Cancer Doesn’t Stop for Christmas | Dealing with the Challenges-Grace Gawler Voice America

Navigating the Cancer Maze represents the culmination of my 40 years experience working at the coalface of cancer in what I call cancer supportive care medicine. As a young girl of about 8 years of age – I had two ambitions in life; to research cancer or become a veterinary surgeon. The universe works in mysterious ways. In 1976 I married a veterinarian who had cancer.

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Today’s Navigating the Cancer Maze, covers several areas important to Cancer patients.

In addition to this blog – gracegawlermedia – on Sunday 21st December 2014 – I will be launching a new blockbuster or should I say myth-buster blog – Grace Gawler Blog: The Thinking Person’s Guide to the Truth behind Common Cancer Mythology.

Navigating the Cancer Maze represents the culmination of my 40 years experience working at the coalface of cancer in what I call cancer supportive care medicine. As a young girl of about 8 years of age – I had two ambitions in life; to research cancer or become a veterinary surgeon. The universe works in mysterious ways. In 1976 I married a veterinarian who had cancer.

It happened just a few days before Christmas in 1974 – 40 years ago when I had just turned 21. Suddenly I became a carer of a cancer patient who was my boyfriend and employer.

My wedding day 28 Feb 1976 - 21 years and full-time carer
My wedding day 28 Feb 1976 – 21 years and full-time carer

 Like many today I had no experience in how to cope personally or how to help the patient who was my charge. I had to improvise and learn along the way. Added to this, my boyfriend, who later became my husband when he was given a prognosis 6 weeks to live; was an amputee. He had lost his leg to bone cancer just after Christmas, January 1975. He survived, we had 4 children and now 4 grandchildren. I learned a lot during that “hands-on period” that added to later qualifications. My story of those times is recorded in my Memoirs: Grace Grit and Gratitude. (2008 – eBook available)

See You tube: Grace Grit and Gratitude  Also visit on the menu of this blog –  “Ian Gawler Cancer?”

Moving forward to 2012 I realised that consulting with patients and public speaking was not enough. With cancer incidence rising, what I had learned needed a Global voice; an opportunity to take what I had learned so far and add medical expertise in current cancer treatments and research combined with patients’ experiences.

Available eBook - buy soft cover Australia only
Available eBook – buy soft cover Australia only

Patient’s need reliable and genuine information when they are in the fight for their lives! 2014 marks 2 years on air with Voice America’s Health and Wellness Channel hosting ‘Navigating the Cancer Maze’. We want as many people as possible to know about Navigating the Cancer Maze internet radio because my Charity The Grace Gawler Institute sponsors this show to provide education and information free to all in need. Please visit the Website for our Christmas Fundraiser to support the show for 2015: “Move the World with Grace”

On this week’s pre-Christmas show I discuss key issues for cancer patients that have been highlighted by our guests on Navigating the Cancer Maze throughout 2014; a year of challenges and excitements in the Global Cancer Community. We will take a look at the impact of some of cancer’s entrepreneurs Including Wellness Warrior-Jess Ainscough, who has influenced many patients to follow the natural path to cancer healing, albeit encouraged by the Ian Gawler recovery story, which as you know, was highly likely to have been a misdiagnosis.

Unfortunately, but as expected; Jess’s Epithelioid sarcoma, a cancer that moves slowly has now progressed to a serious degree. Her mum recently died from breast cancer doing the same regimen. Entrepreneurial patients like Jess Ainscough have a huge influence on cancer patient’s treatment decisions. I truly despair at these stories. I hear from cancer patients like Jess daily and see them in my practice with the most horrendous fungating cancers that one would would expect to see in a third world country. I am passionate to educate cancer patients about the dangers of taking the 100% natural therapies approach. As a trained naturopath and herbalist-I am horrified by what I see hear and read about natural cancer cures!
More on this visit-Science -based Medicine Blog and See  Jessica Ainscough Wellness Warrior

Finally….Cancer Doesn’t Stop at Christmas:While for some this is a happy time of year – for others Christmas and New Year celebrations can be very a difficult & emotional time for those currently dealing with life challenging illness, including patients’ families. Also challenging is the person who may be missing from this year’s Christmas table. Please see helpful resources below – also listen to today’s show for helpful tips
Many of my Guests on Navigating the Cancer Maze have authored some fine books. I have listed them below. These are books of substance that contain valid and useful information for patients and families. Recommended for Christmas gifts or personal reading

Resources/Books mentioned on today’s show from my 2014 Guests:
BOOKS

  1. From Cancer Good Things Grow Jeffrey Deslandes – 8.5 year survivor of stage 4 lymphoma after failed treatments – 4 recurrences. Success with Dendritic cell vaccines. Pub  Balboa Pressall proceeds go to R& D Of DC Vaccines.
  2. “Three Months: A Caregiving Journey from Heartbreak to Healing” by Dietrich Stroeh Buy at Amazon
  3.  Recent Release-” Survivorship: Living Well During and After Cancer” by Dr Barrie Cassileth –
    Buy at:  http://www.cancercarestore.com/survivorship-living-well-during-and-after-cancer
  4. “Bad to the Bone: the True Story of David Tuccaro, Jr” – by David Tuccaro, Jr successful leukemia treatment- Buy at Amazon
  5. “Lead With Your Heart: Creating a Life of Love, Compassion, and Purpose”  by Regina Cates Buy at Amazon
  6. “The Man who Saved a Million Lives” – by Prof Ian Frazer Buy at Amazon
  7. Spontaneous Remission: An Annotated Bibliography by Caryle Hirshberg and Brendon O’Regan – Access this via IONS- Free chapter downloads:
    http://noetic.org/library/publication-books/spontaneous-remission-annotated-bibliography/

Movies:

Debbie Franke Ogg had a Hollywood Movie made about her life and recovery from Stage 4 Lymphoma. It starred Sam Neil and Anne Archer. First titled “A Leap of Faith” – the movie was later titled a “Question of Faith”. Debby is perhaps one of the few of millions who had a spontaneous remission from her cancer without medical treatment. The movie can be found online by typing the title into Google. Now a therapist in NY USA – Watch Movie online   Contact Debby.

Cancer Doesn’t Stop at Christmas: Help for those who may have lost a loved one this year. Resources provided by Beth O’Brien: a guest on this year’s Navigating the Cancer Maze.
http://seasonsofgrief.com.au/about-beth/
www.australiancelebrations.com.au
http://deathcafe.com/
https://www.suicidecallbackservice.org.au
http://www.livingisforeveryone.com.au
http://suicidepreventionaust.org/resources/
BOOK recommended by Beth:
Dying to be Free: A healing guide for families after a suicide (Beverly Cobain, Jean Larch) buy at Amazon
The Grief Recovery Handbook: The action program for moving beyond Death, Divorce and other losses by John W James and Russell Friedman Buy at Amazon

Listen to today’s show at
http://www.voiceamerica.com/episode/82356/cancer-doesnt-stop-for-christmas-dealing-with-the-challenges

Join Voice America for free: http://www.voiceamerica.com/member/register

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Until next time – Compliments of the Christmas Season

Grace

Alternative medicines and cancer-Grace Gawler in conversation with Sloan Kettering’s Dr Barrie Cassileth

This week on Navigating the Cancer Maze- Voice America and WorldTalk radio, I am in conversation with Dr Barrie Cassileth founder the Integrative Medicine Service at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center New York.

Navigating the Cancer Maze: The role of Complementary Therapies in Cancer Care
Grace Gawler in conversation with Memmorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center’s Dr Barrie Cassileth PhD on VoiceAmerica and WorldTalk Radio.
Broadcast times: USA Friday 22 March 2013 from Arizona live at 12 noon.
Saturday 23 March – Australia available after 8 am – listen streaming or download MP3 or  download on itunes. Available to listen as a streaming audio anytime after the 29 March
Note: Facebook link is broken on my Voice America Page:

In about 30 minutes from now I will broadcasting from Germany – to Voice America Arizona with a show guest from New York – A truly geographically challenging show today!
This week on Navigating the Cancer Maze I am in conversation with Dr Barrie Cassileth founder the Integrative Medicine Service at theMemorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, (MSKCC) where she remains the chief, and holds the Laurance S. Rockefeller Chair in Integrative Medicine.

Dr Barrie Cassileth PhD
Dr Barrie Cassileth PhD

Dr Cassileth has been involved with the psychosocial aspects of cancer care for more than 25 years and also founded the Society for Integrative Oncology, which publishes a medical journal. She has just released a new book, The Complete Guide to Complementary Therapies in Cancer Care. MSKCC’s Integrative Medicine Service’s Web site, www.MSKCC.org offers evidence-based information about herbs, vitamins, and unproved cancer treatments at no charge to professionals and the public.

The Service’s research includes studies to evaluate the ability of specific complementary therapies to reduce important symptoms associated with cancer treatments and the investigation of botanicals for potential antitumor effects.

To listen in to the show – select the link below:
http://www.voiceamerica.com/episode/68025/navigating-the-cancer-maze-the-role-of-complementary-therapies-in-cancer-care-grace-gawler-in
About Dr Barrie Cassilieth:
Founding President of the International Society for Integrative Oncology and founding Editor-in-Chief of its journal, Journal of the Society for Integrative Oncology, Dr Barrie Cassileth has a truly holistic approach and is known as one of oncology’s most ardent advocates for treating the “whole” patient. At MSKCC  she has been the principal investigator of many research studies. The Botanical Center investigates immune-modulating botanical supplements by composition, mechanisms of action and clinical value. She has published 158 papers and 60 books and textbook chapters for physicians, patients, and families. A new edition of The Alternative Medicine Handbook is underway, and the second edition of MSKCC’s  Herb-Drug Interactions in Oncology is now available. Dr Cassileth has researched and promoted proven complementary therapies used along with mainstream care to improve quality of life and to help sustain healthy survivorship. http://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/doctor/barrie-cassileth

Please pass this blog address on to friends and colleagues and especially cancer patients. My Navigating the Cancer Maze internet radio show is free to air and free to download as an MP3. Any questions – contact me: institute@gracegawler.com

The Grace Gawler Institute is a not for profit registered health promotion charity providing access to invaluable information for cancer patients as a value add to conventional care