Positive Health Online

My having qualified as a registered nurse back in the seventies, followed by further qualifications and interests in the complementary field since the early eighties, was a great advantage. I could be guided by my own inner feelings. At the initial diagnosis, I was informed that the cancer was too advanced for surgery, and chemotherapy should be started straight away. Although I felt rather apprehensive, having been informed that I would die if treatment didn't commence, I agreed to start the treatment and felt relieved that complementary therapies could be practised alongside.

After receiving my first chemotherapy treatment, the side effects were devastating and I had to take to bed. I was so sick, I couldn't drink. Just a sip of water would make me vomit. I didn't want to talk, couldn't read or listen to the radio. There were times that I would just rather have died. Thirty-six hours later I was prescribed a stronger anti-sickness drug and my dear husband, Michael had to visit many pharmacy departments before he was able to collect it for me. When this medication commenced, my condition improved. However, chemo left me feeling very foggy and all ideas I had of catching up with reading and letter writing were impossible.

It upset my children seeing me in this state. James, 10-years-old at the time, would stay with a friend, and Thomas aged 14 had difficulty sharing his feelings with others, hence was really suffering inside. Following two treatments and having overcome the shock of the diagnosis, I felt 'enough is enough'. With great support and help with the research of less-invasive treatments from Michael, we found another route to follow. Hence, I put on 'hold' conventional treatment, even though my consultant informed me I would die if I did so. Michael and I had both agreed that it was the quality of life that mattered and, if I had only a few more months left in this world, we both wanted them to be comfortable ones.

Although I had always eaten a reasonably healthy vegan/vegetarian diet, I made sure that it was now strictly vegan and gave up tea, coffee and wine. I had been to The Bristol Cancer Help Centre and was very impressed with Jane Sen who had spoken to us and given good advice, plus writing good cookery books that were easy to follow. Adam, the chef, created some lovely meals, hence increasing our awareness of how inspiring food could be. Before being diagnosed with cancer, I had taken supplements believing they were needed simply because our foodstuff is generally less nutritious these days. These were reviewed and added to, following the guidance of Bristol Cancer Centre and further research. I also felt it would be more beneficial if these nutritious supplements could go straight into my blood stream, hence found a clinic where intra-venous infusions were administered. This all appeared to be very worthwhile. Filtered water had already been part of my diet, yet I wasn't aware that the high levels of oestrogen in our drinking water could only be removed by the means of reverse osmosis, hence our filter was changed.

Hyperthermia was another form of treatment I had. This is the application of therapeutic heat, which destroys or reduces cancer tumours. The rationale for this is that cancer cells are more heat-sensitive than normal cells. Cancer cells break down when heat is in excess of around 107 degrees fahrenheit. High heat being used to kill tumours, dates back to ancient Egypt and is a form of therapy that is non-toxic, non-invasive and virtually without side effects. Many advocates of hyperthermia feel that the continued resistance of it from the medical establishment can be explained partly by the huge monetary profits the supporters of chemotherapy and radiotherapy might lose if the use of hyperthermia became widespread.

On one of my visits to the oncology clinic, the doctor informed me that my cancer was oestrogen dominant and wanted to prescribe Tamoxifen. I didn't want to take this drug because of the many side effects and, knowing my luck, I would probably fall into the group that suffer cancer of the uterus as a side effect. I felt it was more important to look for the root cause and find an alternative, safer treatment. Research showed that many cancers are hormone related and the prime culprit appeared to be oestrogen. The fact is that there is a growing amount of oestrogen in our bodies and it is killing us. Thinking back over my own medical history, when having investigations for secondary infertility twelve years prior to my cancer diagnosis I was informed then that I wasn't producing enough progesterone, hence oestrogen dominant. I can't help but feel that if things had been put into balance then my cancer may never have occurred. However, that is now water under the bridge and I realised that it was up to me to look forward. Research showed wild yam as a precursor of progesterone. I now use a cream, with this supplement, which is rubbed onto my body twice daily in order to rebalance the oestrogen-progesterone balance.

Carcinogens are also contained in many household products. Everything, from baby shampoo to deodorants, not forgetting toothpaste and mouthwashes. Then we mustn't forget household cleaners and all the plastic food packaging that have carcinogens leaking into the food and liquid.

Wanting to share some of my experience with others, led me to write my story entitled My Pathway Through Cancer, which was published in 2002 by Hilltop Books, and is available from www.beatingcancer.co.uk

Nearly four years on, here I am leading a comfortable lifestyle and it is my aim to help advise others on preventing cancer occurring. If they are unfortunate enough for it to occur, they should have increased information on what they can do to help themselves, even alongside conventional treatment.