Cancer Coach and Stage 4 cancer survivor, Alison Faraday, has teamed up with well-known psychologist, Hilton Calder from Lifeshine Wellness Centre, to launch a Circle of Healing series for those who have been diagnosed with cancer or any other dreaded disease.

“Circles of Healing is a 10 week, inner journey to create the ideal conditions for healing,” explains Faraday. “Our goal is to create an environment in which participants can achieve psychological healing with the hope that this could provide an advantage in physical healing.”

In 2019 Alison was diagnosed with breast cancer, for which she is now in full remission. Since then, she has been on a journey in which she has struggled to bridge the worlds of mainstream medicine and so-called ‘alternative’ approaches to cancer.

A brief timeline of Alison’s diagnosis to the present day:

  • June 2019: in a routine mammogram a lump was discovered in Alison’s right breast
  • July 2019: the lump was identified as malignant oestrogen positive cancer
  • End July: Lumpectomy and resizing done to both breasts
  • Chemotherapy was strongly suggested, but after research Alison decided not to do it.
  • Instead, she opted to do some alternative treatments, including a 3-month complete detox, and by December her tumour markers had dropped to within normal range.
  • From Jan – March 2020 Alison continued with ozone therapy, Vit C drips etc, but when lockdown happened, it somehow felt that her cancer had gone into lockdown too.  From March to June, Alison relapsed to her old bad diet (with a fair amount of red wine) and, although she was feeling really good, she started to experience strange sensations in her abdomen.
  • June 2020: In a regular visit to a gynaecologist, a lot of excess liquid in her abdomen was picked up and Alison was referred back to her oncologist.
  • July 2020: The results of a CT scan showed that the cancer had spread to her amentum (the layer of tissue above her organs) and lesions were identified in her spine. She was now stage 4.
  • Alison began to do more research into her situation and found a great integrative doctor and a sympathetic oncologist. She also found a newish approach to the treatment of cancer called the ‘metabolic approach’, using off-label drugs. Alison registered with a clinic in London called the Care Oncology Clinic and began their protocol alongside the mainstream drugs. Many papers and books have been written on this new approach.
  • Jan 2021: The results of a 6-month scan showed no new lesions in her spine and none in the amentum. She had achieved what the oncologists call “a complete response” aka remission.

While Alison by no means considers herself a cancer expert, she wishes to share her key learnings that she has found through this process, in the hope that it can help others who are currently also facing this life changing diagnosis.

  1. Cancer is not the end: there is always more that can be done. “I believe that the biggest hurdle that any cancer patient must overcome is the monumental fear of the big C. If we can forget everything we think we know about cancer, we can see that this disease is not all-powerful, and can be tackled.”
  2. Take control: “No one cares about your health as much as you do. No doctor, or specialist can ever hope to care about your wellbeing as much as you do, so therefore it makes sense that YOU need to become your cancer project manager.”
  3. Do your own research: “Read widely and make intelligent use of the internet.”
  4. Get the best medical team “Although you don’t want an oncologist who will sugar-coat information, you do want someone who believes strongly that you can overcome cancer. Ask around for referrals and then set out to interview that doctor – interview carefully – this is the most important job interview of your life!”
  5. Surround yourself with stories of hope. “There is no such thing as false hope – there is only hope.”
  6. Do more than what the doctor tells you to do. Consider diet, exercise, supplements, alternative treatments, integrative medicine. “As your own project manager, and having done all your own research, you can now put together a management plan that will enable you to beat this disease. Consider every aspect of healing and throw everything you have at cancer. It is a wily foe, but you have the power to beat it.”
  7. Get the support you need: ask for the support you need from friends and family.
  8. Believe that healing is possible “You don’t need to be a healing guru to understand that every action comes from what you believe. If you believe that you can heal and that you deserve to heal, your actions will stack up towards healing. Your energy levels with rise as you are filled with a singular purpose: to heal.”
  9. Now get on with living your life: build joy into every day and find a purpose
  10. Play the cancer card! “Feel entitled to ask for what you need. What are you waiting for – play that cancer card and have your needs met at last.”

In the weekly online Circles of Healing, Alison and Hilton will provide support as they share the shock of the diagnosis, examine the importance of believing that healing is possible while finding the root cause of your disease. They will assist you in creating an action plan for healing and support, setting up the perfect healing conditions for you to connect to your inner pilot light, finding your purpose and crafting ways to schedule joy into every day.

For more information about the Circles of Healing please contact Alison on 082 771 6232 or email alison@thethrivelist.co.za

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