry but ask God to help me and direct me the best way to handle the situation. I chose to do the latter. It has been a real soul searching, tremendous learning journey on health aspects and resetting my priority in life.
Patient 4: My cancer has helped me to focus on living rather than dying. It has also helped me change and cope with stress as well as my relationship with others. It has also helped me learn to be thankful for the daily blessings.
Patient 5: I have become very negative emotionally and am not receptive to people who try to help me. I always think that I am going to surely die of cancer and nothing can help me. I do not want to exercise or try anything that other people recommend, e.g. meditation. I always feel scared that the ‘end’ will come very soon.
Patient 6: Life has given me a new dimension and life gives hope in every sense. Many things have a greater clarity and I feel a sense of purpose for the years ahead as they impact on our children and grandchildren — they need us, so the target is to stay alive! We are in God’s hands.
My wife and I have found our Christian faith to be a huge comfort. I have become even more positive in my outlook and take matters as they come.
Understanding cancer, particularly your own, is important. Research is a key factor to obtain more knowledge and understanding of the disease and all the options open for complementary / natural / herbal remedies; to help those less fortunate as a member of a cancer support group in France.
Patient 7: Cancer may have brought me to the lowest and scariest. I know I have climbed out of the pit and am way beyond that. Having beaten / managed cancer, I feel that I can handle much more difficult issues.
Patient 8: Definitely yes. You treasure life more, is more attentive to other people’s view, sensitivities and mood. One tends to show loving feelings towards one’s close relative, children and of course, wife. Negative meanings to life would be the disease which is the top gun for your cause of death but one has time to prepare for it, spiritually, emotionally, physically and estate-wise.
Patient 9: I feel very lonely because my husband had neglected me after I had my mastectomy. He never asked about the treatment that I had or if I was feeling any better — he never did. The feeling of worthlessness made me feel so restless.
Before my cancer he loved me very much. I don’t understand this sudden change in my husband. I hate my illness and the attitude of my husband makes me hate him too.
At present, when I am working, I do not think much of my cancer. I put it in God’s hand.
The only thing is my relationship has changed. After I had cancer, I feel very lonely. I work from 7 a.m. till 6 p.m. — eat, go to sleep and take my medication. I do the thinking and do what is required. My family does not discuss much about my cancer.
I always pray to God to guide me. I pray in silence and I take each day at a time. Dear Chris, I feel better after writing my heart out! Thanks.
Patient 10: It has basically taught me to treat the disease as a ‘gift’ or a blessing from The Almighty. My cancer has made me appreciate the value of a simple smile from my youngest daughter, not to ignore her constant invitation to have fun and play games with her. It has taught me to appreciate how important ‘little’ things are to her — like talking to her Polly dolls, and make believe games.
I cry more over the beauty of the sunset, the countless blue hue of the morning sky, the smell of freshly cut grass, and the sound of rain hitting the roof. I have wasted so much time over ‘big’ projects in the office and at work. I now realize there are so much in life that God wants me to have the opportunity to appreciate in order to glorify His creation – this is an opportunity I intend not to miss.
My cancer has also helped me discover a ‘new’ mindset — that is to make positive thinking a habit until it becomes second nature to me. I now realize that God has given me so many gifts that I have yet to unwrap, and with this new mindset, I am discovering things that I never knew before existed or I was capable of – like how to be happy when everyone else seem gloomy and miserable.
I also learn how to control anger by forgiving others who hurt me. My cancer has been a huge blessing to me.
The responses above clearly show that many people have found the “good” in the “bad”. We encourage cancer patients to look inwards and discover these “gift” within them.
LP (H588) is a 34-year-old mother of two. During her second pregnancy (sometime in July 2009), she felt a lump in her left breast. She ignored it. She gave birth on 5 September 2009. She breast-fed her baby for a month. Her left breast produced little milk. The doctor thought it was due to infection and prescribed her antibiotics. The lump became more prominent. Her gynaecologist suggested removal of the lump.
LP was referred to a breast surgeon. A excision biopsy was performed on 26 October 2009. The specimen revealed features of an invasive ductal carcinoma. Lymphatic invasion was noted. The tumour was less than 1 mm from the surgical margins. The tumour was negative for oestrogen and progesterone receptors but strongly positive for C-erb-2. DNA Probe Kit detection confirmed HER-2/neu gene amplification. The surgery cost RM 6,000.
In view of the above, a mastectomy was recommended but LP refused. She, however, agreed to a second surgical intervention to remove more margin and the lymph nodes. A report on 12 November 2009 indicated that all the margins were free of cancer. All the left 26 axillary lymph nodes were free of metastasis. At the same time, her right hookwired breast lump specimen showed lactating adenoma. A chemo-port was installed on the right side above the breast. The entire surgical procedure cost RM 20,000.
A CT of her thorax, abdomen and pelvis on 11 November 2009 showed NO metastasis in the chest, abdomen or pelvis. A total body bone scan on 12 November 2009 showed no evidence to suggest any osseous metastasis.
LP subsequently underwent chemotherapy. The first three cycles was with FEC (5-FU, epirubicin and cyclophosphamide). This three-cycle treatment cost RM 12,000. The fourth, fifth and sixth cycles consisted of Taxol plus Herceptin. The total cost of these three cycles was RM 46,000. The last chemo-treatment was in May 2010.
From June 2010 to August 2010, LP received thirty sessions of radiotherapy. She was “well” after that.
Unfortunately, a whole body PET-CT scan done on 29 December 2010, showed a solitary liver metastasis. The lesion was 3.4 x 3.0 x 3.0 cm in size. There were also multiple non-specific uptake of FDG in the vertebrae but no bone destruction was seen in the CT.
LP was asked to undergo surgery for her liver metastasis. She declined. Desperate, LP took Tian Xian Liquid for a month. The she and her husband went to Cambodia to undergo a treatment using Marijuana oil (MO). She stayed in Cambodia for two months.
An ultrasound on 11 March 2011 however showed that the right lobe liver lesion increased in size from 3 cm a few months ago to 7 cm. In addition, the radiologist report indicated: “there is suggestion of a small lesion adjacent to this measuring 9 mm and ? another lesion in the left lobe measuring 8.5 mm.” Impression: liver metastasis increasing in size and number.
An ultrasound done on 15 April 2011 showed multiple liver metastases with progression of disease. The radiologist report said: “The previously seen metastatic lesion in the right lobe was significantly larger measuring 12.3 x 7.5 cm occupying almost half of the right lobe. In the left lobe there are at least 4 – 5 lesions, the largest measuring approximately 1 cm.”
Figure 1: Ultrasound and PET scan showing the liver tumour
LP again took Tian Xian Liquid – this time it was the Super variety with triple dosage costing about RM 12,000 per month. Not satisfied, LP and her husband came to seek our help on 21 April 2011.
After hearing her story, we proceed to read her meridians using the AcuGraph 4. We then prescribed LP Capsule A and B, Liver 1 and Liver 2 teas, Breast M and LL-teas. Due to her low Spleen meridian energy we also asked LP to take A-Sp-7 herbs.
LP came back to see us again on 23 May 2011, i.e. after a month. According to LP, she did not feel any change in herself after taking the herbs. Below is a comparison of her AcuGraph readings (Figure 2 and 3).
Figure 2: First visit, 21 April 2011
Figure 3: Second visit, 23 May 2011
During her first visit on 21 April 2011, her meridians showed disharmonies of the LU, PC, SI, SP, LR, KI and BL meridians. After being on herbs for a month, her meridian reading was very much improved. Only SI, SP, KI and ST meridian showed disharmonies.
Comments
This is indeed a sad and tragic case. Before we ask some hard, searching questions, let’s listen to the conversation we had on 21 April 2011.
Journey to Disaster
Like most patients, LP and her husband totally believed in medical science. Doctors are the “experts” and what they advised, LP and her husband followed without a slightest sense of doubt. After the surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, LP was apparently well for a while. She went back to her old way of life – and eating everything “under the sun.” This was what her doctor told her she could do – “Eat anything and everything you like!” As her husband said: “We would only listen to the doctor’s advice.”
When LP was asked to undergo surgery, she did not ask her doctor if surgery would cure her breast cancer. There is no reason to ask such question. Because she and her husband had total confidence in the doctors – they will do the right thing and cure LP!
Can chemo cure her cancer? LP did not ask her oncologist that very important question either. Her husband said: “We were given the impression by undergoing chemotherapy all her problems would be settled – using the best chemo drugs, etc. In fact the doctor said LP would be better off if she would continue receiving Herceptin for another two years! Take note, LP paid about RM 15,000 for a cycle of Taxol and Herceptin. Perhaps if LP could afford the Herceptin treatment for two more years she would have done it not realizing that Herceptin does not cure anything!
Asking the Hard Questions
I asked LP: “What was your health like before and after treatment? Which one was healthier? The husband replied: “Before receiving all the treatments.” LP said: “With a large tumour in my liver, I am not any better at all.” In simple language, by going to the hospital and spending all the money and receiving all the so-called “scientifically proven” treatments, LP was worse off in health than if she were to do nothing. That was the impression I got from the replies of LP and her husband. Is this not a tragedy?
Let me zero down on the CT scan report dated 11 November 2009. This was the CT scan done before LP underwent chemotherapy. It said: “The liver is enhancing homogeneously with a few small cysts within less than 5 mm in diameter. Impression: No metastasis in the chest, abdomen or pelvis.”
From this report, as far as the oncologist was concerned, the cancer had not spread to her liver or any other parts of the body. A few months after LP had chemotherapy and radiotherapy, a 3-cm tumour was found in her liver. What had gone wrong? What had caused that tumour to appear so soon?
I proposed two possibilities – you decide which possibility makes sense.
The CT scan done in November 2009 somehow was wrong somewhere! The scan did not detect the tumour in LP’s liver. Alternatively, could the person who interpreted the CT scan was incompetent or negligent? Could it be that the “few small cyst within less than 5 mm in diameter” were actually metastases? That is to say, the cancer had already spread and this was misinterpreted? If you disagree with this proposal then what about another possibility?
Could it be that the treatments – FEC, Taxol and Herceptin or radiotherapy – might have caused the cancer to appear in LP’s liver? Meaning, the treatment itself was the cause of her liver cancer. LP paid a hefty sum for her chemo and radiation treatments and she ended up with a liver metastasis.
Some important questions to ask: Oncologists tell patients that after surgery, chemo is necessary to “mop up” all the remaining bad cells left behind floating in the blood stream. As a result LP was given 5-FU, epirubicin, cyclophosphamide, Taxol and Herceptin. If the cancer cells were already in the liver, obviously these expensive drugs did nothing at all! If the cancer cells were not yet in the liver before the chemotherapy, did it not imply that the liver was weakened or damaged to the extent that cancer cells were able to make a new home in her liver? For the radiation treatment, the fact is obvious. The radiologist used the “gun and fire power” but they aimed “blindly” at the breast while the cancer cells might have already been in the liver! Target missed.
When the PET-CT scan in December 2010 showed a 3.4 x 3.0 x 3.0 cm lesion in the liver, the doctor advised surgery to remove it – only surgery, no chemotherapy was indicated. LP refused. I asked her why she refused to follow her doctor’s advice this time. She and her husband had lost faith in her doctor.
Unfortunately, LP and her husband had learned a bitter lesson the hard way – and probably a bit too late.
A Romanian proverb said this: “Only the foolish learn from experience — the wise learn from the experience of others.”
I recall what my dear friend, the late Mr. Chew, said: “I went to the oncologist. I saw so many people doing chemotherapy, and so many people doing radiotherapy. In my mind, this must be the correct way. So I went back to the oncologist and asked him to do chemo for me. Later, when I suffered a recurrence and the tumour grew in size, I then realized that I was on the wrong track.”
I told LP this: “Don’t worry – we will do our best to help you. You are not the only one who got into such a mess. Many others are like you too. So take it easy.” I said these words because I understand that spiritually all of us are here on Earth to learn certain experiences. In this learning process, we do make mistakes. At the end of it all, whether we do it right or wrong, we still die.
Seeking Alternative Therapies
CA Care was started in 1995 – we’ve been around for sixteen years now. Almost all people who came to seek our help were medically written off or were in a similar situation like LP – where medical treatments had failed them. Our experience showed that there are two types of people. One, the desperate but sincere ones who came to seek another avenue out of their predicament – like my good friend Chew mentioned above or for that matter, LP. After talking to her and her husband I felt she was the kind of patient we like to work with. Unfortunately, there is another group of people who come “shopping” for instant “magic bullets’. In spite of the fact that they have spent thousands and thousands of dollars paying their medical bills, they want healing on their own terms. Our statistics showed that 70 percent of those who come to us fall into this category. We find it extremely hard to help this group of people.
What we teach our patients about diet is in direct collision course with what oncologists tell their patients. We have written numerous articles about this matter and you can read some of our articles by clicking this link: http://ejtcm.com/category/dietnutrition/
In his book: Weather warfare – the military’s plan to draft Mother Nature, Jerry Smith wrote: “In order to change, science (and individual scientists) must admit fallibility – something that most people of education are reluctant to do. Who wants to admit they were wrong? How much harder would it be to admit being wrong if advancing your career depended on your being right? Also, position within the scientific community (and grant money) does not go to mavericks. This institutionalized resistance to new theories has resulted in it routinely taking from 50 to 100 years for new discoveries to move from ridiculed “nonsense” to revered facts.”
In spite of the thousands and thousands of research showing that diet plays a vital role in cancer cure, doctors are telling their patients to eat anything they like! Perhaps it will take another 50 to 100 years more for the medical community to fully appreciate this fact and come to terms with it. For now we need to be content with the voices of some brave souls who dare to speak up.
Russell Baylock, neurosurgeon and clinical assistant professor at the Medical University of Mississippi wrote:
During my four years in medical school we did not have a single class on nutrition.
In fact, to provide your patients with nutritional supplements opened up to ridicule from your colleagues.
Oncologists HARM their patients by giving them cancer-promoting nutritional advice.
In his book, Alive and well, Dr. Philip Binzel Jr. wrote:
There is nothing in surgery that will prevent the spread of cancer.
There is nothing in radiation that will prevent the spread of the disease.
There is nothing in chemotherapy that will prevent the disease spreading.
The only thing known to mankind today that will prevent the spread of cancer within the body is for the body’s defense mechanisms to once again function normally. That is what nutritional therapy does – it treats the defense mechanism, not the tumour.
A Sad Update
Hi Chris,
I would like to informed u that my wife has pass away yesterday night. I would like to thank u for all the valuable advices and help.
CANCER STORY 
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