Hello

My name is Sonia and I live in Staffordshire. I was born and grew up in Trinidad and my family and I were invited to settle in the UK. I then decided that I wanted to travel and spend a couple of years in Venezuela where my family was originally from. My grandfather who was Venezuelan had always reminded us to never forget our cultural heritage. (He would have been pleased by my pilgrimage.) I’ve done a few things from teaching English as a second language, provided cover for the ambassador’s personal secretary at the Trinidad & Tobago High Commission in Caracas. The High Commission had a difficult time finding a suitable replacement until they found me. When the secretary returned they offered me another position as assistant to the Consular General dealing with passports, visas and an array of problems that people found themselves in. I loved going native in South America and I’m convinced that it’s the best way to know a country and to have the most fun! I was there for 4 years but got a bit homesick and missed my family so I returned to the UK. Since being back I decided to keep my travels within the UK with the odd trip abroad and in between I worked as company secretary and for a government department.

I was diagnosed with Grade II and Grade III breast cancer in June 2011. The cancer is in both breasts and in the lymph nodes under my right armpit. The shock, fear and terror that overwhelmed me were beyond words. The treatment as prescribed by the doctors is equally terrifying to me: surgery which included lumpectomy (tumour removal) on the left side and mastectomy (i.e. complete breast removal on the right side), removal of lymph nodes under the right and left armpits, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Despite reassurances that lots of women have gone through it and come through alright, I felt that the effect that such treatment would have on me mentally would be more than enough to undo whatever they are trying to fix physically. For me the treatment offered no quality of life and a life that was not worth living.

I’ve since discovered that fear can either make me comply with the predominant conventional medical wisdom or look outside the box. I chose the latter. I started doing some research: I found out about organisations, charities, spoke to a health consultant whose special area of knowledge was alternative approaches to keeping healthy and treating disease; I started reading about cancer, the conventional and alternative approach to treatment and clinics that specialised in the alternative approach. I eventually attended an integrated medicine clinic. The emphasis was on me as a person and not just the cancer in my body. We looked at what I did with my body, what I ate or didn’t eat, my thoughts and general approach to life. This meant that I had a doctor, a nutritionist and a life coach.

If there is anyone that helped me to face the challenges that come with dealing with cancer and dealing with it without being terrified, then it’s my life coach. All that I was doing with my doctor and nutritionist came together in sessions that I had with my coach. The change in diet, my life in general, the treatment I was undergoing became things that I can flow with without it being extremely hard. I began to enjoy my treatment more, enjoy the new types of food that I prepared and enjoyed eating it. I was encouraged to exercise to oxygenate the body and to go out and not feel sorry for myself. Pretty soon my entire being began to change. I started to feel good, I felt that I was actively participating in my own wellness and it gave me a sense of empowerment.

With my nutritionist, we came up with a dietary plan which involves me eating as much as I want provided that it’s green! This works in conjunction with the dietary supplements that I take every day to strengthen my body to repair itself and starve the cancer of the things it thrives on. Therefore for me (at least for now anyway) no dairy, beef, fruit (cancer likes sugar and acid) or starchy vegetables such as potatoes. I drink 2 litres of water a day, lots of white or green tea (full of antioxidants) and freshly juiced vegetables. My nutritionist did grant me 1 slice of Victoria Sponge Cake but only when the craving reaches critical mass. I can have a slice, not feel guilty about it but I can’t go back next week and have another slice! I’m due a slice in the next few weeks!

With my doctor I had treatment 6 days a week which were infusions of vitamin C that was drip-fed into my blood stream. The vitamin C selectively attacks cancer cells without damaging other cells in the body as well as providing support to the immune system. I also had ozone therapy and hyperthermia. Ozone was applied into my body and allowed to go through the pores of my skin. The purpose of this is to oxygenate the body (cancer hates oxygen). Hyperthermia is very similar to being in a sauna. It removes the impurities from within the body by sweating and weakens cancer cells that cannot tolerate temperatures that healthy cells can. In addition to this I was put on an array of dietary supplements. These supplements are to boost the immune system, balance the eostrogen hormone that’s fuelling the cancer, cell regeneration, switch on genes holding information necessary for regulating the life span of cells again (a cancerous environment switches them off thereby allowing cancerous cells to continue reproducing indefinitely).

It is for this reason I am appealing to you for your help. I take 15 supplements a day at high dosages and quantities. Just to give you an idea, one of my supplement bottles contains 60 capsules. I take 4 capsules a day(400 mg); therefore it only lasts for 2 weeks. Each bottle of this supplement costs £40 – that’s £80 for a 1 month supply. Most of my supplements last between 2-4 weeks. The cheapest one is £10 and the most expensive is £340. My monthly bill for supplements, sessions with my doctor, nutritionist and life coach is just under £1600.

I appreciate any financial assistance you can give me towards meeting the medical cost of this treatment that allows me to live my life not as a victim of cancer but rather as a victor and an overcomer. All sizes of donation are gratefully received and thank you for reading my story.

Could you please it pass on to any of your family, friends, acquaintances, etc. who you think may be able to help and please give whatever you can.

THANK YOU SO MUCH!

Blessings & best wishes to you all.

Sonia


Sonia has a JustGiving page set up to collect money through the charity Yes to Life. All donations made through this page will be used to help fund her treatment. Please click here if you would like to donate.

Just Giving

Donating through Justgiving is quick, easy and totally secure, and donations can be made from anywhere in the world. It's also the most efficient way to contribute: Yes to Life gets your money faster and, if you're a UK taxpayer, Justgiving makes sure an extra 25% in Gift Aid, plus a 3% supplement, is added to your donation.

To help Yes to Life support Sonia with her treatment costs click here.