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Grace Gawler

I first worked in the UK in 1993 at what was then the Bristol Cancer Help Centre. I was to return many times over the years ahead giving practitioner trainings and patient workshops. I was delighted to work with and present for the London Breast Cancer Haven and the Helen Rollason Foundation in Essex.

I returned to the UK ten years later in 2003 following surgery in the Netherlands that is discussed in this podcast. I presented the Penny Brohn Memorial lecture where I met Prof Karol Sikora who was then Professor of Cancer Medicine at the Imperial College London. The same year, during my convalescence, I re-edited and re-published my book for women with breast cancer – Women of Silence – The Emotional Healing of Breast Cancer – which has remained in demand ever since.

Just before I had to leave the UK to return to Australia in 2004, Professor Sikora offered me a position in his Harley Street practice. It was one of those potentially life-changing moments; but I had to pass it by as family needs called me back home to Australia in 2004.

As host and Creator of Navigating the Cancer Maze Australia and a similar show formerly hosted at Voice America; it is always good to remember what it is like in the shoes of the interviewee.

The interview you will hear describes my own journey through illness and 22 surgical procedures. There are no dress rehearsals for suddenly being diagnosed with a chronic illness and if one doesn’t have knowledge and strategies in place that have been sculpted by the life already lived; healing and recovery becomes an even bigger challenge.

After a surprise marriage separation that stunned and shocked me; I experienced a totally prolapsed uterus. The bottom literally fell out of my life within a few days and I became a surgical patient. Post-surgical complications led to rectal and partial bladder paralysis. At least I was fortunate when trauma and then repeated trauma struck; that my tenacity to survive and thrive was activated and not thwarted although I became very ill very quickly.

I have a dogged personality and as my condition worsened, over several years I was not complacent and kept searching for a solution despite life and outcome being a very gloomy possibility.

This is the place where often the battle with illness or cancer is won or lost. But it is not that simple!

Due to previous training over decades, when I became the patient, I was able to recognise and balance my need for solid strategies I had learned previously; what we might call a mind-body approach. However, Mind-Body medicine has become rather a loose term, implying that just because you think positively, meditate, change your lifestyle, forgive everyone who has harmed you and do the right things etc; that somehow your disease or condition will suddenly get it and with new found understanding and personal work  you will become well again. Not so!

This is the same fallacy taught by many schools of thought in cancer healing and recovery. Many cancer patients believe they can make themselves cancer resistant and because of the massive changes and sacrifices they have made, that the cancer will simply go away!

Thanks to the BBCs terrific interviewer, John Darvall, this interview explores the real and authentic nature of healing and recovery. One needs to remember that Holistic medicine has a hole in it if smart conventional medicine is not included.

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Swiss Herbal Tonic-Strath Successfully Impacts Wellbeing Cancer Patients during Chemo and Radiation Therapy.

There is a lot to know about supplements for cancer patients undergoing conventional treatments. More than 35 years ago I was introduced to Strath Tonic.

I began prescribing it for radiotherapy patients. Radiotherapists wrote to me asking why my patients were doing so well. Strath is proven to be the tonic beyond tonics.

The formula makes use of the ability of yeast cells to digest extracts of 50 herbs added to them. The essence from these herbs is totally absorb-able in the human body.

It was 1948 when Fred Pestalozzi was diagnosed with Menieres disease. He approached German chemist, Walter Strathmeyer for help.

After taking Strath, Freds health improved dramatically. Eventually the recipe was obtained and the Strath Company was created in 1961. Today Strath is sold in over 50 countries.

Taking Strath regularly can increase concentration, improve memory, bone health, boost health after surgery or chemo/radio therapy and improve performance in children with ADD.

David Pestalozzi – David Pestalozzi, son of the founder of Bio-Strath (also known as Strath) is CEO and Managing Director of this highly successful self-made Swiss company. Directing a staff of 18, the family firm, Bio-Strath*amazingly supplies half the world with its natural food supplement, managing to hold its own against pharmaceutical giants. A testimony unto itself, Bio-Strath AG has been successfully marketing the same product, unchanged, for almost 50 years! Fred Pestalozzi, Davids father set up the company in 1961. In 1948 he met German chemist, Walter Strathmeyer. His interest was piqued due to his medical condition; Menieres disease. After taking Strath, life changed for Fred. His health improved dramatically. Today Strath is sold in over 50 countries across the world. Since 1964 the production plant for Strath has been based above Herrliberg. David Pestalozzi carries forward the tradition with a range of Strath*(Bio-Strath) products.

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Promising Results From World-First Brain Cancer Trials

Professor Rajiv Khanna a leading researcher at The QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Australia; a world progressive translational research institute focused on cancer, infectious diseases, mental health and a range of complex diseases. Professor Khanna has been researching immunotherapies & has had a major breakthrough in the treatment of the aggressive brain cancer Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM). Professor Khanna developed a technique to modify the patients T-cells in the laboratory, effectively train them to attack the virus, and then return them to the patients body. When the killer T-cells destroyed the virus, they also destroyed the cancer. Its becoming increasingly clear that immunotherapy – manipulating a persons own immune system is a rich new frontier for cancer treatment, Professor Khanna said. Be informed about the answer to cancer. Support Immunotherapy week. More info www.qimrberghofer.edu.au & gracegawlermedia.com

Prof Rajiv Khanna – Prof Rajiv Khanna obtained his doctorate degree from India & undertook his post-doctoral training at the University of Adelaide & (QIMR), Brisbane Australia. At QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Prof Khanna has been researching immunotherapy & has had a major breakthrough in treating the aggressive brain cancer, Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM). He also holds a Senior Principal Research Fellowship from NH&MRC Australia. His research group have obtained a deeper understanding of the mechanisms by which an immune response to human herpes viruses associated diseases may be generated, augmented and applied to control these diseases. Prof. Khanna has developed novel immune-based therapeutic strategies for the treatment of patients with herpesvirus-associated complications & is lead investigator on five clinical trials. He has published more than 150 scientific papers in leading journals & holds numerous international patents on EBV and human cytomegalovirus. www.qimrberghofer.edu.au

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Navigating the Breast Cancer Maze  a Patient’s story. Marnie interviewed by Cancer Navigator – Grace Gawler

Reference: eBook: Women of Silence  The Emotional Healing of Breast Cancer by Grace Gawler – Available in Hard copy or eBook

Today Marnie tells her story of breast cancer; her life before her diagnosis, during her experience navigating the breast cancer medical maze and then after her treatment and re-adjustment phase.

Marnie is married, 48 years of age and resides on the Gold Coast, Queensland Australia, however the experiences that Marnie describes in this interview are universal.

The key issues that women with breast cancer deal with today have changed little during the 40 years I have been working in this area.

In the early 1990s I recognised that there was a huge gap in the way women with Breast Cancer were supported from diagnosis through to life after cancer; and as a result  I began the first support groups for women with Breast Cancer.

The groups were different to todays cancer support groups. They were structured as a course over 12 weeks and were intended to be a therapeutic breast cancer support group with a smaller emphasis on the social aspect.

They were designed to provide a tool kit for women to navigate the complexities of the maze. Many of the issues that we discuss in this very-down-to-earth and authentic interview with Marnie; are the issues that in the early 1990s; ignited the idea of support groups for women.

Based on the experiences from those groups, I authored a best seller, Women of Silence  the Emotional Healing of Breast Cancer. If after listening to this this interview; you want explore some of the critical issues raised in the interview and solutions – The book is available in Hard copy or eBook

Marnie Rose – 2015

“During my involvement with the “Grace Gawler Institute ” I was referred by Grace to her “Navigating the Cancer Maze” internet radio show. The interviews I listened to were both helpful and interesting. All past interviews are archived so that it is easy to look up a past guest of particular relevance to your specific topic or field of interest. The long list of guests, all of high esteem within their fields of expertise, is an extra resource from which to access additional information on topics of relevance to your current situation.
I find that sitting somewhere comfortable, listening with headphones is a relaxing way for a patient to access and absorb information, especially if not feeling well. A nice change from reading from internet pages or books. It’s also comforting to hear Grace’s voice when you haven’t seen her for awhile ! “

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I’m talking with one of Australia’s most celebrated medical research scientists; Professor Ian Frazer AC, FRS, FAACEO, 2006 Australian of the Year & Director of Research – Translational Research Institute, Brisbane Australia. Prof Frazer has received numerous national and international awards for his work in developing the technology that has enabled vaccines to help prevent cervical cancer. To link a virus to cancer in the 1980’s was contentious, but Ian Frazer persevered, convinced this needed further investigation. Now his successful research and development of a cervical cancer vaccine has sold worldwide under the brand names Gardasil and Cervarix. In May 2011, Prof Frazer was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of London. This achievement elevates him to the same status as world renowned scientists such as Stephen Hawking and Sir Isaac Newton. Today’s interview will probe in depth the connection between viruses and cancer. More at www.gracegawlermedia.com

Professor Ian Frazer – Professor Frazer, a renal physician & clinical immunologist from Edinburgh, Scotland; came to Melbourne Australia in 1981 to pursue studies in viral immunology and autoimmunity at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research. In 1985, he moved to Brisbane to assume a teaching post with the University of Queensland & was appointed Director of the Centre for Immunology and Cancer Research in 1991. He has taught immunology to undergraduate & graduate students at the University & has research interests in immune-regulation and immunotherapeutic vaccines for HPV (Papilloma virus) associated cancers. Now involved in revolutionary research, he is developing a vaccine/treatment for HSV-2 – the virus implicated in genital herpes. He is a past President of the Cancer Council Australia, Chairman of the Australian Cancer Research Foundation’s Medical Research Advisory Committee & Chair of the International Agency for Research on Cancer Scientific Advisory. Committee. He was named Australian of the year 2006.

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Cancer Schmancer is name that one could easily associate with Fran Drescher; loved by millions for her television role as The Nanny, this humorous, elegant, beautiful, fun loving celebrity has a more serious side to her life and mission.

What connects Fran Drescher and Grace Gawler? Both women have experienced great life adversities. Both women are using their lives to help others through the course of early cancer diagnosis.

Guest Info – Fran Drescher: Fran Drescher is an American film and television actress, comedian, producer, and activist. She is best known for her role as Fran Fine in the hit TV series, The Nanny for which she was nominated for two Emmy Awards and two Golden Globe Awards for Best Actress in a Comedy Television Series during the show’s run. A uterine cancer survivor, Fran Drescher is an outspoken healthcare advocate and LGBT rights activist, and is noted for her work as a Public Diplomacy Envoy for Women’s Health Issues for U.S. State Department. A survivor of rape in 1985 and then diagnosed with uterine cancer in 2000, she wrote about her experiences in her second book, Cancer Schmancer. Her purpose. has also this book was to raise consciousness for men and women “to become more aware of the early warning signs of cancer, and to empower themselves.” The Cancer Schmancer Movement followed. Recently, a TV sitcom, Happily Divorced, has been a great success for Fran and her ex husband. She has recently created a children’s picture book, Being Wendy. More information at http://www.cancerschmancer.org/

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Could timing of cancer treatments be the missing link in delivery of cancer therapies? Sounds too simple to be true? Two cancer researchers Martin Ashdown & Brendon Coventry are “immunological explorers” who not only unearthed a buried “treasure”; but they have also created a map for other innovative cancer “explorers” to follow. The “treasure” is a cancer drug used for more than 20 years that is now providing oncologists with new information about how to best help patients achieve complete remission. The drug called interleukin-2, is providing cancer researchers with something akin to how the “Rosetta Stone” was used to unlock historical script; the outcome; mapping the immune cycle! Join me with guest Martin Ashdown on Navigating the Cancer Maze to hear the story of this amazing breakthrough. Learn how you can access info about your immune cycle to assist cancer treatment efficacy. Please email me at askgracegawler@gmail.com

Martin Ashdown – Martin Ashdown is a Melbourne based scientist, Research Fellow at the Faculty of Medicine University of Melbourne. Martin has made the observation that the immune response in the late stage cancer patient is oscillating repeatedly over an approximate seven day period or cycle. This observation may have profound implications for the timed delivery of various therapies, which via immune modulation may increase complete response rates, reduce toxicity and substantially reduce the cost of treatment. Martin has co-designed trials at international institutions and presented at international conferences advocating monitoring patients prior to treatment and accurately timing therapy as pulses. This technique, known as Immune Synchronization is believed to already happen accidentally is those patients who successfully respond to therapy with a complete response. Martin and colleagues suggest that the drugs and resources to successfully treat cancer are already here, but need to be used more accurately.

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The Ian Gawler Story has influenced the treatment choices of 1000s of cancer patients – but is it true?

Hear how modern diagnostics has shed a new light on a high profile myth that became written into cancer cure folklore.

I’ll also discuss advances in many different types of cancers with regards to new targeted treatments. This introduction will bring understanding to the different fields of cancer medicine and why the one size fits all approach in both conventional and complementary medicine is undergoing a makeover.

History: The Ian Gawler Story

As a young girl of about 8 years of age I had two ambitions in life; to research cancer or become a veterinary surgeon. The universe works in mysterious ways. In 1976 I married a veterinarian who had cancer.

It happened just a few days before Christmas in 1974,  47 years ago when I had just turned 21. Suddenly I became a carer of a cancer patient who was my boyfriend and employer.

Like many today I had no experience in how to cope personally or how to help the patient who was my charge. I had to improvise and learn along the way. Added to this, my boyfriend, who later became my husband when he was given a prognosis 6 weeks to live; was an amputee.

He had lost his leg to bone cancer just after Christmas, January 1975. He survived, we had 4 children and now 5 grandchildren. I learned a lot during that hands-on period that added to later qualifications.

My story of those times is recorded in my Memoirs: Grace Grit and Gratitude. (2008  eBook available)

See You tube: Grace Grit and Gratitude Also visit on the menu of this blog Ian Gawler Cancer

Moving forward to 2012 I realised that consulting with patients and public speaking was not enough. With cancer incidence rising, what I had learned needed a Global voice; an opportunity to take what I had learned so far and add medical expertise in current cancer treatments and research combined with patients experiences.

Patients need reliable and genuine information when they are in the fight for their lives! 2014 marks 2 years on air with Voice Americas Health and Wellness Channel hosting Navigating the Cancer Maze. We want as many people as possible to know about Navigating the Cancer Maze Australia internet radio because my Charity The Grace Gawler Institute sponsors this show to provide education and information free to all in need.

On this weeks pre-Christmas show I discuss key issues for cancer patients that have been highlighted by our guests on Navigating the Cancer Maze throughout 2014; a year of challenges and excitements in the Global Cancer Community. We will take a look at the impact of some of cancers entrepreneurs Including Wellness Warrior-Jess Ainscough, who has influenced many patients to follow the natural path to cancer healing, albeit encouraged by the Ian Gawler recovery story, which as you know, was highly likely to have been a misdiagnosis.

Unfortunately, but as expected; Jesss Epithelioid sarcoma, a cancer that moves slowly progressed to a serious degree and she died this year. Her mum recently died from breast cancer following the same regimen. Entrepreneurial patients like Jess Ainscough have a huge influence on cancer patients treatment decisions. I truly despair at these stories. I hear from cancer patients like Jess daily and see them in my practice with the most horrendous fungating cancers that one would would expect to see in a third world country. I am passionate to educate cancer patients about the dangers of taking the 100% natural therapies approach. As a trained naturopath and herbalist-I am horrified by what I see hear and read about natural cancer cures!
More on this visit-Science -based Medicine Blog and See Jessica Ainscough Wellness Warrior

Finally.Cancer Doesnt Stop at Christmas:While for some this is a happy time of year  for others Christmas and New Year celebrations can be very a difficult & emotional time for those currently dealing with life challenging illness, including patients families. Also challenging is the person who may be missing from this years Christmas table. Please see helpful resources below  also listen to todays show for helpful tips
Many of my Guests on Navigating the Cancer Maze have authored some fine books. I have listed them below. These are books of substance that contain valid and useful information for patients and families. Recommended for Christmas gifts or personal reading.

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The Grace Gawler Institute’s Survivor-ship launched by Author Sandy Mackinnon… Nov 2015

After hearing Richard Fidler’s interview with Sandy (AJ) Mackinnon on Radio National last year, I just knew that he would be the perfect guest speaker for the Launch of our U-CAN-TRI Survivorship sailing canoe and I was right! He was!

Entertaining and a real adventurer sandy portrays a value-add story about Survivorship – surviving through adventure. The more you read about Survivors from many walks of life the better equipped you will be to navigate your own survivorship maze.

Richard Fidlers interview with Sandy Mackinnon focuses on a sense of adventure, passion for exploring the world, trust, relationships and the kindness of strangers as well as the outcome of open ended possibility thinking. This interview and Sandy’s book open up the imagining adventurer that most of us enjoyed as children for example Narnia, Dr Doolittle and so on. Highly recommended and entertaining listening!

Here is a vignette of Sandy’s survivorship story. The book he wrote about his adventure is titled The Unlikely Voyage of Jack de Crow!
Equipped with cheerful optimism and a pith helmet, sandy set sail in a Mirror dinghy traveling from the borders of North Wales to the Black Sea 4,900 kilometres over salt and fresh water, under sail, at the oars, or at the end of a tow-rope  through twelve countries, 282 locks and numerous trials and adventures, including an encounter with Balkan pirates. Along the way he experiences the kindness of strangers, gets very lost, and perfects the art of slow travel. His story of adventure, fun and survival is extraordinary!
Sandy’s second book The Well at the World’s End is also wonderful reading!
eBook version: Sandy’s book is highly recommended Christmas reading. Buy on Amazon http://www.amazon.com.au/The-Unlikely-Voyage-Jack-Crow-ebook/dp/B00A720BQO Soft/hard cover Book:
http://www.blackincbooks.com/books/unlikely-voyage-jack-de-crow-0
Footnote: U- CAN -TRI was officially launched at Hollywell Yacht Club on Saturday 21st November 2015. It was a memorable night of celebrating Survivorship with a Calypso band from the Caribbean, great food, wine and inspiring guest speakers.

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