Belinda's Cancer Journey

  Belinda's cancer has been quite a learning experience for all of us and God has really blessed us through this time. These pages are a compilation of the newsletters that have been written since this disease surfaced. She has also written an overview, which will be modified from time to time, about what she has learned about cancer and how to treat it nutritionally. In  Belinda's   newsletter  of  5-11-00 ( number 8 ), she  tells about her checkup in which she was shown to be cancer free! 

       NEW* Inner Healing - There is now a new installment about Belinda's  inner healing.

Background

I have had so many people ask or write asking about what I am doing to fight cancer in my body and why I chose a natural therapy. I have written below most of what I am doing now (November 1999), but I will also bring up you to date on where I have been in this process.

Between five and seven years ago I watched my Father and some other dear friends die of cancer while taking chemotherapy (chemo) and radiation treatments. I decided then and told my family that if I ever had cancer, I would not go that route. Then four years ago my sister, Sandra, started down the road of dealing with cervical cancer with surgery, radiation and chemo. For four years she was never really well again. On August 25, 1999, my beloved sister passed away.

In June I began seeing a doctor about the large growth under my arm. I knew for a year that I had a lump in my right breast, but I ignored it since I was changing my eating habits and attending seminars on nutrition and cancer - mostly for Sandra’s sake at the time. The seminars I attended were taught by George Malkmus at Hallelujah Acres in Shelby, NC. I also bought the tapes to listen to in my car. I was fascinated with the information and the possibilities of such healing through nutrition. I also purchased videos by Dr. Lorraine Day on nutrition and her personal story of being healed of advanced breast cancer. (Dr. Day's tapes can be purchased at Hallelujah Acres. Phone (704) 481-1700 or from Dr. Day's web site.). The growth turned out to be a tumor that would need to be surgically removed before I could begin nutritional therapy. I had previously made reservations to go to Hospital Meridian in Tijuana, Mexico even before I scheduled surgery. (Hospital Meridian’s phone # 011 5266 80-13-58). I had also begun juicing and trying to detoxify my system with carrot juice, Barley Green™  and had a series of colonics (hydro-irrigation, like an enema, to cleanse my colon of toxic buildup). Two weeks after surgery I flew to San Diego and was taken to Hospital Meridian.

I began the Gerson Therapy on June 29, 1999. This therapy was developed by Dr. Max Gerson in the 1940’s and 1950’s. I was so pleased to have the staff and other patients wrap around me and give me hope and love. I was very pleased to be there for 17 days and do the full therapy. Once I returned home, I had to make small changes to the therapy simply because I was having to drive back and forth to Atlanta (3 hours away) to be with my dying sister.

After my sister Sandra’s death, I began searching for a nutritionists that could work with me here in North Carolina. I did an extensive amount of reading and studying and talking to nutritionists, a holistic doctor and others that have had cancer. I finally settled on a program that worked for me.

Below is the first letter Belinda wrote in early July of 1999. You can link to other letters at the bottom of this page. Each letter is a chapter of the Journey.

The Start of the Journey

Many of our friends were probably not aware that Belinda had cancer when she wrote this letter in late June of 1999. I have added a postscript to bring it up to date as of July 6, 1999. - Bill

Dear Friends,

I am going to try to do my own update on my health. I will try to let each of you know where I am and have been in this journey. I have been diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer. (This is the most critical stage of cancer, on a scale of 1-4). I have been working on this "little problem" with intensive nutrition and massive studying. The tumor began growing rapidly just as I finished a decorator's show house in late April. I was so happy to be getting my decorating business going and to have been invited to do two areas of this show house in Atlanta and never thought about this lump turning into anything other than annoying. But, I did have to leave the show house and go home to get serious with fighting this tumor. In less than a month the tumor grew so large that I could not lower my right arm and the pain was getting unbearable.

My sister, Sandra, who has cervical cancer and has gone through all this, came and picked me up in NC and took me to Atlanta. In less than a week, I was rushed through all kinds of tests and into surgery. I was dead set against surgery and had the treatment picked out that I wanted to pursue.

I chose a cancer therapy that is in Mexico that works to rebuild your immune system with intensive nutrition. This treatment was developed by Dr. Max Gerson and his work is carried on by his daughter and a staff at the Gerson Institute. I have been accepted by the institute, but they wanted the tumor removed without any radiation or chemo.

So, by another miracle I was in surgery Thursday morning and home Friday morning. As of now, I plan to go to Mexico to the Gerson Institute's Hospital Meridian on June 29th and will stay 3 weeks. Am I afraid? NOT AT ALL! I am so completely confident that I am right in the palm of my Father's Hand that I am wrapped in complete peace. I am so ready and willing to go see my love that I have served for 27 years - the King of Kings, Jesus, my savior and redeemer. BUT, if I am to remain on earth longer, I am confident that nutrition is the answer for me. This program is different - certainly not new - and is having incredible results with terminally ill patients.

I am completely living the scripture with the apostle Paul when he said in Philippians 1:19-24 "For I know that this shall turn out for my deliverance through your prayers and the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, according to my earnest expectation and hope, that I shall not be put to shame in anything, but that with all boldness, Christ shall even now, as always, be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose. But I am hard pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better; yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake."

This is one of my main reasons to pursue health and a rebuilt immune system - so that I can aggressively do the work of Christ while I remain on this earth. I am extremely excited about this journey. The pain I could do without, but my Lord suffered for me, so I do not need to fear this suffering. I have had such an opportunity to speak to so many people about my choices and the Lord that I am on a spiritual journey rather than sorrow and death.

The Lord has provided me with a very special oncologist in Atlanta that is supporting me in this route of treatment! That alone is a major miracle. And, I have traveled through this whole procedure with a fear of needles. Everyone has worked around my fear and helped me get through surgery and the tests without me ever seeing a needle in me. I have had a port installed now to keep this needle problem from keeping me from my nutrition treatments. But I am really sore!!!!!

I want to say how much I love and appreciate each one of you. This earth is made bearable with good friends and family!!!

In Christ's love and joy,

Belinda

On June 25th, we went to see her oncologist. I left my notes in Atlanta so I am doing this from memory. The cancer is not driven by progesterone or estrogen. The operation removed 2 tumors. One was under her right breast. The other was under her right arm in her lymph nodes. This was causing the severe pain as the cancerous lymph node was allowing lymph fluid to back up in the tumor and it was about to rupture. This tumor had enveloped 12 (I believe) healthy lymph nodes that unfortunately had to be removed with the one that had cancer. The doctor had the cancer tested to see how aggressive it was. He said that a grade one is very slow and six to seven is considered aggressive. Her cancer is rated at 25. Although the surgery removed all of her cancer, they believe that a spot that showed up in the tests on her liver is cancerous. This could be very serious as it could spread throughout her body through her blood.

Belinda and Jeanette left for Mexico on Tuesday, June 29th. Jeanette will stay with her for ten days and then come home.

All of this happened to Belinda while I was in Europe with Jeanette. By the way, she insisted that we finish the trip and not come home early.

I know this is getting long, so I will close for now. Thanks again to all of you for your encouragement and prayers!

Below are Belinda's letters or the chapters of the Journey

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This site was last updated: December 02, 2005

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