Love, Hope & Cancer

Listen to my podcast on Headtalks https://www.headtalks.com/love-hope-and-cancer/ – hope you like it – and dont forget to post your comments on it – THANK YOU!

By |December 7th, 2018|Blog|0 Comments|

‘Cancer is my Teacher’ back in stock

As some of you know my book “Cancer Is My Teacher” has been out of stock for a few weeks. I am thrilled to say, that it is now back and fully in stock on Amazon and now publlished under the imprint ‘Columbina Press’. The links below will take you straight to the sales page for the book. And while I’m on it – a huge thank you to everybody who has bought it and I hope it has provided the physical, practical and emotional support intended. With light and loveLucy   For those of you who might like to pass on information about this book to firends of family I also thought that this republishing might be a good opportunity to reprint some of the reviews I have already got for the book on Amazon: Congratulations on an amazing book and this will help so many people with … 13 Sep 2014By Mrs Sarah J AshbyI have just finished your book ‘Cancer is my teacher’. It is a fabulous introduction to cancer and a book that every cancer patient should read and give to their family to understand what they are going through. There is so much advice and information in the book that most will not know about. It can only be extremely helpful and beneficial to anyone (and their families) that is just starting out on their long and difficult journey. Congratulations on an amazing book and this will help so many people with cancer. It has given me so much more knowledge of what cancer patients go through which will help me in the volunteer work that I do at the Royal Marsden. It is written with so much thought and honesty that everyone should read […]

By |July 30th, 2018|Blog|0 Comments|

The Solution for Dry Flaky Nails

Dry Flaky Nails – during & post treatment? I have finally found a solution. Since chemotherapy and all my other ongoing treatments my nails have just never recovered. Believe me – I have tried everything, but they continued to be dry, flaky, week & peeling – they just would never grow. There never seemed to be a quick and easy solution, until a lovely girl who was attempting to give me a manicure (my nails were far too short and flaky) told me what to do. First paint on a nail strengthener – DON’T WAIT FOR IT TO DRY, and then immediately after, put on lashings of nail replenishing oil (or olive oil – any oil really), and then immediately massage this into your nails. It may sound strange, but the nails dry immediately. So there is no waiting time and you can do the whole process from start to finish in one minute, and then be able to get on with more important things in your life!!!! I am very generous with the oil and use what ever has not been absorbed, to massage into my fingers and hands. What I like about this is that it is such a quick treatment. Keep it by your bed and do it every other night and you really should see an improvement. The added bonus is the your nails look lovely too! Please share with anybody suffering from this annoying problem! And I would love to hear from you once you have tried it to see what you think.

What is the difference between Breast Cancer & Metastatic Breast Cancer

61% OF PEOPLE KNOW VERY LITTLE ABOUT MBC (Metastatic Breast Cancer)THERE IS NO CURE FOR MBC – BUT IT CAN BE TREATEDMBC SPREADS TO THE BONE IN 70% OF CASESTHE MEDIAN SURVIVAL OF A MBC DIAGOSIS IS 3 YEARSNOBODY DIES OF BREAST CANCER THAT REMAINS IN THE BREASTAt times, living with MBC (Metastatic Breast Cancer) can make me feel misunderstood and isolated. People who have MBC will be in treatment for the rest of their lives. Although treatment for MBC cannot compare to the first 12 months of treatment that I had for my primary breast cancer, back in 2011-2012 – consisting of radical chemotherapy, many surgical procedures (including lumpectomy, mastectomy, liver ablation) and radiotherapy – treatment for MBC is a “forever” treatment and can be harsh and relentless.The on-going myriad of side effects of this treatment are sometimes hard to bear, but this is not the only burden. We have to constantly educate others about this disease explaining over and over again that this cancer is incurable. That, no, my treatment will never stop. Yes, I have to be treated every three weeks, and yes I have to have CT, Pet Scans and heart scans on a regular basis. And then when it is commented that surely that amount of scans are bad for you – well what do you say to that – “Err – yes – but the alternative is not very appealing – do you really think I have a choice here?” So, for people with MBC you cannot claim to be in remission or recurrence. You have NED (no evidence of disease) but you know that actually you have microscopic residual disease that is undetectable by any form of […]

Finally – Meaningful Press Attention for Off-Label Cancer Drugs – November 2016

I wrote about off-label drugs a few posts ago. This article in today’s Times is very encouraging: 

By |November 7th, 2016|Blog|0 Comments|

FIVE YEARS ON FROM A GRIM DIAGNOSIS – WHY IS IT SO POINGNANT? November 2016

I keep having to remind myself that I am coming up to my 5 year anniversary of being diagnosed with Stage 1V Breast Cancer. It is not something to wildly celebrate but it is something to acknowledge with huge gratefulness, along with a feeling of un-realness, since 80% of people diagnosed with Stage 1V breast cancer die within 5 years. That is quite a sobering statistic. My condition at best is described as “treatable” and at worst “terminal”. When my oncologist told me recently that I was only one of a handful of his patients alive with Stage 4 after 5 years – he really meant it – you could count them on one hand.I have journeyed through all the mental and psychological “sorting out” of preparing for an early death, and now I don’t think about it too often (perhaps because I have come to terms with the possibility). Yet, when I do think about it, again, it feels really surreal, almost dreamlike. It comes and goes, fleeting across my radar from time to time- times like now – a 5 year marker.I have tried very hard to not define myself by my cancer, and take new steps every day. I have been having treatment every 3 weeks at my clinic in London. This month we have been able to make the rather momentus decision to have 2 out of my 3 treatments at home. My home treatments will be given by a 5 minute injection in my leg (it stings like a bee!) – instead of intravenously, as before. To put it simply – instead of having 18 treatments per year at my clinic, I will now have only 6, and the […]

By |November 1st, 2016|Blog|0 Comments|

BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH

My great friend Camilla Charnock Illustration (you can find her on FB) has very kindly drawn in her wonderful style a diagram to show you how to examine your breasts for the early detection of breast cancer. Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers, and it is important to learn how to get to know changes in your breasts. Most changes won’t turn out to be breast cancer, but if they are, then the sooner it is diagnosed, the less treatment you will need, and the more effective it will be.

By |October 6th, 2016|Blog|0 Comments|
  • My book launch in Jordan for Arabic version for the King Hussein Cancer Foundation
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    1 Year Ago Today – Launch of Cancer Is My Teacher in Arabic at the King Hussein Cancer Foundation

1 Year Ago Today – Launch of Cancer Is My Teacher in Arabic at the King Hussein Cancer Foundation

1 year ago today I was at the King Hussein Cancer Foundation in Jordan for the launch of my book, “Cancer Is My Teacher” in Arabic, under the patronage of Princess Ghida Talal and Princes Dina Mired.  It was an incredibly moving experience.

By |October 6th, 2016|Blog|0 Comments|

Melatonin Really Is A Multi-Wonder Drug

I have been feeling really rotten for the last few months – and I just have not been able to work it out. As I have Stage 4 Cancer, I am on many different medications, such as Tamoxifen (which we all know is vile!), Herceptin, Bisphosphonates, Statins, and Metformin to name a few. I also take a lot of carefully selected supplements to help counteract the side effects of all these drugs. When you have to take a lot of medication, it can deplete you in other essential nutrients that you would normally take for granted. So when it comes to feeling rubbish, sometimes it is difficult to work out what is making you feel that way.Numerous blood tests and investigative processes later and I am still in the dark. But, a word of caution, when it comes to blood tests it is easy to think that if your bloods come back perfectly fine (like mine always do) that you are well. But that is not the case. When I was diagnosed in 2001 with metastisised breast cancer my bloods had been perfectly fine and all within normal ranges. (Granted they hadn’t tested for Vitamin D which was extremely low – but that is whole nother story and rant!!)Last week I had a light bulb moment! I think I know what this ghastly malaise could be. Apart from feeling a complete weakling and tired all the time, I have been having really intense gastrointestinal problems, know as GERD: – bloating, reflux, swelling, stomach pains, runny tummy, nausea and even nasty full throttle vomiting – all for no reason. Whilst wracking my brains and going for all these endless check-ups, I suddenly remembered that, for […]

By |September 15th, 2016|Blog|0 Comments|
  • Bone Broth
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    Flavour up Your Bone Broth Soup with Health Boosting Apple Cider Vinegar

Flavour up Your Bone Broth Soup with Health Boosting Apple Cider Vinegar

As you know, Bone Broth soup (see previous post for recipe) is immensely nourishing for you, but if truth be known, it does taste a little bland.  So I add a couple of table spoons of Apple Cider Vinegar and it tastes absolutely yummy.  Lets go over the good things about ACV:Apple cider vinegar helps the body maintain a healthy alkaline pH level. Research shows that higher acid levels (lower pH level) lead to a lack of energy, heartburn, and  higher incidences of infection and illness.As part of balancing the body’s pH, ACV creates an overall detoxification of the body. Research shows that it can help stimulate cardiovascular circulation and help detoxify the liver. This miracle vinegar also helps to break up mucus throughout the body and cleanse the lymph nodes. Believe it or not, research suggests that ACV can help with allergies because of its ability to reduce mucus and sinus congestion. When reducing the effects of allergies, it can also help stave off sinus infections and their related symptoms, such as sore throats and headaches. ACV is rich in natural enzymes that can help rid your body of candida, which is often referred to as the culprit for creating symptoms of fatigue, poor memory, sugar cravings and yeast infections. 

By |February 19th, 2016|Blog|0 Comments|