emotional recovery | Grace Gawler Media

Grace Gawler’s Story – Grace, Grit and Gratitude – A Memoir

Appreciation – Olivia Newton John – thank you for allowing me to use such apt and beautiful track for this video.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qS1ZYnDGIRI]

Grace, Grit and Gratitude is a story of courage and survival through repeated and horrendous adversity, my own life-threatening condition that required 20 surgical procedures, the effects of separtion/divorce when ill then coping with a teenage family and facing the prospect of imminent demise. I have also recorded in the book an accurate account of my shared time with Ian Gawler – when I was his prime 24/7 caregiver at the age of 21.
At that time I had little awareness of how life would unfold and that I would become so intimately became involved in a very famous cancer recovery story.

Caregivers: It is rather unfortunate that Ian has played down the care-givers role in his recovery…A few years ago one Abc radio interviewer Melbourne 774 introduced Ian as the man who single-handedly conquered cancer. I had hoped Ian would correct the statement – but he did not. Little media time is given to caregivers…. honest acknowledgement of the efforts and unseen (and often unspoken challenges) that caregivers experience. We are often invisibilised – but our contributions to humanity and care are essential in a community. When Ian was very ill – at his most critical point – it was not diet or meditation or lifestyle that pulled him through his darkest night of the soul – but love, compassion, proactivity, faith, hope and belief of his caregiver.

In an article in Woman’s Day in the late 70’s Dr Ainslie Meares praised Grace Gawler for her part in helping her husband to live. He said, “The support he had from her first as his girlfriend and later as his wife, has been very remarkable. She is very sensitive to his needs and feelings and has spent hours and hours massaging him and helping him with his meditation.”
Ian Gawler backs that. “I had to battle against negativity a fair bit, especially early in the piece, when I was so sick. But there was never anything negative about Grace. She would always give me a good old kick in the pants and get me going again. I am very fortunate to have her.”

More than 3 decades have passed since Ian Gawler was told he was clear of cancer. We were together for 23 years – had 4 children during that time, co founded the Gawler Foundation and created the Yarra Valley Living Centre. In 1997 Ian left the family, we then divorced and he later married Dr Ruth Gawler – a GP who now works at the Gawler foundation and assists Ian with his private seminar and merchandising company. Ian retired this year.
Our story that led to Ian’s recovery was complex and once it had been made public we carried the extra responsibility of making sure that it was told accurately and truthfully. As Dr Linda Calbresi from The Australian Doctor magazine recently wrote: ‘ we had
Recently the Australian published an article based on a refute letter that I had written to the Medical Journal of Australia after belatedly coming across a rewrite of Ian’s story in that journal…a version that was full of clinical time-line errors, non factual material and some serious omissions. The MJA published this version December 11 2008 under the banner of “True Stories” and although the patient was not named in the article, it was clearly Ian. It was a former patient that alerted me to the story after she had seen it reproduced on the Gawler Foundation’s website…she was sure that some of the information was not correct especially the reference to Ian having strictly adhered to a vegan diet. As a recovered patient herself who had attended our earlier programs – she was surprised to read this because she Little did she know that this error was just the tip of the iceberg.

References:

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/health-science/first-wife-disputes-cancer-guru-ian-gawlers-survival-story/story-e6frg8y6-1225935666765

http://www.mja.com.au/public/issues/189_11_011208/jel11032Cancer
Authors: Dr Ruth Gawler & Prof George Jelinek

Source:

http://www.australiandoctor.com.au/news/50/0c06d750.asp

In an article in Woman’s Day in the late 70’s

Ian Gawler backs that. “I had to battle against negativity a fair bit, especially early in the piece, when I was so sick. But there was never anything negative about Grace. She would always give me a good old kick in the pants and get me going again. I am very fortunate to have her.”

Lies That Cost Lives-Anecdotes and False Claims in Cancer Care -Grace Gawler Comments

http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/lifematters/cured-cancer-patients-died-court-told-20101119-180z9.html

The Australian reporter Debbie Guest has been doing a great job reporting on the case of Hellfried Sartori and now the deaths of 25 cancer patients – linked to his treatments. Sartori is playing a key role in an ongoing inquest in Western Australia. The controversial case is providing a birds-eye view into the cancer cure conundrum that is facing many chronically ill cancer patients around the world. I believe this is the tip of the iceberg in fraudulent cancer-cure discovery.

This blog serves as a vehicle to discovery and disclosure regarding misreporting, poor research, pseudoscience and truth bending that is causing unnecessary pain, stress and suffering to our most vulnerable people – cancer patients. Desperate cancer patients so easily fall prey to treatments that appear to be bone-fide, especially when statistics and high success rates get bandied about. Almost every day another cancer cure product promo virally invades my email inbox! I appreciate the dilemma of choice for patients – but this is certainly a case for the old adage – all that glitters is not gold! The question begs…How can we help cancer patients to discern? Continue reading “Lies That Cost Lives-Anecdotes and False Claims in Cancer Care -Grace Gawler Comments”

Grace Gawler – The Australian – Comments on Spontaneous Remission

Visit www.gracegawler.com for more information about cancer solutions.

Adam Cresswell-Doctors attribute sudden cancer cures to biology, not God…And medical experts say the phenomenon, while little understood, is likely to have biological rather than spiritual explanations says an article in this weekend’s The Australian. CLICK HERE
Now this is a topic dear to my heart and one that has been topical in my own sphere of work; as outlined in the Australian – Friday 8 October 2010 in an article also authored by Adam Cresswell. CLICK HERE
These two stories are related whether we are examining cancer healing miracles of Mary McKillop by religious means or patients with advanced cancer who claim to have been cured by lifestyle and meditation, thus creating the link to a spiritual intervention causing the healing.
Here is where the waters muddy – Are miraculous acts of healing associated with innate, natural biological responses and can these be triggered at a point in time when faced with death? Intangibles such as faith, will to live, love, hope, inspiration may weave a complex partnership between biology and spirit reaching a place where the criteria for healing can come together – AKA The Spontaneous Remission.
The Australian quotes Sydney oncologist David Bell, co-wrote a book on so-called spontaneous remission. He said he knew of about 400 confirmed cases worldwide over the past 150 years.
For hundreds of years, the phenomenon of spontaneous remission has fascinated the greatest minds in cancer medicine. US researchers Caryle Hirshberg and Brendan O’Regan authored a classic which are a must have for anyone researching the subject: “Spontaneous Remission: An Annotated Bibliography“.
Continue reading “Grace Gawler – The Australian – Comments on Spontaneous Remission”

Integrated Cancer Medicine requires Integrated Participants – part 2

By Pip Cornall

Grace Gawler, a vegetarian from age five, went on to work in a veterinary clinic while still at junior high school. Thus the vegetarian interested in health and natural treatments became grounded in science, pathology, bio-chemistry, anatomy and so on. She had a desire for all things natural including an interest in natural cures for cancer in animals. Over the years, when appropriate, she experimented with natural medicine as a complement to conventional veterinary treatments. Eventually she concluded that both systems of medicine need to be utilized for the best outcome. Thus was born her integrative approach.

It followed that Grace’s cancer work, which began when her boyfriend, Ian Gawler, lost his leg to bone cancer, was a blend of both forms of medicine – conventional and alternative. Now with 35 years of cancer experience behind her, Grace describes her work as integrated cancer support medicine and is known for this stance within the medical community.

But not every cancer practitioner practices integrative medicine – there is still too much ‘either/or’ medicine. So what is needed to end the polarization between the cancer healing medicines? This is a topic we’ll be tackling in our new Grace Gawler Institute for Integrated cancer Solutions. Continue reading “Integrated Cancer Medicine requires Integrated Participants – part 2”

The Gawler Story – Why Correcting a Misreported Case of Cancer Remission is in the Public Interest

My recently published letter in The Medical Journal of Australia highlights the need for a makeover of the alternative and complementary cancer movements not only in Australia but worldwide. In recent years there has been a groundswell of cancer entrepreneurs – some who claim to have recovered from it by natural means and others that have never had cancer but espouse they know how to treat it. I believe that everyone who places themselves in the public area of cancer cures, must come under scrutiny regarding accuracy/legitimacy of their claims.
For those who know me – I am eternal optimist and possibility thinker and I am well aware of all the facets of the intangibles and unknown that can surround unexpected recoveries and remissions. However, where possible we must all do our due diligence on gathering as much information – medical and otherwise to support any claims. Why? Because people’s lives depend on it!

With our case being so unbelievably misreported in an article in the Medical Journal of Australia – It shows that as well as the CAM movement, that all systems of medicine should be on alert for people misreporting medical events.

“Patients at Risk from Inaccurate Clinical Reporting in a High-Profile Story: Comment and Corrections’ 20 September 2010 MJA Volume 193 Number 6 20 September 2010- pp 371-372
http://www.mja.com.au/public/issues/193_06_200910/letters_200910_fm-1.html

Furthermore, if you look at the sales figures for the myriad of cancer-cure books, CDs and products – we are looking at a billion dollar industry. Many of these people do not work at the coalface of cancer and do not see the results of misinformation. As I have matured in my self and work, and as my experience has increased – I now see the truth in what some oncologists, considered cynics at the time: were saying 20-30 years ago when the tsunami of CAM was on the rise.

Recently I had a another “cancer-cure-all” blurb arrive in my email inbox – now almost a daily event. The advertisement said Amazing Non-Toxic Liquid Kills Cancer Cells. Its cancer-killing ability was also confirmed by researchers at the National Cancer Institute. As I am prone to do with every “cure” promotion, I checked out the quotes and did the research, finding it to be very flaky indeed. The new wave or 2010 style of alternative cancer-cure promo is far more sophisticated than in the past and attempts to blind the recipient with psuedoscience disguised as science.

Next time something like this arrives on your email. Look at the quotes from reputable sources then use your internet to check it out. Another recent email blurb advertised ” Try this product – 90 day risk free”. Risk-free? Is it?
It is difficult because most people aren’t trained to disssect many of the articles & books that appear in the popular media. Yes we need free speech and free choice – but with cancer on the rise – we need some guildelines and criteria by which people can assess fact from fiction and myth from reality. I intend to develop such a book/ebook of guildelines and make it available at no cost. The great thing about having a health promotion charity again is that I will have access to resources that will enable me to work in the way that I originally thought when I pioneered this supportive care work in the early eighties.

In the meantime, my best advice based on 35+ years in the cancer healing arena, follows…. Think carefully, do your own research, be treated as an individual (not a one size fits all approach) and go by your gut feeling. Dont’ throw out mainstream medicine and use the best of complementary approaches – especially the safe tactile therapies eg massage, Reiki for example; methods that don’t cost the earth, bring relief and help to de-stress. Important in healing is the element of one-to-one human contact, listening, understanding and compassion are all therapeutic! Avoid buckets of costly supplements & fancy hi tech machines that diagnose & treat and take away the human element. More on this again soon.
Go Well…Grace

Cancer Patients at Risk from Inaccurate Clinical Reporting in a High-Profile Alternative Treatment Story – Australian Medical Journal

By Pip Cornall

It’s rare for a naturopath/herbalist to be published in a prestigious Australian medical journal and even rarer that that she would take the opportunity to correct a famous alternative cancer healing myth that she was intimately involved with.

With stubborn persistence, including a decade when seriously ill, Grace Gawler has never stopped trying to correct the spread of errors regarding ex-husband, Ian Gawler’s famous cancer remission—a story she was intimately involved with for 22 years.

Now, The Australian Medical Journal, (MJA), has published her revealing letter, supporting proof and photographs. Grace Gawler is widely known as the sole care giver and researcher for Ian Gawler when he had bone cancer (1975) and given just weeks to live (1976).

Grace, respected for 35 years of contributions to cancer support medicine, highlights serious errors in an MJA article published about Ian Gawler in 2008.

Called ‘True Stories’ the article in question was written by Dr Ruth Gawler and Professor Jelinek, both employees of the Gawler Foundation, a foundation for cancer support that Grace inspired and co-founded.

The MJA article chronicles the 30 year cancer healing history of Ian Gawler. But is the ‘True Stories’ article actually true?

Here is the link to the MJA letter

Gawler Foundation – Grace Gawler's New Gold Coast Institute for Integrated Cancer Solutions

Great news for cancer patients and caregivers – Grace is back after a long absence from her not for profit Foundation work – now with her own health promotion charity – Integrated Cancer Solutions – located at Hope Island, Gold Coast Queensland. A generous donor who recognised Grace’s contribution to her previous organisation, the Gawler Foundation; has gifted funds so that once again, Grace Gawler’s services can be accessed by cancer patients and care-givers.

With services including support groups, consultations, residential programs (small numbers of participants for individualised help); the Trust and Centre will soon make its mark on the map. Grace is keen to share the following story because it gives credence to the necessity at times to help patients find their solutions outside of Australia. The new Trust already has strong professional liaisons with local and national integrative doctors as well as integrated oncology clinics around the globe – in particular, Germany.

Grace Says: “For 13 years I had to deal with my own life threatening situation – a result of unexpected complications evident after a routine surgical procedure in 1997. Continue reading “Gawler Foundation – Grace Gawler's New Gold Coast Institute for Integrated Cancer Solutions”

Gawler Foundation – Grace Gawler’s New Gold Coast Institute for Integrated Cancer Solutions

Grace Says: “For 13 years I had to deal with my own life threatening situation – a result of unexpected complications evident after a routine surgical procedure in 1997. Continue reading “Gawler Foundation – Grace Gawler’s New Gold Coast Institute for Integrated Cancer Solutions”

Idealistic Diets for Cancer Healing – Who can you believe?

By Pip Cornall

Would you take advice from an ‘expert’ who had not succeeded in his/her field?

Yet, crazy as it seems, driven by a sense of urgency and fear, in recent years, cancer patients are doing just that. They’re flocking to buy the latest books and DVDs from ‘dubious’ entrepreneurs in the cancer healing industry—and a huge industry it is with cancer affecting one in three—predicted to be one in two within a decade.

Naively, I thought people in the healing industry would be scrupulously honest but I was wrong. I’ve found that lies, hidden motives and agendas exist right across the healing spectrum. On top of that there is misreporting, urban myths and premature conclusions drawn from scant evidence. Continue reading “Idealistic Diets for Cancer Healing – Who can you believe?”

Cancer death puts homeopathy in dock – balanced dialogue required

Australian paper’s headlines read…. Cancer death puts homeopathy in dock
Inquest hears of carers’ concerns
Dingle says wife unwilling to have surgery

The headlines discuss the Penelope Dingle inquest in Perth this last week – (see links to full articles and extracts of articles below)

This is a ‘hot’ topic with the potential to further polarise conventional and ‘alternate’ medicine. Mature dialogue is required so both polarities can see reason and become less entrenched. A glance around the internet reveals countless ‘skeptics’ blogs laced with the usual bias they purport to disdain. Continue reading “Cancer death puts homeopathy in dock – balanced dialogue required”