Help yourself

I'm John Davidson (www.johndavidson.org), a writer from the UK. In mid-August 2005, I was admitted to Hereford hospital (UK) with acute bowel pain, which turned out to be colon cancer. This was removed. There was some escape of cancer cells into associated lymph nodes (3 out of 17), but no other tumours were picked up by a CT scan. I was in good health. The day before being admitted to hospital, I was cutting old railway sleepers into a bank in our garden!

When I returned home from hospital nearly three weeks later, with the help of friends, I started doing some internet research on cancer, and especially colon cancer. I was amazed to discover that despite the billions of pounds/euros/dollars etc. spent on cancer research, and the many advances in understanding the numerous variants of the disease, the standard treatment for my stage of colon cancer is still a drug (fluorouracil, also called 5FU) that has been in use for more than forty years, has uncomfortable side effects, and which only increases the chances of survival after five years by 5-10%.

Investigating some of the more recent research, I was further surprised to discover how much medical research has been done into naturally available substances (generally from plants, mushrooms etc.), which possess cancer preventative, cancer inhibiting and even cancer curative properties. But despite this research, these substances - increasingly known as nutriceuticals - are not available as a part of standard medical treatment in the West. With the help of therapist friends, I worked out a programme for myself, and at the request of some of the nursing staff, I have made this available to others on www.self-helpcancer.org.

Personally, I think my cancer is related to an operation on a broken ankle in April 2005. There's some significant research relating cancer to post-operation trauma and the related stress.

Now I'm three-quarters of the way through the chemotherapy, and looking forward to the light at the end of the tunnel. I have plenty of energy, but don't enjoy the chemotherapy's assault on my state of well-being. I think that one of the most significant things a cancer patient can do is to become positive and pro-active in their treatment plan. This in itself makes you feel a great deal better, and at the same time stimulates the immune system.

Good luck and warm best wishes to all other cancer patients out there.