Breast Cancer and YOU - Suggestions From Other Breast Cancer Victims and Survivors on How to Fight

It's one thing to hear and read about those victimsNow back to my sister. I asked her to share some
of breast cancer in which some survived, whereasthoughts that we could pass on, so the conversation
others died. However, when it hit home, let's say awent like this:
close family member or friend, it's a different ballInterviewer: Tish, when were you first diagnosis with
game.breast cancer?
I took the initiative to contact my sister, a breastTish: 1998
cancer survivor to chat with her about her cancerInterviewer: What were your first concern?
ordeal. But, before we go there, let me share thisTish: What stage was the cancer.
with you:Interviewer: What were your main concern?
Taking a Closer Look at CancerTish: How it would affect my family.
Few words cast as much fear over your head asInterviewer: What were your fears?
being told by your doctor that you have 'cancer.' AreTish: Whether or not it would be necessary to
you aware that there are more than one hundredremove one breast or both.
types are known, of varying levels of aggression?Interviewer: What options came to your mind?
Many are treatable and even curable.Tish: What to do after the surgery.
But check this out, cancer is still the second greatestInterviewer: Did you have the surgery and what the
cause of death in North America. Now this isoutcome?
staggering, one third of Americans will die of someTish: Surgery was successful, chemo and radiation
form of cancer. Be alarmed, but not alarmed.was not necessary because the tumor was on the
Here's a sobering thought, many cancers can betop of the breast and did not spread anywhere else.
prevented through the threefold regimen of diet,Interviewer: What advice do you have for breast
avoidance of carcinogens (cancer-causing agents) andcancer victims?
reinforced bodily defenses.Tish: Do your random MRI's- exercise regularly take
Certain environmental carcinogens will predictablyvitamin E and avoid caffeine.
initiate cancerous growth, including a variety ofThis interview opened my eyes to some details that
chemicals and high radiation levels.I readily shared with my wife. FYI, my sister is doing
The American Cancer Society makes the followingwell, thanks.
suggestions to minimize the risk of cancer:A Breast Cancer Survivor Takes This Thing A Little
- Maintain appropriate body weight.Further
- Eat a varied diet(include daily fruits and veggies)I want you to know that I recently attended a
- Eat more high-fiber foods(whole grain, cereals etc)Educational Health Fair sponsored by a breast cancer
- Cut down on total fat intake and limit consumptionsurvivor whose relentless determination along with
of alcoholic beverages, salt-cured and smoked foods.support from her doctor and family gave her the
What Are Some Therapeutic Possibilities?strength needed to succeed.
Chemotherapy and/or Radiation can help in theShe harnessed that strong will and started a breast
removal of a cancer tumor, but both procedurescancer foundation. I arranged to meet with her and
inflict great damage to the normal cells and well asher husband to see if I could share her story with
the cancerous cells.others.
Chemotherapy is a controlled poisoning of the patientHer name is Jackie G. of Fort Lauderdale, Fl.
based on the idea that these growing cancer cells areInterviewer: When were you first diagnosis with
more sensitive to the poison than are normal cells.cancer?
However, there are in many cases unpleasant sideJackie: January 2007
effects.Interviewer: What were your first concern?
Radiation therapy works in a similar way. TheJackie: Whether or not I would live or die.
cancerous is targeted and bombarded with radiation.Interviewer: What were your fears?
The tumor is theoretically more sensitive to theJackie: Whether or not the cancer had metastasis.
radiation than the surrounding healthy tissue, but stillYou see, breast cancer spreads first to the brain and
severe side effects.the liver.
Glutathione (GSH) therapy in recent experimentsInterviewer: What options came to mind?
showed promising results. The GSH content of bothJackie: Holistic medicine, chemo and radiation.
the normal and cancerous cells makes them more orInterviewer: Did you have surgery?
less susceptible to damage. High levels of GSH clearlyJackie: Yes, along with therapy treatments, which
help protect cells from chemotherapy, low levelsmade me very sick.
makes them vulnerable.Interviewer: What advice do you have for breast
However, tumor cells that are high in GSH usuallyvictim?
show resistance to chemotherapy, so there haveJackie: Listen to your doctor, listen to your body,
been some efforts to reduce GSH levels in cancerdon't get depressed, get affiliated with a good
cells with a drug like BSO. The trouble is that thesupport system, make all doctors appointment.
drug BSO reduces the GSH levels in normal cells.Interviewer: Jackie, what have this experience with
McGill University researchers, Dr. Baruchel, Batist andbreast cancer moved you to do?
their team in Montreal later worked with Dr. GustavoJackie: In November 2007, my husband and I started
Bounous to published similar results in the journala Breast Cancer Foundation. We promote regular
Cancer Research, using a patented whey proteinexamination, early detection and offer aggressive
isolate.treatments.
This six month study using this whey protein isolate,In a nut shell, a We Care Awareness Program.
resulted in tumor regression or stabilization. The sameBreast cancer survivors are fighters. They may be a
researchers showed that elevated GSH levels mayvictim initially because of not knowing what to do or
enhance the anti-cancer action of certainexpect. Women the world over are waging this
chemotherapeutic agents.battle. Science and medicine provides treatments that
They Were Breast Cancer Victims Before Theyhas proven helpful. Determination and will power by
Were Survivorsthese victims makes them survivors.