The-Gawler-Cancer-Program-since-1981

She propped herself in the corner of a sofa so she could stay upright. Her head wobbled and from time to time her eyes seem to loose focus and wander uncontrollably. The time was the 16th of September 1981; the lady in question had an advanced brain tumour and a prognosis in terms of weeks. The occasion was the first ever meeting of the Melbourne Cancer Support Group and my friend from way back then is still alive.

At 2pm on Friday 24th November 2017 I will conclude my last cancer residential program.

During these past 36 years I have experienced and witnessed so many remarkable things.

People learning how to live well and to die well.

People recovering against the odds.

People combining to help and support each other.

The delight of shared human experience.

So much gratitude for the many outstanding people who contributed to this work. So much frustration with the lack of interest, understanding and uptake by large sections of the medical profession; the welcome and increasing support from those with more vision and base intelligence.

And a blend of satisfaction and disappointment with the slow but steady increase in availability of the programs more widely - happy to see so many groups around the world offering this work; dismay that my own Foundation needed to cease offering the non-residential cancer programs for lack of uptake and now is reducing the 10 day residential program from 10 to 5 days to match demand.

What we can be certain of is that everything changes. It is time for me to change and so this week, time for gratitude; time to acknowledge some of the wonderful pioneering people who have made what has been accomplished so far possible, but first

Thought for the day : The Ultimate Attainment


The past is already past;
Do not try to regain it.
The present does not stay;
Do not try to touch it.
From moment to moment,
The future has not come;
Do not think about it
Beforehand.

Whatever comes to the eye,
Leave it be.
There are no commandments
To be kept;
There is no filth to be cleansed.
With empty mind really penetrated, 
The dharmas have no life.

When you can be like this,
You have completed
The ultimate attainment.


P'ang Yün - 8th century Zen Master



The full list of who to thank goes on forever, but maybe it is possible to thank those who were the first in their respective arenas; the pioneers…

Co-founder
The first to thank is my first wife Grace who helped establish the Melbourne Cancer Support Group and then the Foundation. Grace used her experience of helping me to recover and went on to study naturopathy with Dorothy Hall. She spoke to so many people on the telephone in the early days, led some groups and helped develop the program; a huge contribution.

First publicity
Back in 1981The Age featured my story on its Saturday edition the week before the program started. This informed the public of what was on offer and ensured good attendance right from the beginning.

The first group
Much gratitude to that first group. They trusted me enough and were inspired by my story enough to give what was on offer a go; and in doing so, established that the program was worth persevering with. It all developed from them.

First therapist
Mike Sowerby was a vet student when he developed cancer of the kidney. He recovered without medical treatment, joined us with little relevant training but  used his experience, intelligence and insight to become highly effective. Mike went on to study Jungian psychology amongst other things and continues to work in WA.

So many exceptional, dedicated, compassionate, wise therapists have followed in Mike’s footsteps.

First receptionist/administrator
Barbara Bowman came when we opened our first pokey little office in a suburban shopping strip in Mont Albert and did her best helping us to develop systems to support the program.

Then so many amazingly dedicated staff over the ensuing years; so many.

Not always easy working in the pressure cooker of helping those facing major illness, but so much gratitude for the dedication and the ability to put the needs of those we were helping first and foremost and for creating such a welcoming, supportive and healing atmosphere.

                                                                                                  Staff Christmas party 2009
First volunteer
Not sure who this would have been as many people came forward from the very earliest days with offers to help. At one stage in the late 80s, The Foundation had provided extensive training to a team of around 200 volunteers who provided individual support to every person who joined the Melbourne Cancer Support Group; but then we have relied on volunteers in so many aspects of this work.

First President
In 1983 The Foundation became an Incorporated Association - a not-for-profit, charitable institution with tax-deductible status. First president was Morrie Watts, husband of Bessie who had experienced a remarkable recovery from breast cancer after attending the groups.

Over the years there have been many Presidents, many board members and being those who take ultimate responsibility for the Foundation everyone involved owes them much gratitude.

First patron/ mentor
Sir Edward “Weary” Dunlop was father to one of my University friends and took an interest in this cancer work from its earliest days. While never a “formal” patron, Weary launched You Can Conquer Cancer while Patron of the Anti-Cancer Council as it was back then and gave strong support to our work helping people with cancer to help themselves. It was a privilege and a delight to meet with him regularly, to discuss and seek his wise counsel on issues as the unfolded around the Foundation.


First major donors
Dorothy and Ken Edglow, Bill McHarg and David Bardas combined to make the purchase of the Yarra Valley land possible in 1984 and gave the impetus to its on-going development.

It is obvious that without tremendous community support from donors big and small the Foundation would have been unable to help as many people as it has; maybe it would not even still exist today; so these people deserve a great deal of gratitude.




First researcher
Embarrassing, but I cannot remember the name of the man who in the late 80s dedicated 2 years of his time in an attempt to set up a research program for us. (Can anyone help me with this name?) Those were the days when computers were rudimentary, and in the end nothing publishable was accomplished.

It is a deep regret that we were never able to develop an effective research program at the Foundation. To be frank, in the early days we were poorly advised around what to do; in later days when we did employ qualified researchers and collaborated with external researchers, what we were able to accomplish was simply inadequate - mostly due to lack of funding and support from external people and institutions.

I do wonder how expensive the new drugs need to get before someone seriously looks at what we do for so little cost and researches it seriously. It is amazing that over the 36 years, there has only been one really good study on outcome - the Ornish study from way back in 2005; and that it demonstrated singifican t benefits and yet no one to date has even tried to replicate that study. Cannot imagine that outcome if the study had shown the benefits of a new drug!

Maybe one day ….

First business manager
Scott Crisp was the first to take on this role and laid the foundation for many good people to come.


First cook

Dorothy Edgelow set up the Foundation kitchens, established the first menus, wrote the first cookbooks.

Dorothy set the tone for the kitchen catering staff becoming a focus of care and nurturing for all those who attend residential programs.

First gardener
Peter LeRay, a dedicated biodynamic and deeply spiritual gardener set up the Foundation’s first garden at Yarra Junction.

It had a wonderful circular layout; is where the open ground for Chi Gung and yoga is now, and moved up the hill to enable larger scale fruit and vegetable production.

What a great team of gardeners have built on Peter’s legacy!





First masseur/body therapist
I think this would have been Trevor Steele. Trevor was a wonderful, whimsical and deeply caring therapist and an excellent masseur. There has been a wonderful team follow in his footsteps.

First musician
Hans Henzler had a night job at the famous Cuckoo Restaurant in the Dandenong Hills, a wonderful deep bass voice and an infectious warmth that got people into communal sing at our early residential programs.

Since then we seem to have specialized in harpists, but many other musicians have added the meditative healing benefits of their talents.

So to conclude; a profound sense of deep gratitude to all who have contributed to this cancer work, and to repeat

The past is already past;
Do not try to regain it.
The present does not stay;
Do not try to touch it.
From moment to moment,
The future has not come;
Do not think about it
Beforehand.

Everything changes…

Dramatic changes in cancer medicine over the last 35years

If you had been diagnosed with cancer 35 years ago, in all probability you would have approached it very differently to how you might today; and the treatment and manner in which you would have been treated would also have been very different.

It being 35 years since the very first meeting of the Melbourne Cancer Support Group (16th September 1981), it seems timely to record observations of these far reaching changes. So what follows is a major piece that examines the changes in many areas. This is longer than the average post by quite a way, so settle in; maybe a cup of tea???,  but first


     Thought for the day
Physical quietness 
Seems the easiest to achieve, 
Although there are levels and levels of this too, 
As attested by the ability of Hindu mystics 
To live buried alive for many days. 

Mental quietness, 
In which one has no wandering thoughts at all, 
Seems more difficult, but can be achieved. 

But value quietness, 
In which one has no wandering desires at all 
But simply performs the acts of his life without desire; 
That seems the hardest.

                                        Robert Persig


Changes in Cancer Medicine over the last 35 years

Meditation

Has gone from being very much on the fringe and treated with generalized suspicion, to having a powerful Evidence Base and widespread support amongst Health Professionals and the public.

In cancer medicine specifically, there is very strong anecdotal evidence for meditation’s widespread benefits. The Evidence Base for quality of life benefits is so strong that they have to be accepted. However, remarkably, despite over 7,000 studies having been published on meditation, including for many health interventions, there are still no outcome trials published with meditation as a therapeutic intervention for cancer.





Mindfulness

Has gone from being virtually unknown as a word or technique in 1981 to the flavor of the month that has no prospect of going away.

Mindfulness has been branded as secular meditation and as such has overcome many of the boundaries meditation faced in earlier days.

The very positive anecdotal evidence (as in what people say about their practice) and the strong Evidence Base is similar to that for meditation – and overlaps quite a deal.






Therapeutic Nutrition

Has gone from being ridiculed at worst and misunderstood at best by the medical profession, to now having an emerging Evidence Base that is becoming compelling.

However, despite this, most doctors seem to fail to grasp the powerful, positive therapeutic potential nutrition offers to those affected by cancer. This failure is still reflected in the community where therapeutic nutrition is still often undervalued and therefore overlooked.

The single most powerful determinant in this error of omission – failing to recognize the value of, and actively promoting, therapeutic nutrition – is the ongoing lack of nutritional training for doctors.


As a veterinarian by my own original training, I continue to be amazed by this deficit, and feel a deep sadness for all those people who would be helped if their doctors encouraged them to attend to what they eat.

Emotional Health and Healing

Has gone from being a non-issue in society to becoming highly visible.

In 1981, as a young decathlon athlete I had my right leg amputated through the hip. My surgeon was a kind, compassionate man and I felt his distress and compassion; however, no one offered me any counseling, no one addressed my emotional health. No one considered how my emotional state might affect my future – either in terms of risk of suicide, general wellbeing or regarding a relapse.

These days, depression and suicide are such big community concerns the whole landscape has changed. These issues are spoken of openly and the link between emotional state and body function is clear.

Mental Health, State of Mind and Healing

Often labeled as “Positive Thinking”, in 1981 this field had popular support amongst the community. Doctors often said “well, can’t imagine it will do any good, but at least it probably will do no harm”. So it, along with our groups, was tolerated and generally thought of as being somewhat useful.

Around a decade ago, there came a fad to attack Positive Thinking. My own understanding of this was that the criticism grew out of a lack of understanding. There is a big difference between Wishful Thinking – where you hope for the best and do nothing about it, and Positive Thinking – where you hope for the best AND you do a lot about it.

My sense is the criticism was aimed at Wishful Thinking, and this seems fair enough. However, some did not realize that Positive Thinking is not just a state of mind. Positive Thinking is an invitation to hard work, to doing a lot about fulfilling good intentions – like actually changing what you eat and meditating regularly, not just dreaming about doing it some day.

In cancer medicine specifically, the field of Psycho-oncology has emerged as a major specialty that studies and therapeutically applies the links between emotions, mind and body. The peak body for practitioners in this field is the International Psycho-oncolgy Society; a group I have been a member of for about 20 years.

Death and Dying

Yes, things have changed here too!

In 1981, this was close to being a taboo subject across the community.

Along came Elizabeth Kubler-Ross (fond memories of her visit to our centre in the mid 80s) and the conversations opened.

My life’s work and the Gawler Foundation itself may well be known for helping people overcome the many challenges cancer presents, however, one thing we have done particularly well since those very early days – and we do not seem to be so well known for this – is that we have helped many people along with their families and friends to experience a good death.




Cancer Medicine

In 1981 mainstream cancer treatment was all about surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. Five year survival rates on average for all people diagnosed with cancer was about 50%. Often the treatments were pretty tough on the patients.

In 2016, there is a general acceptance amongst the Oncology world that the limits of future benefits achievable from better forms of surgery, chemotherapy as it was and radiotherapy may well have been reached. This being said, improvements in these fields has taken the 5 year survival average to around 65% - a significant gain, and management of treatment side-effects is much better.

What is emerging are new “Biologically Elegant“ forms of treatment. The most notable of these has been the recent emergence of Immuno-therapies that can activate and target the bodies own immune system against an individual’s cancer.

These treatments of real hope for longer term survival for some (often small) groups of patients, but come at high cost (often $100,000 - $150,000 per person per year), can have tough side-effects and are currently somewhat unpredictable in who they will actually help.

However, clearly what these treatments do prove is that the immune system can be a powerful therapeutic force in cancer medicine. I remember being ridiculed for putting forward this hypothesis as a way of explaining the regular spectacular long term recoveries we saw back in those early days of the ‘80s (and continue to see). Times do change…

Worth commenting too - it seems far more younger people are being diagnosed with cancer, and for them, their cancers often seem to be more aggressive. Highlights the need for more attention going to prevention

Palliative Care
In the ‘80s people were often told by well meaning, and often quite disappointed doctors (who to be fair often did not communicate all that well) that there was nothing more that could be done for them medically except to refer them to Palliative Care.

Palliative Care in the ‘80s was about caring for people as they went through the process of dying. No treatment as such was involved.

In current time, I suggest that in Cancer Medicine, Palliative Care is better described as Palliative Treatment.

Nowadays many are maintained on chemotherapy, all too often vigorously, and one has to wonder at the balance between quality of life issues and the small gains that maybe follow in survival times.

There is also much comment in the medical literature regarding the financial costs of this palliative Treatment and what economic forces are driving it.

One major effect of this change is that in the ‘80s, people in a Palliative Care situation knew where they stood. They were told nothing could be done for them medically, so if they still aspired to recover, they knew they needed to be very thorough.

These days many are between camps as it were.

Please be clear here. I am not against medical treatment in any form. Much of it is particularly useful and effective. Obviously. Yet equally obviously we need to be able to observe and comment when it is limited, is not used well, or has unwanted effects on those it intends to help.

So, today, many people affected by cancer that have a poor prognosis are being offered Palliative Treatment. This is not intended to cure, but may help with symptoms and extend survival. Good intentions.

In fact, what this means is that many of these people pin their hopes on the external treatment. Many in fact form the fantasy that the Palliative Treatment will actually become curative, despite being told this is highly unlikely (again to be clear – unlikely, but not impossible. I have known people who have used their own resources to create a cure around a palliative treatment, so this whole field is somewhat tricky.)

But for many, their attention to self-help options is lessened. In my experience, this may well diminish the chance of unexpected, long-term recovery.

The media
Wow! How this has changed. In the early years, the Press consisted of the print media, radio and TV. All were genuinely interested in this work, gave us very good press, and when they arranged debates gave both sides a fair and equitable voice.

In more recent times the media has become incredibly diverse. Social media has emerged as a major means for communication and spawned a whole new field of expertise that many has left behind and made it much harder for small groups to reach their audience. Tabloid journalism has become a much bigger influence on people’s opinions.

Another new phenomena is that courtesy of Google, anything adverse has the potential to stick around for years. Some media experts would advise that even speaking of this is unwise, but it is a very unhelpful fact.

Enough to say that since 1981 there have been many thousands of people deeply grateful for attending the cancer groups and personally, I am very grateful to the media for helping to change community awareness when it comes to what a person affected by cancer can do for themselves.

Books

In 1981, there were very few cancer self-help books.

The Simonton’s Getting Well Again (first published 1978) focused on Guided Imagery and psychology and was well on its way to becoming a classic, while Larry Le Shan’s You Can Fight For Your Life: Emotional Factors in the Treatment of Cancer (1980) was another great book of the few that has stood the test of time.

Most of the nutrition books represented particular viewpoints like The Kelley Diet or Gerson’s A Cancer Therapy – results of 50 cases.

You Can Conquer Cancer was first published in 1984 and was possibly the world’s first book on the truly integrated approach to cancer management from the patient’s perspective. It has remained in continuous print since, has been majorly revised recently and translated into over a dozen languages.

Giving You Can Conquer Cancer to someone recently diagnosed with cancer remains my best suggestion as a starting point.

Those directly affected by cancer
Back in the 80s, most people came to our cancer groups driven by fear. They suffered from a lack of information and often felt like they were in a hopeless situation.

From the groups, they learnt there was so much they could do (the groups were a source of
information), that recovery was possible; maybe not easy, but possible – and hope was created.

Many did have unexpected long-term recoveries, many extended their lives significantly. Most found a new level of meaning, purpose and inner peace. It was amazing to be a part of it all.

Now in 2016, some do still come to the groups driven by fear, however, many more come recognising that there is a lot they can do to help themselves and that they need help to learn how best to use their own resources to manage their illness and to contribute to their survival.

Most come over-loaded with information. From the groups they learn more about how to prioritize what they could do – what is useful, what to leave out. The groups act as a filter for all that information.

Having been in existence for over 35 years, these groups are the repository of so much information and experience that we can talk to people directly – from the research and from the accumulated experience of so many people who have attended over the year. It continues to be amazing to be a part of it all.


Research
In1981 there was virtually nothing in this field.

In 1984 I was invited by the Peter Mac Hospital to consider a joint research project with them and the Anti-Cancer Council as it was in those days. This suggestion was quashed by the Anti-Cancer Council.

As an organization, during the late 80s we then put quite some energy into developing our own in house research project. We actually attempted too big a study and could not manage it.

We then began ongoing collaborations external research projects examining quality of life benefits,
and one that looked at survival times. These collaborations have continued on over the years and I imagine would still be taken up as new opportunities present.

We did combine with Monash Medical School and all its resources, headed by Dr Craig Hassed, and twice approached the Cancer Council for major funding for an outcome study. Unfortunately, despite the best efforts of all, these were not successful.

The lack of research into the impact of a Lifestyle Medicine based self help group on cancer patient survival seems an area of omission. Cynics say there is no money to be gained from finding out if self-help interventions are effective.

For me, I just look forward to when some major organization or philanthropist puts up the fairly considerable amount of money required to fund such a study. My sense is many people would like to see the results.

SUMMARY



We change.

Life changes.

Cancer management changes.

It continues to be amazing to be a part of it all.

Are you contributing to change?

Resisting change?

Or just going with the flow???




COMING RETREATS 

Meditation Retreat - coming very soon!
Ruth and I, with the help of Liz Stillwell, will personally lead our next 7 day meditation retreat in New Zealand :  October 22 - 28.

Next Aussie one, April 2017 in the Yarra Valley.

In NZ, we will give attention to the major experiences of deeper meditation – stillness, clarity and bliss. We will explore these states experientially and examine their relevance in an ongoing and satisfying meditation practice.

This promises to be one of the very best retreats – well worth travelling from Australia to attend, or making the journey to the glorious Mana Retreat Centre from anywhere around New Zealand.

ALL DETAILS – CLICK HERE


Specific cancer residential programs 

8 days In Wanaka New Zealand 
- November 3 - 10
This is a comprehensive program focusing on activating and targeting the immune system, accelerating healing, much more on a therapeutic lifestyle, along with a range of strategies for heightening emotional health and wellbeing.

Again we will have the incomparable help of Liz Stillwell and the amazing Stew Burt - the ideal starting point for everyone affected by cancer.

5 days in the Yarra Valley : November 14 - 18
More designed as a follow-up cancer program for those who have done a previous program with Ruth and myself, the Foundation, or one of its affiliates. Call the Foundation for details of eligibility.

ALL DETAILS – CLICK HERE

How cancer forms and 7 things your own body can do about it

It comes as no surprise to know many people are deeply scared by cancer. For many, just about everything about it is one big scary mystery.

Yet science can tell us a good deal about why and how cancer develops, and better still, tell us about the multiple defenses our own bodies have against it. Great information on which to base a personal prevention or treatment program.

So this week, how we can work with the body to prevent or recover from cancer. Great information – please share and in doing so, reduce the fears and help raise confidence in our own bodies, our own capacities to prevent and recover from cancer.

This blog comes amidst the series of posts related to my personal retreat these past 3 months; next week, the next exciting episode! But first

            Thought for the day

Basketball is an intricate, high-speed game 
filled with split-second, spontaneous decisions. 
But that spontaneity is possible 
only when everyone first engages in hours 
of highly repetitive and structured practice
- perfecting their shooting, dribbling, 
and passing and running plays 
over and over again
- and agrees to play a carefully defined role on the court.

            Spontaneity is not random. 

                                  Malcolm Gladwell


Cancer genesis
Cancer cells form in the body after normal cells undergo damage to specific genes called oncogenes. When a cell in the body reproduces itself, it is the oncogenes that determine whether the new cell will become a healthy one or a cancer cell.

All cell lines – such as skin cells, breast cells, prostate cells and so on, have their own specific oncogenes. There are usually 2 to 4 of them and it takes a series of damages to convert a healthy oncogene into one that will cause cancer.

The causes of cancer
Research tells us that most of what causes this genetic damage is related to our lifestyle – what we eat, whether we smoke or not and so on. More details are in You Can Conquer Cancer. Obviously, avoiding the causes is the key to cancer prevention.

Our body’s defenses
However, even when oncogenes are damaged and activated, clinical cancer is not always the result. Many scientists are of the view that this genetic damage is occurring on a daily basis in everyone's body and the most conservative view is that potential cancer cells form at least 40 times during our lifetime.

Clearly, not everyone develops cancer and this is because the body has its own series of defenses that are designed to recognize potential cancer cells and destroy them before they become a problem.

Genes that repair genes
One of the first ways the body does this is that it has genes that actually have the job of repairing damaged genes.

Front line defense
Next, the immune system is the body’s front line defense system. It has many responsibilities including recognizing unhealthy tissue within the body, destroying or removing unhealthy tissue and restoring health.

Camouflage
With cancer, this is much easier when potential cancer masses are quite small, as one thing cancer does as it grows is to coat itself with what is effectively a camouflage layer that makes it difficult or impossible for the immune system to recognize it as a problem. Anything that disrupts this “camouflage”, opens the cancer to direct attack from the immune system.

Angiogenesis
Another critical issue for cancer to grow and become larger is that it needs to develop its own blood supply. This process is called angiogenesis and anything that disrupts it weakens the cancer. If angiogenesis is halted, the cancer is starved of nutrients and dies.

Metabolic disruption
Once cancer has developed into a significant mass, it has its own metabolic needs. Anything that disrupts this metabolism can weaken the cancer and if the disruption is severe enough, it will kill it.

A useful metaphor here comes from the garden where plants have their own preferences. For example, camellias thrive in acid soil and are severely weakened or die when planted in alkaline soils.

In much the same way, changing the milieu in the body, manipulating the metabolic environment in the body through things like therapeutic nutrition can have a direct influence on cancer cells.

Many of the ways in which therapeutic lifestyle approaches influence cancer can be explained by how they influence the above factors.

New biologically elegant treatments target the above factors, for example:

1. A great deal of research is going into how to reverse oncogene damage and switch the oncogenes back to normal.

2. Treatments aimed at enhancing immune function have been around for many years and continue to be actively researched.

3. Promising research has found a major protein that builds the cancer’s camouflage and targeted immunology offers the possibility of removing it, laying the cancer open to be recognized and attacked by our immune system.

4. Anti-angiogenesis agents are called angiostatins and some of these are already being used clinically while further research continues.

5. Many new targeted therapies aim to disrupt cancer’s metabolism.

Application through 
guided imagery

An understanding of how cancer develops is also very helpful for people aiming to use guided imagery and this is a large and exciting topic in its own right.

But as just one example, we know that in hypnotherapy the mind can be trained to stop bleeding.

If that same principle were to be used to stop blood flow to a tumour (ie to have an angiostatic effect and reverse what is shown in the above diagram), that tumour would be destroyed very quickly.

Exciting possibilities…. That are at the heart of what we call "Accelerated Healing" - see the related blogs below.

RESOURCES
BOOKS
You Can Conquer Cancer , Ian Gawler - chapters on causes of cancer, therapeutic nutrition and lifestyle, and guided imagery.

The Mind that Changes Everything , Ian Gawler – details on guided imagery

CD or Download
The Gawler Cancer Program – has all the above information plus more that you can share or listen to over and over to help with understanding and confidence.

RELATED BLOGS
Accelerated Healing 101 - Part 1

Accelerated Healing 101 - Part 2

NOTICEBOARD

The last meditation retreat and more specific cancer residential program Ruth and I will present in 2015 are both rapidly approaching. Both are in fabulous New Zealand :) 

Details of all coming programs  are on our website: www.iangawler.com/events, and here are these next two:

NEXT MEDITATION RETREAT
Meditation Under the Long White Cloud   24 - 30 October 2015

7 day retreat at Mana Retreat Centre, Coromandel Peninsula, New Zealand

                 Take time out from the busyness of everyday life; spend time with your self
           Slow down, reflect, contemplate – regain perspective, vitality, balance and clarity
      Deepen your understanding and experience of mindfulness, contemplation and meditation

Full details, CLICK HERE


SPECIFIC CANCER RESIDENTIAL PROGRAM

MIND-BODY MEDICINE and CANCER    November  2015    Tuesday 10th to Saturday 14th

Five day Residential program in the beautiful surrounds of Wanaka, New Zealand
- an easy drive from Queenstown airport and very accessible for Australians

This program is open to anyone affected by cancer. Health professionals interested to learn more of this work are also welcome to attend.

While the focus of this program is on therapeutic meditation and nutrition, the power of the mind and emotional health, ample time will be given to answering any questions you may have relating to the Gawler program - exercise, positive thinking, healing, balancing medical options, successful ways of dealing with setbacks, sustaining your good intentions and the relevance of finding meaning in life to healing and recovery.

FULL DETAILS Click here

Integrated oncology - why cancer management necessitates a broad approach

This is an important post that I hope you might share with anyone you know affected by cancer. It sets out my concerns for many facing a diagnosis of cancer today; they may well be missing out on what could dramatically improve their quality of life, as well as what could even save their life.


Here is the thing. For many years I worked as a veterinarian. I loved that work.

Over the last 30 years I have worked with people affected with cancer. I continue to love that work, but let us be very clear.

A dog with a broken leg has a simple health issue to manage. It does not need to attend a support group to learn how to cope with its illness and give itself the best chance of recovery.


By contrast, any person diagnosed with cancer who does not attend an educational support group to learn how to manage their illness and give themselves the best chance of recovery is severely limiting their chances.

So this week, lets go Out on a Limb once more and examine why this is so and why an integrated approach to cancer management is mandatory, but first

Thought for the Day

                                            May you find in me the Mother of the World.

                                            May my heart be a mother’s heart, 
                                            My hands be a mother’s hands.

                                            May my response to your suffering 
                                            Be a mother’s response to your suffering.


                                             May I sit with you in the dark, 
                                             Like a mother sits in the dark.

                                             May you know through our relationship 
                                             That there is something in this world that can be trusted.

                                             Anonymous letter from a young Medical student

Working as a veterinarian, much of it was simple in the relative scheme of things. Take repairing a broken leg for example. The cause was something everyone could agree upon. Little Johnny left the side-gate open, the dog ran onto the road, the car hit the dog. Broken leg. Simple.

Diagnosis was usually simple. Maybe a clinical examination was enough; if an X Ray was needed the benefit far outweighed the risk. The cost was modest. Simple.

Then repair would involve immobilization, maybe even surgery, but again, simple.

The healing phase too was straight forward. A dog can eat just about anything and a broken leg will heal.

The dog’s emotions seem to be of no concern to the healing process; and what is going on in the dog’s head, its thoughts, just like its spiritual life – no problem. In fact, it is all simple!

Best of all with a broken leg, the final outcome is generally good. They nearly always heal. Well.


In fact, it is common knowledge that as broken bones heal they often over-compensate so that the part that was broken often ends up stronger than the original bone. This fact spawned the New Age healing saying “We get stronger at the broken places”.

Contrast all of this with the complexity involved when a human being is dealing with cancer.

When it comes to the cause, cancer is known to be a multi-factorial, chronic degenerative disease. People commonly ask after diagnosis “Why me? How did this happen to me?” While much is known in answer to the basic question, for the individual concerned, the full story it is usually far from simple.

Then there is diagnosis. Often complicated. Often expensive. Sometimes there are contradictory test results. Interpretation is not so easy. Sometimes diagnosis is missed or delayed.




When it comes to treatment it is a sad fact that most current cancer treatments are quite tough on the person involved, and by extension, their families and friends.

Most are becoming incredibly expensive.

Clearly too, not everyone survives a cancer diagnosis. Around one third die in the first 5 years.


Far from simple.



Then when it comes to the healing phase - that phase that accompanies and goes on after any medical treatment - just about everything you can think of has some part to play. What someone eats influences outcome. Exercise. Sunlight. Emotional health. Mental state. Accessing the power of the mind. Spiritual life. Mind-Body Medicine. Just about everything warrants attention.

For some, the choices they make in this arena can truly make the difference between life and death.

Then there are other things to consider. Complementary therapies. Alternatives. How family and friends are coping. How they can be helpful rather than a hindrance. Financial issues. Finding meaning. Life after cancer. Reconciling death. And on and on.

Clearly, every aspect of cancer management is complex.

If someone diagnosed with cancer were to concentrate on just one aspect of the disease, like the medical treatment, they would be missing so many other important aspects. If someone diagnosed with cancer was to attempt to sort out all the complex issues on their own, how could we possibly imagine they would succeed?


Management of cancer demands an integrated approach. This means approaching the significance of the disease, its personal meaning, and its recovery by considering the body, the emotions, the mind and the spirit.



An integrated approach also involves working with an integrated team of health professionals as well as giving a pre-eminent place to consideration of what the person can do for themselves.

Attending to the latter effectively, learning what to do for yourself, is most effectively accomplished in a group setting. Residential programs are ideal as they provide the opportunity to withdraw from day-to-day life, to find genuine hope, to experience the recommended lifestyle changes such as the therapeutic foods and meditation, to learn from peers, to be inspired, to learn and to make good choices.

Sometimes I do miss the simplicity of my old veterinary days when treating broken bones was a simple delight. But actually, working with people amidst the complexity of managing cancer, seeing how well people do in body, mind and spirit when following this integrated path, helping to sort out the complexity, finding peace of mind amidst all this; being a part of all this is even more extra-ordinary – and wonderful.

RELATED BLOG
The Cancer Council, the survivors and the book
This is an important post that chronicles the Cancer Council of Australia’s position statement on Complimentary and Alternative therapies. If you have not seen it already, it is must reading and it may help inform discussions with some medical staff – if they need reminding of what their guidelines are. Another vital post to share with those in need.

RESOURCES
BOOK
You Can Conquer Cancer This is an ideal introduction for anyone affected by cancer who is interested to know what they can do to help themselves, or how they can help the one they love.

CDs or Downloads
The Gawler Cancer Program: Outlines how cancer develops and how this self help approach can help the healing.

What to do when someone you love has cancer: Essential listening providing clear guidance for those supporting people affected by cancer, whether family, friends or health professionals.

PROGRAMS
Ruth and I really enjoy leading specific cancer residential programs together, as well as the much more general meditation retreats we present.

In 2015, we will be presenting two follow-up 5 day residential cancer programs for the Gawler Foundation plus another in New Zealand for Canlive. We will also present one full 8 day program (also in New Zealand for Canlive) that will be well suited to anyone who has not done a program with us before – see more details below. Australians are welcome in NZ and vice-versa!

Also, The Gawler Foundation (where I am no longer on full time staff) presents regular cancer residential programs that are world class (in fact I doubt that there is anything to reasonably compare with the quality of what is being presented by the Gawler team!) Link here


NEWS

The world lost one of its bright flames recently.


Many who read this blog will have come to know Jess Ainscough, The Wellness Warrior in some way. Jess is featured in the related blog linked above. I was fortunate to know her over the years and was deeply saddened by her death.


It has been even more saddening to read some of the ill-informed commentary on her life choices and her influence since she has died.


Those of us who had the good fortune to know Jesse well knew her for what she was – an incredibly bright and positive person who made considered choices in the face of her own very difficult circumstances, and who inspired many with hope in a well measured way.

Jane Treleaven has written a wonderful piece on her own reaction/ response to Jess’ death; it is highly recommended. LINK HERE


NEXT SPECIFIC CANCER PROGRAMS
CANCER and BEYOND

May 2015   Monday 4th at 11am to Friday 8th at 2pm

Five Day Residential Follow-up Program at the Gawler Foundation in the Yarra Valley 

This program is specifically designed for those with cancer or in remission, along with their support people who have attended a previous Gawler Foundation program or equivalent such as with Sabina Rabold, CSWA, Cancer Care SA, CanLive NZ, or with the Gawlers

A unique opportunity to meet with like-minded people once again, to consolidate what you already know, to learn more from the combined knowledge, have a real rest, to reaffirm your good intentions, and to go home refreshed and revitalised.

FULL DETAILS Click here 

CANCER, HEALING and WELLBEING

Eight day Residential Program in New Zealand   May 15th  –  22nd , 2015

All welcome with a diagnosis or in remission; attendance with a partners and support people welcome.

This program will guide you through all the self-healing principles:
. Therapeutic nutrition
. Practical positive thinking
. Therapeutic meditation, plus the healing power of imagery and contemplation
. Accelerated healing
. Healthy, healing emotions
. Getting the most out of conventional medical treatments and minimising side-effects
. Being most effective as a support person/carer, and to looking after yourself in the process.

I will be leading most of the main sessions, with support from Ruth and 2 exceptional New Zealanders. We live-in for the full program so there is plenty of time for questions and personal interaction.

This program is organized and supported by Canlive New Zealand.

FULL DETAILS Click here

Inspiration, Hope and Direction – Great cancer survival stories

Paul Kraus - Long term survival from mesothelioma

There is something incredibly powerful in the sharing of real human stories. Especially when it comes to surviving against the odds.

Sure statistics and research are useful, but stories add so much more. In the sharing of direct experience, personal stories inspire us, they offer real hope and they inform how we might respond if faced with difficulties of our own.

Ruth and I are in the fortunate situation where we meet remarkable survivors regularly. For example, just last week in Sydney during the course of presenting an evening seminar, 3 such people met up with us once more and recounted their long-term cancer survival stories following coming to one of our programs many years ago.

Last week too, I had lunch with Paul Kraus and his wife Sue; Paul probably being the longest survivor of mesothelioma in Australia and the author of Surviving Cancer. Sharing a brief account of his story on my Facebook page led to a huge, appreciative response and it is this that has inspired me to share his amazing story more fully in this post, then to regularly document and share the stories of others in future blogs. But first

              
       Thought for the day

As a single footstep will not make a path on the earth,

So a single thought will not make a pathway in the mind. 

To make a deep physical path, we walk again and again. 

To make a deep mental path, we must think over and over

The kind of thoughts we wish to dominate our lives.


                         Henry David Thoreau 





It seems almost impossible to me to imagine what it would be like to be born in a concentration camp. Not only was Paul Kraus actually born in one of the notorious Austrian concentration camps, but he survived the first 9 months of his life in that most inhospitable of environments.

This fact says so much about what an incredible mother Paul had, but also of his own tenacity and basic resilience. Paul’s mother managed to escape through the camp’s barbed wire before the allies arrived as she feared many incarcerated there would be killed before the liberation.

To eventually ending up in Australia must have seemed like coming to a polar opposite – literally on the opposite side of the world, and a country with such different freedoms and opportunities. Paul converted to Christianity and his spiritual life has been central to all he does. He spent much of his working life as a high school history teacher, having completed a Master of Arts and Education.

In June 1997 Paul was diagnosed with widespread abdominal mesothelioma. The prognosis was very poor – months not years. In consultation with his doctors, Paul gave long consideration to medical treatment options and due to the poor predicted outcomes, decided to decline all, including surgery.

Wife Sue had read You Can Conquer Cancer some 6 months earlier and the two of them joined a 10 day cancer program at the Gawler Foundation’s Yarra Valley Living Centre.


There, at first meeting, Paul made quite an impression on me. Paul was so keen to learn and do whatever he could to recover, but also he had an extremely high level of anxiety.


Obviously Paul consents to his personal details being shared and he has well documented his transformation in his own words, but the main point here is that during the program Paul found the hope he needed.

              Paul and myself early March 2015

Paul had arrived at the program hoping to recover, but with little idea of how that might be possible. Genuine hope is more than just wishing for a good outcome. Genuine hope is implicit upon the fact that what you wish for is possible. Paul realized healing was possible and there was a way to do it.

What Paul learnt during the program set him on a healing path based upon a radical lifestyle change. In Paul’s words

“I adopted a healthy, predominantly raw food diet, juicing, extensive times each day meditating, with special emphasis on healing imagery, as well as prayer and using healing affirmations, not to mention the taking of a number of vitamin, mineral and herbal supplements, designed to boost my immune function and to give my body an optimal chance of healing.

“We were at the beginning of a long journey that was to have times of trial and testing.”

Paul’s condition deteriorated a little over the first 6 months, not an uncommon experience as the body detoxes, gathers strength and begins to heal. It takes time for a big ship moving forward with a lot of momentum to change direction. It can take time for a big illness to change direction.

Paul persevered. As he learnt more about cancer itself, the self-help options and Complementary Medicine, he steadily added more to what he was doing. Slowly he improved.

Nine months after diagnosis, Paul flirted with a return to work, but this quickly proved counter-productive. He realised getting well required his full time commitment. Over the next few years, Paul had a couple more setbacks coincident with family stresses, but each time managed to regroup and pick up.

Eventually he went back to work as an author, writing a series of inspirational and informative self help books (see below). Paul also started a local healing group and runs a regular meditation group in Newcastle. Very popular!

There have been no more mesothelioma recurrences, but incredibly, over recent years, Paul has been diagnosed and overcome the effects of a meningioma (brain cancer) and prostate cancer.

What a survivor!

I asked Paul recently what he thought had helped him most. He replied “What I did was very important, but really you know, it is the mind that has been of most importance. Training my mind, using my mind, transforming my mind; that has been the most important thing.”

I have to observe that Paul’s presenting anxiety is completely gone now, but that really it has only fully left these past few years. Now even the most casual observer will notice the air of peace and calm that Paul exudes.

My sense is that Paul will enjoy his old age with quite a different view of life than the one he began with.

And also just to mention that I have been also able to witness how much support, strength and guidance Sue has given to her husband. They are quite a team. Many thanks to both of you for sharing something of what continues to be a remarkable life.

Paul’s final offering?

“I remain well and love life. Every day is a gift and I thank God for everything. The world has been kind and I am always grateful that I was given the challenge of cancer back in 1997. It was the means of straightening my life, of taking away the stresses of my 'old' self and it taught me more than any number of doctorates.”

CANCER PROGRAMS IN 2015
Ruth and I really enjoy the opportunity to lead full cancer residential programs together.

We will be presenting the follow-up 5 day residential cancer programs for the Gawler Foundation this year, and we will also present one full 8 day program in New Zealand that will be well suited to anyone who has not done a program with us before, as well as another follow-up program in New Zealand.

The follow-ups always include the key elements of providing a refresher, a deepening of what you have already been doing and the opportunity to meet and learn directly from like-minded people, but then each program focuses on a particular theme - like accelerated healing, sustaining good intentions and so on.

NEXT SPECIFIC CANCER PROGRAMS
All programs for 2015  CLICK HERE

CANCER and BEYOND  May 2015   Monday 4th at 11am to Friday 8th at 2pm

Five Day Residential Follow-up Program at the Gawler Foundation in the Yarra Valley

This program is specifically designed for those with cancer along with their support people who have attended a previous Gawler Foundation program or equivalent such as with Sabina Rabold, CSWA, Cancer Care SA, CanLive NZ, or with the Gawlers

A unique opportunity to meet with like-minded people once again, to consolidate what you already know, to learn more from the combined knowledge, experience and wisdom of Ian and Ruth, to reaffirm your good intentions, and to go home refreshed and revitalised.

FULL DETAILS Click here 

CANCER, HEALING and WELLBEING
Eight day residential program in New Zealand   May 15th  –  22nd , 2015

All welcome; attendance with a partner/ support person is ideal but not essential.
Many join us from Australia for this program and if you have not been there before, Wanaka is one of the most scenically beautiful places there is - very conducive for the program.

This program will lead you through all the self-healing options:
. Therapeutic nutrition
. Practical positive thinking
. Therapeutic meditation, plus the healing power of imagery and contemplation
. Accelerated healing
. Healthy, healing emotions
. How to get the most out of mainstream treatments and minimize side-effects
. How to be most effective as a support person/carer, and to look after yourself in the process.

I actually lead most of the main sessions, with support from Ruth and 2 exceptional New Zealanders. We live in for the full program so there is plenty of time for questions and personal interaction.

This program is organized and supported by Canlive New Zealand.

FULL DETAILS Click here

RESOURCES
PAUL KRAUS' WEBSITE   Click here

BOOKS
You Can Conquer Cancer  :  Ian Gawler – the reference text

Surviving Cancer :  Paul Kraus – 28 remarkable cancer recovery stories of long term survivors from the Gawler Foundation, collated and edited by Paul

Radical Remission :  Kelly Turner - Great new book - lessons learnt from around 1,000 long term survivors!
Surviving Mesothelioma and other Cancers :  Paul Kraus

Faith, Hope, Love and Laughter – Republished as In Good Spirits  :  Paul Kraus – a collection of writings on healing. Michelle Anderson Publishing 2014

Prayers, Promises & Prescriptions for Healing  :  Paul Kraus Ark House Press, Sydney, 2012. More of Paul’s wisdom in relation to healing.

Mother Courage: From the Holocaust to Australia (Yet to be published.) : Paul Kraus recounting his mother’s story.

RELATED BLOGS
Accelerated Healing 101

Your food as medicine

You Can Conquer Cancer turns 30

“You don’t know me but  ….  “ Ruth and I were walking down the main street of outback Burketown recently when this middle-aged lady rather shyly, almost apologetically approached us “ …  your book saved my life”. Meetings like this happen to us regularly and sometimes in the most exotic or unlikely of places.

This then is a blog about inspiration; and a tip – you do not need cancer to be inspired! Speaking personally, I find it incredibly inspiring to have people come up to me literally all around the world with tales of how You Can Conquer Cancer helped them or someone they loved.


It is actually deeply humbling to know that a book I put together and was launched 30 years ago this October by Sir Edward “Weary” Dunlop, patron of the Cancer Council, has remained in continuous print since. It has been translated into over a dozen languages and sold around 300,000 copies.

The latest edition is about to be printed in the lands of the superpowers - USA, China, England and Russia - amongst other countries.

Pausing to consider why this might be so, it seems clear to me that while the book had its genesis in my own experience of recovering from cancer and while there is good science behind it, the book was clarified through the intense and indeed, intimate experience of helping so many other people affected by cancer through the groups that I was personally involved with.


Through these groups it became possible to notice what worked for people – what words worked, what diet, what form of meditation, how to be positive in the face of major adversity; indeed what being positive really means, how to use the power of the mind for healing and so on.

So the real credit for the book goes to all those who attended the hundreds of groups that have come together over these last 30 years. The hope is that each of you who has been involved can take some pride in the book and the fact that what we learnt together has been of so much benefit to so many others.

This post is intended as a celebration and a source of real inspiration, but first

        Thought for the day


   Greater than the tread of mighty armies 
   is an idea whose time has come

         
                       Victor Hugo 








As the 30th anniversary of You Can Conquer Cancer approached, many people wrote to me sharing their experiences with the book and so I have recounted several of them here, using initials for most (my choice), rather than full names. It makes for a long article, intended to be dipped into as a precious resource of inspiration. Something you can share with others and come back to yourself when the need to be reminded of the
possibilities is there.

Many thanks to all who contributed, and a special gratitude to the book’s publisher Michelle Anderson, who told me she felt goose bumps run down her spine when she first read it and has been such a delight to work with over these past 30 years. 

Here then are the stories

Healthy living, less stress
30 yrs ago this book was recommend to me not because of cancer but as a guide to living a healthier life and providing a way forward through the stress of the many years of constant major grief I was experiencing.

"You Can Conquer Cancer" and "Peace of Mind " have been my "go to" books over all these years. Meditation has kept me sane and grounded through the toughest of crises. Last year I realised that stress was again insidiously creeping in and taking hold of me culminating in a diagnosis of a pre cancerous condition.

How to deal with it ? An easy decision - straight back to "You Can Conquer Cancer" and a reassessment of life. Your last two blogs re healing have been enormously helpful - thank you !

I also delight in that recently my 25yr old son expressed an interest in relaxation meditation and your books provided the tools he needed to learn these vital life skills

Kind Regards
G S

Taking ownership of health and healing
I first read this book in the late 1980’s when my cousin was undergoing treatment for breast cancer. Many years later in 2004, the book was sitting on my shelf when I was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. My diagnosis was a huge shock, but knowing that “there was something else out there” that I could do to help myself was very empowering and was a huge boost to my confidence at a very difficult time.

I bought the latest edition of the book and devoured it; using it to support the treatment that I was having through my specialist. I learnt to meditate, reassessed the priorities in my life and paid great attention to what I was eating and drinking. Under the guidance of the book I took ownership of my health and healing and of my life as a whole.

I now give this book to friends, family and acquaintances upon a cancer diagnosis. I found it to be life-changing and I want to share the wisdom and hope with others, especially at that vulnerable stage following a cancer diagnosis.

I highly recommend the book to anyone facing, or caring for someone with cancer. However, the contents are so clearly outlined and so easily digestible that I feel that the book is just as pertinent for anyone who wishes to reassess and turn their life around with or without a current health challenge.

BB

A little book of hope
Without this little book of hope I am sure I would not be here today.

In 1996 I was diagnosed with a grade 4 non hodgkins lymphoma with spleen, skin and bone marrow involvement. It goes without saying that at that time I had very little hope apart from palliative chemo, which would perhaps give me a little more time, it was the best I option I had.

We were first given “You Can Conquer Cancer” about 1 month after diagnosis and it shone like a beacon for me in what can only be described as a very dark time for myself and my wife.

My wife read the book in one night, she had a eureka moment and thought that this book had been written about me. We jumped in head first. It took some time to clear out the cupboards and source organic supplies. It was 1996 and organic food was a lot harder to source, it was certainly not integrated into supermarkets etc like it is today.

The information in You Can Conquer Cancer is so incredible, it really is a self help book with trusted and proven advice to follow, advice which we did follow to the letter.

We did follow up with a ten day Residential Program at the Yarra Valley Living Centre to fine tune what we were doing but really ”You Can Conquer Cancer” provided a step by step guide for us to follow.

I know that in no small way the diet and meditation that Ian recommends has enabled me to be cancer free for 18 years, I continue to follow the lifestyle that was advocated all those years ago and like Ian and so many others I am living proof of its efficacy.

We recommend this book to anyone who contacts us re my recovery. It is such a common sense, achievable instruction manual which is still relevant all these years later.
Congratulations Ian and our heartfelt thanks for what you have done for us and so many others.
R and J L

Three gifts
‘You Can Conquer Cancer’ gave me

Hope when I had lost it

Power when I felt very small

Inner strength when my world imploded.

A profoundly important and life-saving book with PRACTICAL IDEAS!!!!
The first port of call for anyone with a cancer diagnosis.

Liz Vercoe

YA author ‘Keep Your Hair On!’ and ‘The Grief Book – Strategies for Young People’

Hope, courage and belief
In 1998, six months after my wonderful husband of 32 years died suddenly from a massive heart attack (he went to golf and did not come home) I was diagnosed with cancer.

At the time I really did not care much whether I lived or died.

I had an operation, two large tumours were removed, and I was told they were gone and the cancer would not come back again.  The pathology showed I had leiomyosarcoma – which is a very rare smooth muscle cancer.

I realise now the doctors did not know very much about this cancer and my oncologist had not treated a case before.  I was told I would not require further scans or treatment, and so very slowly my life started to feel normal again and I realised my family needed me – losing their father created a  huge hole in their lives.

By 2003 I was planning a future to be married again.  I knew I did not feel well, I was bloated and uncomfortable.  I finally found a doctor who listened to me and sent me for a scan.  The cancer was back with a vengeance and had spread to other parts of my body.

My oncologist delivered the news “I had six months to live, twelve if I was lucky, and there was nothing anyone could do for me.”  This time I was devastated, I wanted to live.  I did not know where to turn.  I met my girlfriend for lunch and she said “don’t cry love and she handed me a copy of “You Can Conquer Cancer.”

I had never heard of Ian or The Gawler Foundation, but somehow this seemed as though it was something I must do.  I rang The Foundation and was about the last person to be accepted for the 10 day Life and Living Program, there was not even room for my partner to attend as a support person.

I attended the May 2003 session and to start with I could not stop crying, but by the end of those wonderful 10 days the tears had disappeared and I came away from The Foundation with some HOPE.  With the hope comes courage and the will to keep searching and the belief that I was not powerless.

There was so much I could do to help myself, but because there was so much cancer in my body, I knew I needed a surgeon who was willing to operate to give me a chance.  It was a long journey over the next two years.  I continued the Gawler program faithfully until it became a comforting way of life for me.

The cancer did not progress in the way it was supposed to do.   I consulted with four oncologists and eight surgeons in Melbourne, who all told me “there was a high risk of morbidity and mortality and operating would not alter the course of the disease.”

I travelled to China for Traditional Chinese Medicine and there I met an American surgeon who told me the operation I needed was being done in the States.  This gave me new hope and a belief that there must be someone in Australia who could do it.  Finally I found a Professor in Sydney, a wonderful man, who operated and said everywhere he saw cancer he took it.  It was a long recovery from a massive operation, but throughout, with my partner’s help, I thrived on the food and juices, I meditated continually and I did not think about “not getting well.”

Today I am living quite well with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma – no one is sure how this turned up, but it is a work in progress and it has been completely stable for the last nine years.  There is no sign of the sarcoma, if there was, I would not be alive today.

I am truly grateful to Ian and Ruth for giving me another chance at life, and the knowledge you really can conquer cancer.   Every week there is a so-called new scientific report about cancer breakthrough, and I say to my family “Ian has been saying that for years”.

With loving thanks,

V D

My healing “Bible”
When I met my chemical oncologist for first time I found out that before the surgery my survival chances would have been 20% and after the surgery they would have been raised to 50%. So, my wonderful oncologist told me that they – the medical staff – would fight for those 50% and I would be responsible for the balance. I felt I was in a black hole! How would I balance out all the knowledge of those highly qualified specialists!?

I read the book You Can Conquer Cancer for first time in December 2002. I was recovering from a big surgery of an advanced and aggressive ovarian cancer and I had a three week-holiday in New Zealand between two sessions of chemotherapy. I did not understand much of the book’s content. I only had in my mind that this was my last holiday as I was going to die.

And then, in February 2003, I started a twelve week “Cancer Self Help Group” activity and Siegfried helped me to understand the book, chapter by chapter. The book soon became my Bible and I found out the way to balance the 50% of  responsibilities to keep myself alive and happy.

I have definitely “lived” with cancer for the last 12 years due to my wonderful oncologists and your philosophy of life which I have totally embraced. I feel compelled to add that the retreats, workshops & conferences that I attended at the Foundation were exceptionally useful.

There was a special workshop I have to mention: “A New Way of Living” in May 2013. At that time, I was feeling quite right and in a good mood. During Q&A time, I did ask you what you were going to do in the unfortunate case of a cancer relapse. Your answer was totally unexpected: “I will read my book.” I said: “I did it many times”. And you said: “Do it now, when you are not in crisis mode, and read the last version.”

That was the best advice I have had from you. The 2013 edition of the book was and still is a revelation for me. I read it with such great joy! I am impressed!

One more little thing: I would like to mention the Lady A. I met her at the meditation sessions at Nancy’s place. She had been diagnosed with ovarian cancer just when you had published your first book and was in her late sixties at that time. She had decided that if you did it, she also could do it and had followed your steps religiously.

When I first met her she was 98 year-old, free of cancer and sharing with everyone that she was alive due to you and your book. She passed away peacefully a couple of weeks before her centenary.

The one handed typist
In 1981 I found a lump in my breast. What made me check I do not know. It was not the norm then. I was not concerned, my Dr and the surgeon both thought it a cyst, however, I went to hospital for a biopsy and learnt the awful truth.

I cannot explain the feelings I had, only another cancer patient would understand.
My whole family was blown away. I was only 34 and back then assumed hopeless.
I had three children, Tracey, 13, Lindy, 11 and Penny 6, and my husband stuck with me all the way.

We made the decision to change our lifestyle to lots of fresh air and the peace of a small farm, and whilst I was in hospital having the breast removed we bought a hobby farm. I gave away all commitments and concentrated on getting well.

After a week in hospital the full impact hit me. I had put off showering, but when I finally did look down where my breast had been, it was gut wrenching. I will always remember the feeling at that time of having no femininity (it did return though).

It was a lonely time, friends avoided me; I loved my netball and missed it. I finally did get back to it but would cover my boob with my arm whilst playing.

I worried I would not see my girls grow up; I spent as much time as I could with them trying to be “normal”.

I went to Peter Mac for 6 weeks of radiation treatment, three of those weeks we tried to make it a family holiday for the children. I travelled from a flat in Frankston each day.

I very slowly accepted things, for a while every lump on my body was suspect in my sensitive state. My surgeon, reassured me on many occasions, he was very good to me. I tried to find someone who had survived, but patient confidentiality stopped me at every turn. My Mum happened to meet a lady who had breast cancer 30 years ago and obviously survived and this was a turning point me.

I found walking in the bush soothing so spent a lot of time there.

To fill out my bra I used a pair of socks. Every morning you wake with cancer on your mind, then, one day I realised I had forgotten my socks! Wow, I was very excited. This meant it was off my mind for a short time; this also was a big step, as it could only get longer.

Later whilst on holiday in Merimbula I lost my prosthesis in the water and the girls had great fun duck diving for it. I still laugh about that.

My scar and mind began to heal and a new operation was being trialled to reconstruct the breast. I agreed only if nothing foreign was put in my body, so a muscle was brought around under my arm and shaped like a breast. It was not done without trouble as I got gangrene in the wound when I returned home. My surgeon to my rescue again.

The girls would check me out when having a bath, not a pretty sight, but took it in their stride; they do not remember now, thankfully. We celebrated anniversaries yearly and still do.

Through all this I got in touch with the Gawler Foundation, Ian had just started his healing work and it struck a chord with me. I have his tapes and I played them over and over again, and his people were always very supportive. I still remember hearing the cars go by as he was taping. I will always appreciate the help he gave me.

He taught me to use my mind in the healing process, each time I ordered a cassette a hand written note was always enclosed to ask how I was, this helped me so much.

After trial and error I found carrot juice useful; I bought carrots by the bagful. I turned orange at one stage, and Vitamin B also assisted me.

I prayed a lot and church was soothing. I do have faith in God.

I was a jogger for years, and when I was coming good I started again. I had lost all confidence and frightened my new boob would fall off, but I persisted.

I would search for positives every day. A rainbow would inspire me. I would look at big gum trees with branches broken off and think, they grow big and strong after loosing a limb, so I can too. I had a poster I looked at every morning, ”Help me to remember Lord, that nothing will happen today, that you and I can't handle together”

Ten years after radiation I lost the use of part of my arm and right hand, treatment not as precise back then, and a nerve was damaged, continual pins and needles and numbness. I do not feel burns and cuts so a few scars on my hand.

So onto the next stage, I enrolled at TAFE to get dexterity by typing with my left hand. My teacher Judy was a great help and support. I painstakingly started to learn to write left-handed, I still have trouble with the “z” back to front. Doing things with one hand is frustrating, but a small price to pay.

I now ride a lot and all controls are on the left hand side, I have even ridden to Sydney and back.

I did write to “freedom of information” and found out I had a very aggressive cancer.

There is a lot of support out there now. Use it. You will know in your gut what is right for you. It is so nice to see the very high percentage of cure nowadays.

I write these words to encourage others to do it your way, only you know what will work for you, go with your own gut feeling.

I am ecstatic to have seen my girls grow into responsible caring adults with their own children. I did not think I would see that happen.

I have been blessed.

M S

Moving on and helping others
Eleven years ago I was diagnosed at a young age with an aggressive and rare form of breast cancer, and my whole life was turned upside down.

Soon after I was diagnosed I went to find some answers, anything that would help me figure out what I could do to help myself. I came across the book by Ian Gawler ‘You Can Conquer Cancer’ and a light bulb went off. I opened the book and read “This is a book about what works. What works if you want to fight for your life. Recover from cancer. Prevent illness. Be really well. Find enduring peace and happiness.”

In that moment I remember feeling so happy and so relieved because I knew I had the tools within this book to begin the fight for my own life I and I gave myself permission to be in control. My life changed in that instant and for the better. If I had not read those words that particular day and really resonated with what Ian had written, I may not be here today.

I have been so inspired by this that I have created a health and wellness online store dedicated to helping people navigate cancer and ‘You Can Conquer Cancer’ is of course top of our book list. Thank you Ian for your years of tireless work and research in this field, I and thousands of others around the world are truly grateful that you chose to share the story of your survival."

Yasmin Farry
mywisebody.com

Third time lucky! 
I had Breast cancer in 2000 and after a total mastectomy and loads of positive thinking etc I survived that and I had a total recovery. I had a brain cancer in 2004 requiring surgical removal and this was followed in 2005 by a diagnosis of Multiple Myeloma which is incurable. This required drastic chemo and stem cell transplants and I was out of action for many months.

During this time a friend gave me a copy of “You Can Conquer Cancer” and this was my turning point. I began reading it and the more I read the more confident I became. I began meditation, something I had never done before, I found I was able to focus on getting over this terrible thing and putting it behind me. I read it and read it. I took it with me everywhere I went and gradually I found myself being able to cope with my cancer.

I am sure that the reason I am alive today is because my friend gave me the book 9 years ago when I was at my lowest time. I am now in complete remission and I never go away from home without my “You Can Conquer Cancer” book and I am now 100% certain of the power of one’s mind.

Thank you so much Ian Gawler for having empowered me and hundreds of others to conquer cancer. Have attended both your seminars in Adelaide and all I can do is say

Thank you

D R

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RESOURCE
You Can Conquer Cancer

NEWS
Ruth and I are back at Mana retreat centre on the beautiful Coromandel Peninsula in New Zealand. Great environment, great facilities, terrific staff and the food is exceptional as well. Such a good place to support a meditation retreat.

Here is the view from the meditation sanctuary!!!