It’s the disease that causes the most heartbreak, tearing away loved ones unexpectedly. With researchers still pressing on to find a cure and trying to understand this illusive condition, there have been some remarkable cases out there where patients have made miraculous recoveries unaided by western medicine.
The skin cancer that disappeared
One 74-year-old went to hospital complaining of a rash that wasn’t going away. It only got worse and when she was met by medical experts, her leg was covered in lumps and aggressive red and purple spots. She was diagnosed with carcinoma, a type of skin cancer. Doctors considered amputating the effected areas, but considering the patient’s age, it seemed unwise. They had some big decisions to make, so they took some time to figure out the best course of action.
In an extraordinary turn of events, the doctors’ decision was made for them as the patient’s rash and spots started to clear up on their own. Her doctor, Alan Irvine, said that the tumors disappeared in a matter of months. She was then pronounced cancer-free after just 20 weeks. “It shows that it is possible for the body to clear cancer – even if it is incredibly rare,” Irvine explained.
Dr Alan Irvine
A healthy diet proved to be lifesaving
Jane Plant, scientist herself, had already survived breast cancer when she was diagnosed with cancer again five years later. She beat it a further five times, until she asked her doctor to end her life for her. But, her family responsibilities made her rethink. She knew she had to find her own cure.
She and her husband researched the the country with the lowest causes of cancer, which turned out to be China. She was struck by a popular diet over there which consisted of just fruit, vegetables, pulses and nuts and decided to give it a go. In six weeks, her cancer had all but disappeared and has not returned to this day. She says the disease is inextricably linked to animal products, and advocates to reduce meat and eliminate dairy from our plates altogether.
‘Go dairy-free to beat cancer,’ says Jane Plant.
One woman’s faith saw her through her toughest time
In April 2003, Sharyn MacKay started feeling a pain on the right side of her stomach. She was then diagnosed with a tumor on her kidney; more specifically, spindle cell sarcoma which is closely related to bone cancer. A year later, it had spread through her kidneys and into her lungs and she was told it was terminal. She had a year to live.
Sharyn started to pray and put all her faith in God. Three months later, everyone was astounded by what occurred. Scans showed that the cancer had all gone but the doctor’s were confused as it couldn’t be linked to anything they had done. Sharyn came to the conclusion that God had intervened. “When the doctors said my cancer was terminal, I put my faith into practice and attended a Christian healing ministry,” she said. “The tumors had gone and I was told to leave the hospital and live a full life. The cancer has never come back and I have never felt better.”
Sharyn MacKay and her family.
“You are clear, all bloody clear.”
John Pattinson was given the heartbreaking news that he had terminal Hodgkin’s disease when he was just 18 years old. It was 1974 and treatments weren’t what they are today, so he was advised to enjoy the time he had left. He duly jetted off to North Carolina to visit family for two months.
He returned to England full of dread but when he was scanned again, he was surprisingly given the all clear. ‘They did a few tests and when I saw the consultant, he had a big smile on his face,’ John recalled. ‘He shook my hands, saying: “You are clear, all bloody clear.”‘ It looked like John had gone into spontaneous remission and his body had cured itself. He gave up his job as a shipyard worker and now works as a Macmillan Cancer nurse at South Tyneside District Hospital.
John Pattinson in the middle surrounded by the mayor of his town and his wife
Kindness is the best medicine
Brice Royer was told in 2014 that he could die from the tumor in his stomach. It forced him to be bedridden when he started suffering from acute migraines and his body started to weaken. He then fell into a pit of depression and thought about ending it all.
During that time, he read that love and philanthropy could help people recover from depression, so he started a campaign of random acts of kindness. He donated over $4,000 to a chronically ill mother in Pennsylvania. He collected money to build a house for a single mother in Vancouver, raising an incredible $25,000. He started to go viral for his kindness, from which he expected no payment or recognition.
He started inviting strangers over to his house for meals, which helped him stay connected to the community and one of them, Ruso Llanera, became his full time caretaker. When he visited his doctor Eric Cattoni later on, he had a piece of good news for Brice. “What happened to the tumor?” Brice asked tentatively, to which Eric replied “It’s gotten better. And the fact that it has, they say here, (means) that it might be more of a benign type of lesion.”
Overjoyed, Brice burst into tears. Eric explained that having loved ones around you does wonders to your mental health, which is intrinsically linked to physical health. Brice concluded, “It gives me courage to keep doing what I’m doing. It encourages me to keep giving and I’m probably going to give even more.”
Brice with his carer Ruso Llanera after hearing the good news.
Photo credits: De La Selle Brothers, SPL, 123rf.com, Shieldsgazette, Dan Goldsmith, Vancouver Sun