We don’t always have to opt for chemotherapy to fight cancer as there are other alternatives such as naturopathic treatment
Susana Dy-Reyes was devastated when she was diagnosed with Stage 3 colon cancer in 2005.
Aged 53 at that time, Susana, from the Philippines, opted for naturopathic treatment instead of the more conventional chemotherapy.
During the recent CanSurvive Global Symposium 2022, she shared her journey virtually on Feb 19. She was one of the participants who spoke on their journey with cancer.
Sharing her family background, Susana said her mother had leukaemia when she was 80 years old while her dad had skin cancer when he was 85 years old.
According to her doctors, cancer that developed in later years, such as those of her parents, was not hereditary. So, she and her family were jolted to hear of her diagnosis in 2005, which set a painful ordeal suddenly.
“It was devastating to be afflicted with such a deadly disease because I had always tried my best to eat healthy food. However, I braced myself to face reality than deny it and started building my courage to get on living my days as normally as I could.”
Symptoms and diagnosis
The only symptom Susana had was some blood in her stools in the last quarter of 2004.
“I noticed that it did not happen daily but only twice or thrice a month. Then sometime in March 2005, there was fresh blood in my stools for the first time.
“I got scared, so I went for a checkup in the medical city hospital. I was asked to undergo a colonoscopy to determine the cause of the blood in my stools.
“I was praying it was just haemorrhoids, but when the results came, it turned out that there was a tumour in my colon, and it was malignant.
“I did not have any other symptoms except the blood in my stools. I could not believe that this seemingly simple symptom was cancer,” added Susana.
On April 26, 2005, Susana underwent surgery to remove and determine which stage the colon cancer was.
“The surgeon removed seven inches of my colon in the lower area near the anus, the sigmoid area. Thankfully, this meant I did not need to use a colostomy bag.
“Seven lymph nodes were also removed from my large intestine. Only two had cancer cells while the other five were clear.”
She hoped and prayed for it to be a Stage One cancer. However, her results showed Stage 3 colon cancer. Fortunately, there was no metastasis yet.
Searching for the right treatment programme
She then went to see the oncologist recommended by her surgeon, who urged her to undergo aggressive chemotherapy as cancer cells were circulating in her blood.
However, Susana did not feel comfortable going through the chemotherapy treatment, feeling she would not survive the ordeal. She thought she heard God saying, “go natural” in her prayers.
Not keen on the treatment plans by two other doctors, Susana went looking for a naturopathic doctor. She was then referred to Dr Christine Gonzalez by her close friends.
Dr Gonzalez is a Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine whose practice spanned 25 years. She has doctorate degrees in Holistic Nutrition and Natural Medicine and is also a Fellow of the American Naturopathic Oncology.
“I went to meet Dr Gonzalez, and after she explained her recommended treatment regimen, I was convinced it was the treatment I wanted for myself.
“It was gentle to the body and non-invasive, unlike chemo, which could destroy even the good cells in the process.
“I also remember Dr Gonzalez saying that the patient’s will to live contributes 85 per cent to the healing process, and only 15 per cent comes from the treatment and the doctors.
“I had a strong will to live. I told the Lord I wanted to live longer. I didn’t want to die yet.”
Susana decided on the naturopathic treatment rendered by Dr Gonzalez and committed diligently to the regimen.
The naturopathic treatment
Before she could start her actual treatment regimen, Susana had to go through a period of detoxification.
“First, I had to undergo a detoxification process, which meant going on a liquid diet for two months, taking all kinds of vegetables and fruit juices and herbal teas.
“I always felt full those two months because I was fed as frequently as every hour of liquid juices and teas.
“I was at the clinic almost every day doing several treatments, including aromatherapy to cleanse my entire body of toxins.”
The detoxification regimen also included colon cleansing, which meant taking enema shots every day, getting Vitamin C weekly through a drip lasting four hours, and getting a regular kidney and gallstone flush.
“After two months of detox, I was allowed to eat rice and veggies again, but no fish and meat. I lost a lot of weight, which I regained slowly.”
After three months, when her body was strong enough, Dr Gonzalez started the actual treatment regimen for Susana’s cancer.
“A clear liquid called HMC2K was measured and added to my carrot juice which I had to take three times a day. I considered it a mild treatment, only experiencing some tingling sensation on my lips.”
After six months of treatment, Susana took the Quantum Dots tests, which showed that she was cancer-free.
“We had to wait for another six months to validate it. After a year from my surgery, I went back to the hospital to undergo all the necessary tests, and the result showed that I was indeed cancer-free.
“After that, I still had to undergo a colonoscopy yearly to check if there were any growth after my alternative naturopathy treatment.”
Every consecutive year, she took tests, then every five years for monitoring. This year marks her 17th year of being clear and declared cancer-free.
Living healthy
Up till now, Susana has continued with her healthy lifestyle of vegetable juices and herbal supplements, eating naturally grown organic fruits and veggies and organic meats.
Even her make-up and toiletries are all-natural plant-based without toxic ingredients.
“Likewise, my clothes are mostly made from cotton or nylon cloth. This is the healthy lifestyle that Dr Gonzalez encouraged me to commit for a lifetime.”
She admitted that she has occasionally resumed eating some meat and not so healthy food over the last few years.
“I had cancer when I was 53. Today, I’m 70 years old and still counting by the grace of God.
“Friends and even people I don’t know have approached me to ask how I got cured. I would happily tell them it was through naturopathic treatment. Many who have gone to see Dr Gonzalez had been blessed in similar ways.
“My healing has somehow given my family and friends serious thoughts about eating and living healthily,” Susana shared.
Susana, who lost her husband of 45 years due to stroke in Sept 2021, spends more time with her children and grandchildren while serving in her prayer community. — The Health
