"I wanted to make cancer less scary, not just for me but for my family and friends as well."
Over the last 18 years I have recovered from breast cancer, anal cancer and Waldenstroms Macroglobulineamia. I’ve had surgery, antibody therapy and also successfully used alternative treatment.
When I was diagnosed with anal cancer in 2009, I was told I needed chemotherapy and radiotherapy. As I come from a naturopathic background this was really not what I wanted to hear. What I wanted was to make my body healthy and bring balance back.
The oncologist said without this treatment I would become terminally ill and could die within six to twelve months.
I was convinced chemotherapy wasn’t right for me and so I decided to do things differently.
I’d already experienced how effective deep, hypnotic relaxation and visualisation was for clients with issues ranging from anxiety and depression to trauma, stress and phobias. I could stop a lifelong smoker smoking in an hour. So, I used self-hypnosis, relaxation and visualisation techniques three times a day. It was safe and I felt so much better afterwards. Using my experience, knowledge and the fact that I wanted to keep control over my own health, I used different well-researched approaches. Methods which may or may not be suitable for other people but which worked for me.
One thing that I was certain of, I wanted happy, healthy cells. My daughter said “You want to sparkle from the inside”
Next, I needed to make cancer less scary. Not just for me but for my family and friends as well. If you can’t change the event then the only option is to change your perception of it.
"I changed my perception of cancer
and the language associated with it."
In 2002 I became one of the first HypnoBirthing practitioners in the UK. HypnoBirthing changes the perception of birth and the language used. Deep relaxation with visualisation is taught and using these techniques birthing parents and their babies often had a pain free, drug free, enjoyable and safe birth. During this time, I learnt just how much we are affected and influenced by other people’s beliefs and expectations.
My plan of action - I applied my knowledge to cancer.
I used deep relaxation with visualisation. I changed my perception of cancer and the language associated with it.
Out went medical terms such as high risk, grade IV and terminal. “Battle” and “fight” went because I hate confrontation. In came “special attention needed.”
After 5 months the oncologist said he couldn't find anything that told him I had cancer anymore...
"Giving others the superpower of deep relaxation"
For nearly 20 years, I’ve been working with clients with cancer. The combination of deep, hypnotic relaxation, visualisation and diet have helped many of my clients with cancer and the relaxation fits with any treatment. Research says that it enhances treatment.
My clients asked me for a relaxation audio to use in between sessions. That’s when Sparkle from the Inside was born. It proved to be very popular, not just for people affected by cancer but for carers and even people who had different health issues.
In 2020 with the help of my daughters, I was gently shoved into the technological age when finally Sparkle from the Inside was made available on line as a download.
I couldn’t see everyone individually so Sparkle is a successful alternative. It goes with, and can enhance, any treatment. You can use it whilst relaxing at home or having treatment in hospital. It can also make a big difference during palliative care.
And the feedback from those that have regularly listened to Sparkle from the Inside has been wonderful!
"All I wanted was to make my body healthy and bring back balance."
Sometimes the only way to make sense of an upside down world... is to view it from a new perspective.
That's just what I did with cancer.
I looked at it from a different perspective.
I stopped fighting and battling it because that slows down healing.
Instead, I started to care for my cancer cells and give them what they needed to help them die off and speed up recovery.