Marcia's story

Looking back I was a text book case. Breast cancer waiting to happen. A thirty-something woman, running two businesses, home, family etc. Too busy making money to worry about the proper nourishment of my body.

I lived on low fat cottage cheese, yoghurts, milky drinks and take away sandwiches filled with glop! I'd get home at night and throw a cheesy minced beef diet meal into the microwave and console myself with the fact that I took multi-vitamins and supplements.

Then my world came crashing down. In August 2005 I went to my GP with what looked like eczema in my left nipple. I was referred to a wonderful lady consultant breast surgeon. I asked for her specifically because I own ladies clothes shops and I see so much of the results of breast cancer in the fitting rooms. The local support group was our pet charity, we raised thousands for them and I'd seen this woman's work. But i had never heard of the link with dairy.

My mammogram was clear! The ultra-sound was clear, I skipped out of the hospital. Only the core biopsy results to come in five days time, surely they would be fine.

But they weren't!

I had a grade two, ER positive, Her-2 positive tumour behind my left nipple.

So much for mammagrams!

My consultant suggested breast conserving oncoplasty (a slight breast reduction incorporating the removal of the cancer) It meant operating on the healthy breast too, but she would give me a full breast lift at the same time. I awoke from my surgery relieved and pleased with the results.

Nine days later my world crashed again, five out of the nine lymph nodes removed were infected with the cancer. I would have to undergo six strong chemotherapy sessions before my planned twenty radiotherapy sessions.

I lay in my bed imagining looking like someone from a concentration camp. I stroked my elbow length hair in despair and cried at shampoo ads on the T.V. My fancy clothes, jewellery and sports car meant nothing to me. The world I used to live in seemed a long way away.

I asked my Mother to call my second cousin (who'd been diagnosed the previous year) to see if she had any advice for me. She came (God bless her) the next day with Janes' new book, given to her by her oncologist at the Royal Marsden in London.

It changed everything! It gave me hope that I could overcome this awful disease and, moreover, it gave me some control in treating it.

My oncologist, however, was very dubious. He told me that I needed dairy food to maintain strong bones and I would suffer without it. I told him "Hippopotamus and Elephants didn't eat dairy foods and they had better bones than I'd ever have!"

He told me catorgorically that I would lose my hair. I said that my diet suggested that I may be able to keep it if I drank fresh juices that were high in folic acid. He smiled wryly and told me that I would lose my hair.

I burned the midnight oil reading the book. I was in sort of a breast cancer bubble, isolated from my regular life. This new life involved bone scans, liver scans and MRI scans with weeks of waiting, worrying and ponderings of life and death in between.

Having studied Science to a respectable degree in school I assessed the evidence and decided to go with the book. Each day I drank carrot juice, apple and fennel juice and melon juice-1/2pint each mixing them with other fresh fruit and veg. I threw out all dairy produce and processed food and replaced it with (much tastier) organic fruit and veg, wholesome cereals, seeds, dried fruits, olive oil, herbs and eastern spices. I made delicious soups, salads, spag bols and chills. (made from T.V.P.) I took kelp tablets, brewers yeast, selenium A.C.E. and omega 3 and 6 oils every day.

I sat through chemo with a lady who'd been on a non-dairy diet and had been scared by the recent soya/phyto-oestrogen controversy. She went back to milk and her cancer re-occurred hence she was sat with me having her second cycle of chemo. I gave her Janes' book, she was overwhelmed that no one had informed her properly about this.

I hung on to Janes' book for dear life. (literally!) As the weeks past and the chemo sessions came and went, the doctors and nurses started to take more notice of the mad woman with the melon juice, my eyes sparkled, my hair grew thicker and my skin looked ten years younger. (in spite of the chemo)

Apart from a little sickness on the day I had it, my list of side affects was nil. Don't get me wrong, I knew it was in me but I kept to the plan, and the plan stayed true to me. (as my picture, hopefully shows)

Its still early days for me. I only finished my treatment a few months ago, but I will say this- breast cancer has changed me and my family. It devastates so many lives. My husband, parents, brother and sister have all suffered too, because of it.

I am dedicated to making sure that all people facing this have access to the information that I had. I now supply the hospital with Janes' book to give out to new patients. They gladly do it because they can't believe how well I came through my treatment. Indeed, I heard two weeks ago that a lady with advanced breast cancer who was given a few months to live had started the diet and has now been told that her tumours are shrinking. How wonderful! It is so vital to pass this information on. I can not rest in my bed knowing that every day new families are facing a devastating future because of this disease and our lack of information on it.

It is our duty as sisters to pass it on to each other and shout it from the hill tops.

I was lucky my, cousin had access to it and gave it to me, and I will make it my mission to pass it on to a thousand more! Thank you dear Jane for making this precious information available to us. X

... Other success stories

See also some reviews of Jane Plant's books !