Cancer can control you or set you free - by Pablo Kelly

This week’s blog has been written by Pablo Kelly, who was diagnosed with an inoperable terminal brain tumour in 2014. Opting for the ketogenic diet and supplementation instead of chemotherapy and radiotherapy, Pablo wanted to share his story to inspire others…

If you are given the cancer diagnosis. It shuts you down and makes you feel completely alone. They give you the cold hard facts and they are cold and hard! 

Yet you are just sat there thinking to yourself, "am I going to die?", "what can I do?", "will this change me forever?" and "how does this make my loved ones feel?"...That or you are just completely empty of thought and you feel cold and lifeless. Nothing matters anymore. This is your life and its being taken away from you. Everything's going to change and there seems to be nothing you can do to stop it from happening. The truth is, that is wrong. There is always a solution to a problem. You just have to look for it. Don't give in to your fear of death. Don't let the fight go out of you. Believe in your ability to heal. Cancer is like a wound. It will heal. Given the right environment and attention. 

I chose to research and research well into the night, into the wee hours of the morning. I researched ways of combating a terminal and inoperable high grade brain tumour and ways of dealing with it in a nutritional manner. I stumbled upon a diet aimed at children with epilepsy and it showed that it was also an anti-inflammatory diet. A brain tumour is a form of oedema (swelling). I thought to myself that this could help, this could be an answer to my problem! 

As advised by my oncologist, I was going to do chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Which are the two most prolific methods of dealing with cancer of any form. I had my radiotherapy mask molded to the shape of my face. I went into the room to have my practice run, but something deep in my gut told me to ask a question. I asked the nurse to let me call the oncologist to ask some questions. So I asked her, "is this going to cure me?", the answer was probably not. It would only give me 12-15 months at best, but would then most likely be ineffective. This was all I needed to make my penultimate decision. I was not going to go through with orthodox treatment. I was going to put every fibre of my being into the ketogenic diet and supplementation.

It was very effective and within months my MRI scan showed no progression in the growth of the tumour. I kept having stable scans for over 2 years when it started to show signs of growing, but may I add, quite slowly. Glioblastoma multiforme brain tumours are very fast growing tumours. Mine was not growing fast. Then in the winter of 2016 they told me my tumour had changed shape and that a surgeon believed they could perform an awake craniotomy to debulk the tumour. By March 2017 I had my operation and they removed 90% of the deadly tumour from my brain and by May there was no new growth. I kept having 3 monthly scans to check on my progress post op and my scans kept coming back stable until, in September I had an appointment to see the oncologist. I will cut to the chase. To put it simply, my tumour was no longer visible. Clear! 

Finally after 3 years of hard work and struggling with epilepsy and fatigue and emotions. I had successfully prolonged my life through diet and nutrition. 

I believe in my ability to heal and I just wanted to share my story to inspire you to look beyond your fear and live honestly and with love.

Pablo Isaiah Kelly.

Combining approaches for lung cancer - by one of our beneficiaries

Today's blog is from Suzanne*, 66, from Cornwall who writes about her experiences putting together a integrative plan following her diagnosis with lung cancer in 2012.

When I was first told I had cancer my heart sunk like a stone. This information was given to me by GP who also told me I could cough, haemorrhage and die (!) I met a friend and we went straight to the pub for a glass of wine, followed by shock and tears.

I had no symptoms prior to coughing up blood, but soon developed excess sputum and coughing, although no breathlessness. Lung cancer was confirmed with a CT scan, MRI scan and bronchoscopy, all arranged at two weekly intervals and I was finally diagnosed in June 2012. 

The consultant thought the tumour could be removed with surgery; I was thrilled and saw this as a cure. I couldn’t wait for the operation which happened in August 2012 but unfortunately the thoracotomy failed as I had cancerous nodules.

At this point I have to say I resisted orthodox treatments until December 2014. I pursued all the complementary I could and believed what I did helped enormously until my last scan, which showed that the cancer had spread from my lung to my spine. I then felt I should try chemotherapy alongside the complementary therapies I was doing.

I was, and still am, well looked after whilst continuing with chemotherapy – scans, blood tests, consultations, and I am happy to have support from my team to continue with my complementary care.

I have been on a huge journey trying different approaches including the Budwig diet, Alkaline diet, Journey work, meditation, Reiki, Japanese acupuncture, coffee enemas, green juices, cutting out sugar, dairy, processed food and the nightshade family, detox baths, supplements and HBOT.

This journey has often featured conflicting information and at points has been confusing and depressing. I am now settled with guidance from a nutritionist on the Ketogenic diet and am taking recommended supplements including Vitamin C. I try to exercise when I’m able to including going to yoga twice a week.

Running alongside my maintenance chemotherapy and Denosumab injections, I am on a trial of four generic drugs from the Care Oncology Clinic in Harley Street. 

I first heard about Yes to Life when I was having IV Vitamin C at the Vision of Hope Clinic. I spoke to someone very friendly and helpful on the Yes to Life helpline, which comforted me as it was the beginning of my journey and I felt there was help out there after all and support for someone who wanted to take a different route.

Yes to Life offered information on diet and exercise and funded a consultation with Patricia Peat of Cancer Options. I found this very helpful and she offered good advice on what supplements could benefit me. 

Yes to Life have continued to support me by sending me a monthly supply of Liposomal Vitamin C, which helps me support my immune system. This is of great help as it means I am able to still afford other therapies and approaches.

I think Yes to Life is an amazing charity, which helps to give people choice. The support I have had, not only financial, has been informative and friendly and has been a strong crutch to me. I see Yes to Life as an organisation who I can ask for support from like a second family.

With awareness rising and demand for our services at an all-time high we need your backing more than ever.  Donate today and help us support more people like Suzanne*

(*name has been changed)

Those 3 words: "You have cancer" - Dr Nasha Winters

This week's blog is written by Dr Nasha Winters who we interviewed on our radio show in June about her book “The Metabolic Approach To Cancer” which she wrote with Jess Higgins Kelley.

Coming up to my 26^th year out from a terminal cancer diagnosis, I am no stranger to the stigma, fear, overwhelm, confusion and paralysis that can accompany such a life-changing phrase: “You have cancer”. 

I am also hypersensitive to the impetus to jump immediately into treatment with no regard to the individual or to the origins of this process. The real medical emergency of a cancer diagnosis IS the diagnosis itself. How you respond and react to those three words can profoundly impact your therapeutic outcome. 

Rushing blindly in to a surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, targeted therapy, alternative therapy, dietary intervention, etc. is a dangerous and slippery slope. There is no reason why you shouldn’t take a moment and breath. 

Those 3 words - “You have cancer”- are simply a light switch coming on. This is an opportunity to start using that light to illuminate what is happening in, on and around you.  What is this diagnosis trying to tell you? This is NOT the time to dive headfirst into any particular treatment approach. It is the time to start your detective work. 

A few life saving and life changing recommendations I would make for anyone on this journey - whether it is your first time or a recurrence, is this:

1)   Stop. Be still. Breath. Turn off the computer. Don’t immediately talk to everyone you know.  This is YOUR body. This is YOUR process. It is a sacred moment to get really clear on how you got here and where you need to go next.

2)   Get a second opinion. Even a third. And from different institutions. You will find, for the most part, the recommendations will vary. Find what resonates with you.

3)   TEST.  BEFORE someone starts any form of treatment get the following:

a.   If you had a biopsy that led to this diagnosis, have it sent off for molecular profiling to a company like Caris, Foundation One, Rational Therapeutics, etc.

b.   If you didn’t have a biopsy, and you want/need one, perhaps meet with an integrative oncology practitioner who can prepare your body for the biopsy to help keep the cells intact with things like modified citrus pectin or scheduling biopsy/surgery and scans around menstrual cycle as your hormonal levels will impact results, and the likelihood of metastasis is higher if biopsy/surgery done during the estrogenic phase. 

                                               i.     Example:  Breast MRI, ultrasound, mammography or thermography is best between day 5 and 15 of menstrual cycle (day 1 is the first day of your period) https://www.itnonline.com/article/breast-mri-all-about-timing

                                              ii.     Same holds true for any other biopsies or surgeries in menstruating women for any form of cancer http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/014067369192927T

c.   Get a liquid biopsy www.biocept.com to determine circulating tumor cell count and circulating fragmented cancer DNA along with molecular profile on actionable targets.  And use it often to assess your response to therapy and to monitor you AFTER completion of therapy.  This is an FDA approved, insurance covered test and validated for the following tumor types:

                                               i.     Lung

                                              ii.     Breast

                                             iii.     Gastric

                                             iv.     Colorectal

                                              v.     Prostate

                                             vi.     Melanoma

                                            vii.     Renal Cell (kidney)

                                           viii.     Ovarian

d.   You can also look into liquid assays to check for chemosensitivity and response to non-conventional therapies with RGCC out of Greece www.rgcc-group.com or BioFocus out of Germany www.biofocus.de

e.    I would also strongly consider the following tests to have as a baseline to assess your overall terrain and to bring to light triggers to your cancering process:  CBC with diff, CMP, GGT, Ferritin, CRP, Sedrate, LDH, Fibrinogen, Homocysteine, TSH, Total T4, Free T3, T3 Uptake, Thyroid Antibodies, 25-OH D3, HbA1C, Insulin, IGF-1, Serum Copper, Ceruloplasmin, Serum Zinc and any tumor marker testing appropriate to the cancer type.  This information will be useful to understand what patterns you carried prior to embarking on any treatment so you may start to address these drivers from the get go with other means like diet, lifestyle, supplements, etc. To learn more about testing I recommend Jenny Hrbacek, RN book:  “Cancer Free!  Are You Sure?”

f.     Assemble your team!  Your oncologist has likely had ZERO training in nutrition so VERY important to get a therapeutic nutritionist, who is well-versed in metabolic therapies/treatment with diet of cancer (this is often NOT a Registered Dietician RD).  You need someone to support your emotional body as well---a therapist, life coach, support group, or church.  And someone who can navigate the world of both conventional and alternative or integrative approaches such as an integrative naturopathic oncologist or someone well versed in how these paradigms should be woven together.

g.    And, take the Terrain Ten^TM Questionnaire at the front of our new book:  “The Metabolic Approach To Cancer” (available on Amazon here) to assess your terrain with regards to other exposures contributing to a cancering process.  The book can then guide you on how to make the changes necessary to support your whole terrain.

4)    And, once you have collected all the data, work with someone who can pull it all together and help create a focused plan of action that is specific to YOU! That might include conventional, non-conventional or combination treatments along with diet, herbs, supplements and lifestyle interventions to boost immune function, drive a cytotoxic (cancer cell death) process, encourage a metabolic overhaul, create better response to therapy and with less side effects while enhancing quality of life. 

Please know you are far more powerful than you are led to believe on this journey. Do your due diligence to take a thoughtful, researched approach to your wellbeing.  Know you are a divinely unique individual with particular epigenetic hiccups, biochemical processes and life circumstances that impact how you will respond to any given treatment and adjust accordingly.  And may you thrive, not just survive!

You can listen to Nasha being interviewed on our radio show here.