Drew Allen As follows:
I already posted this once, but someone decided to scrub my message from the board... It concerns a dear friend of mine, someone I care for deeply. She’s battling cancer. I won't go into the specifics here; I have no desire to broadcast someone else's private struggles on an online forum... But the reality is that even her own doctors—men with all those prestigious degrees and fancy certifications—have essentially thrown up their hands and given up. Are we truly expected to just sit idly by and accept their verdict, as if doing nothing at all was the only option left...
To be perfectly honest, I have found myself pondering the exact same question... Why would anyone guard their specific formulas so closely if their ultimate goal is truly to serve the greater good? Is it simply a matter of financial gain, or perhaps they fear that sharing their specialized knowledge could lead to someone misusing it for nefarious purposes... or maybe there is yet another reason entirely that we haven't considered. That being said, I am well aware that there are those who hold nothing back when facing illness, and I truly respect the sheer courage displayed by such individuals...
Here it is... Nancy Hernandez43 I have a question for you... Imagine, if you will, that you are an oncologist. You’ve completed your residency, spent countless years studying the intricacies of cancer treatment, and you now practice at a major oncology institute where you personally administer chemotherapy and radiation to your patients. Now, let's add a layer of complexity: suppose you personally know several people—individuals you trust implicitly—who actually cured their cancer using nothing more than some herbal tea concocted by an uneducated layman. In this scenario, there is absolutely no doubt about the efficacy of the tea; it truly works... The dilemma is this: If a patient came to you with a diagnosis, would you abandon the standard protocols of chemotherapy and radiation for your own patient? Would you tell them that this alternative path is actually far superior and much safer for their specific case... or would you ultimately insist on putting them through the rigors of chemotherapy? Just try to step into that medical professional's shoes for a moment, and perhaps the reasoning behind why they say what they say will become quite clear...
I believe it is abundantly clear to everyone here exactly what chemotherapy entails and the heavy toll it takes on the body, just as it is equally obvious to all that there is a vast distinction between herbal remedies and conventional medicine...
The whole situation is truly appalling... As a physician myself, I find it utterly inconceivable that I would ever permit some half-educated individual—someone who likely hasn't even finished high school—to attempt to treat cancer patients. After dedicating over twenty years to my own medical training, the idea of me actually sending one of my own patients to someone like that is simply beyond the pale... If you have any actual perspective on this matter, please answer my previous question...
Let’s dispense with any pretense of modesty here—my answer is a firm no. In fact, if I were actually a doctor—which, let me be clear, I am nowhere near being one—I would still be the exact same person I am today... a perfectionist who would never dream of washing my hands of a patient only to send them off to fight chemotherapy with nothing but some herbal tea...
I feel a profound sense of sorrow knowing that the doctors at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine have essentially given up on your friend... It is truly disheartening that she has had to turn to herbal remedies for support, though I sincerely hope there is some measure of success to be found in such an approach, because believe me, as difficult as it is to witness my own mother fighting for every single day of her life, it is equally heavy to hear about the struggles of others...
There are moments when I feel a profound urge to lend support to others, only to be struck by the realization that I am currently struggling under the weight of my own mother's illness... But perhaps there is a silver lining, if one can call it that, in the way her care is being managed out in the world at a major research institute. In those sterile halls, truth is often reduced to mere statistics, and whenever the question is posed to the oncologists—asking what happens if she can no longer tolerate a specific medication—they will invariably offer a clinical "there is another option"... yet, beneath that professional veneer, you can almost hear the unspoken sentiment that they are simply giving up... Another reality we face is that for over forty years, our family has been surrounded by an incredibly diverse array of specialists who have nothing to do with oncology: some are standard engineers, others work in pharmacology, then there are transfusion specialists... and even surgeons...
While the way it’s phrased sounds almost perfect, I have to admit that it has already been ten years since our grandfather passed away, and believe me, none of us have truly come to terms with it even now... which is exactly why we are doing everything humanly possible for our mother...
Based on the examples I have observed within my own family and immediate social circle, I can say that I have seen enough people successfully treated through conventional means, yet I have also seen plenty of individuals who attempted to combine standard medicine with alternative methods only to pass away... I don't know a single soul who relied solely on alternative paths, and perhaps that is precisely why. Furthermore, there is the simple fact that unlike our "average" oncologists here, doctors abroad will actually be honest with you; they won't guarantee a cure, and they'll make it clear that if a patient decides to take anything outside of the prescribed regimen—even though they receive a full protocol detailing exactly which chemotherapy drugs and specific ingredients they are permitted or forbidden from using—they do so entirely at their own risk, or rather, it is simply "not recommended"... They will also tell you quite plainly that there is no universal cure and that, unfortunately, a sudden reversal can occur where, despite positive test results, the patient still dies... The body is much like an automobile; no matter how focused you are on repairing the engine, the final axle can still snap at any moment...
Personally, I maintain a rather deep skepticism toward doctors... I tend to stick exclusively to those who have successfully treated me thus far, and when it comes to anything alternative, my perception is limited strictly to natural-based preparations purchased at reputable pharmacies where I can verify the exact percentages listed on the bottle. Physicians are certainly not omnipotent, and I am well aware of instances where even oncologists have succumbed to cancer themselves; however, I feel far more at peace knowing exactly what I am introducing into my system rather than consuming some unverified herbal tea...
Of course, I accept that there are individuals who have recovered through alternative means, but personally, I refuse to believe such claims until I see them with my own eyes. This space seems designed for everyone to offer advice, lend support, and ease one another's burdens in some way. Unfortunately, regarding my mother’s illness, I haven't known more than the bare essentials... for two years, I wasn't even aware of which chemotherapy protocol she was following, nor did I pay close enough attention to her immune support. Many here will likely claim that, as her daughter, I failed in my responsibility, yet she would insist that I acted correctly by leaving it all to the professionals—she is in the capable hands of those who truly know their craft, while I am merely a child...