Cliff

 The town of Whitsunday is where I have lived for fourteen years, having moved from the suburb of Ryde in Sydney. At my age of 73 years in July [2009], this part of the world is about as good as it gets.

 I will try to keep the following account of my cancer experience as brief as I can and hope it may present others with food for thought, as everybody’s experience is different.

 In late 1982 I noticed signs of light bleeding from the bowel, which was diagnosed from a Barium enema X-ray as a 40mm diameter sigmoid tumour. I postponed the first attempt to have me in surgery as I wanted to know more.

 Through a workmate I met up with a colleague who had a bowel tumour. From him I learnt of Dr Max Gerson, author Ross Horne and also the CISS back when it held meetings at Hunters Hill. I think he may have been a member. Anyway, his story really impressed me. I joined CISS, read the books, and was led to GP Dr Richard Gee, then in Baulkham Hills.

 Dr Gee suggested that I could go to the San Diego Gerson Clinic, or if not, choose to have the surgery there in Sydney and do what I could with the knowledge from Gerson, Horne and the CISS. Being recently divorced with four young children, and undergoing shift work and lots of stress, (a possible cause of cancer?), I chose the latter. Another friend recommended bowel surgeon Dr Walter Hughes, now retired, so Dr Gee referred me.

 The surgery went well, I was back at work in 5 weeks and with ‘raw fruit and vegetables’, juices, exercise, stress reduction, detox, some visualization all happening and both doctors monitoring my progress, until we moved to North Queensland. It wasn’t all ‘beer and skittles’, due to the trauma of bowel resection, but my workmates looked after me on the job, while at home my lovely friend Sue, now wife of 18 years, supported.

 I suppose it was the best part of ten years that Sue and I followed a simple diet of fresh fruit and vegetables, distilled water, relaxation, regular exercise (not extreme), detox via colonic irrigation, and a light form of visualisation.  We avoided most forms of processed foods.   My visits to my GP were sometimes with a group of his patients for passive relaxation.  These were very beneficial as we were a group of cancer patients supporting each other.

 Twenty-six years down the track and in good health, my journey has been much easier than many other cancer patients and I owe a lot of gratitude to the CISS, Drs Gee and Hughes and my friends and family. A special mention here for the CISS, which without Susie and Don Benjamin getting the message out to us in the newsletter, many people would be in dire straights.

 Summarising our way of life today would be that we still avoid processed foods as much as possible.  We always filter our water (we have our own rainwater).  We do not eat very much red meat, preferring lots of fish.  I break out once in a while when we dine out with friends or at functions, but we maintain a sensible way of eating at home.  I am quite partial to a glass of red wine most days.

 My way of dealing with the advent of the diagnosis and to this day is to consider, holistically, that I still live with cancer (as I believe every person has cancer cells in their body), which is controlled by maintaining a strong immune system.  I don’t dwell on the point and enjoy staying aware of holistic natural treatment methods by reading the CISS newsletters over the last 25 years

 A local friend recently had surgery and chemo for bowel/liver cancer, which was his initial choice of treatment, but after two and a half sessions of chemo he felt it was killing him so ceased the chemo and is doing well with laetrile, having found someone who succeeded in dealing with a similar cancer using laetrile. Early on I had discussed his problem with him and had mentioned laetrile so I was really happy for him finding someone who had first hand experience with it. He is very angry (not good for his stress I tell him) that the chemo has left him with peripheral and abdominal pain for which he is still taking low dosage morphine. He is told his cancer symptoms seem to be okay at this time. He found Don’s article in VOL 29 NO 2 excellent [“Cancer, Evidence and Informed Choice” – about the lack of proven benefits using orthodox therapies]. He wants to “sue someone”.

 Once again, a very big thanks to the Benjamin duo.