A lot can change in one year. Just ask Kristina Lanoue.
Last May, she was experiencing unusual periods where she was referred to a gynecologist. The bleeding was bad enough, and the news wasn’t any better.
“She saw that there was something wrong right away,” the 25-year-old recalled.
The biopsies came back abnormal: stage 1B1 cervical cancer with a tumour about three centimetres in size. The recommendation was for a radical hysterectomy.
That was last June. A checkup only five months later discovered a new tumour that was already three centimetres in size as well.
All of this was right out of the blue for the young woman. She says that there is no history of cancer in her family. She has a pretty healthy lifestyle and has never smoked either.
“I’m a fairly healthy eater, a vegan. I’m definitely not the most unhealthy person I know so I have no idea what brought this on. (The doctors) are all dumbfounded. They can’t come up with an explanation for it either.”
After the new tumour was diagnosed, she was started on a new course of treatments including radiation and chemotherapy. There were 28 rounds of radiation followed by five rounds of mild chemo then three rounds of a “more harsh” chemo, which made her hair fall out. That all ended just about a month and a half ago.
Still, the tumour has become a pernicious presence in her life, and all of the prescribed treatments have ended.
“There’s nothing more that they can do for me. The doctor said that the tumour grew while I was doing the chemotherapy instead of shrinking. She said it was the most aggressive cancer that she’d ever seen.”
Out of necessity, she has now taken matters into her own hands. Through her own research and consultations with a naturopathic specialist, she has discovered the Gerson Therapy, an alternative treatment that is available at the Northern Baja Wellness Centre in Mexico, a clinic run by Dr. Patrick Vickers.
She said that the treatment combines aspects of holistic treatments including dietary requirements with other therapies. It consists of 13 organic juices each day plus coffee enemas, along with nutritional supplements.
“I think it’ll be a really good mix,” she enthused.
Lanoue, patiently positive even in the face of such a daunting disease, remains optimistic about her chances with the prospect of the Gerson Therapy to help her out.
She has her spot reserved at the clinic but it costs $40,000 for the five-week treatment regimen set to start on June 25. Unfortunately, she will also have to bear all of the costs herself, or maybe with the help of some friends and strangers too. She has started an online crowdfunding campaign at www.KristinasFight.ca to help boost her bank account to pay for the expensive and potentially lifesaving trip.
“None of the alternative cancer treatments are covered by our health plan. I’ve already tried all of the conventional treatments here. Throughout the whole thing I’ve been pretty positive and optimistic. I don’t really see any other way of going about it. I could be really upset all the time but that’s not going to make things any better.”
“Might as well look on the bright side,” she laughed. “I know that there are other people that have it worse.”
