New Approaches to Cancer - Charity of the Year page 2

Bill Walker, 77, from Staines, was diagnosed with colorectal cancer in 1997. After surgery, he had five more operations to treat peritonitis, repair damage and correct complications created by his first operation.

Four years ago, I was distressed and almost suicidal. I'd gone into hospital to have a tumour in my colon removed and ended up having three further major operations. At one point I was in a coma. When I was finally allowed home, I was eaten with bitterness. My wife could see what was happening, so she suggested I visit New Approaches to Cancer, which she'd heard about through someone at the hospital.

I was sceptical, but I went along anyway. I came out of that meeting with 13 more friends than I'd had when I went in. Meeting people who'd had similar experiences made me see that things are never as bad as you think.

The charity was also a fantastic source of support when I had reconstructive surgery and contracted an infection. My surgery scar refused to heal, so Dottie Hook suggested I put honey on it. I was amazed when it worked. I've seen people come to meetings in an awful state and walk out happier. Ever since my first meeting, I've been going once a week and I volunteer now - whether it's answering phones, talking to people or fixing someone's leaky tap.

Pauline Fray, 51, from Surrey, was diagnosed with cancer of the bone marrow in 2000. She has since recovered and is now a regular volunteer at New Approaches to Cancer

It took a few months before tests showed that I had leukaemia. Until then I was literally being kept alive by blood transfusions. When I was diagnosed, the outlook was grim, which was really hard for my family. The hospital staff were fantastic, but nothing could prepare me for the massive chemotherapy I needed to kill off my existing bone marrow. The side effects were horrendous and, in many ways, worse than the illness itself.

That was when I contacted New Approaches to Cancer. I'd heard about the charity through Dottie, who I'd met a few years previously while we were studying yoga. As the chemotherapy involved such a huge amount of toxic chemicals, I felt I desperately needed something to counterbalance it.

New Approaches were wonderful. The staff advised me to start drinking herbal Essiac tea to help me eat, which is not easy when you're having such radical treatment. I was also introduced to Sharon, my reflexologist. She was such a fantastic support to me during my treatment. I had two further bouts of chemotherapy until I was ready for a bone marrow transplant - and New Approaches was there with me every step of the way.

I came out of hospital feeling like an old woman and it took nine months to get back to my old self. During that time I took up yoga again, and visited everyone at New Approaches to Cancer once a week. Before I knew it, I was answering phones. Prior to my illness, I'd been a senior manager, but the cancer made me reassess things and I'm pleased to give something back now. These days I take things slower and just enjoy everything life has to offer.

Gemma Mickle is a 21-year old student from Surrey. Here, her mother, Avril, 55, recalls how Gemma overcame Leukaemia and then two near-fatal infections with the help of the natural healing that she was introduced to through New Approaches to Cancer.

It's hard to believe that a few years ago one of London's top neurosurgeons was telling us we should pray for Gemma's survival. At 14, Gemma was diagnosed with Leukaemia. I'd heard about New Approaches to Cancer through a Reiki group and after just one visit we felt immediately uplifted. Gemma had acupuncture, reflexology and used Reiki every day, and we were given nutritional advice to boost her immune system.

Soon after, Gemma had her hospital treatment - chemotherapy, total body irradiation and a bone marrow transplant. For three weeks afterwards, she was on morphine and cocaine to help with the pain. I would go and prepare organic porridge and vegetable soup for her in the hospital ward kitchen, so I knew she was eating well.

A few months later, it looked like we'd turned a corner, but then Gemma had a relapse and developed chicken pox. The doctors said she had little chance of surviving, but we were determined to do everything we could, so, with the help of New Approaches, we got in touch with some healers. They sent healing to Gemma and, to the medical staff's amazement, she pulled through. Both the chicken pox and the leukaemia had gone.

But our ordeal wasn't over yet and the next day Gemma developed aspergillus fungus in her lungs, causing them to fill with fluid. Her immune system needed boosting, so I gave her hydrotherapy with wet, hot and cold towels under the duvet. I also gave her grapefruit seed extract to drink, as this has been proven to kill off bacteria. Gradually her temperature decreased and she was given the all-clear.

Gemma is now in her second year at university, which seems almost a miracle to us. She's also a Reiki master practitioner and helps New Approaches to Cancer with fund raising.

We are eternally grateful to the charity for helping us both see that cancer doesn't have to be the scary illness that people think it is. And they also showed us that you don't have to go down the conventional medicine route - there are other valuable options, too.

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HH Charity Of The Year 2003 - New Approaches to Cancer (Continued)