Cancer: What Now?

About the book

Contents                   

Preface

Chapter 1:  Your Life, Your Choice 1

Chapter 2:  Facing Cancer: It Is About You 12

Chapter 3:  Five Types of Patients  41

Chapter 4:   No Cure for Cancer  85

Chapter 5:  Empty Promise   115

Chapter 6: Virtue of Doing Nothing  129  

Chapter 7:  What to Do If You Have Cancer 162

Chapter 8:  An Afternoon With Chris Teo 195 

Preface

The greatest enemy of the truth is very often not the lie – deliberate, contrived and dishonest but the myth – persistent, persuasive and unrealistic ~ John F. Kennedy

Almost every day I receive e-mails from cancer patients or their loved ones seeking information on how to manage their cancer. Here are two examples.

Hi Doctor Chris, 

I hope this email may find you well. Thanks in advance for your time reading my email despite your busy schedule. My mum used to have colorectal cancer about 10 years ago but thank God she survived it by removing her rectum (the infected part) though she has to carry a colostomy bag the rest of her life.

Lately she has a relapse and the tumor was found near her spine area which leads to severe pain on her back and numbness of her leg (especially at night). We took the doctor’s advice to undergo12 chemo injections the past few months but it does not seem to have any improvement. As expected, her doctor encouraged her to continue further chemotherapy and even radiotherapy.

My mum consumed mostly veggies and less meat ever since she survived from colorectal cancer. May I have your kind advice what shall we do to help ease her pain? We understand perfectly cancer cannot be cured. But we are eager to know what we can do to ease her pain. Hope to hear from you soon. Thanks and regards.

Hi Chris,

I live in Vancouver, Canada. My partner, K, was diagnosed with breast cancer, did go through all the chemo, surgery and radiation and a few days ago, after doing bone scan and MRI the doctors told us the cancer is on the bones of lower back and pelvis. Their treatment is more chemo and radiation. Would like to speak with you, learn more about what Capsule A, Pain Tea and Bone tea are, and the cost of following your treatment protocol? Thank you very much.

There is no way I can answer such queries by writing e-mails. I need to write a book! So here it is Cancer – What Now? After you read this book, probably you want to know more! I have written another book earlier, Cancer – Is There Another Option? In these two books, I have tried to answer in detail most of the questions that cancer patients are looking for – What to do after being diagnosed with cancer? or What do I do now that the treatments I have opted for failed? By writing these two books I have spent much time trying to address all your major concerns. It is now your turn to do something for yourself. Read and understand what I have written, that is if you want to know my views about cancer. With this background knowledge, I hope it will help you plot the next stage of your cancer journey.

I am aware that there are already many books written about cancer. You might have probably read some of them or none at all. I am also aware that you have no time to read because you are made busy having to run around undergoing and coping with your treatments. I am also aware that after being diagnosed with cancer you are overwhelmed with all kinds of expert advices given by well-meaning friends and relatives. Perhaps you have come to a stage where you are now confused or fed-up with what they tell you and therefore you do not have any more appetite for more information. I remember the wife of a lawyer who came to seek my help. When I asked her to read some of my books, she answered: I have read many books already and I know enough! I am also aware that some people don’t like to read books! Such people prefer that the experts lead them by the nose.

For whatever reasons you might have for not wanting to know, it is your prerogative! After all you are the one with cancer – and if you have to suffer or die, you are the one who is going to suffer the consequences of your decision – ALONE – no one else is going to follow you to your grave when you go.

You will soon discover from this book that ignorance-is-bliss attitude is not going to do you much good! Health is your responsibility. You must take full charge of your health and well-being. Don’t relegate that responsibility to others. The sooner you know this, the better you will be!

So, knowing that you don’t have the luxury of time, plus perhaps rather frustrated or impatient sometimes, I shall be brief, straight-to-the point and sometimes blunt in my writing. I shall call a spade a spade. I ask you to evaluate what I say and make your own decision to agree or disagree with me. This is your cancer journey. And you have to travel this journey alone – others can only cheer you on.

Over the years, many cancer patients came to seek our help. They came with one main aim in mind – to find a cure for their cancer. Unfortunately, I cannot offer a cure! If there is one message that I can impart to all those who come, it is this: Cure for cancer is elusive – in fact, to me, based on patients’ experiences, I come to a conclusion that there is no such thing as a cure for cancer. I am sorry indeed for this disappointing message. But that is the truth as I see it of now. I don’t want to dash your hope or dampen your spirit but I know that I am not being honest if I am not truthful with you. I would rather ask you to face reality from the very beginning and from there we begin to look for the silver lining together. Since this is an important subject and can be confusing, I have devoted an entire chapter explaining what I mean by no cure for cancer.

We all need to recognize that to heal cancer requires change and sacrifice. You need to change your mental attitude, your lifestyle and your diet. To change requires you, the patient, to be sincere and humble and not putting on an air of a mighty conqueror. You don’t fight your cancer. You learn how to live with it. Sometimes you may need to go against the current stream of scientific thinking. Perhaps in cancer, the saying: Only dead fish flows with the stream is probably right. If you are prepared to do things out of the norm, you may be surprised that your fate may turn out differently. Over the years, I have helped many patients who were told they have three to six months to live but they go on to live for many more years without problem. You can read about these success stories in our websites.

Author

Chris K. H. Teo. Ph.D. was a former Professor of Botany. In May 1995, he and his wife Beng Im started CA Care. Our mission is to help the hopeless and helpless cancer patients find their healing. When you are told that you have no hope, we believe that there is still hope. To know more click these links:

https://cancercaremalaysia.com/ (English)

https://cancercareindonesia.com/ (Bahasa Indonesia)