Resources and support for families dealing with cancer and serious illness

Hey there, good people. I’m rarely hanging around this forum, but I find myself with just one single question for all of you... If someone were to tell you that a cure actually exists—that chemo isn't necessary and that a person doesn't have to endure all that suffering—what would your move be?

Sandra Martin60 said:Hey there, everyone. I don't find myself hanging out on Reddit very often, but I wanted to pose a single question to the group... If someone came up to you and claimed they had found a cure—that chemotherapy wasn't actually necessary and that people didn't have to suffer through it—how would you react?

Are you actually kidding me right now?😕>

slyseal28 said:Are you kidding me right now?😕

No, I’m calling it now—this feels like a total setup. It reeks of a trap designed to bait people into a massive backlash against Google, or worse, some "tried and true" scam that promises a 100% success rate. Hold on a second, though... my gut instinct is starting to pick up some serious vibes here. It feels like we're dealing with some kind of cosmic interference.🙂
Is it "em ay right," "em ay wry," or "em ay write"? Honestly, pick a lane already.😍
Look, just send us the damn link already. We’ve got people coming in here who are genuinely, seriously ill—some of them are even in the terminal stages. Let’s at least try to leave their intelligence intact.☕

I am absolutely livid with the state of our healthcare system—specifically the doctors at the hospital where my dad has been staying until today. It’s terrifying!! I have been on the literal verge of a nervous breakdown all day. I was so incredibly out of control that I had to go right back to the hospital just to tell them exactly what was on my mind. I know the nurses probably think I'm just some arrogant brat, and I know nothing I say is going to change anything, but I just had to get it out of my system—both for myself and for them. I have to do this because it's my dad, and he can't fight this battle for himself right now.
Ugh!!!!
I’ve read enough on Reddit to know that plenty of people deal with similar nightmares in hospitals, so I know I'm not alone, but still! Grrr.

Sandra Martin60 said:Hey there, wonderful people! I don't find myself popping onto Reddit very often, but I really wanted to reach out because I have just one single question for everyone here... If someone were to tell you that a cure actually exists, and that things like chemotherapy aren't even necessary, and that a person doesn't have to go through all that suffering, what would your reaction be? What would you do?

Don't you feel a little bit uneasy even bringing up a question like that? 😠

No, I’m not embarrassed by it—not at all. To be honest, I’ve crossed paths with quite a few people in my own community who were battling cancer, and I tried everything in my power to step in and help them... but they were just so blindly devoted to whatever their doctors told them that there was nothing more I could do. And now? Those people are gone. I didn't bring this up to be provocative; I asked because I genuinely want to understand the broader way people think about this.

Sandra Martin60 said:No, I don't feel embarrassed at all. Over the years, I've encountered many people in my own community battling cancer, and I tried everything in my power to help them. But they were just so blindly devoted to their doctors that there was nothing more I could do... and those people are gone now. I’m asking this question because I want to understand the broader way people think about this.

In that case, walk us through your perspective—explain your method, or whatever you're calling it.
Don't leave everyone reading this with such a bitter aftertaste. Look, no offense intended, but the way you're framing your attempt to "help" feels incredibly reckless. You claim you wanted to assist people, yet you imply they're gone because they placed blind faith in medical professionals. So, what are you suggesting here? That you're some kind of miracle worker? I don't follow. Please, explain what this is actually about. If you're too uncomfortable to say it here, just send me a PM.

Sandra Martin60 said:Look, I’m not embarrassed. Honestly, I’ve dealt with plenty of people in my own circle who were battling cancer, and I tried everything in my power to help them. But they were so blindly devoted to their doctors that there was nothing more I could do... and now those people are gone. I didn't ask this to be awkward; I asked because I want to know how everyone else actually thinks about this.

So, what does "helping" actually look like in your case? Were you specifically trying to offer alternatives to standard medical treatments?

Sandra Martin60 said:No, I’m not embarrassed. I’ve encountered plenty of people in my own community who battled cancer, and I tried everything in my power to help them—but they were so blindly dependent on their doctors that there was nothing more I could do... and now those people are gone. I’m asking this because I want to understand the general mindset of the public.

Common sense dictates that if a universal, 100% effective cure for cancer actually existed, people wouldn't be dying from it anymore—especially not high-profile figures from things like glioblastoma. Do you honestly believe that when someone is facing that, they aren't grasping at every single thing that seems even remotely healthy or logical? To truly grasp the sheer confusion, the panic, and the agonizing mental tug-of-war involved, you’d have to be standing in their shoes or right next to them. Even then, it’s never clear.
When you try to step in and help someone fighting cancer, just remember the old saying: the road to hell is paved with good intentions.
As far as alternative methods go, the only thing proven to work is helping a person stay in peak physical condition so they can endure the actual medical treatment and maintain their health afterward.

p.s. don't embarrass yourself by getting dragged into debates like the one you're proposing.

Linda Peterson37 said:I am just completely overwhelmed by the state of our healthcare system—specifically the doctors at the hospital where my dad has been staying until today. It’s terrifying!! I spent the entire day literally on the verge of a nervous breakdown. I was so incredibly out of it that I actually had to go back to the hospital just to tell them exactly what was on my mind. I know the nurses probably thought I was being some arrogant brat or whatever, and I know that what I said isn't going to change a single thing, but I simply had to get it out—for myself and for them. I did it because it's about my dad, and right now, I can't fight for myself.
Ugh!!!!
I’ve read enough on Reddit to know that plenty of people deal with similar nonsense in hospitals, so I know I’m not alone, but still! Argh.

Hang in there, Linda Peterson37🙂!
Try to find another outlet for all that rage, because at the end of the day, the doctors are the only ones we have, regardless of how they act, and everything rests in their hands and God's. Unfortunately, when you approach them without any filter—the way we do at our Non-profit organization—you realize they are massive lightning rods for the system. They face a level of pressure that only people with nerves of steel can truly withstand. Because of that, be certain that they deal with people exactly like you every single day: people coming in with those exact same emotions and opinions, trying to "tear them down." They likely carry a share of the blame too, but I’m convinced they could change things if they chose to. Even if it's just because nobody wants to sit there and listen to someone berate them when you're left totally powerless to point out who is actually responsible for the mess.

Just know that for any decent doctor—and I believe most of them still are—the absolute imperative is to heal. Sadly, with cancer, especially certain types, everything comes down to trial and error. Some cancers respond to treatment, others don't. You have to try to accept that reality and come to terms with it. You really have to, if you want to make it through this with your sanity intact and not completely snap. Some things are just unchangeable, and they are beyond our control. I’ve written about this many times; it was my biggest realization during this whole ordeal. You eventually have to accept that while this is primarily happening to your father, your family is caught in the wake of it. Just do your best, because that’s all there is. Honestly, what you did was an expression of your own helplessness and weakness, and the darkness of this situation feeds on that. Try to master it. I know how hard that is, but once you conquer that feeling inside, things will get much easier.
Remember the old saying that a kind word can open steel doors. I proved that to myself countless times during my mom's treatment.
I am with you, truly and from the bottom of my heart, just like I am with everyone else caught in this incredibly heavy situation.😘

I don't usually jump into these debates—I’m more the type to just observe from the sidelines—but I can't exactly stay silent when the topic turns to healing, so I wanted to reach out to Sandra Martin60.
Don't you think you've basically thrown a bone to a pack of dogs starving for a cure? If you actually shared your treatment methods with the world, success would be a given... so why haven't you done it yet?
It seems you think we're all just blind, which is why we're losing this fight. I won't use the phrase "we are dying" because I'm too young for that—I have a small child and a husband battling an inoperable glioblastoma—so of course, I'm "blind," seeing nothing beyond what my oncologist tells me.

Honestly, what you did was just an expression of helplessness and weakness, and that kind of evil feeds on it. Try to control it. I know how hard that is, but once you overcome it within yourself, things will get much easier.

I get it—I realize I'm looking for someone to blame, thinking that venting my anger and rage at someone else will make me feel better, but it doesn't. All these negative emotions are still there, and I don't know how to purge them, though I know I have to if I don't want to lose my mind. I try to go hiking in nature as much as possible to clear my head, but even that fails more often than not. When the weather is nice, I think my dad would love to be out walking too since he loves walking the dog, but everything just circles back to the same thing. It feels like I'm stuck in a loop... I talk to everyone around me and try to accept things as they are, knowing I can't change anything except being there for him, making him laugh when I can, talking to him about everything, listening when he’s able to speak, and staying by Mom's side. I take her for walks because my dad was always such a fighter; he used to tell me, and still tells me, that I should never let myself stay sad or down.

I am with you, truly and from the bottom of my heart, just like I am with everyone else who finds themselves in an extremely difficult life situation.

Thank you so much!
Every day I realize more and more how much heart everyone in this thread has. Thank you all!

Sandra Martin60 said:No, I’m not embarrassed. I’ve dealt with plenty of people in my own community who suffered from cancer, and I tried everything I could to help them. But they were so blindly trusting of their doctors that there was nothing I could do... and those people are gone now. I asked this question because I want to gauge the general mindset of the public.

FANTASTIC!!!!!!

If you have a specific method that hasn't been mentioned here or on the Zanovidan website—something none of us have heard about yet—feel free to lay it out right here. We will look into it and potentially discuss how to move forward with it....

Best regards,

Linda Peterson37 said:I get it—I know I’m looking for someone to blame, and in all this desperation and helplessness, I think it'll be easier to just vent my anger at someone else, but honestly? It doesn't work. All these heavy, negative emotions are still sitting right there inside me, and I don't even know how to purge them, though I know I have to, or I'm going to lose my mind. I try to spend as much time outdoors as possible, walking through nature to clear my head, but even that feels like a losing battle sometimes. When the weather is nice, I can't help but think how much Dad would love to be out walking too; he always loved taking our dog out. But everything just keeps circling back to the same painful spot... it's like being trapped in a loop. I talk to everyone around me and I try to accept the reality of it all—that there's nothing I can actually change except being there for him, making him laugh when I can, talking about anything and everything, listening when he's up for it, and staying close to Mom. I take her for walks too, because my dad has always been such a fighter; he constantly tells me I should never let myself stay sad or down.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart!
Every single day, I realize more and more how huge the hearts are in this community. Thank you all so much!

Getting out into nature is a good move. There's something about walking by a river that helps; they say the water carries away all the bad stuff inside us. Back when Mom first got sick, we were over in Indianapolis and a small town in the Midwest, and we used to love walking along the Mississippi River and the Missouri River. If Dad is up for it, definitely get him outside. We actually got a wheelchair for Mom through Medicare, but by the time it arrived, she was already doing so poorly that those kinds of walks weren't really an option anymore.😢

So, I've been lurking on this forum for quite a while now... but today I’m actually posting because we’re facing a massive headache. It’s about my mom—she was diagnosed with colon cancer about a year and a half ago. She had surgery back then, which seemed like a win, but it turns out the doctors didn't quite get all of the liver metastasis. After a year, those cells basically "woke up" again, and she had to go back under the knife for a second operation.

She’s already been through the ringer with chemo using Campto, and now her oncologist is recommending Avastin. She started the new chemo regimen in February and has already had two doses of Avastin, but—get this—she just got denied coverage to continue the treatment. The reason? Apparently, it doesn't meet the specific criteria on the insurance formulary since they're classifying this as "second-line" treatment for metastatic colon cancer... 🤷

I honestly don't know what we're supposed to do. 😕...She’s planning to file a formal appeal because, let's be real, she had that metastasis present from the very first surgery—it just wasn't fully cleared out. We have the proof, too; her tumor markers were climbing steadily even when everyone kept telling us everything was fine. How are you even supposed to fight this kind of red tape? Avastin is incredibly expensive, and there's no way we can just shell out the cash for it ourselves... 😳

Linda Evans65 said:I’ve been lurking on this forum for quite a while now, but I’m finally stepping up because I’m facing a real crisis. It’s about my mother. About eighteen months ago, she was diagnosed with colon cancer. She went under the knife back then, and for a moment, it seemed like we had won that round. But here’s the kicker: the surgeons didn't quite manage to clear out the metastasis in her liver. It was like leaving a small ember burning in a pile of ash; you think the fire is out, but it's just waiting for oxygen. A year later, that spot "woke up," and now she’s staring down the barrel of a second surgery.

She finished her rounds of Campto, and now her doctor is pushing for Avastin. She’s been back on chemo since February and has already gone through two doses of the stuff, but she just hit a massive brick wall. Her insurance denied the next round, claiming it doesn't meet the coverage criteria because they only approve it for second-line treatment of metastatic colon cancer.🤷

I’m at a total loss here. I have no clue what our next move should be.😕She’s getting ready to file a formal appeal because they missed a metastasis during that first surgery—they just didn't clear enough of it out. She actually has the proof right in front of her; her tumor markers have been climbing steadily while everyone else was busy insisting everything was fine. It’s infuriating how you can have the data proving something went wrong, yet you're still stuck fighting the red tape. And then there's the financial nightmare: Avastin is incredibly expensive, and I honestly don't know how we're supposed to afford that kind of therapy out of pocket.😳

I’m honestly worried you guys might end up having to scrape the cash together and just buy that medication out of pocket right away. You can't afford to let treatment stall while waiting for an appeal to clear. It’s better to just push through the process now rather than letting things drag on.😠If you want to get that money back, you're going to have to go through the hassle of filing a claim with Medicare.
Apply some light pressure, and if they don't budge, take it straight to the media. There’s always a way to make it public.

P.S. Check your inbox—I sent you a DM.

Hey everyone.

Just wanted to share some good news—the results from the second biopsy came back CLEAN! No new tumor. Turns out it was just an inflammatory issue in the sinus. They’re going to run one more biopsy in about a month just to be absolutely certain, but for now, everything looks fine.
I can't even begin to tell you how much of a relief this is...

On another note, my dad isn't doing great; he's been fighting the flu for ten days now. His fever finally broke and settled at 98.6, but he’s still weak as a kitten, barely able to stay on his feet. I'm hoping he pulls through quickly, especially now that he knows the scan results were good. If anyone has any solid advice or home remedies to help him get back to his usual self, please let me know...

Best to you all.

Amanda Nelson54 said:Hey everyone!

Just wanted to share some incredible news—the results from the second biopsy came back CLEAN! No new tumor! It turns out it was just an inflammatory issue in his sinus. They’re going to run one more biopsy in a month just to be 100% certain, but for now, everything looks great.
I honestly can't even put into words how relieved I am...

On another note, my dad isn't doing great; he's been battling the flu for ten days now. His fever finally dropped to 98.6, but he's as weak as a wet noodle and can barely stay upright. I'm hoping he pulls through quickly, especially now that he knows the biopsy results were good. If anyone has any solid advice or home remedies to help get him back on his feet faster, please let me know...

Best to you all!

👍👍
Well, we've certainly covered a lot of ground here regarding boosting the immune system. Personally, I always swear by Native Propolis.

I received this, so I figured I’d share in case it helps anyone...
Hang in there!

Nettle tea for prostate health:

- Pull up some nettle, making sure to get the whole root.
- Wash the root thoroughly and dry it off completely.
- Chop it into 1 cm pieces.
- Boil about a cup of water, then add one spoonful of the root.
- Let it simmer covered for 20 minutes.
- Once it stops boiling, toss in three handfuls of fresh nettle leaves (don't boil them).
- Let it sit covered for another 10 minutes.
- Strain it into a small cup (you should have about 2-2.5 dl).
- Stir in a small teaspoon of honey—use honey, not sugar! Wait 2-3 minutes after the tea cools slightly before adding it.
- Drink this in the morning, afternoon, and evening.
Always make the drink fresh.

Also, try drinking willow bark tea—three cups a day at first, then tapering down to two cups daily.

For an enlarged prostate:

Drink willow bark tea in the morning and evening.

For prostate inflammation:

A blend of nettle, Swedish knotweed, and willow bark tea.

Hey everyone. So, I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that my dad was scheduled for surgery. Well, change of plans—they didn't go through with it. They’re claiming his heart is too weak, even though he’s only 55 and has a decent fitness level. Honestly, his cardiologists have told us straight up that his heart isn't the problem. It’s just the anesthesiologist who’s refusing to clear him for the procedure. But get this: we went to see a private specialist today, and that doctor said there shouldn't be any issue at all with anesthesia or the surgery itself. He can do it. No problem. Anyway, starting Monday, he begins radiation therapy. Some people are telling me I shouldn't let him go through with the radiation and should instead fight to get him transferred to a different hospital where they'll actually perform the surgery on his rib—people are calling the current doctors cowards for backing out when they clearly could do the job. I have a question though: if he goes through with two weeks of radiation, and the cancer doesn't shrink, will he still be able to have the surgery right away? Or is the radiation going to mess things up too much?