Reply #4: I had wonderful success with alternative treatment, thank god

[Quakerfriend]

At the age of 38, I found out that I had advanced metastatic breast cancer. It had gone undiagnosed for more than one year. I found a lump while breast feeding my youngest son. I immediately went for a mammogram. They said they could not see anything and attributed the lump to breast feeding and told me to come back when I was finished breast feeding.

The lump was the size of a golf ball (no exaggeration) when the diagnosis was finally made.

Having worked for the NIH doing clinical research, at two of the largest teaching hospitals in the country,for more than 12 years I thought I knew all that I needed to know to confront this monster. I had sat on many a prestigious committee and reviewed hundreds of research protocols conducted by MDs who were tops in their fields. I have an excellent knowledge of research methods and the ability to analyze data and results with a critical eye for statistical significance. I have conducted my own research and published in the best medical journals. UPenn was 2nd in the country (only to Johns Hopkins) in $$$ received from the NIH when I was there. I thought I was on the cutting edge of medicine- until I, myself, got sick- then I began to re-think all that my experiences had shown me.

To make a long story short, I decided to go to Mexico and have myself admitted to a hospital in Tijuana where they do Gerson Therapy. I had read about Dr. Gerson's methods and they made perfect sense, logically. And, they had a remarkable success record with cases of pancreatic cancer and melanoma- which, as you know, are usually fatal.

Within 5 weeks my cancer was gone. I cont'd on the therapy for the recommended 2 years, at home. I have been cancer free now for eight years. I believe that the key to my success was that I did this EARLY on and not at the end.

My whole mind set has changed. I rely a great deal on anacdotal reports- provided I know the source. I no longer think that a large, randomized, placebo-controlled study necessarily means much. Far too many times, I have seen data manipulated by investigators, and I have seen drug companies present data in a less than truthful way for the sake of their research.

$$$ is a powerful and corupting force in medicine- just as it is in many other areas. Dr. Lorraine Day's story influenced me greatly in my decision to break with conventional treatments.

And, with respect to teas- Essiac tea is wonderful stuff! And, the history behind it is facinating. It was part of my therapy for some time.

Healing can occur on many levels! I hope that by sharing my story, it can help someone. We must each make our own choices and this is the hardest part of all.