35 years later – Two remarkable cancer stories made more remarkable by what happened next…

In the last post, we heard of the remarkable recoveries from advanced brain cancer experienced by 2 of the women who joined the very first Melbourne Cancer Support Group on 16th September 1981 – 35 years ago

Jan’s recovery had been uneventful but spectacular, Mary’s was slow and laboured – lots of ups and downs.

To add to Jan’s story - she had rung me the night before we began that first group to tell me how difficult things were and that she was not sure if she would commit suicide or come to the group tomorrow. Then she hung up.

Being new to all this, I had not yet taken her contact details so I could not get back to her. I could only spend a somewhat anxious time before experiencing considerable relief when she did turn up for the group.


Jan was in her early forties and she came with her partner, Michael. Together they quickly warmed to the program, embraced all the recommendations and Jan experienced a swift, uneventful and complete recovery without any medical treatment. Jan was a star patient – or so it seemed.

So this week, what happened when Jan and Mary returned to her lives, but first



               Thought for the day

You have been walking the ocean’s edge
Holding up your robes to keep them dry.
You must dive naked under, and deeper under; 
A thousand times deeper!

Love flows down.
The ground submits to the sky
And suffers what comes.
Tell me, is the earth worse for giving in like that?

                                                        Rumi





A life too difficult to live

Around one year after that first group began, Michael rang me. Jan had been very well but recently was eating more and more things they both knew were not good for her. When Michael questioned her, he was told very curtly to mind his own business.



Michael and I discussed this a little but then a few weeks later he rang again. Now Jan had abandoned her meditation. Michael was increasingly worried; we discussed the situation some more but a few weeks later he rang again. Now the brain cancer was back and this time Jan was completely opposed to meditating, eating for recovery, being positive. I went to see her in person.

Jan was a very intelligent and articulate woman. She was reasonably open and frank with me. Jan explained that before the cancer was diagnosed her life was in deep disarray. Problems abounded in every aspect of her life. A disturbing childhood, difficult past relationships, unhappy in work, conflict in her current relationship; the cancer diagnosis came as no surprise and she had related strongly to the group discussions regarding the cancer prone personality. But the diagnosis changed everything.



Following the diagnosis of cancer, Michael had become more attentive and their relationship flourished. With the cancer, she was unable to go to work. With the cancer she had a ready-made, unarguable excuse to do whatever she liked. So she did. She came to know a new level of happiness. 




Then she recovered.

What now?

She needed to face her life again.

But she did not like it. The job seemed as unpleasant as ever. Now her friends were not so attentive.

Her past felt as if it was crowding in on her.



Jan put it to me quite simply: “Ian, I would rather die than go back to my old life.”

And despite everyone’s best efforts at the time, she did die quite rapidly.



Often the stories that carry major insights or reveal key points are dramatic. Jan’s story coupled with those of other people with similar dilemmas, affected me deeply, caused me a great deal of introspection, led to me studying widely and culminated in a new level of understanding.

The so called “positive approach” worked well as a starting point. It gave people hope and direction and nearly everyone in those early groups who committed to the techniques involved improved dramatically in their health and wellbeing.



But over time, what we came to observe was that on returning to their lives, not all by any means, but significant numbers of people hit barriers to coping with that life and to maintaining their peace of mind. And when that peace of mind was lost, the motivation to look after themselves was lost, and almost invariably, their health suffered badly.

Jan’s story is one of those pivotal experiences that helped to shape the groups we developed and continue to present, and the writing of You Can Conquer Cancer (where her story is also recorded).

With the benefit of many years of study and the cumulative experience of my colleagues and the many thousands of people from the groups, it is possible to categorize the barriers and to set out effective antidotes. Basically, for people like Jan, it is about learning new life skills and particularly finding some elements of joy and meaning in life once again.

But what you may well also find useful is to contrast Jan’s experience with that of Mary.

Mary and the impact of major tragedy
Mary continued to look after herself and she stayed well for around 7 years. Then tragedy struck. Mary’s teenage daughter was found dead of a drug overdose. Mary had been unaware her daughter was involved with drugs, so the shock was even more profound. Her grief was immense. Deep despair followed.

In a situation like this, it would be easy to imagine how as a mother one could have a wide range of painful emotions on top of any normal grief reaction. What went wrong? What could I have done? What did I do? How could I have made it different?

When I spoke to her shortly after her daughter’s death, Mary was clear in a way that was reminded me of Jan. In a calm, detached manner, she told me how she felt life was no longer worth living. She went on to say how she had come to know so much about her cancer - enough to recover - that now she felt sure she could bring it back, and that she felt that was the best way out of her pain.

We continued to talk over the next 2 weeks. Then Mary had a revelation. She told me that it was bad enough that her daughter had died of an overdose, but if she were to die as a direct consequence, that would make things even worse for her daughter and all around her.

So Mary determined to survive once again.

She knew how vulnerable she was.

She intensified her dietary patterns once more, along with her meditation. She sought counselling, reduced her workload, stayed close to family and supportive friends.

The time surrounding the aftermath of the tragedy was very tough for Mary and it went on for quite a while, but Mary chose life and used her supports and her skills to maintain it.

I still see her from time to time; Mary survived, she is still alive. She has done many good things over the years, but she always tells me there is this part of her that still finds life a challenge; that it has never been the same since the tragedy.

Different, but life goes on in new ways.

So 35 years of incredible people like Jan and Mary. What extra-ordinary work to be involved in. No cliché…  this is a genuine privilege. So much learnt from these wonderful people.

Next post 
Some observations on how the management of cancer has changed dramatically in these last 35 years.


COMING RETREATS AND TRAININGS

Meditation Retreats
Ruth and I, with the help of Liz Stillwell, will personally lead our next 7 day meditation retreat in New Zealand :  October 22 - 28.

Next Aussie one, April 2017 in the Yarra Valley.

In NZ, we will give attention to the major experiences of deeper meditation – stillness, clarity and bliss. We will explore these states experientially and examine their relevance in an ongoing and satisfying meditation practice.

This promises to be one of the very best retreats – well worth travelling from Australia to attend, or making the journey to the glorious Mana Retreat Centre from anywhere around New Zealand.

ALL DETAILS – CLICK HERE

Meditation Teacher Training 
The program - October 10 - 14 - may be fully booked already – check with the office.
Next year's dates will be available very soon...

ALL DETAILS – CLICK HERE

Specific cancer residential programs 

8 days In Wanaka New Zealand 
- November 3 - 10
This is a comprehensive program focusing on activating and targeting the immune system, accelerating healing, much more on a therapeutic lifestyle, along with a range of strategies for heightening emotional health and wellbeing.

Again we will have the incomparable help of Liz Stillwell and the amazing Stew Burt - the ideal starting point for everyone affected by cancer.

5 days in the Yarra Valley : November 14 - 18
More designed as a follow-up cancer program for those who have done a previous program with Ruth and myself, the Foundation, or one of its affiliates. Call the Foundation for details of eligibility.

ALL DETAILS – CLICK HERE

Cancer thriver - Jane Treleaven

Meet Jane Treleaven – another cancer thriver with a great story. While working as a highly stressed barrister, Jane was diagnosed with a slow-growing “incurable” lymphatic cancer in 2013.  Recently, Jane interviewed me and so this week, a link to the interview Essentially Being, and more, but first

Thought for the day

Do you have a daily practice?

Yes.

What is it?

I set a conscious intention at the beginning of each day to benefit everyone I come across.

Richard Davidson
Neuroscientist

Upon diagnosis, and recognising her life was more about “Doing” than “Being”, Jane came to the Foundation, trained as a meditation teacher with myself and Ruth and transformed her life.

Now Jane holds a certificate as an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition and works as a wellness coach and meditation instructor helping people to be happy and well while living with cancer; thriving with cancer.  The focus?  Just being, essentially being.

You can read more of Jane’s recovery and current work via her website or her informative blog.



But now, sit back and watch as Jane and I discuss my own recovery from cancer, the work this led me to do and how to give yourself the best chance after a cancer diagnosis. We also talk about the very recent scientific developments on the link between cancer progression and stress.
Here is THE LINK

All of what we discuss applies equally to preventing cancer (and recovering from other illnesses associated with inflammation). As we know, the incidence of cancer is on the rise and there are things you can do now to reduce the risk for yourself and your loved ones.

Please feel free to share this post widely, and to comment below about your experiences.

RELATED BLOG 
The stress of cancer stress research

NOTICEBOARD

MEDICINE of the MIND

Accelerated healing and peace of mind 
- an inspiring and practical day seminar 

Date : Sunday 17 April 2016       Starts 10am (arrive 9.30) to 4pm
Venue : Melbourne Rigpa Centre, 7/200 Sydney Road, Brunswick
Enquiries : Call 0402 586 360 or email melbourne@rigpa.org.au

BOOKINGS    Link HERE

RESOURCE 

INTERVIEW WITH IAN GAWLER AND JANE TRELEAVEN

This link is to the page on my website where other interviews and programs I have been featured in can be accessed - such as the Geraldine Doogue interview on the ABC TV Compass program

The stress of cancer stress research

Even when you are a natural-born optimist, sometimes the predominant response to good news can be a feeling of regret.

Recent research coming out of my own hometown of Melbourne has claimed to be a medical breakthrough; one that the researchers are hoping will lead to new ways of treating cancer in a more holistic way.

My regret? Since day one of the Melbourne Cancer Support Group, that later grew into the Gawler Foundation, all of us involved encouraged our participants to take advantage of the approach that now, 35 years later, is being regarded as a breakthrough.

My regret? I really feel for all those people who were influenced by the medical hierarchy’s vehement opposition to this notion for so many years, and that collectively we failed to more skilfully bring about change earlier, meaning that many, many thousands of people did not get the full care they would have benefited from.

So this week we examine the research, the “breakthrough”, highlight some of the opposition, and do celebrate that at least for those affected by cancer in current time, there may be new hope; but first




      Thought for the day

The real voyage of discovery 
Consists not in seeking new landscapes 
But in having new eyes 

                    Marcel Proust





Transcript from The Couchman Report, ABC TV, 1988

Peter Couchman
If you were diagnosed with cancer tomorrow, would you put your life in the hands of orthodox medicine and all that involves or would you go to someone like Ian Gawler – who won’t use drugs, who’s not trained, who’s not registered, but who can produce a lot of people for you who claim to have been cured by him?

Dr Paul Niselle, Medical Protection Society
On the one hand a very uncomfortable treatment that has a predictable chance of success; on the other hand you are being offered treatment that is much, much more comfortable, with grandiose claims for efficacy that cannot be supported.

Dr Ray Lowenthal, Oncologist
He lists his type of treatment as being quite non-toxic as opposed to medical treatments which he lists as toxic whereas some of the treatments which he offers have considerable potential for doing harm.

Dr John Zalcberg, Oncologist, Repatriation Hospital
To meditate, to relieve stress, to alter the immune system, is not going, I mean the evidence does not support the fact that that will lead to control of breast cancer, lung cancer or colon cancer.

Ian Gawler
Something very specific happens. Perhaps we haven’t got the explanation right, because we haven’t studied it enough, and perhaps meditation is working through some other mechanism.


Chronic stress accelerates the spread of cancer 
by Julia Medow,  The Age, Melbourne newspaper, 2016

Australian researchers have revealed in a study that could dramatically change the way people with the disease are treated.

For years, patients have suspected that high levels of stress may cause cancer and or accelerate its growth, but neither hypothesis has been proven by rigorous research showing how this might occur.

A team of researchers from Monash University have now shown that chronic, persistent stress in mice sets off physiological changes that cause cancer cells to move faster and spread to other parts of the body.

The team, led by Dr Erica Sloan and Dr Caroline Le, discovered that adrenaline – a neurotransmitter triggered by stress to increase alertness and rapid reaction to threat – has a downside for animals and people with cancer: it increases the number and size of lymphatic vessels in and around tumours, while also increasing the rate of fluid flow through these vessels. Both of these combine to increase the capacity of lymphatic "highways" to carry and spread tumour cells throughout the body.

"We found that chronic stress activates the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) – better known as the 'fight-or-flight' response – to profoundly impact lymphatic function and the spread of cancer cells," said Dr Le of the study published in the prestigious journal Nature Communications.

"These findings demonstrate an instrumental role for stress ... and suggest that blocking the effects of stress to prevent cancer spread through lymphatic routes may provide a way to improve outcomes for patients with cancer."

The study also reported that a cohort of patients on drugs often used to treat anxiety and high blood pressure (beta blockers that block the actions of adrenaline) were less likely to have secondary cancer that had spread from its primary site.

A clinical trial is now underway at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre to see if such a drug alters the course of breast cancer in people with the disease.

Dr Sloan said the mice in the study were restrained in a way to make them feel like they would not cope with their circumstances. This was done to mimic the way people feel if they are under significant stress brought on by caring for a sick relative without enough resources, for example. She said it was not designed to mimic an acute and temporary episode of stress such as being chased by a dog.

"What we're talking about is prolonged, ongoing situations where you can't cope," she said.

The mice who were stressed had a much higher rate of their cancer spreading, compared to control mice with cancer who were not put in stressful situations.

Stressed mice experienced more metastasis (cancer spreading from its original site) compared to otherwise healthy (control) mice. Source Le et al., Nature Communications.

Dr Sloan emphasised that cancer patients should not feel responsible for their own stress because it can be very difficult to control, especially when diagnosed with a serious illness. However, she is hoping the research will lead to new ways of treating cancer in a more holistic way that reduces stress as much as possible along the way. This could be done with drugs like beta blockers, as well as complementary therapies such as meditation or yoga.

Channel Nine TV News, 2 March 2016
Jane Treleaven explains how she felt stress played a major part in the onset of her cancer, and how learning meditation has made such a difference to her life. Jane is a cancer survivor.

Watch this lovely short piece : CLICK HERE

“Regrets, I’ve had a few… but then again, to few to mention… “

Remember the old Frank Sinatra song. Well, when I reflect on my years working with people affected by cancer, I have two. This is one of them… That for many years I seemed to have invoked hostility from the cancer hierarchy in response to the suggestion that stress needed to be taken seriously in cancer medicine, both as a causative agent and as an influence that would impair the capacity to recover.

So I do deeply regret that both personally and with all the good people at the Foundation, collectively we were unable many years ago to instigate the research that has just been published. I suspect that if we had, many people would be the better for it.

Let us hope that this new “breakthrough” research does in fact lead to better cancer management in the mainstream and that many people benefit.

As an aside, I have written to Professor John Zalcberg who appeared on The Couchman Show to ask how his position may have changed. Prof Zalcberg was the Director, Division of Cancer Medicine, at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre for 17 years prior to taking up the position of Professor of Cancer Research in the School of Public Health and Preventative Medicine at Monash University in 2014. I have asked him if he knows of any current research, or planned research, that will examine the role of meditation in managing stress, given meditation is known to be highly effective as an antidote to stress and may be worth exploring along with the beta blockers.

RELATED BLOGS
Mind-Body Medicine and cancer

A volatile mix – stress, alcohol and cancer

RESOURCES
You Can Conquer Cancer – where the role of stress in the onset of cancer is discussed, and the role of stress management for people diagnosed with cancer is presented, along with how to cut through the adverse affects of stress