Stop Cancer Naturally

 There's a new documentary out... Stop Cancer Naturally!

I've signed up for it and am looking forward to hearing what the experts have uncovered...

Because, to be honest, the statistics aren't in our favor.  Cancer rates have been rising for more than 50 years. In fact, if you have a friend there is a good chance that one of you will be diagnosed with some form of cancer.  

Truly, with a 1 in 2 chance of being diagnosed with cancer in our lifetime, this documentary could open up options for treatment that our doctors aren't talking about.  It's a side of healing that not everyone will embrace, but when your back is up against the wall and conventional therapies aren't working, it's time to explore another side to healing.

Check out the information here at Stop Cancer Naturally and join me August 13th to watch the interviews that could change the way you approach a cancer diagnosis.

I believe that our bodies were created with an amazing capacity to heal.  Armed with the right knowledge we can choose to stop harming our bodies and provide the conditions needed to begin repairing the cells and organs naturally.

Excited to hear these experts share what they've learned, but as always, this documentary and the information shared is not a substitute for the advice or care from your medical team.

Never stopping the fight... seeking answers, praying for wisdom and waiting for the day that a cancer diagnosis will be a thing of the past.

My Love,
Jane

Finding Rest When the Journey is Long

The cancer journey brings with it a constant reminder that despite our best efforts or plans, bad things happen.

And yet, God longs to direct our steps...even in the hard.

He longs to give us rest, a sleep born of a deep peace...even in the turmoil.

When was the last time you truly rested?

Like, really allowed your body (and mind) to relax into peace?

Rest. It's not just a period of inactivity, but a fall into the mercies of God.  Learning to trust God's plans, His purpose, His peace...despite all the ill we face.

That is probably the biggest lesson we learned on mom's cancer journey.  Learning to trust God and to embrace the time He has gifted us.  Being able to settle into the slower, easier rhythms of family, of time together, laughter, and yes, even the heartache... but resting fully into the time He's given.

That kind of soul-deep rest allowed my heart to find a different kind of quiet, a peace in spite of the pain, a trust that God truly cares for me (I Peter 5:7)

It was a letting go of the hurry, the busy-ness, the overwhelm... and letting God shoulder the burden.

That is the rest I long for you to find.  Even in the midst of the cancer heartache you're in.  God is not far.

Praying grace tonight for each one battling on this hard, hard journey.  May you lean into the mercies of God and find rest.

My Love, Always,
Jane

My Survival Story

Come meet Dr. Martin Inderbitzin.

Neuroscientist.  Triathlete.  And a pancreatic cancer survivor.

He is the founder of  My Survival Story.

His story has inspired thousands!

He believes that stories have the power to change the way we think, and how we feel and cope with the hardships in life.  Seeing a story of someone who is going through the same thing we are can help change our perspective and mindset.

Dr. Martin is worth a moment of your time... especially if cancer has dogged your journey.  He continues to pay it forward and offers hope in the most beautiful of ways!

"What I learned is that life is short.
Don't wait.
Go out and follow your heart.
Dare to Live! before it's too late."
~ Dr. Martin Inderbitzin

2 Exciting FREE Cancer Resources for You!

 October is a great month for Cancer Research.

And if you need some encouragement, a whole ton of support and information, then these 2 resources are for you!

First of all, Chris Beat Cancer is opening up his Square One Cancer Coaching Program for the month of October, for FREE... This is normally a paid course and covers some very crucial information.

The Square One Healing Cancer Coaching Program was born out of Chris' own experience with cancer, plus 15+ years of research learning from doctors and experts, survivors who've healed naturally and from personally coaching hundreds of cancer patients one-on-one.

Chris has taken the best, evidence-based, holistic healing protocols and organized them into a simple, straightforward course.  Definitely worth your time!

Check it out here to sign up.

Next, Let's Win Pancreatic Cancer is offering a FREE webinar specifically for Pancreatic Cancer patients...

Let's Win Pancreatic Cancer is teaming up for a webinar to explain the relationship between risk factors and symptoms to shed some light on getting diagnosed as soon as possible.  Another worthwhile program to sign up for!

Breaking down barriers together to find a winning strategy in the fight to healing!

My Love,

Jane

Savor the Joys...

 Remembering Timothy Keller

Timothy Keller, beloved pastor, theologian and author passed away last month after a 3 year battle with pancreatic cancer.

His ministry, his life and his voice herald the joys of  learning to savor the moment, the gifts of time here in this place while standing firmly in the convictions of his faith.

He shared those convictions in a beautiful article several years ago in The Atlantic.  The article is aptly titled...

Growing My Faith in the Face of Death

We mourn his passing, yet rejoice in a life so well lived.  There is a prayer that he shares to keep our eyes and our hearts focused on the One who loves us beyond reason and is our only Hope...

"And as I lay down in sleep and rose this morning only by your grace, keep me in the joyful, lively remembrance that whatever happens, I will someday know my final rising, because Jesus Christ lay down in death for me and rose for my justification."

~ Timothy Keller

Amen and Amen!

In Grace, Remembering a Life that touched so many,
My Love, Always,
                    Jane

Celebrating Early Detection for Pancreatic Cancer!

 A story of Hope!  Meet Martin Abrams...  Early detection saved his life!

So grateful for the doctors, the teams, and the organizations who are forging a path forward in this battle for our loved ones!

That is Hope for tonight,

My Love,
        Jane

Standing on the Shoulders of Giants

 You can survive this!  

Every pancreatic cancer fighter needs to see this video...

Thank you Tom for spreading Hope!!

How do you Fight this Fierce Battle?

For Diane Ronnau, veteran Producer at CBS news, she faced her pancreatic cancer battle with grit, humor and a healthy dose of balance and perspective.

She passed away last weekend, July 23rd, 2022, after facing down her cancer for 16 years. 

Much too soon. 

She left us a gift in her living... a road map of sorts as we all face our own chaos... in this fiercest of battles, she refused to be defined by cancer, rather she let family and love be the ultimate reward.

In 2007 she shared her thoughts with Sandra Hughes:

"The truth is sometimes you do things because you have to do them.  I am sick, but I also have responsibilities.  I have a family, I have work, I have to do those things.  As much as I was extremely worried by being sick, I also wanted to participate in the rest of my life that I am very attached to."

The tributes have poured in... she was loved by many.  In her line of work, words are currency.  And these words speak to the life she lived and the people she touched.

We are richer for the life she lived.

When words escape us... may love speak the cries of our heart.

Hope in the Darkness... A New Drug to Treat Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer

There's a new drug on the block... And Earl Groce wants everyone to know about it!

His story is one of Hope and an amazing 5+ years of living with (and thriving in the midst of) pancreatic cancer.

He shares so much of the journey on his blog... cpi613.com.  Head over there right now and be encouraged!

His story starts out as many before him... utter shock, disbelief and despair.  Pancreatic cancer is among the top deadliest cancers in America and has a dismal survival rate if the cancer has spread or metastasized.

And Earl's cancer had spread from the pancreas to the liver and lungs before being diagnosed.  It's a diagnosis none of us would wish to receive.

But... Earl's doctor was able to enroll him into a new clinical trial.  He was one of 20 patients in the first phase.  And this is the story he is telling to all who will listen.  We need more cancer patients and loved ones to hear the news.  Check out his blog... he shares it well!

The new drug CPI613 or Devimistat works in tandem with a modified Folfirinox treatment and in November of 2020, the FDA has fast tracked CPI613 for Pancreatic Cancer treatment.  It is currently in Phase 3 trials and while not the golden ticket for everyone, it has improved remission and given hope to many!

Earl received a beautiful thank you note from the daughter of a fellow pancreatic cancer patient.  She shares from her heart and it resonates deeply:

"Thank you for everything, and please keep sharing your story.  I KNOW we are not the only family you have given hope to in some of the darkest times.  This diagnosis is given as a death sentence by doctors, and a quick internet search turns up much of the same.  Your story is one of so few out there that shed light on such a grim diagnosis.  Thank you again."

Well done Mr. Groce!  Well done!  We need more Hope for the Darkness.  Thank you for being the encouragement we all need!

Prayers tonight for the cancer warriors and each one who is holding the line.  CPI613 is one of the newest drugs in the fight to win this war.  Believing with all my heart it is just the beginning...

All My Love,
Jane

New Tests for Early Detection

 For pancreatic cancer, early detection is the key... the key to a survival that we are fighting for every day.

New on the horizon are two blood-based tests that can potentially detect pancreatic cancer before it causes symptoms.  And with pancreatic cancer, the earlier it is found, the more likely that it can be treated successfully.

We are excited to share the GRAIL's Galleri test and Immunovia's IMMray PanCan-d test.

The Galleri test can detect the presence of more than 50 types of cancer (including pancreatic cancer) and the IMMray PanCan-d test is the first-ever blood test specifically for pancreatic cancer.

And this is news.  Nothing in the world of pancreatic cancer has changed much in the last 50 years.  Treatments, tests, survival... it has been a hard fight. It's time to get an edge... way past time!

So, here's a few things to know about these tests:

Neither test is currently approved by the FDA or covered by insurance.  But both companies do run the tests in certified labs.

Both tests cost approximately $1,000 per test.

And it's important to state that the blood tests do not provide a definitive diagnosis, nor are they a standalone indicator of the presence of cancer.  As always, speak to your healthcare team when planning your cancer testing and treatment to determine what is best for you.

The Galleri test is an amazing test that can detect the presence of 50 types of cancer based on genetic material that gets shed from the cancer cells.  The results can also indicate where in your body (like the pancreas) the cancer may be found based on specific markers on the DNA 

The IMMray test is not available for everyone.  It was created to provide early detection for people who are at high risk for developing pancreatic cancer due to family history or a known genetic mutation.

If you are interested in either test contact your doctor or healthcare team.

And for a wonderful supportive team, check out PanCan's Patient Services for a wealth of information. Their counselors are some of the most helpful and encouraging voices you will hear on your journey... and we all need help and encouragement on the way.

Hope for tonight,

My Love, Always,
Jane

When Days Become Years...

 Grief.  It is such a strange thing.  

We each travel our own road, but the triggers that sear our hearts are universal when it comes to navigating the heartbreaking minefields of loss. 

A favorite meal, a scent that was theirs.

The first Birthday without them.  Every ensuing birthday without them.

Holidays... and Anniversaries... the first year of their passing.  The first Christmas table with the empty chair.  The days flowing into years...

And just like that...10 years have passed.  How is that possible??

December 4, 2011.

The day pancreatic cancer won.  I never thought our hearts would heal.

And perhaps healing isn't the right word.  Maybe it's more of a learning to ride the waves of sorrow and learning to hold the grief loosely.  Allowing joy to take up residence in hearts that were battered and bruised but still beating.

And the years brought blessings and love in new ways, in sweet ways, but the grief has always been there.  And sometimes, some days, like the marking of 10 years, the grief swamps.

So, we chose to commemorate.  It's not a celebration really, but a time of remembrance.

For us, it meant a time of travel.  Following the advice Mom gave us so often... a bit of legacy living for sure...

So, we took that great advice and went out and did the things!  We have traveled and wandered ourselves into some grand adventures over the years, but this year, this anniversary was a tough one.

Good friends planned a getaway that was balm to our hurting hearts.  A camping trip deep into the rugged beauty of Big Bend National Park!

We have wanted to visit for years... this was the perfect time.

We hiked and explored the days away and star-gazed late into the nights.
It was bliss!

The vast and desolate landscape of this historic national treasure gave us room to breath and space to remember all the good in our lives.  

Grief has a way of turning us inward, darkening our thoughts and shuttering our hearts.

Remembering the good in our lives opened us up to the joy and grace and the blessing that have always been ours.

And it wasn't long before the smiles followed...

Under that amazing west Texas sky we took stock of the things we've learned these past 10 years...

the list is refreshingly short!

We are small, so very, very small.

But God is so Big!

Our hearts can break.
But they can love powerfully deep.

Wandering is good.  And adventures are great...
But coming home is Best!

At the end of our grand adventure, it was so good to turn down our dirt road towards home.  The satisfying crunch of gravel beneath our tires, the familiar sway of our big old oak trees, and that beautiful log home waiting at the end of our drive...they all sang a welcome home that gave our souls rest.

And it occurs to me that at the end of this life, the moment God calls us each heavenward, we will feel that same sense of peace and rightness as we turn our face and hearts towards Home.  The newborn babe we celebrate this Christmas season... the Christ child who came to triumph over the grave... He will lead us by the hand to a welcome home we can only imagine!

So, my prayer for you this year... Hope and Peace for whatever road you might be traveling.  May you always know that we count it such a Blessing and Privilege to be on this journey together, walking each other home with an abiding love and joy.

It is His Grace that sets Heaven in our Hearts,

My Love, Always,

Jane

Don't Quit...

 He was a boxer long before he was a politician.

And that fighting spirit took him toe to toe with a formidable diagnosis of pancreatic cancer in 2017.

Harry Reid passed away yesterday at the age of 82... 4 years after that devastating diagnosis.

We are remembering him, and holding his family up in prayer today.  Loss is always hard, but never more so than during the holiday season...

Praying Grace and Comfort over all who are struggling with grief and heartbreak this day,

Always,

Jane

8 Ways to Help a Loved One with Cancer

A Cancer Diagnosis

When a loved one is diagnosed with cancer, the bottom can and does drop out from under us.  And in our grief and shock we often stumble coming out of the gate... wanting to be there and be supportive of their cancer journey, we so often just mess up royally.  We say the wrong thing, over-compensate and trip over ourselves trying to make it ok, or sometimes just disappear all together... We know.  Been there. Done that.

It's so hard to know what to say, what to do, or how to help.

We found there are a few simple things that meant a lot to mom when she was on her cancer journey and thus was born our Help-A-Girl-Out Checklist ;-)

Ways We Can All Help Out

1. Take a minute

Breath in, absorb the news and lift a prayer... for your loved one, for yourself.  Take this minute before you do anything... a cancer diagnosis is devastating and is a shock for everyone.

2. Educate yourself

Spend another minute or two (or five) and learn about pancreatic cancer.  There is so much misinformation out there.  Knowing the basics can help us be more understanding as we reach out and lend a hand to our loved one.

3. Avoid Comparisons and Stories

Before you head out to help, determine not to share even one story about your best friend's girlfriends' uncle who survived stage 4 cancer by meditating on his head for 10 hours a day... you know what I mean.  Our loved one's cancer is personal and will impact them uniquely. Your gift to them will just to be there, to listen, to support... to love.

4. Ask What They Need and Be Flexible

It can be hard to reach out in the midst of the heaviness of a cancer diagnosis.  So... call, ask if there is anything they need and then offer specifics... could I bring dinner tomorrow night? Would you like me to drive you to your next appointment, sit with you during chemo, pick up groceries?? If lunch dates were your thing before cancer, then suggest a lunch out and offer to pick up and drive... Offering a helping hand might mean just being there with them. Sometimes a shoulder to lean on is just that, nothing specific, just having you there is enough.

5. Be patient

Our loved ones may just need time alone.  Continue to offer, but be sensitive when they need a bit of solitude.  When an offer of help is declined don't take it personally... lift them up in prayer, send a thoughtful card and call back later... don't give up and don't disappear.

6. Be understanding

Cancer treatments can take a lot out of a person.  Be understanding when your loved one needs to cancel plans or unexpectedly needs to leave early from time together.  The cancer journey is grueling and often imposes limitations that add to the agony. Your understanding will be balm to their hurting soul.

7. Choose to Listen

Determine to be a safe place for your loved one to share.  Avoid the urge to offer advice and simply listen without judgement.  It is a gift.  When we can sit with them and listen to their heart we honor the courage it takes for them to open up.

8. Affirm What They're Saying

We all want and need to be heard and have our feelings validated.  Cancer patients even more so.  Our loved ones need to be heard, to know we will not minimize their pain or their struggle.  Determine not to use phrases like "it's going to be ok," or "Don't worry, just calm down," or "Just have faith, you are so strong."  While we may believe these things to be true, they are not helpful to the one who has just been given a cancer diagnosis.

What Every Cancer Patient Wants You to Know

For a more intimate look at what every cancer patient wants you to know, check out our 31 Day Series, A Letter from the Battlefield...

In the series, we share so much of mom's heart and what helped the most.  Truly her friends and family were the silver lining in the cancer storm cloud. 

 

You can be the gift... your loved one needs your presence and will be forever blessed by your sweet offering!

My Love,
Always,
          Jane

Meltdowns and Mercy

I read a very apt explanation of Frustration the other day...

Frustration often arises out of trying to control an uncontrollable circumstance.

 

I believe Cancer fits the bill completely.

 

When we look back at mom's journey with pancreatic cancer, all of our frustration, resentment and anger revolved around the vise of Cancer...utterly unchangeable, completely uncontrollable...

 

We were angry that Cancer was taking her from us one excruciating pound at a time.

 

We were angry that Cancer made her so miserably sick much of the time.

 

We were angry that the Cancer doctors didn't have a magic bullet to cure her.

 

We were more than angry that Cancer changed our happy "normal."  It took our family dynamics and turned them on its ear.  Mom had always been the Center, the Caregiver, the Moderator, the Head Chief and Loving Leader of our family.  All of sudden, we became the Caregivers for this undeniably strong and competent woman.  And we didn't do it very well at all at first...

 

We burned the soup.

 

We cried at all the wrong times.

 

We hovered and smothered.  We blamed each other for mistakes.

 

We lived in denial.  We slept with fear.

 

We were incompetent, frustrated, angry Caregivers... until Grace came calling.

 

Somewhere along the line, God began softening our hearts in His Gentle way and offering sweet insight into the things that matter most.

I do believe that Time gave us Perspective.

And while Cancer was still an utterly unchangeable, completely uncontrollable circumstance, we were able to come to a sort of peace with mom's ultimate prognosis.  A veil lifted and we realized that we were wasting all our precious time crying over her approaching death, ranting and railing at the unfairness, and having major Meltdowns at every turn, rather than enjoying every last blasted minute we had with her.

 

That realization was really a gift of Grace and Mercy.  Receiving God's Riches right in the middle of our horrendous nightmare. 

 

We learned to distinguish between what is and what is not in our power to change.

 

We learned to ask for help.

 

We learned to value every hug.

 

We learned to give ourselves permission... to feel sad... to cry... to make mistakes.

 

We learned to take Grace Breaks.

 

We learned to say I love you... often.

 

We learned to cherish the victories... and to laugh at the still funny stories that plagued our family... it wasn't all gloom and doom!

 

We learned when to say Yes... to all the offers of help, prayer and wisdom.

 

We learned when to say No... to all the extra demands on our days when time with mom was drawing close.

 

We learned to appreciate Legacy Living.

 

And... We learned that under God's Gracious Hand our Anger could be molded into a something Better.

 

"I've refined you, but not without fire.

I've tested you like silver in the furnace of affliction."

                      Isaiah 48:10

 

Molded...Refined... in the furnace of affliction.

 

My Meltdowns formed into Moments of Pure Grace when released under the heat of Cancer's Blaze...

 

There is Hope...

 When Things Just Can't Be Changed.

When We Find it Impossible to

Control the Uncontrollable.

 

Learning to Let God's Grace Mold My Meltdowns into Something Better...

~ Excerpt from When Things Can't Be Changed

Christmas and Cancer

Two words that should never be in the same sentence... but they are, for too many of our loved ones.

Celebrating Christmas with cancer, there is no right (or wrong) way.

Every cancer journey is completely personal. Some are very private and others very open.

Mom was willing to share her story because she wanted her pain to matter. And I know she prayed it might be of help to other pancreatic cancer patients.

She was also very practical and she faced that first Christmas with a grim determination and a huge dose of grace.  With a prognosis of 3-6 months, we all knew this might be her last Christmas with us... and how exactly do you celebrate that kind of Christmas??  

Too much pressure in the midst of excruciating and nauseating treatments... celebrating anything wasn't really in the cards.

Maybe you are feeling the same.  Or perhaps you have a loved one just diagnosed.

It can be incredibly hard to get into the Christmas spirit.

If mom could, I know she'd want to offer a bit of advice.  A way through the minefield of expectations and parties and years of family traditions... a bit of grace to lighten your load.

To begin she would tell you to give yourself permission... permission to put  yourself first.

Know, and then honor, your limits.  This year might mean limiting your list.  Choosing to prioritize one or two things that are especially meaningful to you and then let go of the rest.

Someone once told her to cut her list in half, and then cut it in half again. Excellent advice!

The best gift you can give to yourself and your loved ones is time spent well with them.  It is the gift of presence.  And it means the world to the ones who love you.

May this Christmas bring moments of unexpected graces and quiet joys to see you through even the hardest days.

My Love, Always,
Jane