| Celebrity Cancer Treatment | | | | French system, and now every few weeks off I go |
| Where do celebrities like Kylie Minogue, Marianne | | | | for a short break. I call this medical treatment; any |
| Faithfull and others go for cancer treatment? Off to | | | | fly on the way will know that I constantly have a |
| France. | | | | smile on my face. Talking to doctors about any |
| France has some of the best cancer treatment in the | | | | niggling worries or problems that have cropped up, I |
| world. Britain is getting better, but once hospital | | | | then indulge in treatments, and the only nasty side is |
| treatment finishes - that's it. "Take these pills every | | | | knowing that many of the local patients are getting |
| day for the next five years". Then you'll get a hurried | | | | this on their health schemes. |
| check-up every six months. | | | | There doesn't seem to be a language problem. You |
| These pills are hormonal drugs, often fought over in | | | | can request an English-speaking doctor, and many |
| the Courts for our treatment (remember Herceptin?). | | | | therapists and staff speak English; but medicine is |
| But what no-one tells 95% of British patients is that | | | | international; just lie back and leave them to sort out |
| side effects from these drugs often need specialist | | | | your massage, skin problems, or whatever. |
| treatment; which the NHS is loath to provide. So, if | | | | Most medical spas specialising in post cancer |
| you are a celebrity, or one of a gathering number of | | | | treatment have the word 'Bain' in their names; this is |
| Brits who are prepared to pay for informed advice - | | | | because treatments followed healing thermal waters. |
| off you go France. | | | | At Aix-les-Bains you see patients smiling as tiny jets |
| French cancer treatment doesn't stop with hospital | | | | of warm water play on throat cancer sites. |
| visits. They know side effects are going to be with | | | | Brides-les-Bains is a lovely old Thermal spa with |
| you for a long time, so provide excellent care, often | | | | aromatherapy massage and reflexology and the |
| at a local medical spa. No prizes for guessing British | | | | chance to lose weight with fantastic menus; useful if |
| post cancer survival rates hover a blush-making | | | | hormonal drugs have caused weight gain. |
| bottom of European Statistics; France comes top of | | | | Or head towards the west coast and La Roche |
| table. | | | | Posay. They have been treating patients here ever |
| So when you need treatment or TLC for hormonal | | | | since a knight's horse fell into the river and was cured |
| drug side effects, how can you follow celebrities to | | | | of eczema. Today it's more likely that patients come |
| France? | | | | to have special warm water massages to restore |
| I found the best way is a letter of introduction from | | | | dried-out cancer skin; the selenium in the water is |
| any doctor, listing your medical history. Send this to | | | | particularly helpful. |
| the Medical Director of your chosen spa, and you are | | | | Originally the spa developed skincare to disguise burn |
| in the system. Can't find the right person? The tourist | | | | marks, and just grew. The medics produced a |
| office will be able to help. | | | | fantastic range of skincare products, using the local |
| French doctors understand side effects of hormonal | | | | water, and recently they developed a range specially |
| drugs, and help you get through the five years' | | | | for post cancer patients. Now, the skincare |
| treatment cycle as easily as possible. There is expert | | | | production has been taken over by Vichy, and these |
| help, allied to proven therapies which are usually very | | | | products are going to be available in Britain at |
| pampering: think massage, face treatments for dry | | | | chemists under the name of La Roche Posay |
| skin, reflexology, etc. All you have to do is lie back, | | | | skincare- so you can use the same creams as the |
| knowing the massage or treatment you are having is | | | | celebrities. |
| supervised by medical staff. | | | | Typically French, La Roche Posay realised women like |
| When the figures came out in The Lancet, showing | | | | to look good, so not only are skin creams formulated |
| Britain way down the tables for post cancer survival, | | | | for post cancer, but so are cosmetics. My favourite |
| I asked what plans the Dept. Health had to copy | | | | is a mascara developed especially for cancer patients; |
| post cancer care in Europe. | | | | any patient who has despaired of ever seeing their |
| "None" - came back arrogant reply. | | | | eyelashes again, should try this. |
| One wonders if this is because the treatments are | | | | Looking in the mirror you see you have |
| often similar to 'beauty' treatments? But charities like | | | | almost-celebrity style lashes. Sitting next to me at |
| Macmillan have done extensive studies proving their | | | | the make-up bar - nothing 'hospital-like' about this |
| benefits. | | | | treatment centre, a fellow Brit suddenly beamed: |
| After cancer treatment in London, I tapped into the | | | | Vive La France - I've got my face back! |