WORLD CANCER DAY

WORLD CANCER DAY
An international day observed every 4th of February to raise awareness about cancer, encourage its prevention, and mobilize action to address the global cancer epidemic.

“Every experience with cancer is unique and it will take all of us, united, to create a world where we look beyond the disease and see the person before the patient”

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It was a day in February that cancer changed the trajectory of my life. A day I never wanted to be in that place again. And so it began, a quest for credible resources on integrative cancer care and how it intersects with conventional care.

On another winter day many years later, was the darkness, the decisions, and the uncertainty we faced. I remember bracing myself each time I sat down to sort through the scientific literature and the statement of the grim prognosis that seemed to conclude almost every article that I read.

Why did I seek out the literature? Because a few years earlier, I was inspired by the evidence-based approach of a naturopathic oncologist. The same one that interviewed Jason in this podcast.

Those articles led us to the neuro-oncologist at MSK in NYC, an expert in PCNSL. He offered hope from our first conversation. And he offered a pill called ibrutinib, a first-generation BTK inhibitor, which Jason started 6 years ago in early December to prepare for a stem cell transplant.

There were conversations with a new FB friend from the CNS Lymphoma FB group, who helped us sift through the articles and make sense of what we read. Amidst all the despairing words, one article, from another expert, offered a single, dim line of hope.

Recently, that friend shared a newly published article, authored by our MSK neuro-oncologist. It noted a poor prognosis, however, it did not end there, it made a bold claim, offering hope again, “the development of next-generation BTK inhibitors are expected to revolutionize the treatment landscape for PCNSL.” That’s a remarkable statement for PCNSL. It speaks to the courage of clinicians and the advancement of cancer research. The sad truth is many oncology providers are stuck in the literature from 10+ years ago.

As we prepared for the podcast below, we found ourselves counting our blessings as we relived many of those experiences. Cancer treatment and recovery is not a one-man show with your oncologist. This is the story of digging deep, championing a mindset to live, advocating for yourself, building an expert care team, embracing an integrative approach, and having a fantastic support community. It’s surreal to think about those events. Some are a distant memory for a reason. It’s difficult to capture in an interview. And unless you’re in it, it's difficult to grasp the desperation of a situation. For me, fortunately, this time the outcome was clearly different.

Now, Jason is offering hope to others in his remarkable way.

N.Q.