Cancer Survivors

Use this forum to discuss the January 2019 Book of the month "Winning the War on Cancer" by Sylvie Beljanski
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kdstrack
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Re: Cancer Survivors

Post by kdstrack »

I cannot imagine what it would be like to hear your doctor pronounce those fatal words. I hope that people who are struggling with this diagnosis will look into the treatment Beljanski offers. It offers hope, not only to the sick, but also to their families.
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Post by dhomespot »

My stepdad's doctors ignored his symptoms until he was stage 4 with an aggressive for of cancer. I wish he would have been told about alternatives. His quality of life was nothing during the last months.
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Post by M Zee »

sarahmarlowe wrote: 21 Jan 2019, 11:01
Cecilia_L wrote: 02 Jan 2019, 14:52 I'm definitely open to alternative medical treatments, but I, too, would like to hear more reactions from cancer survivors regarding this book.
Thank you. Me, too.

I posted this question because I am a survivor. Reading this book elicited many emotions. At first, I felt like I was being shamed for having gone through traditional treatments. I got a little defensive about it, but I tried to put that aside and understand the point of the book. Yes, drug companies and even insurance companies are in business for the money. When I was going through chemotherapy, did the executives of the drug company actually care about me? No. But my oncologist did. And that's where I have to focus my thoughts and questions about this book.

I wondered if my doctor would have suggested alternative therapies if they were available to him. I believe he would have. Even though I went through the whole regimen (numerous surgeries, months of chemo, and months of radiation) my doctor never discouraged me from looking for other treatments. He didn't offer them, but if I asked about supplements or certain food choices, he always encouraged me to try them. He was interested in my well-being. Now, I know that I was blessed to have him as my doctor. Not all oncologists are so open. Nevertheless, I suffer from the after-effects of my treatments years later. I pray I don't have cancer again. If I do, I don't know what kind of treatment I would accept. I don't want to go through chemo again. However, it's a decision that cannot truly be made unless I am sitting across from a doctor knowing that I might die. That puts things in a new perspective.

I do admire the author and her tenacity in finding alternative treatments. I would love to see her be able to get them into mainstream medicine. I pray she keeps knocking down walls -- for all of us!
Thank you for sharing your story. Your journey wasn't easy and I appreciate you talking about it with a group of internet strangers. I came to this thread hoping to hear from cancer survivors about their take on this book before I ventured to pick it up. I wish there were more of those voices among the ones shared here and yours is really important given the nature of this book.

Again, thank you for talking about this and sharing your perspective.
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sarahmarlowe
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Post by sarahmarlowe »

Yes, I would like to hear from more survivors, too. Maybe they will jump into the conversation soon. Thank you for your kind comments.
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Post by mamilla93 »

My family member is fighting cancer now and thanks to this book, I am aware of the different approaches to treating cancer. It was really helpful for her too.
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Post by Cristina Chifane »

One my family members died of cancer some years ago and I wish I had the chance to know more about alternative means of treatment. I would have definitely tried to use them. It could have made all the difference in the world.
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Post by soccerts »

I think that's an aspect that will always be hard. My grandpa died of cancer when my mom was two. She's had the same kind of cancer he did since she was a teenager. She's done surgeries, cutting, burning, alternative medicine -- basically, she's tried it all. Several of the treatments she's undergone could've saved her dad if medical knowledge was as advanced or well-known when he was alive. It's extremely emotional and difficult, but she's still glad for the extra information and perspective she has. People with cancer fight the best they can with what resources they have, and I think there's no single correct way, but every extra idea is a step in the right direction.

My uncle swears by alternative medicine because his leukemia is in remission and he's healthy after feeling like a walking corpse on chemo. My cousin barely survived, but attributes his recovery to modern western medicine. Nobody is wrong here, but I think the perspectives and conversations are good (difficult though they may be).

When I was ten years old, my mom showed me my family history and said, "It's not a matter of 'if' but 'when' you're gonna have to face this," and she told me how to spot early signs and be proactive. I think the gift of information and as many options as possible are vital when tackling cancer.
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Post by Supergirl1 »

I’ve had two friends go through chemo. I can’t say it worked, as they just seemed to get worse and eventually died. Both of them. In my circle, there is a lot of scepticism as to natural cures. There just isn’t enough research to support them.
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Post by Bluebird03 »

I have friends and family members now fighting the war on cancer. And while I cannot imagine being faced with that diagnosis or know for certain just how I would react, I do think someone's treatment choice is their individual decision. No one should be attacked for not taking advantage of certain treatments or for trying others. I think that it is up to that person, in that situation, at that point is their life to decide what is best for them.
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Post by Helen_Combe »

sarahmarlowe wrote: 01 Jan 2019, 20:21 I am curious as to how cancer survivors react to this book. Do you feel like you are learning good information for health maintenance? Do you feel slighted because you would have liked to have known this information earlier? Do you feel attacked for sticking with mainstream treatments?
I’m a cancer survivor and would always go with mainstream medicine. When the alternative medicines have gone through the rigororous testing that makes it mainstream, then I will embrace it.
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Post by Zora C Penter »

Bluebird03 wrote: 04 Feb 2019, 13:11 I have friends and family members now fighting the war on cancer. And while I cannot imagine being faced with that diagnosis or know for certain just how I would react, I do think someone's treatment choice is their individual decision. No one should be attacked for not taking advantage of certain treatments or for trying others. I think that it is up to that person, in that situation, at that point is their life to decide what is best for them.
Well said! While we can always make our own choices, many people around us try to influence our decisions. Even if they have good intentions, the ones closest to us don't understand why we may decide to do something a certain way and try to force their own choices. I wish more people realized that understanding someone doesn't mean agreement.
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Post by ShailaSheshadri »

Winning the War on Cancer looks like an amazing book on alternative treatment for cancer. If a cancer survivor reads this book, he might feel that he would have come across this book earlier. Because this book is a treasure house on traditional alternative treatments for cancer, any cancer patient would have considered reading this book a priority. This book may help a cancer survivor to maintain good health further.
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Post by sarahmarlowe »

Helen_Combe wrote: 04 Feb 2019, 13:52
sarahmarlowe wrote: 01 Jan 2019, 20:21 I am curious as to how cancer survivors react to this book. Do you feel like you are learning good information for health maintenance? Do you feel slighted because you would have liked to have known this information earlier? Do you feel attacked for sticking with mainstream treatments?
I’m a cancer survivor and would always go with mainstream medicine. When the alternative medicines have gone through the rigororous testing that makes it mainstream, then I will embrace it.
Thank you so much for your response! I, too, am a survivor, and that's why I posed this question. Stay strong!
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Post by Olaoluwa_oso »

This book contains some useful information that cancer survivors could do with. No information about health is useless, so cancer survivors could gain some new knowledge from this book.
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Post by angiejack456 »

Helen_Combe wrote: 04 Feb 2019, 13:52
sarahmarlowe wrote: 01 Jan 2019, 20:21 I am curious as to how cancer survivors react to this book. Do you feel like you are learning good information for health maintenance? Do you feel slighted because you would have liked to have known this information earlier? Do you feel attacked for sticking with mainstream treatments?
I’m a cancer survivor and would always go with mainstream medicine. When the alternative medicines have gone through the rigororous testing that makes it mainstream, then I will embrace it.
I agree. There just isn't enough data yet on the effectiveness of alternative medicine. It has potential, but it's got to have adequate testing to prove it's a viable option.
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