The Cancer Directory

Contents

Cover

Title Page

Foreword by Bernice Miller

Introduction: How to Use this Book by Dr Rosy Daniel

Part 1 The keys to success: transforming health crisis into health creation

Chapter 1 How to make the integrated cancer medicine revolution work for you

Chapter 2 The psychological foundation for health

Chapter 3 Getting the right treatment for you

Chapter 4 The medical frontier: getting the best orthodox treatment

Chapter 5 Alternative cancer medicines: the best of today

Chapter 6 Making your treatment decision

Chapter 7 Getting the best outcome from treatment

Chapter 8 Complementary medicine for coping creatively with symptoms and side-effects

Chapter 9 Long-term health creation

Chapter 10 Help for carers

Part 2 The cancer resources directory

Bibliography

Glossary

Index

Acknowledgements

Other Works

Also by Dr Rosy Daniel and available from HarperThorsons:

References

Copyright

About the Publisher

Foreword by Bernice Miller

The Cancer Directory is a state-of-the-art guide to the best in integrated cancer treatment available today, incorporating the latest orthodox, complementary, alternative and mind – body treatments with the immense power of becoming active in one’s own defence through self-help approaches and lifestyle changes. The aim of this volume is to provide the vital information you need to obtain a comprehensive overview of the many and diverse approaches to cancer. This will enable you to make informed decisions as to your optimal combination of treatment, support and self-help that should prove most effective and right for you.

Huge strides are being made in all fields of cancer care. Holistic support and complementary therapies are finally becoming accepted into mainstream orthodox medicine; the powerful mind – body connection has at last been substantiated scientifically; numerous new technologies and developments in genetics and immunology are pointing to entirely new approaches to cures within the orthodox model; alternative medical treatments in pioneering clinics throughout the world are producing exciting results. The time is coming when the worlds of orthodox and alternative medical science will meet on such ground as vaccines and dendritic-cell therapies, which are now being given in both mainstream hospitals and alternative clinics.

But what is absolutely clear is that the best results are no longer to be found by choosing either one path or another, but by integrating as much knowledge and practice as possible for a result that will be far greater than the sum of the parts in both human and medical terms.

Until now, there has been no single reliable source providing patients and practitioners with a comprehensive overview of this brave new world of integrated cancer care and treatment, and reliable information or guidance within mainstream healthcare is scant. But there is a constant barrage of partial and often misleading information on new breakthroughs and discoveries: just enough to put new and ongoing cancer patients in fear of missing out on something that could save their lives.

As one of England’s foremost Integrated Medical Consultants, and 15 years as a doctor at and then Medical Director of the world-famous Bristol Cancer Help Centre, Dr Rosy Daniel is uniquely qualified to produce this authoritative and up-to-the-minute guide. She has helped over 20,000 cancer patients get the best combination of orthodox and complementary treatment, and this book will save those with cancer and their families hours of research and worry by bringing the most crucial professional information and experience of what has worked for others directly into their hands.

For over 20 years, Dr Daniel has developed her own highly valued approach to integrated cancer treatment, and she is now viewed as a truly reliable bridge between the worlds of orthodox and complementary medicine. Described by Professor Karol Sikora, one of the UK’s leading oncologists, as ‘the sane end of the alternative cancer world’, she is constantly being consulted by cancer healthcare professionals and by those providing cancer services for her advice on how to set up the ideal integrated cancer care of the future.

First, and above all, her approach involves a high degree of emotional and spiritual empowerment for the patient. This is followed by a sensitive eliciting of the state, needs, problems and values of each person she sees before a personalized action plan is created together with the patient. The plan has three phases: preparation to enable the best experience of and outcome from treatment; working to strengthen the body and repair the immune system; and changing the lifestyle of the individual to achieve optimal health in the long term.

In Part 1 of this book, Dr Daniel aims to embrace and comfort the reader, preparing him or her for the journey ahead and providing guidance on how and when to use the information in the Resources Directory. Dr Daniel’s extensive experience has taught her that almost more important than the medicines themselves is to set the right psychological foundations for getting the best treatment outcomes and recovering health. Scientific research has now established beyond doubt that the mind – body connection is one of the most powerful elements in the conquering of ‘dis-ease’ in the body, but this knowledge is scarcely applied in the orthodox approach to health and far from fully applied in many alternative models. The Cancer Directory contains the most up-to-date thinking in this field, and sets out the steps that readers can take to get themselves into the optimal state of mind to facilitate their recovery and get back into the driving seat fully in control of their lives, with a positive plan, hope and peace of mind.

The next most crucial step for those with cancer is to make the right treatment decisions in terms of the most effective treatment that will also be the least damaging in the short and long term. It is also vital that the course of action taken feels right to the individual involved, and is congruent with their personal life and healthcare values. Great emphasis is therefore placed upon help with information gathering, getting the best of all approaches, deciding on treatments, forming a plan, and working positively with doctors and practitioners to achieve the very best treatment outcomes. This is very hard for the recently diagnosed, who are still in shock and emotional turmoil. The objective is to set out guidelines to facilitate this process, and offer as much guidance as possible on when and how to make what types of decisions.

The current best practices in the most advanced orthodox medical treatment centres are outlined, giving the reader a bench-mark against which to measure the treatment they are being offered locally. Information is also given on what is going on at the frontiers of medicine around the world to enable the reader to check out the very best resources, research trials and treatments available for their individual problem, with advice on how to obtain second and third opinions as and when necessary.

Also described are the latest developments in alternative medicine in the fields of:

• herbal medicine, such as carctol, catechins, indole-3-carbinol and turmeric

• immunotherapy, such as immune boosters, dendritic-cell therapy and vaccines

• metabolic therapy, such as essential sugars, essential fatty acids, pH balancing, enzymes and antioxidant vitamins

• mind – body medicine, such as the ‘Journey’ process by Brandon Bays, and the transformational approach of the Bristol Cancer Help Centre

• physical therapies, such as hyperthermia, light therapy and oxygen therapy

• nutritional therapies, such as the Gerson diet and the Nutrition Trust.

The valuable role of complementary medicine as symptomatic relief and supportive care is described, using illustrations where recent research has shown maximum synergy. Information is provided as to how and when to build these into a treatment programme to minimize the symptoms of illness and side-effects of treatment. The Cancer Directory looks at the newest developments within these therapies, and their applications in pioneering hospitals and hospices.

Perhaps most important of all for a long-term sustained recovery is the section on proactive holistic health creation. New research continues to confirm the importance of incorporating the basic principles of promoting positive health and healthy lifestyle changes into any healing regime. Dr Daniel says, ‘After putting out the fire with cancer medicine, it is time to rebuild the house with holistic health creation.’ Long-term survival is most dependent of all, she feels, on this continuing work to achieve high levels of energy, immune function and happiness. She also considers the opportunity created by serious illness for a complete life reorientation, describing her unique new Health Creation Programme, which highlights and focuses the individual on where they are currently vulnerable, exactly what needs to change and how to change to maximize the potential for long-term sustainable health.

Once readers have identified their values and choices, they will be able to find the appropriate resources to get the help they need in Part 2 of the book, which contains the Cancer Resources Directory. This will provide the reader with a comprehensive set of resources in the areas of:

• frontier orthodox cancer medicine

• pioneering hospitals offering integrated cancer care

• alternative cancer medicines

• nutritional organizations

• alternative cancer doctors

• alternative cancer clinics

• integrated medicine doctors and services

• complementary medicines organizations (to find therapists)

• psychological and spiritual support services for people with cancer and their carers