Patients dread chemotherapy and radiotherapy because they are toxic. In targeting cancer cells, they can also damage healthy cells and tissues, though not everyone develops the same side effects or experiences and to the same degree.

How can you bring your own attitude (mind) and inner resources (divine self) to bear on the treatments so that you can be an active partner in your healing and generate the best possible healing outcome?

Here is a healing visualization we teach our clients, and it is based on the same principles of the cellular healing meditation described earlier in the book.  It is to be practised during your chemotherapy/radiotherapy session.

Using positive visualization and prayerful intention, the aim is to ‘divinise’ your treatments so as to direct the flow of drugs or radiation and specifically target the cancer cells. You will also simultaneously irrigate your body-mind with the healing vibrations of peace so that healthy body tissues and cells are protected from the toxicity of the treatments.

To read the full Visualisation please download the PDF

[spu popup=”17164″]Download Visualisation PDF[/spu]

How does Ayurveda work?

1) Prakriti and Doshas
Ayurveda considers each individual has a unique nature (“Prakriti”), made up of three different energies. These energies which when combined, produce different constitutional types (“Doshas: Vata, Pitta and Kapha”). Hence, a disease occurs when there is an imbalance or breakdown in the Doshas. Therefore, healing is basically the process of restoring the balance and equilibrium. Hence, Ayurvedic Treatment for Cancer is called for.

2) Living in harmony with nature
Ayurveda propounds the principle of living naturally. It advises to live in accordance and alignment with nature and changing seasons. Thus, when an individual takes into consideration the physical, mental and emotional aspects of maintaining perfect health which includes food, lifestyle, and the environment; he or she is said to be in ‘The Healthy Circle (“Swasth Vrita”).

3) What causes diseases?
Unfortunately, modern life often violates this and increasingly so. Artificial light and air, processed and preserved food items, our polluted environment, ingestion of toxins (in many ways), overworking physically as well as mentally, fractured relationships and negative emotions are pretty much opposite to what Ayurveda recommends. Henceforth, no wonder diseases are on the rise!

4) Treating the root cause of the disease
Like other traditional systems of medicine, Ayurveda also focuses on finding and treating the root cause of a disease. It does not focus merely on the symptoms. Also, the treatments can take many forms, including herbal medications, cleansing/detoxification methods, massage therapies and in some cases, spiritual practices.

Ayurvedic Treatment for Cancer

It is obvious that cancer was known, treated and documented, from ancient times. Traditional texts like ‘Charaka Samhita’ and ‘Shushruta Samhitha’ describe and classify Cancer precisely: as a major neoplasm (“Arbudha”), a minor neoplasm (“Granthi”) and as malignant growths (“Tridosaja” and “Sannipataja”). Interestingly, there are many similarities between these descriptions and the latest scientific discoveries on the mechanisms of tumour growth.

From an Ayurvedic perspective, Cancer is the result of the body’s reaction (“Pratyahara”) to the distortion of the natural balance of the body. When impurities and toxicities build up in the blood, they aggravate our Dosha balance, which can manifest as Cancer.

What can Aggravate the Cancerous Doshas?

• Improper lifestyle and food.
• Smoking and chewing tobacco.
• Breathing of polluted air or chemicals.
• Consumption of vegetables and fruits containing pesticides.

How does Ayurveda help in Cancer?

There are 3 major principles in understanding the effect of Ayurveda as a medicine for treating Cancer:

1. Diet & Nutrition for a Cancer free life

• According to Ayurvedic perspective, toxicity builds up when we consume too much acid-forming food. Hence, proper diet & nutrition is a must for restoring the acid-alkali balance of the body.
• Diet and herbal supplements play an important role in restoring the vitamin-mineral balance.
• Use traditional ingredients (which contain antioxidants) such as Turmeric, Ashwagandha, Amla, Neem, Triphala, etc. to prevent cell damage.
• Also, make related efforts to minimise the severe effects of aggressive chemo and radiation therapies.

2. Exercise & Breathwork help in preventing Cancer

• Ayurveda emphasises on the positive impact of exercise in promoting good health.
• Thus, yoga postures (“Asanas”) and breathwork (“Pranayama”) performed regularly, provide an energy boost and also strengthen our immunity.

3. Meditative / Spiritual practices to soothe Cancer

• When we are able to manage our emotions better, we can start making ‘meaning’ of any difficult life experience.

Reflection

• What steps will you take to ensure your daily diet is healthy and nutritious?
• How can you include Yoga or other forms of exercise into your regular regime?
• What if you consider and explore meditation to improve your emotional health?

Author

This article is written by Sakshi Shah. Sakshi is a student of Communications at Mount Carmel College, Bangalore. She is a friendly people’s person and enjoys to meet new people to see how they build their ‘story’. She is a committed learner and as a strong-willed person, she always gives her fullest to the task ahead. Sakshi strongly believes in the motto “I CAN”.

In this article, Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev, Founder of the Isha Yoga Foundation, shares how the yogic system views cancer and what can be done to avoid the disease. 

How cancer occurs as per yogic system

Cancerous cells are present in all our bodies. In the yogic system, we describe cancerous cells as being similar to, let’s say, criminals in a society.

If there are a few individuals here and there who commit petty crimes, it doesn’t really affect the society. But when they gang up together in one place, something begins to happen.

Similarly, having a few cancerous cells in your body is not going to affect your life or health in any way. Generally in yoga, we look at it this way: when certain kinds of blanks or gaps occur in the energy body, either because of a person’s attitude, food, lifestyle, or any other factor due to which the energy body gets affected, an atmosphere conducive to the growth of cancerous cells is created. So if the flow of energy is not good in a certain part of the body, cancerous cells choose that place to hide and fester.

Causes of breast cancer as per yogic system

Breast cancer is very rampant today, especially in societies where a lot of women never conceive. In today’s world, for most women child-bearing happens only once or twice and is over before a certain age.

So the next 15 to 20 years of their life that they still have the capability to bear children and the necessary hormones are still being produced – they are not being made use of. According to the yogic system, this is one of the main reasons for both breast and uterine cancer occurring among women.

The mechanism of the breast, which was mainly made to feed the offspring, is not made use of. Or, it is made use of at a very early age and not after that. If a woman went through the normal process of conception, from the age of 16 to 18 until about 45, she would be conceiving periodically which would have kept her whole system active and kept the energy flowing.

Because it is not made use of the way it should have been physiologically, that part of the body becomes low energy. Such an atmosphere always attracts cancerous cells, and it becomes a place for them to accumulate and do the necessary work that they do.

What is the solution

So does it mean to say we must produce more children? Please don’t. There are ways to find solutions for this.

1. Period fasting: One of the simplest solutions for curtailing cancerous cells in the system is periodic fasting. One aspect of these cells is that they need a lot more food than a normal cell, up to 30 times more. Just by denying yourself food on certain days, you could bring down the level of cancerous cells.
2. Spiritual practices: There are also certain types of sadhana (spiritual practices) one can do, to control one’s hormonal secretions. The Shakthi Chalana Kriya and asanas we teach help in correcting and balancing the system.
3. Lifestyle changes: We have seen many women with uterus-related problems, such as polycystic ovaries getting completely cured by simply practicing certain asanas and kriyas. The hormonal conditions inside the body can be regulated, rather than simply reacting to the kind of food you eat and atmosphere you live in.

To what extent these practices have helped patients suffering from cancer, we cannot document or confirm this. But we have definitely seen that they recovered quite well. The doctors who were treating these cancer patients were quite surprised at their response to chemotherapy.

We have seen a few people who recovered from chemotherapy very quickly after doing yogic practices. Whether their cancer went away because of the practices, there is no way to say that. I would say supplementing yoga with medical treatment could definitely benefit the patient.”

Reflection

• How do you manage the flow of energy in your body, particularly if it feels blocked, stuck or stagnant?
• In addition to physical postures (Asanas) and breathwork (Pranayama), the Yogic approach also emphasises periodic fasting and regular spiritual practice. How can you incorporate these into your daily routine?

Article courtesy: The Isha Blog <blog.ishafoundation.org>

What is the Avon Walk

Avon Foundation conducts a walk to end breast cancer across the US. The aim is to enable more breast cancer research, more screenings and more survivors. The event series emphasizes action and inspiration.

The two-day event celebrates the strength and philanthropic commitment of participants who raise a minimum of $1,800 to accelerate breast cancer research; improve access to screening, diagnosis and treatment; and educate people about breast cancer.

Since the series’ launch in 2003, more than 235,000 participants have raised nearly $620,000,000. Funds raised are distributed by the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade to local, regional and national breast cancer organizations with the goal of improving breast cancer outcomes and reducing disparities in survival rates.

 340 miles, 9 cities, $90,000

Those are the totals that Sherri Lynn, 49, notched up after completing her ninth and final Avon Walk for Breast Cancer in September. But the figures are nothing compared to the Manville, N.J., resident’s nearly two-decade long journey since her breast cancer diagnosis in 1995.

Sherri was surprised when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She always assumed that only people with a family history of cancer could get the illness.

She recalls her reaction when she was told she has cancer.

“I think I sat on a bucket,” she recalled. “I don’t know because it kinda got a little dark. Tunnel vision. And he told me I had breast cancer.”

She was only 31 then. But even in the face of adversity, she held on to her courage.

“I sat in the parking lot for about 5 minutes, cried, had a cigarette, and then I thought, ‘Okay, bring it on, bring it on. We’re gonna do what we need to do.’”

Source

Breast Cancer ‘Thriver’ Completes Avon Walk in 9 Cities

In April 2012, Debra Williams was told something that every woman fears hearing after feeling a lump in their breast “You have breast cancer.” But despite this tragic news, Williams did not feel lost or terrified.

Her mind was in a good place, and the following month she had the cancerous tumor removed from her breast. Then she did something that had her doctors and friends thinking she was completely insane – she refused to undergo chemotherapy!

To read the full story, click here.

IMPORTANT: Cancer Awakens does not recommend that any one declines medical treatment. We propose a ‘complementary’ (Holistic & Integrated) approach to cancer and not an ‘alternative’ one.

Is yoga good for cancer patients?

“I’m very against alternative medicine,” says Jessica D’Angelo. “We’d never recommend that here. But if anyone wants to keep their spirits up while dealing with cancer, yoga is a great way to do that. Yoga maintains and conditions the body’s stamina during treatment.”

Chemotherapy and radiation can take a significant toll on the body, leaving patients exhausted and feeling ill with severe side effects.

“Yoga combines light exercise, meditation and a general feeling of well-being,” D’Angelo said. “It’s a powerful tool to help facilitate someone’s healing.”

How yoga and meditation works for cancer healing

Although yoga is not a painkiller, D’Angelo said she finds that, conceptually speaking, it works in a similar way. “Painkillers help your body relax, and when your body is relaxed, it can rest. And when your body is resting, it can heal itself,” she said. “Yoga is the same – it helps you relax and rest, which opens your body to healing.”

Meditation and yoga can also provide emotional healing. After leaving a yoga class, D’Angelo said her students feel more relaxed and optimistic.

“Meditation and yoga requires focusing on the positive, and letting negativity go. Doctors talk about your sickness; in a yoga class, we talk about your health. When you focus on the positive aspect of your health and well-being, that feeling grows exponentially.”

Reflection

• While the medical treatment addresses the affected area of your body what steps can you take for an holistic healing of mind and body?
• Have you considered including holistic therapies like yoga and meditation to complement your medical treatment and also manage the side-effects?

The mind is the “invisible body”; if there is a bodily breakdown, the origin can invariably be traced to the mind. If one subscribes to this view, then any illness can be understood using the same logic i.e. a negative, thought-emotion pattern leads to disease.

What causes Cancer according to Hypnotherapy?

The predominant view suggests that the primary emotions involved in cancer are ‘Guilt’ and ‘Anger’. When combined, they give rise to the need for ‘self-punishment’, which can manifest as cancer.

Guilt and anger

Guilt can emerge from the perception of “not having done enough” as well as “having done wrong” which then leads to anger and a consequent need to over-compensate.

For example, it has been found that breast cancer is correlated with a perceived sense of guilt for not nurturing/not feeling nurtured, which then turns into anger. This anger (towards self/others), when suppressed for an extended period, finally manifests on the physical body as breast cancer.

Unproductivity or inability

Another view proposes that cancer results from a feeling of ‘un-productivity’ or ‘inability’ to do something in a particular area of life which then gives rise to deep regret, resulting in cancer in the corresponding physical organ.

For example:

• Inability to nurture: linked to breast cancer (4th: Heart chakra)
• Inability to speak-up: linked to throat cancer (5th: Throat chakra)
• Inability to “digest” life: linked to stomach cancer (3rd: Solar plexus chakra)

Complementary, not Alternative

Hypnotherapy seeks to support and complement (not replace) mainstream medical treatments. When illness occurs in the physical body, it is important to recognise that it has been present in the “mental plane” as a negative thought-emotion pattern for a long period of time.

This repetitive pattern, which has led to a bodily-breakdown, most definitely requires a combination of interventions, through

• Mainstream medicine to address the “hardware” (i.e. the physical body).
• Complementary approaches like Hypnotherapy to address the “software” (mental and emotional aspects).It is important to note that even if the same “software” continues to run on a new “hardware” (healed physical body), recurrence is likely.

How does Hypnotherapy address cancer?

At the emotional/mental level, Hypnotherapy would focus on:

1. Tracing the origin of the Guilt-Anger axis and resolving it through ‘inner-child work’ i.e. releasing the residual emotional charge of traumatic memories.
2. Re-igniting the mind’s capacity to guide the individual’s own healing through guided-imagery.
3. Improving ‘quality’ of life (even if ‘quantity’ of life cannot be enhanced) by coaching the individual to reach a place of acceptance in the here and now.

At a physical level, Hypnotherapy can work on mitigating the side effects of chemo and radio therapy, such as hair-loss, weight-loss, nausea, etc. Managing pain is another area where Hypnotherapy has proved hugely beneficial.

Case study – Naso-pharyngeal cancer

Ms. Rohini Gupta (name changed to protect privacy), who was diagnosed with naso-pharyngeal cancer, sought help from a Bangalore-based hypnotherapist. Here is Rohini’s feedback, in her own words:

The diagnosis

It all started off with a trismus in my jaw which made it difficult to open my mouth. Slowly the pain spread through the right side of my face, all the way up to my head. It took about six months before my cancer was correctly diagnosed. It has been about a year and a half since my last chemotherapy.

The treatment

• Mainstream treatment: I was given a combination of chemo and radio therapy. The treatment was very intense, leading to new side-effects each day.
• Family support: My main asset through the cancer experience was my ever loving family. We are a joint family and everyone offered me great support, love and strength. They kept me calm … and sane.
• Alternative therapies to complement mainstream treatment: I also used a number of alternative therapies to help me keep up my strength: Homeopathy, Yoga, Meditation and also some Hypnotherapy sessions. Hypnotherapy was very new to me and the reality turned out to be very different from what I had expected.

How hypnotherapy helped in cancer treatment

I must confess that I was a bit hesitant about the whole concept as I had imagined that the therapist would somehow control me totally! It turned out to be very similar to the deep relaxation that I was familiar with, in my Yoga and Meditation.

I never lost control during my sessions and felt very relaxed. The Past Life Regression angle simply didn’t work in my case; my therapist said that perhaps I was not ready for it, yet.

The guided imagery was good though, it brought to the surface the stuff that was hiding inside and had been worrying me for a while. Much of it was not new, but now I could give these issues some focus and energy, and to begin to really deal with them. That was important for me.

I cried a lot in the first session, and a little more in subsequent sessions which lightened me quite a bit. I would also listen to the guided imagery every night for some time. This helped me sleep a lot better as well. I am sure that Hypnotherapy played a great role in supporting my healing journey.

Reflection

• What is the recurring chatter that goes on in your mind? How strident is your inner critic?
• Are you carrying or holding on to emotions like deep hurt, resentment or grief? In what way are they serving you? How can you let them go?
• Everyone has insecurities and vulnerabilities. How can you open yourself and find the right guidance and support?

Source

We are grateful to Dr. Yuvraj Kapadia and Dr. Neeta Yuvraj, Directors, of EKAA (formerly called California Hypnosis Institute of India) for their inputs. EKAA is a non-profit organization which offers certification courses in Integrated Clinical Hypnotherapy, thereby integrating Hypnotherapy with other healing modalities. For more information, please visit their site.

Author

After obtaining a degree in Psychology, Vidya Ramaswamy felt her subject learning had been limited since it stopped with the study of the mind. Believing that humans are “whole” beings, she decided to pursue a discipline which appreciates the inter-connection between body-mind-spirit. She qualified herself as a Clinical Hypnotherapist from the California Hypnosis Institute of India (CHII). Vidya now works with cancer patients on a daily basis as a Treatment-Coordinator/ Therapist at the Ojus-Sampurnah Integrative Medicine Clinic in Bangalore and practices as an independent Hypnotherapist as well.

During his brilliant career as a world champion cyclist, Lance Armstrong seemed invincible. Until he was diagnosed with testicular cancer.

Otherwise an extremely healthy 25 year old, Lance ignored the early signs of the disease and by the time it was diagnosed, the cancer had spread to his lungs, brain and abdomen, leaving his chances of survival dim. Armstrong however, had no intentions of becoming a ‘cancer victim’. Instead, he was determined to educate himself about the disease and underwent rigorous treatment until he overcame it.

He is now an international spokesperson for the cancer community, with the Lance Armstrong Foundation providing education, funds, support and inspiration for people with cancer.

Recently, Lance Armstrong has been stripped off his many cycling titles, after having admitted on the Oprah Winfrey show, that he is a doping cheat, a liar, a bully and a deeply flawed human being. The icon has fallen!

Does this make him any less of a ‘cancer thriver’? It is not an easy question to answer … and we would love to hear your views!
buy kamagra online
To know more about the Livestrong Foundation, click here

Source

Lance Armstrong Cancer

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“I am sorry but you have been diagnosed with cancer” were the words of gynaecologist Dr. Prasad Mahadevan, to Mrs. Raksha Khanna, a 39-year old mother of two, who lives in Dubai. She says, “25^th September 2010 was the most unforgettable and shocking day of my life.”

The shock and horror of a cancer diagnosis

What goes through a person’s mind when they are told they have cancer? For some, it is the fear of death, for others, it is the fear of losing loved ones, for some others, it is extreme sorrow and despair. Raksha faced all these emotions she was diagnosed with 1^st stage endometrial cancer.

Yet, one year later …

Raksha says things like

“Come on let’s go clubbing! Oh my God, am I looking fat in this skirt?! Stop being such a bore! We should live life for today and not tomorrow!”

Meeting Raksha today, I see a woman who is as much a fighter as our brave soldiers on the front line.

Her thinking, her attitude towards life and her positive spirit gave me the strength to face trouble in a better way – and my problems now seem so much more trivial.

Raksha Khanna overcame cancer and has emerged a stronger, healthier person. How is this possible? What made her so confident despite the heavy burden of cancer? It’s simple: it is the positive attitude with which she perceives life.

A doctor and a friend

Major uterine surgery, heavy chemotherapy, a bland diet and hair loss initially led to tears, a lot of sympathy and low motivation.

Raksha feared she may lose her family and felt like giving up on life.  But there is a ‘ray of hope in every one’s life’ and it was no different in her case.

Her oncologist, Dr. Shishir Shetty, asked her to be strong and promised her a complete recovery after the surgery. He put her through a few counseling sessions which helped her to stay positive and to see her whole life in a more holistic manner.

Dr. Shetty is not only her oncologist but has also become her great friend. It is perhaps one of the most crucial aspects to her recovery: the human connection, the bond of friendship and the assurance of a doctor who genuinely cares for a patient were life-changing in more ways than one!

A new lifestyle, a new life

Raksha, who previously weighed over 100kg and who lived life for others, was able to lose an incredible amount of weight and made herself look younger and more beautiful in spite of her medical condition.

It wasn’t easy, but she did it through regular workouts, a new and healthy diet, by doing things she loved and living life the way she wanted to. Although she had to go through monthly checkups and required heavy medications, her positive attitude made it easy for her to cope and come out of the ordeal stronger, healthier and more vibrant than ever.

Her husband, kids and family have been by her side all the time and are happy to see her confidence growing by the day. She now aims to counsel other cancer patients, share her story and strategies and give them courage.

As Raksha sums it up:

“After all, God has given us this one life in which there will be ups and downs. But it totally depends on us as to how beautiful we make it.”

Reflection

• Shock and fear are inevitable with cancer. How will you bounce back?
• How can you develop a humane and equal relationship with your doctor, so that you are both working towards the same goal?
• How has the cancer experience changed you and your outlook towards life?
• Besides staying fitter and healthier, what can you do stay mentally positive?

Authors

This article has been contributed Ashvita and Prashant, who are both students of Event Management at EMDI, Mumbai.

Diagnosed with breast cancer

Mrs. Ivy Roche, a breast cancer survivor in her 70’s, tells her story. She goes back to the time where she was first detected with cancer and shares how she fought it only to come out stronger and victorious. A crucial element was the support she received from her family and friends.

About 40 years ago, when she first felt a lump in her breast, Ivy Roche, wasn’t aware what it was. She consulted a friend two months later and she finally got herself checked by a specialist. She went for her biopsy, nervous and full of anxiety.

When she was told it was cancer she didn’t know how to react  but she put on a brave face for her family, over the pain and shock she felt inside. Her story is similar to many millions of cancer patients. What happened next however, isn’t.

Combination of medical and holistic treatments

6 months to live

After a lot of thinking and many discussions with her family and doctors, she went in for surgery. The news wasn’t good. Her doctors told her she had only 6 months to live. She continued with her medication and supplemented it with cobalt lights and Ayurvedic treatments.

2 months to live

The healing process took a while but the results were positive. But then things got worse. After 9 months, due to some complications and side effects from her medication, she went for a checkup and the doctors decided to operate once more. This time they removed her reproductive organs and she was given a grim ultimatum: she had only 2 months to live.

The miracle healing

Then something incredible happened. Her health started improving. Her complementary treatments were beginning to pay off. She thanked God for this new lease of life and she made sure her ‘second innings’ would be more successful than her first. She exercised, went for her regular walks and followed a strict vegetarian diet for six months.

Dealing with side effects of cancer and harsh treatments

Even with her family’s care and support it wasn’t that easy after her operation. Her recovery process was long and arduous. She stayed at home for 12 years, facing side effects such as daily numbness in her right arm and loss of balance and nausea. Due to the second operation her menopause set in a lot earlier than usual.

But her spirit would not be broken. She fought through all of those obstacles and she looks back now and thanks her family for all the help and support and thanks God for giving her strength.

Life after cancer

She values her life a lot more than before – she helps people as much as she can in whatever small way. She was involved in social work before she fell ill and she is determined to continue with it in this innings too. No one can doubt her gutsiness: she raised all of her 5 grandchildren whom she adores.

Her advice to all those suffering from cancer is:

Do not  be afraid, to have the will power and everything else will fall in place. Keep your faith because ‘the soul is the best tonic’

Since she was affected by cancer 35 years ago, she didn’t have any reference books or guides and lacked much information. She put on her game, trusted her doctors and left the rest to God.

Reflection

• Who forms your core support system in times of distress? How can you get them to become your pillar of strength during these difficult times?
• Even when things might seem impossible, how can you cling on to hope?
• How can you integrate holistic practices along with the mainstream treatments?
• What has changed for you post the cancer experience? How can you use it to find a new direction?

Authors

This article has been contributed Shikha Marwah and Anuj Soni, who are students of Event Management at EMDI, Mumbai.

The movie is about what happens when one boy’s walk of faith crosses paths with one man’s search for meaning in life after losing all that he had. The resulting transformational journey touches the lives of everyone around them.

Child with cancer writes letters to God, the pen-pal

Tyler Doherty (played by Tanner Maguire) is an extraordinary 8-year old boy with an indomitable spirit, who is always trying to do what Jesus would do, in spite of having multiple brain tumors and undergoing chemotherapy.

Surrounded by a loving and supportive family and community and armed with the courage of his faith, the little boy faces his daily battle against cancer with courage and grace. To Tyler, God is a friend, a teacher and the ultimate pen pal. All of Tyler’s prayers take the form of letters which he composes and mails on a daily basis.

Messenger gets inspired to change his life and that of others

His letters find their way into the hands of Brady McDaniels (played by Jeffery Johnson) a substitute postman, standing at life’s crossroads after having lost custody of his son, because of his addiction to alcohol.

He is confused and conflicted as to what he should do, with all of these letters addressed “To God”.

The letters eventually get the beleaguered postman involved in the life of Tyler and his family who are battling cancer. The letters inspire Brady to seek a better life for himself and his own son who he lost through his alcohol addiction.

Brady realises what he must do with the letters. He makes a surprise decision that transforms his heart and uplifts his newly found friends and community. He does something exhilarating, inspired by the contagious effect of one boy’s unshakable faith in overcoming the odds.

The power of faith

Inspired by a true story, ‘Letters to God’ is a touching and intimate story about the galvanizing effect one child’s belief can have on his family, friends and community.

The movie shows us that although little Tyler suffered from brain cancer, he never let that come in the way of his undying faith in God. He felt that God was his closest friend and believed that every day was a new day, he was blessed to see.

Lessons from the movie

• The movie shows us a path where we find ourselves turning to God not only in times of sicknesses, but also praying with gratitude for the good things we receive. We need to have a strong belief in ourselves and be hopeful in every situation.
• The movie is a must-watch since it makes us understand that each one of us can alter our lives or those of people around us for the better, if we possess the right attitude.
• In traumatic situations, we often wonder “why me?” and the movie wants us to believe that everything happens for the reason. The reason might not always be a rosy one, but if viewed with the correct attitude, we can begin to understand its deeper meaning and deal with it in a positive manner.

Author

My name is Tamara De Abreu and I’m originally from Goa. Although I’m an optimist by nature, I try to take a balanced view of life. I come from a religious background with strong family values. I love socializing and meeting new people. I volunteered to help Cancer Awakens because I felt the need to stretch beyond the comfort of my little world and meet people who have been through a lot and still have a positive outlook towards life.

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After the surgery, Rupa didn’t feel great pain. But the very next day, when the surgeon came to dress her 30 stitches, she cringed and cried with pain. She experienced a strange numbness on the right side of her chest and then she realized that what she had expected before the surgery had become a reality.

Another Bump in the Road

After her successful surgery, Rupa was delighted to be on her way to regaining a happy and a normal life. But after only a week or so, when the whole family was thinking of a grand celebration, the unthinkable happened.

Her histology reports showed only a partial response to the chemotherapy and some of her lymph nodes turned out to have been affected, in spite of the fact that she had received the latest and most effective drugs. However, the biology of her cancer cells was such that her doctors gave her a 50-50% chance of recurrence. She was advised further chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Instead of relying on sheer luck, Rupa made up her mind to see through her treatments bravely.

Every Cloud Has A Silver Lining

While on one hand there was a 50% chance of cancer recurrence, on the other, Rupa tested positive for hormone therapy. This would be given for up to 5 years and would give her a better than even chance of staying cancer free.

What also worked in her favour was her tremendous self-belief that the the treatments would be totally effective and that she would rid herself of the cancer completely.

The journey won’t be easy but Rupa is confident in herself, the love she draws from her family and the strength she gains from her spiritual connectedness.

I Am The Winner

As Rupa herself says “I know, that I have to be more careful, watchful and even more positive. As every journey has its end, I too am moving towards the end of my treatment and back to my home in Australia very soon. I’ll be the same disciplined mom, caring wife, responsible working woman and superwoman amongst my friends. I know the battle is still not finished but I feel that I AM THE WINNER. I know that I’ve confidence and I can fight and I’ll win always. TOGETHER WE CAN FIGHT CANCER, is what I say. God bless all my family members, friends, relatives and well wishers, a special thanks to my husband and kids”.

Reflection

• How do you deal with the inevitable ups and downs of the cancer journey?
• What will help you bounce back, even after a major setback?
• How resilient are you now, compared to the time before cancer?
• What has changed for you after the cancer experience?
• How do you plan to integrate your new-found perspective in your life?

Author

Saurabh Dubey a student of Advertising at EMDI in Mumbai. It’s a bit strange to describe myself, as I’m a man of few words! I’m a blessed person who has incredibly loving and caring parents, siblings and friends. I love simplicity, sincerity and also to explore my surroundings. I’m also a yet-to-be-discovered poet!

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The ‘C’ Word

My aunt (Rupa), along with her husband (Jay) and two daughters (Karishma and Mahima) had moved to Australia in April, 2010 to pursue a new life in Adelaide, one of Australia’s most magnificent cities.

In April, 2011, Rupa was diagnosed with breast cancer at the Royal Adelaide Hospital . She went through an array of medical tests and was naturally taken aback at the sudden and sad discovery of the ‘C’ word. Far away from her parents, siblings and relatives it was an even more bitter pill to swallow.

Getting Prepared

1. Talk to cancer survivors or thrivers: As the days passed, Rupa felt better and braver and that’s when she met Helen. Diagnosed with Stage 2 breast cancer, Helen shared her experiences with Rupa, who had Stage 3 breast cancer. She first had to undergo chemotherapy and radiotherapy, to shrink the tumour size, so that it could be operated upon.
2. Research about your cancer: The hospital gave Rupa a kit which had very useful books on breast cancer. One book was very informative and covered the facts, tests, treatments and support options for early breast cancer patients. Another book provided contact details of forums and support groups, including various measures that can help during different stages of cancer treatment. In addition, the medical and health teams did a commendable job by informing Rupa exactly what treatments she would receive. This open and transparent dialogue was a huge step in preparing her mentally, for what was to come.
3. Make important decisions about your treatment: Rupa knew that to be happy, she had to be with her family and friends back home in India. She, along with her family, arrived in India in May 2011. They visited a few reputed cancer hospitals in Ahmedabad, their home town and ultimately chose HCG Medi-Surge.
4. Doing all that you can for a successful treatment: During her treatment she began keeping a close eye on her body, something which she had never done before. She interacted with her surgeon and oncologist to understand the medical terms and treatments that she would undergo. The medical team provided great encouragement and moral support to Rupa throughout the treatment. Since establishing a strong human connection is one of the most important aspects in the treatment process, the warmth of her family and the reassurance of her doctors was crucial in preparing her emotionally.

Life after cancer

1. Feeling of victimhood: Shortly after the chemotherapy began, Rupa started losing her hair. Her pillow would be covered with strands of fallen hair. Her younger daughter (Mahima) would cry and ask Rupa why this was happening only to her and not to anyone else’s mother. She asked Rupa to wear a wig and that did make both of them feel a little better. Rupa realised that it is important to address the question of victimhood, when it comes to cancer.
2. Dealing with effects of chemotherapy: During her second chemo cycle, Rupa had to deal with food infection, but fortunately her oncologist’s medication cleared it. Her diet consisted of home-cooked food, which had to be consumed warm and fresh. The third chemo cycle was the toughest as she completely lost her taste buds, developed a mouth ulcer and also lost her eyelashes. But she was happy because her surgery date was coming closer and closer.
3. Strength from spirituality: Rupa had been brought up with spirituality as an inherent part of her life. After the positive chemotherapy reports, she went to various temples to show her gratitude and gain strength from the deities blessings. Being a strong-willed person, she made up her mind that she would have no fear even if the doctors were forced to remove her right breast during the surgery. Her spirituality gave her this fortitude.

Reflection

• After diagnosis, how can you prepare yourself physically and mentally for the cancer treatments?
• How can you engage in a productive dialogue with the doctors regarding your treatment and recovery?
• Where will you can draw emotional strength from, during the difficult cancer journey? How will you stay positive?
• If your loved one is going through cancer, what are the three most important things you can do to demonstrate how much you care?

Author

Saurabh Dubey is a student of Advertising at EMDI in Mumbai. It’s a bit strange to describe myself, as I’m a man of few words! I’m a blessed person who has incredibly loving and caring parents, siblings and friends. I love simplicity, sincerity and also to explore my surroundings. I’m also a yet-to-be-discovered poet!

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Dying young- Journey from suffering to hope

“Dying Young” is a very touching and emotional story about Victor Geddes (played by Campbell Scott), a young man from a very wealthy family who is diagnosed with leukemia. Victor has everything that life can offer except the one thing he needs the most – a reason to live.

Victor’s father (played by David Selby) is looking for a trained nurse for Victor, but he chooses to overrule his father’s decision and decides to employ someone who will support him personally through his chemotherapy, rather than just play the role of a nurse to him.

Not just just a nurse, a caregiver who can support

He chooses Hillary O’Neil (played by Julia Roberts), a beautiful woman who is lost and confused after being betrayed by her boyfriend. Hillary needs to find a job and a place to stay and so she applies for a residential position, acting as Victor’s caretaker and nurse.

Hilary has very little experience but is full of energy and knows how to live her life and make each moment of it count.

When the caregiver feels overwhelmed

At Victor’s first chemotherapy session, Hilary is struck with sympathy for cancer patients, but once they return home and she sees the aftermath of the side effects, she doubts whether she can even handle the job. Hilary wants to help Victor but is distraught at his pain and suffering.

Victor however convinces her to stay and give it a try, as he is falling in love with her and is beginning to see her as a reason for living, something which he had always wanted in his reclusive and self-confined life.

A ray of hope

In Hillary, Victor is finally able to see a ray of hope! One day Victor tells Hilary that his chemotherapy course has been successfully completed, and that he really wants to start living his life again. He asks her to accompany him on an adventure; to a place where he can do everything he always wanted without being constantly monitored.

So they move together to a secluded house where Hilary gets to see a new side of Victor, one free of medicines, injections and treatments, and instead living a normal life. Slowly their relationship blossoms as they realize their love for each other through all the beautiful experiences they share.

Facing the reality

However destiny has something else in mind. As it turns out, Victor has lied to Hilary about his chemotherapy being successful. In reality, he wanted to escape all that pain and mess and wanted to recover with Hilary’s support. He lied to her but only because he loved her and didn’t want to hurt her.

The movie ends with Hilary and Victor attempting to fight death together for the sake of their love and their relationship.

Lessons for cancer patients and caregivers from the film

‘Dying Young’ has a positive message – that there is always hope no matter what the situation is, provided you have the willingness and thirst to live life and not give up.

By portraying the cancer-patient’s journey as well as that of a care-giver, the movie stands apart, and that makes it an enjoyable watch for patients and care-givers alike.

It shows that cancer can be equally difficult for the care-giver because the hardest thing for anybody is to see his or her loved one suffer or die. It also shows that cancer transforms not only the patient’s life but also the care-givers.

At the end, the movie leaves us with an upbeat message: that hope is the best medicine in life. Victor and Hillary depict how will-power and the support of a loved one can help you look at life itself, anew.

Author

This article was written by Roopali Mathuria, a student of Advertising at EMDI, Mumbai. Roopali describes herself as a fun-loving person who loves to socialize, meet and observe people … that’s where she gets many of her insights. She loves being at home with her family, as her ‘get-away’ from the rest of the world.

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Dear Yuvi,

I would like to introduce myself as Vijay Bhat (a 10-year cancer survivor after colon cancer, based in Bangalore) and I would like to share this letter with you, with the hope and prayer that a ‘fighter’ like you will overcome and transcend this difficult experience.

This message is for you and all the brave ‘thrivers’ everywhere, who are grappling with this game-changer called cancer. The world of cricket and every single Indian suffered a shock when you, our World Cup hero, was diagnosed with cancer. The doosra that life bowled to you has deeply affected millions of your fans, including us at Cancer Awakens. We write this open letter to support you, while you take the crease on this sticky wicket.

While cancer statistics are deadly and baffling, they ignore the thousands of individuals and families who have successfully overcome cancer, both in India and around the world. We call such people ‘anecdotes’ because through their experience, they inspire many others to follow them. Since you are a ‘fighter’ yourself, you will surely resonate with these five qualities which the anecdotes display

1. Reclaim your Power

Cancer makes you feel vulnerable, fragile and powerless. The doctors, your family members, even your priest …they seem to have the power in your situation and tell you what to do and what not to do, albeit with the best intent.

While this may be fine in the early days, it is unfortunate that most people who get cancer never really reclaim their power.

But at some point, irrespective of the prognosis, you must reclaim your power. It is only when you take charge of yourself and take responsibility for your actions that your ‘new’ life can unfold. Otherwise you are living on someone else’s terms, not yours.

2. Take the Fork in the Road

Unlike most other illnesses, cancer is not a ‘bump,’ a minor hurdle you can go over, but a ‘fork’ in the road: cancer requires you not only to change your priorities and the intensity with which you live but to actually take a new direction, something Life is pushing you towards.

However tempting it may be to go back to your life as it was, this option is likely to be unrealistic. You need to be strong enough, both physically and emotionally, to look inwards and find that new and purposeful path. Paradoxically, there is research to show that those who take the fork in the road have a better chance of being an anecdote than a statistic.

3. Access your Inner Resources

Cancer is a mysterious disease and most people feel unprepared and under-resourced to deal with it. While our natural tendency is to look for resources outside, the real wisdom and insight into your choices can only be activated when you access your inner resources of character, courage and resilience.

There is no dearth of available information outside, but it is either too clinical/technical to absorb or it consists of diverse and unproven theories that are difficult to synthesize. This can be a real challenge for you to muddle through so it is far better to find your inner compass first and use it to sift, sort and select the most appropriate external resources.

4. Focus on the Quality (not Quantity) of Life

Modern society’s preoccupation with extending one’s life as much as possible often becomes an obsession with cancer because the statistics nudge us to measure life in terms of weeks, months and sometimes years, rather than in decades.

The anecdotes march to a different drum beat: they focus on how well they can live rather than how long they should live. They focus on living positively, creatively and spontaneously, enjoying the moment rather than living for the next birthday. Interestingly, studies show that improving your quality of life can indirectly increase your quantity of life!

5. Offer your insights and experience to help others

Because cancer gets to the root of our universal fear of death, it naturally puts us in touch with our own humanity and arouses profound compassion for the suffering of others.

The anecdotes not only experience this compassion within but also turn it into action so that other people can benefit. They commit their time, effort, and money (if they can afford it) towards volunteer work, for instance, working with support groups and advocacy-based activities.

Modern medicine now accepts that compassionate service is a positive and therapeutic activity that nourishes and revitalizes the giver as much as it does the receiver; reaching out to help others contributes to one’s own healing

While these insights may be provocative, we hope that you will find them to be useful in your own journey. If you would like to know more about a holistic and integrated approach to cancer and how it can support your medical treatments (and never to replace them), please take a look at our free online resources at www.youtube.com/cancerawakens.

And feel free to contact us with any queries; we’ll be delighted to help.

As a parting message, we want you to know that our team at Cancer Awakens and I, along with the entire nation, is with you in this time of trial and we look forward to see you striding out on that pitch, with your blade flowing!

Best wishes,

Vijay Bhat (and The Cancer Awakens team)

My Story: Post-pregnancy cancer diagnosis

I was diagnosed with a very rare uterine cancer called Chorio-carcinoma which is the result of a pregnancy where the remaining cells of placenta in the uterus become cancerous.

Generally, if it is caught within three months of the pregnancy, it is curable with chemotherapy. However, if left untreated for more than 6 months, the prognosis is poor. In my case, it was almost a year since I had been pregnant and I had been hemorrhaging for two months.

I was intially diagnosed with a 4cm tumor in Oct 2009 at stage 4, with metastasis in my brain. These were diagnosed by ultrasounds and CAT scans at two different hospitals. Upon learning of my diagnosis – before any treatment – I gave up all sugar, wheat and animal products and started eating tons of cruciferous vegetables. Two weeks later (in Nov 2009), I was admitted to Memorial Sloan Kettering hospital in New York City.

Surprise, surprise

They gave me a new ultrasound and found that the tumor had shrunk by half: to 2 cm. A few days later, they gave me a new CAT scan and couldn’t find any metastasis! The oncologists suggested that the previous test results were incorrect but I put it down to dietary changes and some serious prayer and meditation (I have an active Sufi practice)!

Mainstream treatments

I underwent 14 weeks of chemotherapy, with a rapid response to the drugs. The normal course of therapy from diagnosis to cure is 18 months.

However, at 14 weeks, my cancer markers were close to normal and I was suffering from the chemo, rather than from the cancer.

Apart from hair loss, I had sores in my mouth and stomach so I could barely eat and my weight dropped to 98 pounds (45 kilos). My skin was also covered with sores, my eyes were bloodshot and swollen and my tongue started turning black.

To cope, I was consuming fresh vegetable and fruit juices regularly and also taking an amazing supplement called polyMVA which seemed to at least give me energy.

A difficult choice

I told the doctors I wouldn’t do any more chemotherapy. I also refused a hysterectomy because my research showed it did not prevent the return of this particular cancer. My oncologist – an authority in Chorio-carcinoma – told me that if I gave up my treatments, I would be dead in 12 weeks.

Turning to a holistic & integrated approach

I had made up my mind, so I left the treatment anyway. I started taking a series of dietary supplements as well as getting regular acupuncture and massage. Within one month, when I went back to the hospital for a check-up, my cancer marker was normal.

In four months, when I had a follow-up ultrasound, there was no tumor, though they could see a scar where the cancer was and a small cyst on one ovary, probably from the chemotherapy drugs. I continued to be monitored monthly for one year (until Feb 2010). At my annual check-up, I had another ultrasound; the scar in my uterus had totally healed.

Now what?

I moved to a raw food diet and continued juicing and supplements. In Oct 2011, my daughter had a crisis and my cancer markers jumped suddenly. I started infrared treatments, continued with the polyMVA and also started pancreatic enzyme therapy.

I also went to see energy healers of various kinds. In Feb 2012, at my 4-month check-up at Memorial Sloan Kettering, my results came in totally normal. They consider me “cured.”

I continue to sleep on an infrared mat (the biomat), take enzymes, large doses of vitamin c, d, turmeric and resveratrol and eat a mostly vegan, wheat, soy and sugar-free diet.

Hurray!

Not only am I now free of cancer, but I am convinced that my holistic and integrated approach had a lot to do with it.

Reflection

• How informed are you about your specific cancer, its treatment and side-effects?
• What are the best sources for the relevant information regarding your treatment?
• What are your various treatment choices and their implications?
• Who is the primary decision maker regarding your treatment? How can you reclaim your responsibility?
• What might be the best combination of medical and non-medical treatments that would satisfy your doctors as well as your own body?
• How can you prepare for the meeting with your doctors? What are your top 3 questions for your doctor?
• How willing are you to try out different options before settling on the combination that works best for you?

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Surgery

Surgery is usually the first course of action since it is clean, direct and offers the best chance of a cure.

• It aims to physically cut away all the tumour cells and as few of the healthy tissue cells as possible, with the hope that this action will minimize chances of malignant cells remaining in the body and that the affected organ and related body systems will return to their normal functioning.
• Surgery works best with early diagnosis, and specially with localized tumours that spread slowly. Obviously, surgery may not be the ideal option for cancer treatment in certain types of cancers, notably to do with the blood, like leukemia or lymphoma.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is another popular cancer treatment. It aims to inhibit and hopefully, reverse the uncontrolled growth of cells, using drugs.

• It is usually a follow-up to surgery. But in some cases, doctors may use it prior to surgery to shrink the size of the tumour.
• Chemotherapy carries a large margin of error because, beyond a point, the therapeutic drugs cannot distinguish between healthy and cancerous cells. Careful monitoring is a must.
• Chemotherapy can also have an adverse impact on the bone marrow, hair, skin, digestive tract and the immune system. The side effects of the medical cancer treatments include fatigue, nausea, poor appetite, metallic taste, infections, bruising, bleeding, anaemia and hair loss.

Recent scientific advances have led to new cancer treatment options that can target tumour cells more precisely. Doctors now have access to better genetic understanding, more sensitive diagnostics, tailored drug formulations and calibrated dosages to zero-in on the specific tumour cells. So they can maximise the therapeutic effect and minimise side effects.

Radiotherapy

Radiotherapy aims to inhibit uncontrolled cell growth using gamma rays (at approximately 10,000 times the intensity of normal X-rays).

• It allows for targeted and controlled interventions, which is most effective for localized cancers.
• Radiotherapy has similar side effects to another cancer treatment, chemotherapy. Additionally, patients who take radiotherapy often experience severe burning of surface and internal tissues, and this can be very painful.

Biotherapy

Biotherapy is an emerging science, which involves a range of new techniques and approaches that introduce bio-chemicals such as antibodies, interferons and interleukins into the bloodstream.

• These biochemicals stimulate the immune system’s own anti-cancer properties and promote the self-repair of damaged genes.
• Research and clinical trials to understand this cancer treatment are currently underway; the findings are promising but not yet conclusive.

Cancer treatment steps

1. Surgery

• Surgery is usually the first line of cancer treatment. If surgery is successful and the tumour doesn’t recur, the patient is said to be in ‘remission’. Doctors then monitor the patient regularly though blood tests, scans etc.
• If the patient stays in remission for five years, current medical norms consider the patient as ‘cured’. The longer the remission period, the lower the chances of a recurrence. For example, a person who has been in remission for five years has the same probability of getting cancer as anyone else.

2. Chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy

• Depending on the nature and location of the tumour, doctors usually supplement surgery with chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy. The aim is to reverse or arrest tumour growth.
• However, these cancer treatment approaches may be unsuccessful, partly successful, or the cancer may recur. Then the aim is to prevent the cancer from spreading to other organs, so the patient can be reasonably functional as long as possible.

3. Combining cancer treatment options

• If one method of cancer treatment doesn’t work, doctors try various options and combinations in the hope that something will prove to be effective.
• For example, in some cases, doctors use chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy prior to surgery, to shrink the tumour.
• In others, they follow surgery, with the intention of mopping up any remaining tumour cells. If the tumour is solid and localized, surgery plus radiotherapy may be appropriate, whereas in cases of blood or lymph cancers, chemotherapy may be the only treatment possible.
• With all these variables and options, cancer treatment is often a hit-and-miss game; the oncologists skill lies in ascertaining the exact treatment methods, drugs and dosages for a particular type of cancer in a particular individual. Different people and their cancers respond differently (or don’t respond) to a particular regimen.

4. ‘Maintenance’ mode

• If the tumour shrinks or stops growing, the cancer treatment is kept in ‘maintenance’ mode to contain the tumour and its spread to other parts of the body. However, if the tumour continues to grow and/or spread, then surgery may be done again and the chemotherapy/radiotherapy treatments reapplied, often more aggressively. This process can take weeks and months, sometimes even years.
• If, after trying all possible cancer treatment combinations, the tumour doesn’t respond, aggressive interventions may be discontinued and the focus then shifts to keeping the patient functional, comfortable and free of pain till the end of life. This is called palliative care.

In Summary

The evidence is clear. Prevention is your best defense against cancer. If it does occur, then an early diagnosis and successful surgical removal is the next best option. Once cancer takes hold, you enter the chemotherapy-radiotherapy-biotherapy spectrum. Now if this doesn’t work, then the only option is palliative care. It can be a very slippery slope indeed!

Reflection

• What questions do you need to ask your doctor to understand what is the best treatment regime, specific to your condition? Please make a suitable list.
• What steps can you take, to minimise and cope with the possible side-effects or after-effects of conventional cancer treatment?
• How can you be an active participant – rather than a passive recipient – of your cancer treatment?

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Gunjan Mohanka is a cancer thriver, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2009. After undergoing a lumpectomy and chemotherapy, she has  turned to Tibetan medicine. In this article, she talks about her life post-cancer.

Living the ‘patient’ life post-cancer

Boy, was life good after cancer! A life without serious responsibilities. A life of TV and paperbacks, lunches with friends, exotic holidays. A life of laid-back domestic bliss. They say cancer changes you. In my case, it liberated me. Or so I thought.

After twenty-five years in the pressure-cooker world of advertising, I was finally free. Free to do anything. Free to do nothing. Thanks to cancer, there was no need to prove anything anymore. And what the hell, I deserved a break, didn’t I? After all, I had been through cancer!

Only, the break was by now becoming a way of life. And this didn’t escape the notice of those closest to me.

“Enough!” my boyfriend censured. “Go join those art classes you always talk of joining, but never do.”

My brother, like all brothers, was more unkind.

“Listen, you are not sick anymore, you know. If you don’t want to get back to writing copy, write out of home. Have all the bloody experience in the world and what are you doing? Chhilo-ing kaddu(peeling pumpkins)?.“

But it was all water off a duck’s back. I was deaf even to the voice within.

“C’mon, write. You used to churn out stuff at the drop of a hat. Stickers to speeches. Ads to ad films. Leaflets, brochures and what have you. And now? Now you make writing some 500 words seem like a bloody challenge.”

It was true. I’d never write anything unless there was a gun to my head. I’d get the brightest idea. Tell myself I just had to work on it. Period! End of my article even before I started.

I run for life

And then Sanaya, my boyfriend’s daughter, sent me the link to a song! The song was I run for life by Melissa Etheridge. Oscar & Grammy winner, wife and mother, Etheridge created the song for Ford’s ‘Race for the Cure’ initiative to raise funds and awareness for breast cancer charities.

Diagnosed with breast cancer in 2004, Etheridge wanted, in her own words:

“To write a song that was personal; climb into people’s emotions and portray a woman who has had breast cancer but  is out of it.”

I am one such woman. Diagnosed with third stage breast cancer and I am cancer-free now. Etheridge’s song about the experience of suffering and surviving cancer has moved millions, as online posts will confirm. So it’s hardly surprising that it moved me. What’s surprising, however, is that it got me to move.

Etheridge’s song helped me to move. It could help you to fly. If your life has been touched by cancer in any way, may I suggest you try your luck?

Reflection

• What does your post-cancer look like? What are the things you always wanted to do?
• Where is the block … what is holding you back from doing those things?
• How can you get going? Who or what can motivate you?

Author

To read about Gunjan Mohanka’s own story, click here.

What breast cancer can do to your life

I could never have guessed until I got it myself. My cousin (Angela) had experienced it but at the time I didn’t realize how bad it could be. A year later, I found myself in her shoes.

Angela was really concerned and we discussed all the issues together. She accompanied me for my chemotherapy sessions and helped me to get my prosthesis and nice bras.

All my conversations with the doctors had focused on the surgery and chemotherapy and surprisingly, the use of prostheses and possibility of breast reconstruction had never come up. I realised that while the doctors were looking after the ‘medical’ aspects, I was on my own when it came to the ‘psychological’ aspects. Despite the hard time I was having coping with my mastectomy, I had to rely on my knowledge and Angela’s advice.

Voila! I got a new bra

For the first time I wore a specially designed bra (with a pocket for the prosthesis) and I started feeling complete to some extent. At times I couldn’t believe my breast had actually been removed and I would never get it back. At other times, I didn’t mind the loss of a breast all that much. Some times I even liked the touch of my flat breast as it felt so new, so soft and so different. I could feel my own touch deep inside me. I was in the process of rediscovering my own body.

Bottling up my feelings

Through my discussions with Angela, I realized that since my surgery, I had hardly shared my thoughts with anyone. I had never spoken about my loss, grief and the hatred I felt towards my own body. I would only shed tears of frustration in the privacy of my room. How did my teenage daughter feel about her mother having just one breast? How did my mother cope with the trauma of her daughter going through such a rough phase? Hundreds of questions haunted me day and night, to which I had no answers. In India (unlike in the more developed world), we are not that open and frank with each other in discussing such matters. In our society, cancer is a hush-hush topic.

Who am I?

Terrible thoughts crossed my mind one after the other. I found it very difficult to sit alone in a room. I passed many sleepless nights. Often I would wake up startled. When I closed my eyes, I would see cancer cells mocking me. I grieved more and more. I hated the sight of lingerie stores. Would I never be able to wear a nice bra and look attractive in public? Was I turning insane? Though I put a brave front in front of others I could no longer be my normal self.

That was when I decide to go for breast reconstruction.

Author

Dr. Rita Banik is a breast-cancer thriver. After her diagnosis in 2006, she underwent a mastectomy and subsequently, breast-reconstruction surgery.  In 2008, she published her first book: “Kick The Beast Out Of Your Life”, which is distributed free of cost. Her message to all is ‘if I survived cancer, so can you’. Rita is actively involved with the breast cancer advocacy movement and has attended international courses and conferences on the subject. Currently, she works as a Co-ordinator for the Welfare & Development of Girls at the Pd. Deendayal Petroleum University (PDPU), Gandhinagar, Gujarat.

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This is part 2 of a 2 part story. Read part 1 here.

Breast Reconstruction

When I discussed this option with my sister and my mother, they were against it because there were many social issues involved. Moreover, they didn’t want me to suffer the after effects of another surgery. We simply could not come to an agreement. I was supposed to listen to them and accept what they believed was right for me. My heart gave in while my mind did not. I felt guilty for not being able to adjust or accommodate their opinion. Even now, I can’t understand why women in India are so submissive when making decisions about their own bodies. At 47 years of age, was I not mature enough to make my own decision?

A long wait

Again, my cousin Angela was the only person I could relate to and discuss my options with. She had already had a breast reconstruction and was very happy with the results. But hers was done in the UK so it was flawless, without any scars. Would my Indian doctors do an equally good job of it? Finally, when I had made my decision, I was advised to wait for two years from the date of my mastectomy. This seemed a really long time as I was keen to get the reconstruction done as quickly as possible and get on with my life. But the doctor’s decision was final and I started reading and preparing myself for the surgery.

Types of Breast Reconstruction

There are mainly two types of reconstruction procedures

• Implant: silicone shell filled with either saline solution or with silicone gel
• Tissue-flap: using tissue from other parts of the patient’s body, like the back, buttocks, thighs or abdomen

My cosmetic surgeon, Dr. Vipul Sud, advised me to go for the Lattisimus Dorsi flap, in which muscles from the back are pulled in front to form the breast mound.

Post surgical recovery

The pain after surgery was unbearable. When the bandages were opened I could not get used to the new breast. The stitches took a long time to heal. I felt heavy on my left side and sagging on the right. I felt uneasy and could not balance my body.  It took nearly one year to reach a stage of harmony between the two breasts.

Three years later, I am glad and proud of the decision I took against all odds. I can now wear nice swimwear, sexy bras and even look younger than my actual age. I am relieved of all nightmares as well as the lopsidedness. I can now step into a lingeree shop without a sigh of self pity. I must admit, I now have more lingeree than ever, neither do I hesitate to buy one when I feel like it. My new breast definitely deserves the indulgence of a nice bra once in a while, for giving me this new identity!

Helping others: Breast Cancer Advocacy

Based on my own experience, I felt called to make a difference in society by spreading awareness and educating under-privileged women about the disease. I started attending international conferences, which changed my perspective entirely. I am amazed and thrilled with the openness with which women from other countries express their thoughts and feelings. Interacting with these women has given me new confidence and taught me a lot about breast cancer survivors. I have seen that we all undergo similar emotional ups-and-downs, no matter our national or cultural background. Now I also know that I was not wrong in my thoughts, sorrows and decisions.

Learning the art of self-massage

In June 2011, I attended the 6th World Conference on Breast Cancer in Hamilton, Canada. I attended a wonderful session on breast massage (conducted by a lady named Pam) and I was amazed to see the ease of her strokes. I learned to do it the right way and since then I have been massaging myself regularly once or twice a day. I see the itching and pain inside the breast and around the stitches as my ‘free gift’ after reconstruction and the self-massage technique I learnt from Pam has helped me a lot. Using the right oil/ cream and applying the correct method regulates the lymph in the right direction and provides soothing relief for the surrounding muscles and nerves. Even a few minutes of self-massage does wonders to your body and soul!

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According to available research, an average person typically has around 70 cell mutations in their lifetime. Any one of these mutations could lead to cancer … and yet, a large majority of them don’t.

Why? Because a healthy immunity against cancer is able to detect and deal with such mutating cells … it is only when the system is compromised that the odd cell will get through that begin its relentless cycle of uncontrolled growth and replication.

Immunity Against Cancer: Detection & Action Against Cancer

• When a healthy cell turns malignant, certain antigens on its surface also change, thereby making it different from normal cells.
• The immunity against cancer recognises this cancer-specific antigen as ‘non-self’ and immediately mounts a multi-pronged response.
• It despatches an elite group of natural killer (NK) cells to execute quick strikes against cancer cells, killing them instantly.
• Some cells produce interferons and interleukins which have specific anti-cancer properties and they are deployed if needed.
• And finally, the macrophages – the garbage collectors described above – also produce a Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF) – its usually referred as the body’s natural chemotherapy  – in the way it targets and destroys cancer cells so it works as immunity against cancer.

The Healer Within

So it is not for nothing that our immune system is called the healer within as its immunity against cancer. As our intelligent and faithful detective, policeman, judge, doctor, nurse, dispensary, not to mention courier, messenger, garbage collector and memory bank, it is biologically the ultimate inner guide and protector.

A Holistic Approach to Immunity

Immunity against cancer is pivotal in the healing process. Stress compromises immunity, we need to address it in a holistic way.

Medical science shows that cancer-causing stressors are physical in nature, and advocates that we stay clear of carcinogens and environmental pollution. Cultivating healthy dietary/lifestyle habits, on the other hand can boost immunity against cancer.

Mind-body medicine makes a strong case for addressing mental and emotional stressors. Either by eliminating them from our lives or developing better coping mechanisms to deal with them can boost immunity.

Eastern and Western psychology know that stressors can also be systemic ie, they can arise from within one’s family, work place or social network. Healing dysfunctional relationships can boost immunity against cancer.

Yoga and Chinese medicine understand stress as being caused by blocked energy. Shifting and moving our life force (qi/prana) can boost immunity.

Finally, stressors can also arise at the spiritual plane, for instance,  from a distorted relationship with one’s higher/deeper Self or from asking existential questions like “Who am I?”, “Why am I here?”, “What is the meaning of Life”, etc. Cultivating a personal spiritual practice and following it consistently can also boost immunity.

Reflection

• What changes can you make in your lifestyle – diet, exercise, rest, etc – to be physically healthier?
• How can you manage your mental and emotional stress differently, and better?
• Where can you find help and guidance to deal with your systemic and spiritual stressors?

More from this series

How else can Tapping be used for cancer?

After the early diagnosis, Tapping can also be used during treatment, for pain management, for emotional and energetic self-regulation on a day-to-day basis. It is helpful because it often results in feeling “in-charge” of one’s health considerations and one’s quality of life. A feeling of being reconnected to our vitality and inner strength is experienced. It can even be used during the last (palliative) stage when a dying person needs to reconcile and come to terms with himself / herself and make peace all around.

Case Study: Madan (Prostate Cancer)

Madan was unable to resolve the grief of losing his mother 23 years after her passing. He was burdened by guilt and resentment as his wife did not get along with his mother while she was alive.

When he was diagnosed with Prostate cancer, he believed it was a punishment for not having looked after her during her old age. He did not want to get treated.  He tried Tapping only when the pain in his hip and legs became unbearable.

The resolution of the emotions he had carried for so long – grief, guilt and resentment – helped him immensely to ease his relationship with his wife of 30 years. Their new-found closeness and trust motivated him to go for surgery. At 65, he now lives an active life.

When we last met, he said,

“In a strange way, I feel a deeper connection with myself and Existence. Every moment I am experiencing God’s presence”.

Case Study: Meenakshi (Breast Cancer)

Meenakshi was not surprised when a routine mammogram revealed a lump in her breast.  She “knew” this would happen, since her school days.  Twice divorced and with no family, she was known as the “angry old woman” at work.

She liked that because it kept people away. But the thought of losing her breast was scary and it touched a deep core in her as a woman, a feeling that she had alienated herself from after her first divorce. While waiting for the biopsy results, she explored EFT.

As she tapped for the anxiety, she had an insight.

“I think my problems are related to couples and pairs.”

Incidentally, she was not aware of the theory from Traditional Chinese Medicine that an illness of a paired organ (like breasts, lungs, ovaries, kidneys, etc.) is often related to unresolved conflicts in one’s close relationships.

After some more Tapping sessions, Meenakshi was able to bring up some unhealthy beliefs that she had learned during her early years. She went on to reframe and then reinforce some healthy beliefs. Her attitude began to change and she could relate to herself with compassion.

The lump turned out to be benign. However, she was convinced that it was a wakeup call for her to get emotionally healthy. She changed two jobs thereafter. Fell in love with a wonderful man. They got married 2 years later. It has been 8 years since.

Case Study: Rohan (Leukemia)

Baby Rohan (3 years of age) was diagnosed with leukemia. His family simply could not come to terms with the “God’s cruelty”. As they began Tapping their feelings of hurt and betrayal, each parent’s perspective began to change.

They began to see and feel that little Rohan had come to help them grow spiritually. During the process of care-giving, some of them were able to resolve conflicts they had with each other and found ways in which they could come together for the larger good.

Case Study: Asha (Uterine Cancer)

Asha did not want to disclose her recent diagnosis of uterine cancer with anyone other than close family. When she began Tapping, she realised it would be beneficial for her to reach out to a support group that meets regularly.

Studies have shown that care and compassion release neurochemicals that help balance and restore our system. This insight occurred naturally for Asha during the process.

Reflection

• What guilt are you carrying, for things you did or didn’t do? How does it affect your state of mind or your relationship with others?
• When do you find yourself putting up walls and shutting yourself to love? What emotional wounds might be driving this?
• How open are you to talking openly about your illness instead of hiding it? What are your reasons … the pros and cons?

Author

Jasmine Bharathan is a student of Transpersonal Psychology and has 14 years experience as a facilitator in the field. She shares EFT and TAT as intervention tools, and meditation and mindfulness practice to deepen awareness. EFT is often referred to as ‘Tapping’. She uses her own version of the procedure. In this article, Jasmine shares her experiences and insights on dealing with cancer. For more information, please browse her website: http://heal-empower.com. For more articles on EFT on Cancer Awakens, click here. To visit the official EFT website, click here.

More from this series

What is EFT^®?

EFT^® (Emotional Freedom Technique) was developed from Dr. Roger Callahan’s TFT (Thought Field Therapy) by Gary Craig, who simplified and popularized EFT as a ‘Do-it-yourself’ method. EFT works on the understanding that emotional trauma contributes greatly to disease.

Scientific studies are now showing that EFT is able to rapidly reduce the emotional impact of memories and incidents that trigger emotional distress. Once the distress is reduced or removed, the body can often re-balance itself, and accelerate healing.

EFT involves tapping with our finger tips on certain acupuncture points on our body and saying some statements, while being tuned into a physical/ mental/ emotional discomfort. I use my version of it.

Gary Craig explains the principle behind EFT: “The cause of all negative emotions is a disruption in the body’s energy system.”

How and why does it really work?

I experience tapping as a circuit-breaker where old energetic patterns seem to get short-fused, allowing for new connections to emerge. One can witness a shift in consciousness, if I may say so.

How can EFT be used in cancer therapy?

Many of us use tapping not as an alternative, but as a complementary tool. There are several ways in which it can be used.

For example, when someone has been newly diagnosed with cancer, it is experienced as a crisis. The stress tolerance level becomes low from the initial shock and emotional pain.

At times the shock is so intense that the system shuts off and we become numb to feelings. Tapping can be used to help clear the shock-overload on the nervous system.

Case Study: Shreya

Shreya (name changed), a cheerful, bright chartered accountant and mother of two college-going teenagers had lost considerable weight recently, was generally feeling exhausted and had intermittent pressure in her abdomen, which she attributed to work schedule and erratic eating habits.

But on the insistence of her mother-in-law and to please her family, she saw her doctor who ordered some tests.

“You have ovarian cancer …”  The rest faded into the background as Shreya’s head began to pound with all sorts of questions.

“How can that be? I have always looked after myself. It is just these past couple of months that have been crazy.. There is no history in my family.. I have to help Nikhil with his GMAT in a couple of years.. How will they manage without me?

Shreya coped with the shock by becoming very pragmatic and matter-of-fact. She collected herself, consoled her husband, discussed the line of action with the doctor, and drove home pausing briefly to buy some vegetables. After dinner she told her mother-in-law and children, in a very matter-of-fact manner the course of action suggested by the doctor.

“It is not a big deal. I plan to continue working; I’ll just take a couple of days off during the chemotherapy sessions. Everything will be just fine.”

The next few days were hectic; organizing things around the house, giving instructions to maids and colleagues at work, meeting doctors. “You’ve got to focus on your studies”, she told her daughter who couldn’t stop crying.

During her first EFT session she said,

“I am a pragmatic person. I have had a wonderful childhood. I don’t have any emotional baggage. I am here only because my husband asked me to try this thing”.

After a few rounds of tapping, recounting the day she was diagnosed, she sat in silence for a while, tears rolling down her cheeks.

“You know, I didn’t realize how afraid I am”.

After some tapping on the fear and anxiety, her thoughts went to her family. She realized that she had not really communicated with them. She was afraid to face their emotions, and her own. Through the tapping process, one after another, her feelings unfolded – guilt, sorrow, helplessness – until her face softened.

She said at the end,

“I feel more real now”

How tapping helped

After the tapping process, she was able to look at her situation with more clarity. She began to have honest communication with her children addressing their fears and sadness, which was immensely helpful for all of them. She involved a few close friends, took some time off from work and made informed decisions on the way forward.

She went on to make several changes in her beliefs and life that were previously unhealthy. She was now able to handle the situation in a more real way. There was a genuine acknowledgment and acceptance of the situation that gave her the courage and confidence to honestly engage with every aspect of what this diagnosis meant to her and her family.

Reflection

Life may seem fine on the surface …

• What if your routine lifestyle is actually harming you physically or emotionally … how will you change it for the better?
• Consider the emotional baggage you carry – related to your childhood, youth, relationships, work or anything else. How can you release and let it go?
• What activities give you an emotional high … how much time are you making for them?

Author

Jasmine Bharathan is a student of Transpersonal Psychology and has 14 years experience as a facilitator in the field. She shares EFT and TAT as intervention tools, and meditation and mindfulness practice to deepen awareness. EFT is often referred to as ‘Tapping’. She uses her own version of the procedure. In this article, Jasmine shares her experiences and insights on dealing with cancer. For more information, please browse her website: http://heal-empower.com. For more articles on EFT on Cancer Awakens, click here. To visit the official EFT website, click here.

More from this series

What is Reflexology?

Reflexology is the practice of applying targeted pressure to the feet and hands utilizing specific thumb, finger and hand techniques.

These techniques stimulate the nervous system and create relaxation, improved circulation and strengthened immunity.

How it works

This ancient system of Energy Medicine understands that the entire body and key organs are criss-crossed by energy meridiens, which carry ‘Chi’ or ‘Prana’ throughout the body. Illness is a reflection of this energy flow being imbalanced or stuck in some way and healing involves getting this energy to flow steadily and strongly again.

What is interesting is that all these energy meridiens are concentrated in our feet and hands. When targeted pressure is applied here, the ‘Chi/ Prana’ is stimulated and this affects a physical change in different organs and parts of the body.

History of Reflexology

Around the world and throughout history, reflexology has been rediscovered time and again. Archaeological evidence points to active reflexology practices in China (2704 BCE), Egypt (2330 BCE) and Japan (690 CE).

In the West, Reflexology emerged in the 19th century with European and Russian research into the nervous system. Reflex therapies were created as medical practices but were soon eclipsed by use of surgery and drugs.

Benefits of Reflexology, in relation to Cancer

Research has shown the specific techniques of reflexology to be effective and beneficial in many ways.

• A compilation of 170 studies from 21 countries shows that reflexology impacts a variety of physical and psychological concerns.
• Another compilation of 24 studies conducted in 10 countries (specific to cancer) shows that reflexology helps at all stages of the cancer experience: post-surgery, during and post-chemo and radio-therapy, to manage symptoms/ pain and during palliative/hospice care.
• Research demonstrates further, that cancer patients who receive reflexology treatments show significant improvements in physical and emotional symptoms: lower pain, anxiety, depression and stress; reduced nausea and vomiting; reduced fatigue and improved quality of life.

What to expect from a Reflexology session?

A typical session lasts for 30 – 60 minutes. The client sits in a reclining chair, placing the feet and hands conveniently for the reflexologist’s work. The therapist uses pressure, stretching and movement to work through the hands and foot methodically.

One great benefit of reflexology is that specific techniques can be easily learned and self-practiced.

Cautions

Of course, reflexology is a complement (and not a replacement) for standard medical care. People with cancer and chronic conditions such as arthritis and heart disease should talk to their doctors before having any type of therapy that involves moving joints and muscles. Relying on this type of treatment alone and avoiding or delaying conventional medical care may have serious health consequences.

As with massage and other forms of bodywork, reflexology can generally be adapted to meet the needs of cancer patients.

• Bodywork should be only provided by a trained professional with expertise in working safely with people who have cancer and with cancer survivors.
• Deep pressure and vigorous manipulation of the feet should be avoided during times of active treatment for cancer, particularly if there is edema or swelling in the foot or lower leg.
• Pressure must not be applied directly to known tumour sites or to lumps that may be cancerous.
• Patients with cancer that has spread to the bone or who have fragile bones should avoid physical manipulation or deep pressure because of the risk of fracture.

Author

Written by Krithika Raghavan, a first-year student of Mass Communications from Mt. Carmel College, Bangalore.

“You have cancer”

The three words “You have cancer” can change your life forever. Just re-living that moment makes you want to retreat to a dark corner and hide. But the same three words can also signal a new beginning to the rest of your life.

Colon cancer is one of the most dangerous forms of cancer. Fighting against cancer requires a lot of courage and the a rough denial phase before that.

While everybody faces the same questions: “Why me?”, “Why now?” and “Where did I go wrong?”, cancer doesn’t have to be the devastating experience that society says it is. It can become the turning point that helps you re-evaluate and make fundamental changes in your life, so that it becomes a truly fulfilling experience.

Courage, Willpower and Strength to defeat Colon Cancer

Adit Dave heard those three deadly words when he was 47. As I listened to him, I found myself comparing my relatively short life to his mature years; he had accomplished and experienced so much more. Yet, I realised that he used words like “courage, willpower and strength” a lot. He described, but never dwelt on his negative emotions, even when he’d first realised he had colon cancer.

Learn how to choose your path: Survivor or thriver? Who do you want to be

Alternative Source of Energy 

While fighting against cancer, everyone looks forward to getting well and this includes recuperation after surgery and chemotherapy. Adit loves the mountains and he went there soon after his first chemotherapy session.

The peace and quiet of a pure and unaffected place seeped into him. Nature surrounded him with soothing, positive energy and he soaked it in. He would return to that place of refuge repeatedly in between chemotherapy sessions, listen to music and feel refreshed by the succour that nature provided.

Family Support while fighting against cancer

When Adit talked about his family, I was reminded of something Alex Haley, the American author wrote “In every conceivable manner, the family is our link to our past, our bridge to our future.”

It was obvious that Adit loves his family deeply and they were truly the ones who kept him going through the bad days. They surrounded him with the utmost positivity, helping him get better. They were his bridge from the past to a future where his life was more nourished.

He re-evaluated all his priorities: where he lived, worked and who he was surrounded by. He realised work was simply not worth the stress and that he could drop all the negative influences in his life. It was a conscious choice.

Adit’s secret

Unlike most of us, Adit seems to have sorted his life out perfectly. He knows exactly what he wants to do with his colon cancer experience. His secret: surrounding himself with natural, pure, positive energy, be it from nature or the love of his family and friends.

Those same three words which make people shrivel up on the inside, made Adit’s life what it is today. He is filled with optimism and hope, enjoying a bright present and a brighter future. He is truly a colon cancer thriver.

Many people with cancer don’t realise that such a life exists and is within reach, just waiting for you to grab it. So I urge you: make that decision today and use your cancer experience as the ‘fork-in-the-road’!

Reflection

• During the cancer journey it’s very easy to be sad and depressed but what can you do to find hope and motivation to live?
• While cancer might be the biggest challenge of your life, it also serves as the greatest opportunity for growth. How can you evaluate your life and take corrective steps to correct the problems?

Author

Taarika is a student of Communications at Mount Carmel College, Bangalore. She believes that every experience is a chance to grow stronger and wiser. To make our lives should be fulfilling and rewarding, we need to stay positive and live each day to the fullest.

Kindergarden teacher diagnosed with cancer

2 years ago a kindergarten teacher (who wishes to remain anonymous) was diagnosed with breast cancer. Physical suffering, pain and great fear of early death were part of her daily life. The thought of losing her family and friends and being lonely haunted her.

She was fortunate enough to have access to the most advanced diagnostic, surgical and chemical treatments that modern medicine could provide. And yet, the side effects were so unbearable that she often felt like that she didn’t even want to live anymore.

Introduction to Traditional Chinese Medicine

Her father’s friend, who is a doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) instructed her how to combine her Western medicine with TCM to get the best results against cancer. With the help of her father and the doctor, she changed her diet quite considerably and began to take an anti-cancer herbal tonic called ‘Tian Xian Liquid’.

Tian Xian liquid was developed by a qualified doctor (Prof. Wang Zhen Guo) who started his research and clinical practice in China in the mid-1970’s and is now based in the Philippines. He used a combination of traditional herbs to create a product which is now available in many forms.

Regular use of Tian Xian liquid not only relieved many side effects such as vomiting, difficulty in swallowing, and hair loss. She gradually recovered her strength, which inspired her to hope for a longer life. Her oncologist and friends were quite amazed at her healthy appearance.

The Astonishing Results Of A Holistic Approach

Beyond the combination of Western and Chinese medicine, she also credits her healing to two other factors: the support from her family and friends and the prayers from her prayer group. She says it was her trust and faith in God that helped her to go on. In fact, she believes that her painful experience has brought her much closer to God.

Today, she is physically healthy and has been able to resume her normal work. She is extremely grateful to everyone – the doctors, nurses, family and friends – who did their best to save her life.

“It is with their help and support that I got my old life back”.

Now, she does not live only for her own survival. She works with and encourages other cancer patients to keep up their good cheer and to trust that they too can recover fully and can have their normal life back.

After reading this account, would you be willing to learn more about Traditional Chinese medicine and perhaps give it a go?

Reflection

• How can you use holistic therapies to complement your medical treatments?
• What support will you seek from family and friends during this difficult time?
• If you are a cancer thriver, how can you comfort, motivate and support a family member or a friend who is in distress during their cancer journey?

Author

Written by Maitreyi, a first-year student of Mass Communications from Mt Carmel College, Bangalore.

Cancer of the breast is the most common cause of cancer among women in both developed and developing countries, and is responsible for over one million of the estimated 10 million neoplasms diagnosed worldwide each year in both sexes. It is also the primary cause of cancer death among women globally.

At a more personal level, we are losing too many of our mothers, sisters, daughters and friends to this killer.

Breast cancer and unresolved emotional stress

I was invited to present a session on Love, Acceptance, Forgiveness and Letting go (LAF & Let Go) at the World Conference on Breast Cancer (WCBCF) held in Ontario, Canada in June 2011.

Here are some of my key insights from that global event, which I think merit public attention:

• It was surprising that very few experts talked about the mind-body connection and the emotional aspect of breast cancer, despite the mounting evidence. Most speakers were asked questions about emotional aspects of breast cancer but they wouldn’t or couldn’t talk about it.
• The breast cancer thrivers who attended my “LAF and Let go” session were able to identify with many of the things I presented and were able to surface some of the beliefs they carried and their connection with breast cancer
• Many stories of their journey with breast cancer were shared. Questions like – how emotionally healthy are we? Have we really looked at our relationships? came up and resonated with the participants.
• When it was pointed out that according to Chinese medicine, all diseases that affect paired organs (ovaries, breasts, lungs, kidneys, etc.) have to do with relationships, the attendees began to make the connection between failed relationships and their breast cancer
• Another interesting finding was that women with breast cancer in the East/patriarchal societies, identify themselves as women before they see themselves as a ‘person with cancer’. They are afraid that they will lose their identity as a woman without their breasts. When diagnosed with breast cancer they don’t seem to be concerned that they may DIE. They are more concerned about remaining attractive and desirable to their men folk. This was quite a telling larger social comment.
• These women need to be educated that breast cancer is linked to the inability to nurture oneself and that they need to rise to the next level of identity, of being an equal human being. They need to understand how to assert themselves and look after themselves and have a ‘sense of self’ independent of the men in their lives.
• Lately there have been many genetic studies which show there are diff types of breast cancer which need to be treated differently, rather than generically. Often, women go thru mastectomies and aggressive chemotherapy without realizing the appropriate treatment for their type of Breast Cancer. If you are newly diagnosed, it’s worth asking your doc about the genetics of your specific type of breast cancer and then ensure the appropriate treatment.

Please help share this information widely.

Medical science recognises treatment as a physical cure and pays little or no attention to the others aspects of your being.  Hence, doctors practicing conventional medicine are usually wary of holistic therapies. Two renowned doctors who have closely witnessed the impact of holistic therapies share their valuable insights. 

Conventional Treatments + Holistic therapies

Dr. Vishal Rao, a Bangalore-based Surgical Oncologist who specialises in Head & Neck cancers, talks about how holistic therapies can support the allopathic treatment of cancer.

Dr. Rao: There are various therapies like surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy to treat cancer. In my experience, it is not enough to try and destroy the cancer cells with the strongest of chemotherapy / surgery.

The body also needs to be in a state to accept this treatment and the also immune system plays a paramount role in maintaining this balance. Our immune system plays a very important role in healing. I have no doubt that in addition to the conventional treatments, if a patient gets emotional, spiritual and family support, his recovery rate will be faster than usual.

“When you get into a tight place and everything goes against you, till it seems as though you could not hang on a minute longer, never give up then, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn.” – Harriet Beecher Stowe

A Doctor becomes the Patient

Dr. Stanley Wetschler from Pittsburgh, USA shares his personal experience of recovery from cancer.

Dr. Wetschler: In 1999, I was diagnosed with metastatic colon cancer that had spread to my liver and lungs. My oncologists told me that chemotherapy is the only feasible option to control my condition and that I would live for only a few more months.

They advised me to go back home and spend quality time with my family. Naturally, this news came as a shock because, as a qualified and experienced doctor myself, I knew all the deadly eventualities of cancer.

By God’s grace, from 1999 until today, I continue to live on and I feel like I’m getting better and stronger by the day. To the extent, that my oncologists – who are among the best in the business and who had pronounced my death sentence – feel awkward and embarassed to meet me.

“You’re a very lucky man” is all that people can say … and I find it odd that very few ask me what I actually did, to turn around my ‘terminal’ diagnosis!”

The Skeptic Becomes A Convert

My wife, Jeannie, enjoyed reading books on holistic medicine. Not wanting to hurt her feelings by saying what I really thought then (that those methods were nonsense) I would politely dismiss them as “not relevant to me”.

This was before my personal encounter with cancer. When I became the ‘patient’ with a dismal survival prognosis, I opened myself to explore the uncharted world of integrated and holistic medicine.

With Jeannie’s help, I employed an array of different therapies, including prayer, meditation, visualization, herbs and supplements, massage, reflexology, support groups, a raw vegetarian diet (based on the Ann Wigmore program of consuming wheat-grass juice and sprouts.)

“After the Wigmore program, one of the pulmonary tumors had decreased in size and my CEA. value decreased so I opted for surgery to remove the lung tumors. I sensed that the tumor biology had been significantly altered, and that a cure would now be possible. Life is very short, so enjoy the time with your family, do everything that you enjoy doing!”

The Way Forward

Now, I advise and guide, many cancer-afflicted patients and families instilling the hope and courage they crave. This gives me great satisfaction and inner peace.

I feel really happy when those people come back and tell me about how they feel and how things have changed for them.

Jeannie and I are regular visitors to India and they feel that India has a treasure-house of medical knowledge and where integrating mind-body-soul is hugely under-leveraged.

We are active in community service initiatives which help the sick and the needy. What better way can there be, to utilize the invaluable time that has been gifted back to us?

Stan concludes “Cancer itself doesn’t define me, but how I live and fight with cancer DOES define me. You may have cancer, but let the cancer not have you”

I leave you with a quote from the legendary cyclist and cancer thriver, Lance Armstrong.

“Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever.”

Tell us about a time where you didn’t quit –  where you persevered and succeeded?

Reflection

• What steps are you taking to keep your immunity up, alongside your medical treatment?
• How much emotional, spiritual and family support are you getting … what do you need more of?
• What reservations do you have about complementary approaches to healing cancer? How can you be better informed about what works and what doesn’t?
• To what extent are you letting your cancer define you? What will motivate you to persevere and succeed when things are looking tough?

References

Lance Armstrong quote from: http://www.healingcancernaturally.com/healing-inspirational-quotes.html

Author

Written by a first-year student of Communications from Mount Carmel College, Bangalore, who wishes to remain anonymous.

Doctor: “I’m sorry to be the one to tell you, but this is your last day to live.
Patient: “Then I’ll ask my pals to come here for one final party. We’ll have steak, champagne and dancing girls! We’ll party till dawn. Come and join us doc.”
Doctor: “That’s easy for you to say. You don’t have to get up in the morning.”

Doctor: “I’m sorry, but you have a very rare cancer for which there is no treatment and you only have six months to live.”
Patient: “What do you suggest I do?”

Doctor: “Move to Iowa and live with an economist.”
Patient: “And how will that make me live longer?”
Doctor: “It won’t. Six months will just seem longer.”

A woman with colon cancer once said that I sure don’t mind being dead,
Till the smile on her face, scared the cancer away,
“I hope the toilet doesn’t miss me,” she said.

Daughter (during her mother’s chemotherapy): “Mommy, are you going to eat dinner tonight?”
Mother: “Yes, sweetie, I’ll try.”
Daughter: “Okay, Mommy, I’ll get the bucket!”

Author

Compiled by a first-year student of Mount Carmel College, Bangalore, who wishes to remain anonymous.

I love my anus, I do –
It was the exit for all of my poo.
But the cancer has changed it,
And the Doc rearranged it,
Now my a**hole has nothing to do!

Your bowels are a wonderful thing,
To your body, a balance they bring.
But when things go awry
As they do, by and by,
To your Rosary beads you must cling!

My cancer is gone now, hooray!
It’s the start of a brand new day!
To eat now I’m able
But I poop through my navel,
And my rectum has gone M.I.A!

At a party, met a guy called “Stan.”
Touched his ostomy bag with his hand.
That’s when the bag burst,
But WAIT! it gets worse,
He was standing in front of a fan!

In my surgeon’s presence I bask,
But the follow ups are a task.
Each time that I go
He hurts me below.
Is a lollipop too much to ask?

If you ever have a colon bypass,
You might whistle by using your ass.
Your radiation and chemo
Make a helluva team-o
And your “high C” can now shatter glass!

Your colon you cannot bypass
And it ends way down at your ass.
If it hurts down below,
You must give a heave-ho:
It can’t tell a solid from gas.

It’s a rectal exam, have you heard?
Looking forward to it is absurd!
The pain’s a humdinger,
When he gives you the finger,
And I DON’T mean “flipping the bird!”

Source

Poems, philosophy and cancer 

Author

Compiled by Ananya Revanna, a student of Mount Carmel College, Bangalore.

Nitin Tolani’s cancer story

My name is Nitin Tolani. I’m 22 years old and grew up in Dubai, UAE. I did my higher education at Texas A&M University, USA.

During my 2nd year (end 2008), I began to feel a persistent pain in my left leg, which simply wouldn’t go away. When I returned to Dubai in winter, my family insisted on consulting a doctor. After various x-rays and scans, I was diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma (bone cancer) of the left femur (thigh) bone. This news was quite frightening and difficult to absorb.

We immediately flew to Bangalore for treatment at Manipal Hospital. They suggested 49 weeks of chemotherapy, 5 weeks of radiotherapy and surgery. The surgery involved replacing part of the femur bone with a metal prosthesis of about 24cm in length joining the hip ball and was performed at Apollo Hospital in Chennai.

Post surgery, I went through intense physio-therapy to regain strength in my leg muscles. Doing this alongside chemotherapy was not easy, due to side effects like fatigue and decreased stamina. For a few months I had to use crutches to move around, but eventually, I learnt to stand on my own feet. Equally difficult, was to remain away from family and friends for so long. Finally, by God’s grace and everyone’s blessings, I completed my treatment successfully in December 2009.

Giving back, with gratitude

Through this experience, I spent a lot of time introspecting. I searched the internet to read more about how bone cancers were treated in the past (it usually involved amputation!).

In the process, I also came Terry Fox’s story and was deeply touched by the extremely difficult ordeal he had to go through, not to mention his inspirational approach. I consider myself very lucky because science has progressed and due to new limb-sparing surgical techniques, people like me now have an enhanced quality of life.

This was only possible due to great people like Terry Fox who went out of their way to raise funds for cancer research. I realized that it is my duty to give back something to society as well.

Re-starting the Terry Fox Run in Bangalore

I had attended the Terry Fox Run regularly while in high school; so I had a good idea of how it worked. Since I received my treatment in Bangalore, I decided to start a run here.

My next step was to contact the Terry Fox Foundation in Canada. They were very encouraging and assisted me with how to go about organizing everything. I discovered that the Terry Fox run used to be held in Bangalore a couple of years ago. Using various sources, I got in touch with the erstwhile committee members and they were extremely keen to help me achieve my goal. I’m deeply grateful to them and everyone else who has been so positive and supportive.

Erasing The Social Stigma

My mission is to spread awareness about cancer because in this part of the world there is a lot of social stigma around it. I would like to reach out to other cancer survivors to come out and share their experience. This will benefit them as well as others currently fighting the disease. I would also like to bring attention to rare cancers, as there is a great lack of knowledge about them.

During our awareness campaign we have been visiting many schools.  We are trying hard to encourage participation amongst school children and feel that it is important to educate them about cancer at a young age.

Hopefully the Terry Fox run in Bangalore will be successful and continue to grow as years pass by.

Grateful thanks

I would like to specially mention the following people:

• Akash Dube: My friend who was diagnosed with leukemia in 2009 and started a Terry Fox Run in Chennai the same year.  He is 2 years younger than me and coincidentally, also from Dubai. He has really inspired me, and given me the confidence to initiate such a big event.
• Organisers of the Terry Fox Run, Dubai: They were kind enough to let me volunteer for the 2011 run, which helped me learn more about what goes on behind the scenes.

For more details

• E-mail: terryfoxrunbangalore@gmail.com
• Facebook page: www.facebook.com/terryfoxbangalore

What happens when “C” arrives at your door unannounced and you have no medical insurance or critical illness cover? What can you do then?

Don’t panic

Remember that life brings its own uncertainties – for you it may be cancer, while for someone else it may be a messy divorce or a sudden job loss. You’re not the first one to face such a trauma … and you won’t be the last! It’s time to absorb the blow, to think coolly and consider all your options.

Assess All Your Holdings

On one side, write down your assets: Bank savings, fixed deposits, mutual funds, equities, properties, insurance, PPF, etc. On the other, write down your liabilities: Loans, mortgages, and any other commitments. You have created your basic net-worth statement. Now you can see your situation clearly and make some decisions.

Estimate Treatment Cost

Ask your oncologist (and other patients who have had a similar type & stage of cancer) for a realistic estimate of what your treatment will cost. Ask about diagnostics, surgery, post-op recovery, chemo-therapy, radio-therapy and subsequent rehabilitation. Take into account the time when you may be on ‘leave-without-pay’. To be safe, add 15% to this estimate for contingencies.

How to pay for cancer treatment without insurance?

• Make a phased withdrawal plan, in line with your treatment schedule
• Identify where can you withdraw money from, with the lowest penalties and taxes
• If you are withdrawing from equities, ensure that markets are doing well and your equities have earned a decent return
• It is a good idea to dip into your debt investments, where there is no lock-in

Some Do’s

1. Withdraw a little more than your estimate, that cushion will give you peace of mind
2. Start with from those asset classes/investments which allow partial withdrawals
3. Provide for the family’s next 12 months’ expenses and keep this in liquid funds or your bank account
4. Plan an exit route from investments that have lock-in clauses, penalties and/or taxes
5. Provide for payment of income-tax on your withdrawals

Some Don’ts

1. Don’t redeem all your investments from the same category/asset class; maintain a balanced portfolio as much as possible
2. Don’t distress-sell or make impulsive decisions; get good advice from more than one person
3. Don’t beat yourself up about drawing from your savings; they are meant for precisely these sorts of emergencies!
4. Don’t worry about alternate income sources just yet; you need to stay calm and focus on getting well…so do your family members.

What if you don’t have enough funds for treatment?

This is rare, but it can happen. You may have no choice but to borrow money from your family, your friends or even your employers. Be open and honest with them. Share your net-worth statement and your treatment estimate/phasing with them. When they see that you have been rational, objective and are determined to recover, they will be more inclined to support you.

• If you are asking for a loan, be realistic about the repayment terms (don’t over-stretch yourself, they will understand!)
• If you are asking for a donation, be up-front about this too. You may find it awkward and embarrassing to begin with, but you’ll be surprised how often family and friends will rally around in an emergency (don’t under-estimate your personal goodwill or the strength of your close relationships!)
• There are many charitable trusts that provide funding and subsidies for needy patients, particularly from their own communities. Your hospital may be able to point you to the right people. Don’t be afraid to ask, but check that you qualify before you apply formally. Otherwise, it can be a waste of your time and effort.

What about my other goals?

 You will have to prioritise (or even re-prioritise) your goals in consultation with your spouse and other family members. It helps to classify your goals into

• Essential: Health is no doubt your top priority, but it is not the only one. Home mortgage may be another.
• Important: Children’s education or your own retirement plans will probably feature here.
• Nice-to-have: Examples are your car, a second home or a vacation.

Cut down on expenses

It is quite surprising how much more you can save if you consciously cut down on expenses. Of course, you will maintain your essential living expenses while you can start shaving those ‘luxuries’ and ‘peripherals’. Once again, it is important to discuss with your family members first..

When can I start working again?

Your doctors will tell you when you are physically ready to get back to work, but you are the best judge on how much stress and strain you will be able to bear.

I will advise you to also have open discussions with your employers (most well-known companies are highly supportive in these areas, particularly if you have worked there for a long time):

• How much time can they give you to recuperate?
• Do you need to change your job profile, your timings…perhaps work part-time from home for a while?

The most important thing of course, is not to rush back to work. While resting and recovering at home, think happy thoughts and evaluate what else you can pursue, given your skills/interests/experience.

Finding your direction

Often, cancer becomes a ‘turning point’ to take an entirely new career direction. It is important to bring home the bacon, but more important that you do something that is really fulfilling, even if the remuneration is lower and the career track slower.

Request others to chip in

Sometimes, it makes sense for your spouse to join the workforce or for your children to take a break from their studies to support the family. Don’t neglect this option, even it is a painful one to consider. Evaluate who is best placed for this ‘interim’ role and for how long it will be necessary.

Talk to your family members, friends and colleagues for their help and advice, simply ask away – how to pay for cancer treatment without insurance. They may be able to suggest options and opportunities that you may not have thought about, considering they know you closely and are your well wishers.

Reflection

• Cancer can be unsettling not just emotionally but also financially. How can you make a thorough estimate of your treatment costs after consulting your doctors and the hospital?  
• How much medical insurance do you have? If it is inadequate, how will you fund the balance?
• Besides treatment costs, what are your key financial goals? What priorities do you need to readjust, to be realistic?

Author

Lovaii is a Certified Financial Planner and Managing Director of International Money Matters Pvt Ltd. He features regularly on NDTV’s “30 Minutes to Wealth”, CNBC Awaaz and UTV Bloomberg. He is a panelist on various websites like moneycontrol.com, myiris.com, investmentyogi.com, etc. He also writes regularly for Outlook Money and Economic Times. He is the author of “A Guide to Retirement Planning” published for Outlook Money in 2007. He can be contacted on lovaii(at)immpl(dot)com. For more details, visit: www.immpl.com.

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Taking charge of the situation

The caregiver may not undergo the experience of actually having the disease, but they too have to face the emotional ups and downs and confront the possibility of losing a loved one. Despite this a caregiver needs to, as far as possible, maintain a positive state of mind because their attitude will affect the attitude of the person they are caring for.

When Dr. K.Tiwari was diagnosed with breast cancer, her mother, M.Tiwari was initially stunned, but soon took charge of the situation.

“I left for K’s place immediately, as soon as I heard. But after the initial shock, I decided that she has to get well, nothing doing. I told everyone to think positively. Nobody will weep in front of her; always smile and act normally.”

Keeping the faith alive

K, however, was really shaken. For a few weeks after her diagnosis, she was traumatised and she kept worrying her husband, her daughter and everyone else.

Her mother was the one who reminded her about how so many ladies who were breast cancer thrivers, were doing very well and leading normal lives. This helped reinforce her own faith as well as daughter’s that she too would overcome the disease.

“I knew that she’d be alright.”

Research about the cancer, treatment options and side-effects

M also did some research on the subject and found that if diagnosed early, the chances of a successful treatment and full recovery are very high. She also understood that surgery and chemotherapy would take a huge toll on her daughter’s body and mind – and that it was necessary – there was simply no way around it. This realisation also helped her cope with watching her daughter suffer from the treatments, almost as much as the illness itself!

“I had been reading about it in the newspapers and magazines, I knew it was the standard treatment – and unavoidable – to help K get better.”

Looking back at the cancer journey          

Upon asking M how she felt when her daughter was cured, her answer was simple. With a smile she said:

“I knew it all along, from Day 1!”

Had her journey had changed her in any way? She responded with an infectious laugh:

“I am the same … maybe even more positive about everything. Life doesn’t run smoothly for anyone, it has its ups and downs, you have to take it in your stride. Of course, I don’t want those days to come back and I’m happy that K is back-to-normal. I have no regrets.”

Message for other caregivers

What she would like to share with others who are also caring for cancer patients:

“First, you have to keep a positive attitude. Second, family support is very important. Third, serious illness can bring the family closer together (like it did K and me)!”

So if you are a care-giver, remember that you haven’t chosen this role … it has been given (gifted?) to you. As M did, keep the faith, do the research, console, support and try not to break down yourself!

Just like the mind and body affect each other directly, so do the patient and the care-giver! The care-giver’s positive frame of mind can work wonders for those they are caring for.

Which caregivers do you know, who radiate this kind of positive energy?

Reflection

• As a caregiver, how can you get past the initial shock of the cancer diagnosis?
• What can you and other family members do, to help your loved one remain positive?
• Seeing your loved one suffer can be heartbreaking. How can you keep your own faith and hope alive?
• What lessons you have learned on the cancer journey,? How can you use them to improve your loved one’s quality of life … and your own?

Author

Winona Laisram is a student of communications at Mt Carmel College, Bangalore. She says “I enjoyed working on the Cancer Awakens articles because along with providing information to others, I learnt a lot about myself. I also had an opportunity to improve my writing skills and to have my articles published in a credible, public forum.”

What is the typical Tibetan Medicine treatment for Cancer?

Dr. Dorjee: The real nature of cancer is mainly abnormal and impure blood which tends to get solidified into tumours. This is a result of stress and tension in the mind and body which in turn causes our wind energy system to malfunction. Our typical treatment is three-pronged:

1. Reduction of tumour size with heat treatment like moxibustion and Golden hammer therapy.
2. Cleansing and detoxification of the body with purification therapies.
3. Fortification of the body’s immune system and restoration of the balance of the body’s energy system with the help of effective herbal medicine, precious pills, and the right food and lifestyle.

In your opinion, what works well and doesn’t work as well?

Dr. Dorjee: There are some important things to note.

1. The power of hope: The patient should not lose hope of survival. No line of treatment works well when the patient loses the spirit to fight. I have found that patients who are frustrated and close – minded impede the healing process. On the other hand, those who are positive and upbeat often beat the odds.

2. Self-healing techniques: Patient participation with self healing techniques like meditation, yoga, chakra and other spiritual healing techniques also goes a long way.

3. Picking the right medicine: Our medicine works best when there are no intervening medicines. Different types of medications taken in combination compound the problem in my view. What’s most important is the right medicine in the right dosage at the right time.

So, while we do give supporting medicines alongside chemotherapy to reduce the side-effects and to improve the immune parameters, we do not recommend our cancer treatment in conjunction with chemotherapy, radiation or other alternative therapies.

4. Tailor-made treatments: We also try to understand individual body constitutions and accordingly recommend what food is needed and what is not. If there are deficiencies, we try to overcome them with various supplements.

To sum up, patients who understand and accept their disease, have a positive outlook, take medicines in time, employ diet, lifestyle and the right state of mind and do not mix different treatments effectively aid their own recovery.

Is your success rate better for some types of cancers than others?

Dr. Dorjee: Our success rate is high with breast cancer, multiple myeloma (bone cancer), some forms of chronic blood cancers (chronic lymphoblastic leukaemia), lung cancer, ovarian cancer, colo-rectal cancer, thyroid cancer, and a few types of brain cancers too. Efficacy also depends on the stages and grades of the various cancers.

I have found it very difficult to control advanced stomach and liver cancer, Glioblastoma multiforme, acute blood cancer, cancer of the connective tissues, chondrosarcoma and some forms of highly progressive or galloping cancers.

Can you please share some case studies with us?

Dr. Dorjee: We have 18 documented case studies but they are private / official and I am afraid I cannot share them publicly.

How does Tibetan Medicine work at different stages of the Cancer journey?

Dr. Dorjee: As with all disease, the earlier the diagnosis and the sooner treatment begins, the greater the chance of success. However, our medicines can also be very effective in case of recurrence or for some secondary complications. In these situations, most often, a second line of treatment with stronger combinations is required.

Tibetan medicine is also very good in palliative care. It can often help to control and manage the disease without severe pain and trauma even in advanced and terminal cases. This is achieved not only through medicines but also through self-healing and visualisation techniques, pain management therapies, meridian massages with herbs, meditation and initiation into spiritual healing.

We also place a lot of emphasis on preparing the patients for their journey into the next life. As such, we encourage them to get rid of mental and emotional attachments, frustrations and all other negative feelings. It is our belief that it is very important for one’s soul to leave this world in peace.

What dietary principles does Tibetan Medicine recommend for Cancer?

Dr. Dorjee: In our system, diet is individualised. Five people can have the same cancer but the diet for each may be totally different. This is because we base a patient’s diet on his or her individual body constitution and the dominating influence of the energy system like wind, bile and phlegm energy.

In Ayurveda, this is referred to as “Dosha” and we call it “Rang-shin”. For example, people with high “pitta” are recommended a diet that reduces “pitta”, those with stronger vatta or wind energy need smoother and more soothing foods while others with khapa or Badkan are required to take a warm and soupy diet to pacify the energy system first.

Whatever one’s constitution, the aim of choosing a diet with the right proportion of taste and potency is to build the right ‘cosmo-physical’ energies in the body and to achieve a dynamic equilibrium or homeostasis. This, according to our science, is what builds perfect health.

In general, dark green leafy and fibrous vegetables, plenty of fruits such as papaya, apple, cherries and berries, pomegranate, lime and foods rich in beta carotene and active flavinoids are good for the system. Fish, especially river and clear-water fish are beneficial as they have Omega-3 fatty acids.

About Dr. Dorjee Rapten Neshar

It may not be far-fetched to say that Dr. Dorjee has a larger following of cancer patients in this part of the country than any other medical practitioner.

Chief Medical Officer at Men-Tsee-Khang (Tibetan Medical Centre) in Bangalore, Dr. Dorjee is also the former chairman of the Central Council of Tibetan Medicine, Dharamsala. An alumnus of the Tibetan medical College in Dharamsala, he is trained in medico-spiritual initiations for the more esoteric practice of Tibetan medicine as well.

In recognition of his outstanding contribution in the field of Alternative Medicine, Dr. Dorjee was awarded the Gold Medal & Gem of Alternative Medicine in 1995 and 1996 from the Indian Board of Alternative Medicine, Calcutta. He also received the International Award of Excellence, from the American Organization of Intellectuals Inc, New York, USA.

More about Tibetan Medicine

Men-Tsee-Khang, the official Tibetan Medical and Astrological Institute of H.H. the Dalai Lama, is a charitable institution based at Dharamsala, Himachal Pradesh with branches across India and overseas. For more information about how Tibetan Medicine can potentially help you, please visit their website: www.men-tsee-khang.org

Reflection

• Stress and tension in the mind and body cause your energy system to malfunction. How do you keep your stress and tension under control?
• Cleansing and detoxification are equally important. What can you do to minimise the accumulation of toxins in your body and mind?
• The power of hope: How do you keep hope and positivity alive even when things get difficult?
• To what extent have you given your power away? How can you be more actively involved with your treatments and your healing regime?

About the Author

Breast Cancer Thriver Gunjan Mohanka chose to to defy stereotypes of a hopeless and depressed cancer life. She took cancer in her stride and learnt to be ‘Bindas‘ again. To read about Gunjan Mohanka’s own story, click here.

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Breast Cancer Thriver radiant with optimism

I was walking towards the campus gate, when I saw Mrs. V. She – with her unforgettably bright smile and optimistic approach to life – welcomed me as I approached her, and we started one of our regular chats.

Mrs. V is a breast cancer thriver. Four years after her diagnosis, surgery and many rounds of chemotherapy, she says her life is as good as any one else’s and even better in many ways. She believes in using an integrated approach to cancer treatment, using holistic systems of medicine, alongside Allopathic treatments.

“The ultimate healer is God, that is how it has always been”, she says.

There is Always a Way!

Encountering cancer in one’s own body is never easy, but it is even harder to deal with the fact that, as much as it affects our body, cancer affects the mind. However, there is always hope – it’s just a matter of believing that is that there is a way, there has always been a way, even if sometimes it is difficult for us to find it.

Hope often springs from the recognition that you are not alone. There are many thrivers who can offer support and care if you reach out. However, care is not to be confused with sympathy which comes from a space of pity. A person who is diagnosed with cancer only feels supported when care-giving comes from a space of empathy.

What does it mean to be a Carer?

Care-giving has three important components:

• First, care is about access (simply being available – either in person or by phone – whenever needed)
• Second, care is about empathy (letting the patient know they are not alone and that you understand their situation)
• Third, care is about hope (opening up new options to deal with things, with a positive expectation)

Research shows that good care is almost magical – it not only enhances the patient’s healing process, but also enables the care-giver’s growth. Many patients who are recovering or have recovered recognise the value of good care, and they are inspired to volunteer their time and provide care to others.

Caring for a cancer patient

Caring is a natural human instinct, and in the case of cancer, there is a ‘ring-of-truth’ and a ‘spark-of-recognition’ when one person who has experienced cancer talks to another. (Some people say it is better than talking to a doctor!) Mrs. V is one such volunteer care-giver.  After her own recovery, she has taken the initiative to increase awareness and provide support to people facing similar situations.

“When you realize that you may die soon, you often forget that everyone has to die someday or the other. In many cases people who have to deal with the reality of death will shut themselves away from the rest of the world. What do you do then?  Well, as a care giver you must understand that inside, they are longing for someone to reach out to them, and most of the time care may come in the form of one simple friendly conversation” says Mrs.V.

Dealing with cancer is not easy, but isn’t that true of life itself? Fortunately with cancer, as with Life, there are people who enjoy listening patiently and to talk about the most difficult challenges. To give care (and to receive it) with open arms requires a willingness to accept situations as they are and be willing to reciprocate with understanding and kindness.

Human touch in caregiving

Cancer is difficult enough, as it is; our social stigmas and taboos have only made it worse. It is paradoxical that when people are most fragile and vulnerable, our approach to their treatment is so mechanical and aggressive. Instead of using holistic measures (dealing with the whole person) as a last resort, it is time to make these approaches more mainstream.

It is also time to change our notions about care-giving from something that is only ‘nice-to-have’ to something important, a ‘must-have’. It is time for more people to openly ask for care and for more people to reach out and give it. Remember that you are not alone. We are and will always be with you.

Reflection

• Have you ever cared for someone in a time of great need? Tell us what you did … and how they responded!
• Have you ever been ‘cared for’ … how did it feel and how did you benefit?

Author

Shalini Sinha is a student of Communications at Mt Carmel College, Bangalore. Reading and writing are her passion, so contributing to Cancer Awakens has been an immense pleasure for her. She has learnt  quite a lot in the process and believes Cancer CAN be overcome, like every other problem in this world.

About Pleural Mesothelioma (PM)

Pleural mesothelioma is a rare type of cancer that affects the pleural membrane, or the thin lining covering the lungs. This deadly cancer affects thousands of people each year, causing respiratory distress and eventually death.

• PM is caused by exposure to airborne asbestos and symptoms may take anywhere from 20 to 50 years to develop after exposure has occurred.
• It has been called a “silent killer” due to its long latency and its tendency to be misdiagnosed in its early stages. PM symptoms are easily mistaken for other, less serious respiratory conditions such as pneumonia or the flu.

Asbestos: The Primary Cause

Asbestos is a naturally-occurring mineral that was used extensively in the 20th century for various construction and industrial applications, due to its superior strength and insulating properties.

However, asbestos is a fibrous material and asbestos fibers if inhaled, lodge in the delicate lung tissue and lead to a gradual build up of fluids, inflammation, scar tissue and damage.

Asbestos is now known to be a human carcinogen (toxic, cancer-causing agent), but millions of innocent people continue to be exposed in homes, the workplace and in public areas. Research studies estimate that approximately 125 million people worldwide are exposed to asbestos each year, placing millions at risk for asbestos-related illnesses such as asbestosis and pleural mesothelioma.

It is of particular concern in India, since asbestos is still very widely used and most people are totally unaware of the potential health risks.

Symptoms

Symptoms may develop gradually and worsen overtime, as fluids build up in the lungs and cancerous cells spread. Patients are often unaware that they have the cancer until their symptoms are severe, which may be too late.

Early symptoms

1. Persistent or dry cough
2. Coughing up blood
3. Difficulty breathing
4. Chest pain
5. Lumps on the skin of the chest
6. Fatigue and weight loss

Early diagnosis improves prognosis and survival. So, if you have been exposed to asbestos over a period of time in your life, and have these early symptoms, it is crucial for you to obtain a definitive diagnosis after undergoing imaging tests and tissue biopsies.

Poor Recovery Outlook

Unfortunately, PM is a terminal cancer which currently has no proven cure. The average life expectancy for PM patients is 4-18 months after diagnosis, with a 5-year survival rate of approximately 10 percent.

While these statistics are very serious, some patients have continued to live for many years with the disease by undergoing certain personalised treatment options.

Treatment Options

Medical treatment generally consists of the mainstream approaches like surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. The primary goal is to improve the patient’s quality of life while he/she lives with and copes with the condition.

According to Nick Hare of PleuralMesothelioma.com “some patients have experienced prolonged survival with alternative treatments such as nutritional changes, acupuncture, meditation, yoga, herbal supplements and massage therapy. Alternative therapies often help to reduce pain, improve breathing symptoms and stimulate circulation in patients with the cancer.”

What You Can Do

If you have Pleural Mesothelioma or know someone who does:

• We encourage you to look beyond the statistics and learn from those who have outlived the odds. Adopting a holistic and integrated approach to treatment can certainly improve quality of life and in some cases, may prolong life.
• Please read / recommend the Holistic And Integrated Approaches To Cancer to understand how you can complement your medical treatment.
• Please browse Pleural Mesothelioma Centre which provides a lot of excellent information, guidance and tips on various aspects of the disease

If you or someone you know has had prolonged asbestos exposure and/ or is exhibiting any of the early symptoms described above, please undergo the necessary diagnostic tests to rule out the possibility of Pleural mesothelioma.

Author

Katie Broome is a writer and editor for PleuralMesothelioma.com, contributing both quality content and research to the site in order to increase awareness of this deadly and preventable disease. Katie has experience in medical and health writing for print and online media. She graduated summa cum laude from Rollins College with a bachelor’s degree in English.

How a path-breaking therapy is aiding cancer treatment

“A 59-year old patient with advanced stomach cancer (as a large stomach ulcer) was unwilling to undergo any conventional treatments despite adequate counselling. After 28 days of the RFQMR therapy using the Cytotron® he showed significant improvement. Endoscopy showed a smaller ulcer with healing in progress and biopsies showed no evidence of tumour activity!”

Dr. G.S. Nayar served the Indian Air Force for over 30 years as a specialist in Aerospace Medicine. His expertise included evaluating and maintaining the health and wellness of military pilots and even selection of cosmonauts/astronauts for manned space missions.

Now, he applies similar technologies for Wellness Management, focusing on preventive healthcare against life-style diseases including stress disorders, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Dr. Nayar co-founded ‘Ojus Healthcare’ in 2001 to establish a network of primary clinics to help individuals track and manage their own health. We caught up with him at his clinic in Brookefields, Bangalore, which has the Cytotron® facility.

Cytotron®

This is probably the first medical device of its type, to be fully conceived and developed in India and accredited internationally.

Dr Rajah Vijay Kumar, Chairman, Organization de Scalene who has a number of innovations and international patents to his credit, is the inventor of the tissue engineering technology of Rotational Field Quantum Magnetic Resonance (RFQMR) therapy as well as its treatment applications using the Cytotron^® device.

Essentially, the Cytotron^® treatment helps to re-generate cells and/or to stop the uncontrolled growth of cells. Clinical experience shows that it is particularly effective for cancer and for arthritis.

How it works in Cancer

In conventional cancer treatment, chemo/radiation therapies physically destroy cancer cells to arrest tumour growth. However, this can damage the adjacent normal tissues and organs leading to severe side effects.

Cytotron^® therapy induces apoptosis (‘programmed cell death’) by reviving the body’s own mechanisms of tumour suppression non-invasively and without any side effects.

• The device provides precise doses of safe and non-invasive energy (radio or sub-radio frequency, non-ionizing, non-thermal electro-magnetic waves) to tissues in the affected area.
• To begin with, the electrical properties of the affected cells are normalised.
• This stimulates the production of natural tumour-suppressor genes (such as the p53) and related nucleo-proteins which induce apoptosis and tumour death.
• The therapy works with and supports the body’s natural process of getting rid of cancer cells, in a controlled and phased manner.
• Treated in this manner for 28 days (1 hour per lesion), there is evidence to show that the cancer cells start dying.
• In severe cases, the treatment can be repeated for 2-3 cycles or even more without any worry about side effects.

Benefits Vis-a-vis Conventional Treatments

Dr. Nayar says that as of now, chemotherapy and radiotherapy remain the most common, conventional methods of treatment. However, issues of side effects, cost, suitability for the aged/children/debilitated patients etc remain serious concerns.

Most patients taking conventional therapies experience debilitating side-effects like hair-loss, blood-count fall, nausea, reduced immunity, etc. By comparison, the Cytotron^® therapy is an outpatient procedure and is absolutely safe, with no known side effects.

There are no toxic drugs, no harmful radiation; you simply lie down in the device, which emits radio waves to the carefully targeted areas. Dr. Nayar adds that he has personally treated children as young as 2 years and some senior citizens in their 90’s who were very comfortable during the procedure and benefited from the therapy.

What do Patients Think?

So far, Ojus has treated over 80 patients with advanced cancers, most of them in terminal stages. They maintain meticulous records of their patient’s progress and follow up, by way of both quality and quantity of life.

One of the most striking differences that patients notice within 7-10 days of therapy is pain relief, without the need for medication. They are able to sleep better. There is also marked sense of wellbeing and improved appetite.

Ojus also emphasises a holistic approach to healing. During and after the Cytotron^® treatment, patients receive advice on diet and lifestyle, alongside therapies like Ayurveda, Yoga, Meditation, Massage, Homeopathy, Tibetan medicine, Hypnotherapy and psychological counselling.

International recognition and demand for Cytotron^®

Since the technology is relatively new, most of Ojus’s current patients are terminal or at least advanced cases who have tried all the other mainstream treatments. But since the treatment is showing such good results, it is gaining popularity in other countries as well.

• Cytotron^® is already available in countries like Malaysia, Netherlands, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan.
• The device will be available in Canada, Hungary and in the US in the near future.
• The US Treasury has recently announced a generous grant for clinical trials in the US.
• Ojus is already treating patients from the US, Europe and the Middle East who come to Bangalore for the therapy.

Way forward for Cytotron^®

All this is very encouraging and Dr. Nayar hopes that this therapy will soon be included in the routine treatment of cancers alongside with the conventional treatments. He regularly interacts with Oncologists to encourage them to take advantage of this promising technology, especially because it can easily be integrated with standard therapies.

The key is to educate patients, their families as well as medical practitioners.

For more information please contact

SCALENE CYBERNETICS, S CARD CAMPUS SEEGEHALLI MAIN ROAD VIRGONAGAR POST BANGALORE, Karnataka 560049, IN

Author

Mithra Murali is a student of Communications at Mt Carmel College, Bangalore. She says “While working on Cancer Awakens, I had the opportunity to meet some great people and learn about new things. I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it!”

Anita Moorjani faced end-stage cancer

In 2002, Anita was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, a cancer of the lymph tissue. She refused the traditional chemotherapy and opted for a more naturopathic treatment.

Though she fought valiantly, in 2006 she faced end-stage cancer. She went into a coma and her body was in the process of closing down, in preparation for death.

At this point, she crossed over into a totally different realm and experienced a sense of complete clarity. The doctors had given her less than 36 hours to live, she however returned to consciousness and her health improved dramatically, resulting in the total disappearance of her cancer.

Near-death experience

Anita’s experience is very rare and by all medical standards, impossible. During her out-of-body experience, she recollects being given the choice of moving on towards death or coming back to life. At that moment, she recounts having understood everything about the purpose of her existence in this world.

How it changed her

Anita Moorjani is living proof that the intermediate zone between living and dying exists and that it is a profoundly healing space.

Her experience has changed her perspective of life and she strongly believes that if internally we are healthy then our external life too will turn out well.

Her understanding of life and her purpose in this world which she attained while “crossing over” has led to the total recovery of her health.

Reflection

• What are your beliefs about death? What do you think happens after death?
• How can you transform the life-threatening cancer into a life-changing experience?
• What is your life-purpose and how will you accomplish it?

Author

Stephanie Brownie is a student of Communications at Mount Carmel College, Bangalore.

These were the only answers I got when I asked my friends and family what they thought was the best cure for cancer. I was disappointed, although this was all I myself knew about a month ago! Wasn’t anyone aware that there are food therapies as well?

A somewhat controversial food-based approach was proposed by Dr. Max Gerson as far back as the 1930’s. (Yes, it is the same Gerson who is more ‘infamous’ for inventing the caffeine enema!)

Max Gerson Cancer Diet 

Gerson was a pioneer who realised that diet, immunity and illness are closely linked. He let the world know that a carefully regulated diet can restore an impaired immune system to its best functioning and this is a crucial factor in healing.

Although his specific dietary recommendations have not been scientifically validated (we recommend that readers should consult their physician and/or a qualified nutritionist before trying out any new approach), we can at least understand and apply Gerson’s general principles, which are now well accepted.

Early connections between diet and immunity

Gerson first used a dietary regime in the mid-1920’s to cure himself of an otherwise untreatable migraine. He then developed his regime to successfully treat tuberculosis and in 1928, he treated his first cancer patient (who had cancer of the bile duct) reluctantly and with little optimism. She had a complete remission.

In his book ‘A Cancer Therapy – with Results of 50 Cases’, he admits :

“I didn’t know enough about cancer and it was such a difficult problem to go into. But once it was in my head and in my hands and in my heart, I could no longer separate myself from that problem”.

He explains further, that with the help of his patients themselves, he really understood Hippocrates’ ancient idea of detoxifying the body thoroughly by “giving patients a special soup” i.e. restoring digestion with fresh, pure and suitably prepared food, thereby correcting any vitamin and mineral imbalances. Gerson also emphasized the importance of patients maintaining a positive attitude towards life in general and towards diet in particular.

Using this approach, he claimed a 50% success rate with terminally ill patients.

Connection between diet and cancer

Gerson was considered an eccentric in his time although he modified his theories through constant practice and observation. Yet, his principles have been sufficiently authenticated over the last 50+ years.

He believed that cancer is:

• A multi-factorial, de-generative, lifestyle disease.
• An inevitable outcome of our food and environment becoming too polluted and too far removed from nature. Over a period of time, these factors combine to weaken the body’s normal functioning and resistance to a point where one final trigger-factor can produce illness.
• Involves an impaired immune system and that a careful dietary regime can restore immunity to optimum functioning.

Can it really be as simple as that? Does the Max Gerson Cancer Diet really work? Speaking for myself, the very idea that cancer is a degenerative lifestyle disease has changed my outlook towards it. It is encouraging to know there are other ways of treating what I believed to be a terminal illness.

While mainstream treatments like chemotherapy and radiation are of course important, I now believe that a holistic diet-based approach can be very effective (and maybe even pleasant!) when used to supplement these.

Reflection

• How involved are you in your own recovery plan?
• What is the right balance between your mainstream treatments and complementary/ holistic approaches to healing?
• Hippocrates said “Let food be thy medicine and medicine thy food”. How can you manage your diet choices better for both prevention and recovery?

Sources

• Book: ‘A Cancer Therapy – with Results of 50 Cases’ By Dr. Max Gerson (ISBN-10: 0961152621 & ISBN-13: 978-0961152628)
• Website: http://www.healingcancernaturally.com/

Author

Maitri Vasudev is a student of Communications at Mount Carmel College, Bangalore. She actively participates in the ‘Wipe a Tear, Remove a Pain,’ mission of UN-recognised Shree Public Charitable Trust. With this background, Maitri has enjoyed writing for Cancer Awakens immensely.

More from this series

Cancer is a word, not a sentence

Perhaps that went through Cathy Goodman’s mind when she was first diagnosed with breast cancer. This brave woman chose to forgo radiation and chemotherapy. Doctors disapproved of this decision as they considered her cancer incurable.

But in the words of Dr. John De Martini: “Incurable means curable from within.”

Faith moves mountains

Cathy was convinced that she was already healed in her heart, because of her strong faith. She would walk around the house saying out loud “Thank you for my healing” over and over again. She believed immensely in the power of the universe; that if you want something badly enough, the universe will conspire to help you achieve it. What was the one thing that saw her through all her difficult times? Her confident visualisation that cancer was, in fact, not present in her body.

Laughter: the best medicine?

Cathy decided to keep herself busy and not dwell on her disease and instead, to constantly radiate positive energy. What is the best way to de-stress? Laughing! Cathy would watch comedy films and laugh her heart out. As she laughed, she released all negativity – and the disease along with it.

Within 3 months the doctors were quite baffled as they couldn’t find a trace of cancerous growth in Cathy’s body anymore … all this without radiation or chemotherapy! Cathy had such unshakable faith in the universe that it gave her the power of gratitude, as well as joy, to heal.

Disease can’t survive in a body that’s in a healthy emotional state

For us to attain that state, we need to plant our faith firmly in whatever seems right to us. Philip Gulley’s words ring in my ears, “Fear can keep us up all night long, but faith makes one fine pillow.”

Source

Book: “The Secret” by Rhonda Byrne

Author

Aditi Kapoor is a student of Communications at Mount Carmel College, Bangalore.  Through her interest in the media, she wishes to reach out with inspiring stories of people who are ‘thriving’ with cancer, and spread the message to everyone that we have the power to design our own destiny.

“The human spirit is stronger than anything that happens to it” – C.C.Scott

Head or Heart?

The constant debate (even dispute!) between the heart-soul and the brain-mind goes on. If we are faced with a problem, it shouldn’t be too hard for our brain to send the right signals to the heart to lower our rising heart beat, so we can compose ourselves and find a solution. But that is not how it works!

The heart-soul does not care for concepts or theories or experiments, it is all about emotions, feelings and meaning.

American author, Robert S. Schuller, once said “It takes but one positive thought when given a chance to survive and thrive, to overpower an entire army of negative thoughts.”

Nintendo Master, a story of hope

I read this story called “Nintendo Master” by Katie Gill from “Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul II” and it left me thinking. We can all get ‘bookish’ knowledge from learned authors, but often, what influences us most are the people we meet, the conversations we have and the moments we share.

Katie’s story is about two children with cancer and how one’s spirit to live and thrive, despite all odds inspires the other. I hope it touches your soul as much like it touched mine!

I met another child like me, with cancer

When I first saw you, I thought: Nintendo master. There was this intensity about you. Your piercing blue eyes and the way your hands moved rapidly along the control buttons were subtle hints of your expert skill.

You didn’t appear too different from all the other video-crazed teens out there, but you were. Was it because we were both stuck in the oncology ward of the hospital, cruelly betrayed by the normality with which you tried to present yourself? Or maybe it was because we were prematurely robbed of the innocence of childhood, and it comforted me to know that there was someone else out there just like me. I can only speculate, but all I know is that I was drawn to your energy and zest for life.

Trying to bear the excruciating pain in my hips post-surgery

That was the summer of my first post-cancer surgeries. The doctors were trying to fix my left hip joint, which had shattered under the intense bombardments of chemotherapy treatments. It wasn’t the only thing that had shattered. I had misplaced my usual optimistic attitude about life and was surprised at how nasty I could be. This did not endear me to anyone in my presence.

My surgery had gone “well” the doctors said, but I was in excruciating pain.

If you can walk, so can I

I saw you again in physical therapy, realizing only then that the extent of what cancer had done to you. I wanted to scream, “Let him go back upstairs and play his video games, you idiots!” but I just sat there in stunned silence. I watched you get up and start walking with the aid of the parallel bars. Prior to your entering the room, I had been sitting in my wheel chair, wallowing in self pity. “Wasn’t the cancer enough? Now my hip is screwed up, and I really don’t care anymore. If I get up, it is going to kill me” I was convinced.    

Nintendo Master, you’re my hero

You will never know me, but you are my hero, Nintendo master. With such courage and poise, you got up on your one remaining leg. Some might have the audacity to call you disabled or even crippled, but you are more complete than many can ever wish to be. After you had your walk for the day, a walk that was perfectly executed on your part, and you were safely tucked into your bed and were enjoying your video games once again, I decided that it was about time that I get up and take a walk myself.

You see, Nintendo master, it dawned on me that you innately knew what it takes most of us a lifetime to grasp:

Life is like a game, you can’t win them all and yet the game goes on, forcing all to play it.

Nintendo master, you play it better that most!

Reflection

• Look around and see, from where can you draw your inspiration to live and thrive after cancer?
• How can you overcome the challenges that cancer has posed for you? And how can you be an inspiration for other survivors and thrivers?

Source

Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul II

Author

Smit Zaveri is a a student of Communications at Mount Carmel College, Bangalore. She loves reading and writing. Says Smit “Writing for Cancer Awakens has been a great experience for me and I am proud to be associated with this worthy initiative.”

There is a warm glow in the room, radiating from somewhere that I can’t quite fathom. Then I get it. It’s the glow of the strength, the love of life, and the smile. They’re all right there, in the woman sitting before me, so cheerfully.

The painful diagnosis

Vimala Francis was diagnosed with breast cancer in Nov 2006, and during the next seven months, went through four rounds of chemotherapy. She spoke about it honestly and earnestly.

“It was painful and traumatic, to see the damage it was causing my body. I couldn’t eat a thing and i was extremely restless.”

Clinging on to hope with courage

I tried to ignore my conscience, which was challenging me as to whether I could be so truthful and brave in her position. What grew instead was my awe at the mental and emotional strength that clearly saved her life. Did she ever wonder whether it was worth it … did she ever feel scared? The words got caught in my throat.

“I was scared, of course i was scared. But I had a six year old daughter I had to live for. And of course it was worth it. If i wasn’t fighting for myself, I was at least fighting for her.”

My stomach tightened. She went on, while my soul cowered and my pen scrambled.

“Even through all the side-effects of chemo, I was positive about so many things, like the fact that my health was otherwise excellent, and that the tumor hadn’t spread. I’d noticed it at a very early stage because I am always examining myself, which i think is very important for all of us to do. And I’m generally very positive towards life, so it did help me through.”

Sailing through the treatment

I had to bring up the subject of doctors, because I personally am somewhat suspicious of how modern medicine is evolving. She nodded knowingly,

“Yes, I trusted them. I’m a science teacher and i teach my students about the very thing I was going through. I decided to take the path that made the most sense to me. I didn’t hesitate when it came to chemotherapy; chemo to me may be prayers to someone else. It’s all subjective.”

Beyond the medical treatment

But despite her choice to take the scientific path of healing, it was clear to me that so many other more intangible factors were responsible for her incredible recovery and present condition. She spoke extensively about the support that she received from her family and colleagues, and I also knew that someone in a similar situation as her, minus the perpetual smile on her face and lightness in her heart, would very likely not have made it.

I was struck by how complex it all was, yet how simple it all could be, if only one has Mrs. Francis’s courage.

A new life purpose

She expressed her strong desire to give meaning and beauty to life, which so many people lack.

“I continued to teach at college through my first three chemotherapies, until I absolutely had to take leave. It helped so much to have a purpose and not have time to worry and be depressed. I liked being around the staff; they were supportive and loving. I spoke to them about my condition, advised them to examine themselves regularly and be cautious.”

Even now, after being completely cured, Mrs. Francis persists in giving her life that sense of purpose.

“I feel it’s my duty to do my bit and educate others. I am part of a breast cancer support group called AADHARA at St. John’s hospital. I counsel patients to help them cope with chemotherapy; I try and advise them on what food to eat, since eating is so difficult during chemo. I go to other schools and give talks.”

My pen slows as I wonder at the number of lucky people who, like me, will benefit from coming into contact with this amazing woman.

“Dying is inevitable. But when life gives you a chance, why not take it and do your part? There’s wisdom that comes along with the trauma. The small things don’t worry me anymore, and I appreciate everything about life so much more. The experience really changes one’s perspective.”

One thing clearly strikes me as I write this incredible thriver’s story: Cancer is a learning experience in itself.

“It’s not a battle, it is an opportunity to expand one’s soul.”

And those who have experienced it aren’t soldiers or heroes, they’re ordinary people with souls more honest, more magical and more tender than the average person. They carry no baggage, only a sense of gratitude that they’re alive. And in this, they teach us all.

Reflection

• What can you do to develop a trusting relationship with your doctors?
• Even when things get difficult, what will motivate you to thrive?
• How do you balance your (natural) fear and restlessness with hope and optimism?
• To what extent do you feel supported by your family, friends and colleagues? Where can you reach out for more help?
• How will you give meaning and beauty to your life, post-cancer?

Author

Apoorva Tadepalli is a student of Communications at Mount Carmel College, Bangalore. She is a dreamer, thinker, tree climber who always dreamt of becoming a writer. She likes watching people on the street and imagining what their stories are like. She plays a lot of football (barefoot) and her passion is the theatre (“It’s so real.”) You will often find her with flowers in her hair or her earphones plugged in.

We were to meet at 4:30 pm, but I was there early. The India Coffee House on Church Street with its famous scrambled eggs-on-toast provided a perfect venue for my interview. He arrived right on time and the first thing he said was that he wanted to remain anonymous. So I will call him Mr. Sunshine (that’s how he came across to me!) as I recount his story.

The Beginning

6 years ago, with a persistent low grade fever and swollen lymph nodes in the groin area, Mr. Sunshine was diagnosed with Non Hodgkin’s Lymphoblastic Lymphoma. It was in a late stage “just about to kiss the bone marrow” Mr. Sunshine tells me serenely.

I couldn’t resist asking him how it felt when he found out. He surprised me by saying that he didn’t feel sad or depressed, instead he was interested to see where this would lead.

But by the second cycle of aggressive chemo and radiation therapy, he was exhausted. It was at this point that this 3^rd year engineering student discovered something that changed his perspective totally.

A Changed Life

His brother, who always had a spiritual leaning, introduced Mr. Sunshine to Sri Mumtaz Ali, a well known spiritual teacher in Bangalore. On meeting Sri M (as he is known) Mr. Sunshine felt himself being reduced to tears. He knew at that moment that he was in safe hands.

“The best way to come out of sorrow is to go through with it” – a beautiful concept of Sri M’s has stuck with Mr. Sunshine. “It is a paradigm shift that makes you stronger – physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually” he says.

When I asked how he managed to strengthen his faith in God instead of completely losing it, Mr. Sunshine had the simplest of answers.

His logic is that he never had a strong connection with God before nor was he devout so why should he blame and hate God after getting cancer? I realized what a deep impact Sri Mumtaz Ali and spirituality have had on calming him and changing his life for the better.

From being a single mindedly ambitious person, Mr. Sunshine says he has evolved into a compassionate, patient, contented and open-minded individual.

“You can’t expect anything from spirituality. It’s all within us – we just have to take the time to find it”. He also practices Yoga and Pranayama regularly.

With great humility he says that he feels more like a ‘survivor’ than a ‘thriver’. His encounter with cancer may be behind him but his real journey has only just begun …

As we shook hands and said our goodbyes, it struck me: what a wonderful opportunity I had been granted!

Reflection

• What were your first thoughts upon hearing about your diagnosis?
• How have your feelings changed through your cancer journey?
• What is your spiritual path? How consistent is your spiritual practice?
• How has cancer changed you as a person?What meaning do you ascribe to this experience?

Author

Ananya Revana is a student of Communications at Mount Carmel College, Bangalore. She enjoys conversations with people. Writing is one of Ananya’s interests.

What’s your first thought about cancer?

“Cancer is a disease like any other. They just haven’t found a cure for it yet but given the humongous research grants, I wonder if they even want to?” says Gunjan Mohanka, 54.

One look at her and you know that she has taken cancer in her stride. Despite her medical history, if I had to describe her in one word today, it would be “Bindaas”.

The first scare

Gunjan had misgivings about Allopathy because of a traumatic experience during adolescence. When she was in her late 30’s that she noticed a lump in her left breast. Panicking at first that it might be cancerous, she consulted several Allopathic experts.

Most of them fuelled her fear further. One even hinted at mastectomy. However, she went with her gut and continued to look for a proper diagnosis.  Finally, Dr. Saroj Gupta, founder of the Cancer Hospital in Thakorepukur, Kolkata, confirmed that the lump was a symptom of fibrocystic breast disease and not cancer.

Confronting Reality

In 2009 though, Gunjan was diagnosed with 3^rd stage breast cancer. About a year prior, she noticed a dimple on her right breast and ignored it, assuming it was a consequence of her fibrocystic disease.

It was only when she felt severe pain in the area that she underwent a mammogram. After her previous experience, she was skeptical when the radiologist told her she had a 5 cm cancerous lump in her right breast. But this time, she had to face the truth.

Breast mastectomy or conservation?

She was advised to go in for an immediate mastectomy, followed by breast reconstruction.

Once again, she felt her doctor was inciting fear in her. She consulted other doctors who told her that she had a month to decide. It was around this time that she met Dr. Kurkure, a renowned onco-surgeon, who believed in breast conservation.

“Losing my breast was a bigger deal to me than having cancer!”

Under Dr. Kurkure’s supervision, she underwent 8 chemo sessions in 2-weeks prior to surgery. She responded well and finally had a lumpectomy (removal of the lump) and not a mastectomy (removal of the breast).

Though she also had to have 42 lymph nodes removed, she had saved her breast. It’s now over 12 months since her surgery and she remains cancer-free.

From breast cancer patient to thriver

And it’s great that Gunjan refers to herself as a “cancer thriver”.

The American novelist and poet Don Williams Jr. once said, “The road of life twists and turns and no two directions are ever the same. Yet our lessons come from the journey, not the destination.”

Tibetan Medicine

Apart from chemotherapy, Gunjan also uses Tibetan medicine, a traditional system similar to Ayurveda, which she believes has helped her enormously.  After learning about Tibetan medicine’s efficacy with cancer from a family friend and from reading an article in the New York Times, she decided to give it a try.

Tibetan medicine, Gunjan says, helped to reduce the side effects of chemotherapy. She vomited just once through her treatments and could go about her daily, normal life. The prolonged use of allopathic medication also causes long-term negative effects, which Tibetan medicine controls very effectively. Naturally, she absolutely swears by Tibetan medicine, proclaiming that her energy levels are higher now than ever before, thanks to it!

She adds “Chemotherapy and radiotherapy add most of the drama to cancer; with most other illnesses, you suffer the disease, but in cancer you also suffer the treatment. I am grateful to Allopathy for saving my life but I wish it didn’t have to spoil quality of life with all its side effects.”

Life after cancer

Today she proudly wears a 10 cm long scar on her breast and lives life as it comes. She gave up her job as a copywriter for a more peaceful life, she could not be happier.

She gives me a piece of advice that, I think, all of us should heed. “A lump is not the only sign of cancer, you know.  Don’t assume anything. Take any change in your breast, bloody seriously.”

There is joy, in pain

To her, cancer has been a painful yet joyous experience.

“Every one reaches out to you. People, whom I hadn’t spoken to for years called and gave me courage and support.”

Cancer made her realise that she actually meant so much to so many people around her. But she didn’t really need to tell me this because the tears in her eyes said more than her words did.

“Our lessons come from the journey, not the destination.”

Reflection

• What are your preconceived notions about cancer and the cancer journey?
• Post-diagnosis how can you prepare yourself for the treatment?
• How can you do the necessary research about your treatment? What can you do to explore all the treatment options to make an informed choice?
• What has the cancer journey taught you? How can you live a renewed life after cancer?

Author

Smit Zaveri is a Communications student from Mount Carmel College, Bangalore.  She loves reading and writing. Working for Roots and Wings has been a great experience for Smit and she is proud to be associated with us.

Cancer – a foe or a friend?

Cancer. The big, bad C. The dark monster that has to be surgically excised, chemically eradicated, and battled till our dying breath. We are conditioned to believe that illness needs to fought and gotten rid of. We’re taught to think that illness is caused by foreign influences, outside our body and often outside our control.

However, cancer and many auto-immune diseases arise from the inside. When we pay closer attention to this, we begin to understand the critical role that our inner experiences, thoughts and emotions play in the cause and cure of cancer. We begin to see that cancer, like other serious illnesses, presents an opportunity for deeper self-awareness and growth.

How honouring cancer helped me win over cancer

1. New direction of life

I am convinced that the purpose of my cancer experience was to impel me to take the ‘fork-in-the- road’ and change the direction of my life, which otherwise, I would have resisted.

2. Personal growth

It pushed me to look within and find the necessary resources from a deeper place. The outcome is real and tangible personal growth i.e. arriving at a higher level of equilibrium.

3. Clarity of thought and expression

Post-cancer, I went through a painful process of fundamentally de-constructing and re-constructing myself at every level in the attempt to understand myself. In this exploration my intrinsic gift revealed itself unmistakably – clarity of thought and expression, which makes me an effective communicator and coach. This insight gave new direction and momentum to my life.

4. Finding my true calling

Like most people, Nilima and I began by viewing cancer as a rude interruption to our well-set life. But we soon realised that our experience was not only about us and we felt called to play a wider role. My first career (in Advertising) was a personal passion and very fulfilling, but I had a sense that it was ending.

Post cancer, I first moved from handling clients to a strategy/talent development role. Then I focused on building leaders and leadership teams. Then the big move: leaving my comfortable corporate career, becoming an independent consultant, and returning to India.

5. Contributing towards the greater good

We started by helping individuals informally, slowly moved to organising small workshops, then began to conduct week-long intensive residential retreats and then set up an organisation to scale-up our work so more people can benefit. We are more ‘present’ and more connected to ‘Presence’.

6. The birth of Cancer Awakens

This website is a key marker of our journey and as it has ripened, we have grown enormously.  Along the way, new relationships have formed, many have strengthened and some have withered.

We continue to explore a wide range of healing tools, techniques and traditions. Based upon lived experience, a powerful and comprehensive cancer protocol has emerged, which our clients are benefiting from and which we have shared through our work. The mist has cleared and the path ahead is more visible.

This is how we have honoured cancer, and found a new life.

We hope that you will be inspired and find it in yourself to do the same! Please leave your comments, and share your experiences with us in the comments section below.

Reflection

• How would you describe your relationship with cancer: fear or acceptance, friend or foe, trauma or transformation?
• What can you do to ‘honour’ cancer instead of ‘fighting’ it?
• How ready are you to ‘fork in the road’ i.e. change the ‘direction’ of your life and not just re-order your priorities?
• Reflect on your life before and after cancer. What has your cancer experience taught you? How has your worldview changed as a result?

Mind-body medicine

Mind-body medicine is the phrase most commonly used to describe any course of treatment that acknowledges that our thoughts and emotions influence our physical health. Hence, integrating holistic & integrated treatments with chemotherapy is known to bring positive results.

While ancient medicine traditions such as Ayurveda and Chinese medicine have always known about this mind-body connection, modern western medicine or ‘Allopathy’ has seen the mind and the body as separate and, only in recent years, begun to recognise this link.

Research proves the effectiveness of holistic practises

Because of this renewed interest, most prestigious medical bodies in the West are conducting ongoing research in techniques such as Yoga, meditation, energy medicine, relaxation techniques and cognitive behavioural techniques. The results are very positive.

Consequently, acknowledging the role of emotions and reactions in illness and healing means simply, that wellness is now being directly associated with having a robust immune system. This is the basis of mind-body medicine.

The most organised and extensive research, in terms of surveys, trials and published papers, is perhaps done by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, USA (NCCAM) which reviews under one umbrella:

• Traditional medical systems (such as Ayurveda and Chinese Medicine)
• Alternative medical systems (such as Homeopathy and Naturopathy)
• Natural treatments (such as probiotics or mega-nutrients)
• Complementary practices (such as Yoga or Tai-Chi)

Since each of these traditions and techniques are deep and vast, it is important to clarify the basic terminology, before we can begin to choose and consider them for ourselves.

Holistic Chemotherapy as an Integrated cure of Cancer

One often hears the words ‘holistic’ and ‘integrated’ being thrown around and even used interchangeably. However, the words mean very different things and it is useful to clarify this:

• ‘Holistic’ takes into account the ‘whole’ person i.e. body, mind, emotions, relationships and spirit. (This is sometimes referred to as the body-mind-spirit approach)
• ‘Integrated’ is about bringing together different systems of medicine seamlessly, to result in the most effective healing outcome e.g. combining chemotherapy (allopathic medicine) with acupuncture (to boost energy levels) and an Ayurvedic tonic (to strengthen immunity).

To visit the NCCAM website, click here.

Terry Fox, born on July 28, 1958, was an enthusiastic athlete. His passion was basketball. Fox sought to make his school team in the 8th Grade, but his physical education teacher felt he was better suited to be a distance runner. Though he wasn’t all for the sport, he took it up to please his coach.

He continued playing basketball and became a regular player in 9th Grade and earned a starting position in 10th grade. The Terry Fox Cancer story begins after grade 12 when Terry won his high school’s athlete of the year award. Fox was a distance runner and basketball player for his High School and University.

The Obstacle

On November 12, 1976, as 18-year old Fox was driving home, he became distracted by nearby bridge construction, and crashed into the back of a pickup truck. Fox emerged with only a sore right knee which he ignored.

He again felt pain in December, but chose to ignore it until the end of basketball season. But by March 1977, the pain had intensified and he finally went to a hospital, where he was diagnosed with osteosarcoma.

Overcoming the Odds: The Terry Fox Cancer Story

Terry Fox, a normal person like you and me is an icon of inspiration. He was a lively, cheerful person who dedicated his life to his sports. In 1977, when Fox was diagnosed with cancer, he was told that his leg had to be amputated, he would require chemotherapy, and that recent medical advances meant he had only a 50 percent chance of survival.

With an extremely positive attitude; Fox was walking within 3 weeks of his amputation with an artificial leg. Fox’s attitude towards cancer helped a lot in his recovery. He endured sixteen months of chemotherapy and ended his treatment with new purpose.

Rather than simply battle depression, Fox decided to run his own cross-country marathon and raise money and awareness for cancer research. On October 15, 1979, Fox sent a letter to the Canadian Cancer Society in which he told them his goal and appealed for funding.  He told them about his own experience and why he wanted to do this.

Thriving

Fox started at the Atlantic Ocean off Newfoundland, with only a few supporters and very little fanfare. No one paid much attention to Fox as he moved slowly through Quebec, but by the time he reached Ontario, the Canadians start to notice his heroic effort. Fox was suddenly forced into the limelight, for the first time in his 21 years.

About half-way through his now well-publicized journey of 143 days and 5,373 kilometers, the spread of his cancer eventually forced him to end his and ultimately cost him his life though his efforts had a lasting worldwide effect on the public.

Terry Fox is considered a national hero and is every patient’s icon of inspiration. The Terry Fox Cancer Story is truly inspirational.

Reflection

• What physical or mental problems are you ignoring which could trigger illness?
• Be it little things or big, what can you do to bounce back from the cancer depression?
• What direction would you like to take your life, post your cancer treatments?
• Who are you inspired by … and why?
• What about you – and your journey – may be inspiring for others … how can you become a role-model?

Source

Terry Fox Story

Author

Written by Rishika Chengappa, a student of Mass Communications at Mt. Carmel College, Bangalore.

The Organisation

Jagjit Kaur (63), Suman Singh (28) and Urmi Modi (6); If you passed them on the street or in a shop, you’d never guess that they all have had cancer. That is because they are a new breed of people who prefer to “thrive” rather than “survive”; they have all been helped by the Cancer Patients Aid Association (CPAA), Mumbai.

The organisation was founded by Mr. Y.K. Sapru who has been working since 1969 to educate the public on cancer and provide support to those who need it.

In 1990, Mr. Sapru happened to meet Dr. Shubha Maudgal, whose mother had relapsed into cancer and was on the brink of giving up.

Mr. Sapru counseled the old lady, encouraged her to take up chemotherapy again and even introduced them to a doctor who visited them at home to discuss her needs. Dr. Shubha Maudgal went on to work in Bangalore and then to the UK. When she returned in 1998, she decided that she wanted to help cancer patients and joined CPAA.

Benefits of Support Groups

According to Shubha, patients who seek out support groups tend to be self-motivated, curious, positive about their prognosis and want to take control of their own treatments. Of course, the amount of support someone needs is solely dependent on the individual.

She comments that in India, families provide the main support and so patients prefer to forget about the disease rather than seek support from outside.

Support groups commonly provide a range of services to help patients with a range of needs

• Psychological needs are met through counselling
• Information needs are met through lectures, seminars and workshops
• Social needs are met through film screenings, celebrity meetings, outings

How does CPAA Help?

Support groups

Among CPAA’s many initiatives, Shubha and her team have initiated support groups focused on ‘Children’ and ‘Breast cancer’.

• The children’s support group meetings are often about showing the parents and the children that they can live a normal life.
• Whereas, in the Breast Cancer support group, patients are provided information about diet, yoga, etc. and the women share their personal / medical experiences (both joys and vulnerabilities) with each other.

Financial support

CPAA also provides financial support to those patients who need it. They donate drugs, provide prostheses, cover costs of radiation (at certain hospitals), and help with accommodation, travel and education.

Public awareness

CPAA has evolved through the years and many things have changed, most importantly the impact they have had on public awareness. As more people began to pay attention to CPAA’s good work and the cancer cause in general, more and more people have come forward to donate money and their time.

Like all Cancer-support organisations, CPAA too relies on its dedicated volunteers to create their magic … and regularly conducts weekend courses to train volunteers on the basic skills or cancer counselling.

CPAA’s motto:  Total Management of Cancer

In all these years one thing has remained constant: Changing lives for the better … and CPAA has no plans to stop.

To know more about CPAA’s activities, visit their website.

Author

Mithra Murali is a student of Communications at Mt Carmel College, Bangalore. She says “While working on Cancer Awakens, I had the opportunity to meet some great people and learn about new things. I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it!”