[.ca] Cancer Battle Plan (ISBN 087477893X)

A postscript to my review:
Since there are all kinds of postings on this site about this book and their authors, etc. I would like to mention I have called about going to the HealthQuarters retreat and it costs $3,200 for one person(not including transportation to and from Colorado Springs) for an 11 day program, plus they are booked for several months in advance. They can only host 9 or 10 people at a time, and they are not a hospital, only an "educational center". Though this is somewhat cheap when compared to, say, going to other alternative hospitals or going out of the country, for a person like me, home on State Disability, this is more money than I have to spend on a program that my insurance company won't cover, not to mention the daily costs of my supplements and alternative medical care, also not fully covered by insurance, if at all. Dave and Anne's book, though certainly well intentioned and with a great spirit behind it, isn't much more than just a collection of the latest and most popular alternative treatments for cancer, all rolled up in a book like they are something new, when many have been around for years and years. If that, along with Ann's death, doesn't bother you and you still want to invest in tnis book, feel free. It is certainly inspirational and well intentioned reading. And who knows, it might help you, but go into it with your eyes open.

This book's author has died of her cancer:
When my own cancer was deemed incurable, I reached eagerly for this book and attempted to do many of the things it said. Recently, I bought the sequel to this book, A Cancer Battle Plan Sourcebook, and in it, Ann Frahm's husband, Dave, reveals that Ann died of her cancer. I am estimating this happened between 1998, when the first book came out, and 2000, when the second book came out. In the second book he explains what happened, that they just couldn't clear up all her immunity problems and the cancer came back and took over. When I found out she died, I felt very let down, but on the other hand, Ann lived about 10 years fter she was sent home to die, so I guess it is however you choose to see the glass, half full or empty. I think it is only right, though, to let potential readers of this book know that Ann died. She also lived longer than anyone expected. Make your own decisions about the efficacy of her program and your quality of life if you follow program (with the frequent juicing, supplements, enemas and on and on and on) with that in mind. But if you are anything like me, you keep on doing stuff like this because you don't have anything else to keep trying to do. May God help all of us with cancer, because we surely need it.

Read It In 1996 - Followed It - Alive Today:
I was diagnosed with medium grade, T-cell, lymphoma(NHL) in October of 1995. I had horrible responses to standard chemotherapy and was ultimately transplanted (autologous BMT) in April of 1996. Everything failed. I finally gave up chemotherapy in November of 1996 after being told by doctors I was incurable. The cancer had spread from my lungs to my peripheral nervous system and skin (CTCL). I started researching ways to help myself. Read many books, one of which was "The Cancer Battle Plan". Yes, the plan does seem a little extreme, but let me tell you, it did get me back on my feet... I followed everything the book outlined regarding the two week detox program (except I couldn't stomach the Tea tree oil). I'm still alive today and actually still have cancer (8 years without remission, and 6 years since giving up converntional therapy)... it is not detectable by any medical test, but I still feel it via neuropathy in my nerves in the lower legs. Since the day I started the "Battle Plan" two week detox my symptoms have slowly and gradually (yet sweetly) receeded. My Oncologists are stumped. BUT, the 2 week detox wasn't the extent of my efforts... fighting cancer is a lifestyle change. I've read some opionions criticising non-conventional therapies for giving patients "false hope" and I just have to say hope may have been and what STILL keeps me alive. Conventional therapy only keeps 50% of all patients alive for 5 years. If you ask me, there isn't "true hope" for any cancer patient. What you do have AND control is the ability to help yourself beyond what your oncologist will subscribe. Nutritional methods of supplementing your battle are NOTHING BUT logical. Conventional methods of cancer treatments are designed to reduce tumor bulk, but they do not remove all the cancer. Your body is what finishes it off, and if it is no shape to do so after cancer and radiation... the cancer comes back with even more vengeance. Did this book cure me? I can't say because I did a lot of other things to help my self out since giving up chemo, but, this book is nothing but valuable to any reader and I've recommeded it to MANY other fellow battlers.

Necessary education for cancer patient:
I am 44. I had an emergency colectomy, to remove tumor, and have grade-c colon cancer. THis means that there is no visible tumor spread beyond that removed, but > 50% of the removed lymph nodes tested + for cancer cells. Dr.'s prognosis is 50%-60% 5-year survival. Chemo is recomended, but will only improve the survival rate by 3-8%. I do know that there will be a small but significant % in my situation will that will survive 30+ years. THis book clearly endorses surgery, chemo, and/or radiation to stop advanced cancer. THe question is what next? I have three young children. Should I do nothing and just hope that I fall on the + side of stats? Or do I take aggressive action to try and put my self in the positive side? Choose for yourself. As for me, I will fight with all of my strength to beat this. I am a believer, and my ultimate hope is in God, but he gave me a mind to think, and a strong will to fight and live. TO that end, I ask, can a good detox program followed by a healthy nutritious diet possibly be harmful? I think not. Is the potential harm from follow-up chemo worth only 3-8% increase in 5-year survival? I am still praying and thinking about this one. I may forgo the chemo, but only after many consultations with the oncologist. I don't dismiss the imortance of the medical establishment, neither did Anne. I find the diet to be a bit too radical, and am reading other books ("Juice FOr Life") that allow some fish and poultry in the meals, along with more reasonable food mixing, and more cooked foods. However, the other books seem to align with the this one regarding cleansing and juice recomendations, and emphasis on raw fruits and veggies. I don't look forward to the juice fast cleansing, but honestly, can it hurt? Might it help? I see this as a no-lose situation for me. OThers may have different situation. But in any case, take control of your desease. Fight. Seek the Lord. Do not surrender hope. To respond to a new review, the problem with a natural approach to fighting cancer is that it can not be verified using the "scientific method". That is, individual components of the problem/solution can not be verified. THe problem/solution has to be viewed from a macro perspective. The suggestion that the American diet is responsible is valid when one looks at cancer rates of Japanese, before and after they adapt the American diet. However, unless individual food items can be proven to cause cancer, the medical community will not accept the evidence. The theory, however, is that the total American diet of dead poisened food, is responsible for the failure of the body to fight cancer (specifically due to reduced liver function). Seeing cancer as a system failure, rather than a local disease is orthoganal to the medical establishemt, and therefore, a program of detox, + disciplined nutrition + specific supliments, while reasonable, will not even get consideration, regardless of its results. I am a cancer patient, not an "expert". I am trying to understand my disease, and am not willing to simply hope that my doctors can treat it. I will insist that they provide compelling data for any recomended procedure. I will weigh the risks/benefits carefully. I will also consider reasonable "alternatives".

Life saver:
This book was literally a life saver for me and my husband. The guidance and advice was so simple and clear. It was a complete education in nutrition. Thanks to the information in this book, my husband is on the road to recovery from lung cancer, much to his Drs. amazement. I would recommend it to anyone who is looking to avoid illness and not wait until it strikes. I can't praise it enough!!