What is your cancer story? LLx ... View more

I don't believe anybodies 'issues' and 'problems' are trivial. However grand or small they may appear to others, if it's important to the person they should be addressed. I say if it's bugging you that much - deal with it head on and then get on with your life! LLx ... View more

Hello Artist in Recovery! Whilst I agree with you that it's best to be proactive and attack the cancer with all our might, I believe the question, 'why me?' is a very important one to ask. We know ourselves best, and it's important we listen to our bodies and ask why it's calling out to us in need of help. I like to ask myself what I can do to help cure myself and prevent it coming back. It makes me feel empowered instead of feeling like a victim. LLx ... View more

Had a look at your mentioned sites. Interesting that there was a plateau of testicular cancer in the early '90's. I wonder if it has anything to do with smoking pot and/or cigarettes. I remember very clearly that there was a health movement going on in CA during that time. Suddenly youngsters around my age (20) became more aware of their bodies and health issues. The government put a band on even smoking cigarettes outside at bus stops, etc. It became very uncool to smoke, and young men got very into working out and their bodies. Much of prevention seems to indicate that a suppressed immune function can lead to cell misfunction - leaving the door open for disease -- and the best way to prevent that happening is: 1. exercise which increases oxygen levels causing the immune system to function better. 2. Letting rip with our feelings - angry and passionate people breathe in more deeply which, again, increases oxygen levels. 3. No more smoking which obviously decreases our oxygen levels. 4. Environmental factors such as oestrogen in our water, plastic bottles, meat etc should be avoided because of it's effects on our endocrine systems and because it's food for cancer to dwell. In my mind, anything that leads to our bodies having to work double time to heal itself leaves our bodies susceptible to disease. Perhaps stress and depression isn't a direct cause -- perhaps it's the lifestyle that results as part of it. What I would say with absolute determination is that one can not dismiss the role stress and how it is handled as part of the equation. It seems some get angry at the thought that their emotions could play a part because it implies it may be their fault that the cancer is there because of them. Even I wrote that in my book! I was so tired of people insinuating it was always my fault somehow. If it wasn't my poor Western diet, it was what I wore, what I put on my skin, what I drank, my poor mental state, the red meat I ate, bubble bath, microwaves, mobile phone masts, drinking out of plastic bottles... What I decided in the end was that it wasn't my fault, but there were some things I could do to help prevent its return. For me, and that doesn't imply everybody has to, I decided to seek help in expressing my emotions, meditation, healing and hypnosis, an exercise program and a change in diet. If I believe this works, and the mind can be a very powerful tool in fighting disease, my body will follow. I do worry that with our stressful lifestyles, more and more young people will be vulnerable to disease. With my children I am imparting what I have learned and trying to teach them ways to handle such a fast paced life. Who knows if it will stop them from falling prey -- what I do know is it can't harm them 🙂 LLx ... View more

Well, I often think of changing countries again, and I was quite the rebel teenager... I'd fit right in! 🙂 LLx ... View more

Yes, of ocurse, the book is being printed as I type this and will be ready in about a week, so please do order through Amazon. Don't give up on me yet :-) LLxxx ... View more

Have any of you read Bernie Siegel's book, 'Love, Medicine and Miracles'? His ideas certainly echo my circumstances of why I believe I had cancer -- yes, the stress link. I know we all suffer from stress, it's how we handle that stress that can lead to cell misfunction and breakdown leaving the gate open for cancer and other diseases. As for diet, again I believe that more and more of us are eating red meat and dairy, which as you know is full of hormones which cancer can feed on. I didn't know about the refined sugar idea - that's interesting and certainly makes sense. Here in England they call breast cancer the rich middle aged woman's disease as it seems to affect the that bracket most. Sailor, you kindly looked up stats in Australia. I wonder if that's a worldwide reflection. I'd be interested to compare them to the USA's whose diet and lifestyle may be different. Just out of curiosity, how many of you suffered a traumatic experience 18 months to two years before you were diagnosed? Thanks all for your feedback - I find it very intersting! LLx ... View more

hi Nikki! My book is supposed to be available through: http://www.fishpond.com.au/advanced_search_result.php?author=Lora%20Lee%20Boynton&format=Hardback If you can't find it there - please try Amazon :-) I found your site through Twitter. I keep trying to find a site where ppl accept me and treat me as one of their own... more difficult than I thought it would be. I'm an American living in the UK. I keep hoping I'll be accepted somewhere 🙂 LLx ... View more

It just dawned on me as I scrolled through our comments how young we all are. Is cancer becoming more common in younger people, or is that a new topic? LLx ... View more