Reversing Stage 4 Cancer - From Final Days to Life in Abundance
You don’t have to die from cancer. Not today. It can be reversed, even from the last moments or from death’s door.
April 13, 2023
Current Situation - Back to Life
I’m sitting in the Sanoviv clinic in Playa de Rosarito, Mexico, currently on day 16 of a three week cancer treatment for my father. I showed up here with my dad, Jeff, who had been put on hospice and was showing all signs of the last steps of Stage 4 Prostate Cancer. Two weeks ago, my dad was at the precipice. Despite great efforts by my mom and Dad to hold it off, Dad's cancer had returned and he had been put on palliative care, and then on hospice. His US doctors had basically sent him home on overlapping protocols of Fentanyl, Morphine, and Lorazapam to dull the pain and anxiety.
I knew of clinics In Mexico from his earlier cancer battle, but only found out about Sanoviv around mid March. They were able to admit him within about a week. We decided I would go with him first to the clinic. As I picked him up from his home in Palm Springs, I watched him deteriorate in the two hours it took to drive to San Diego. By the time we got him across the border and to the clinic south of Rosarito, he had deteriorated further. He had not had an appetite in a long time. When he got here, he wanted to walk but struggled to do so. He forgot how to use the bathroom, how to tie his shoes, how to use an elevator. He forgot almost everything down here but who I was, and he had said "If you say let’s do it, I’ll do it." I’m eternally grateful for his trust, his courage to fight, and for the staff at this clinic who never gave up on him. Within days of treatment we started to be able to take him off medications and he started to “come to.” My mom was able to join after a few days, which really helped lift his spirits, and though there have been ups and downs, he has been getting better and better.
Today, just two weeks later, my dad looks at least 15 years younger than when he showed up here. He still doesn't remember his first days here and some of the time before coming here. He’s been able to get off the pain medicines and has only infrequent ‘stabs’ and a dull ache in places like his side where it used to be intolerable. He’s walking and even doing little dances that he does. His sense of humor is back. He talks to other guests at the tables and jokes with the hospital technicians. He tears up in gratitude and recounts the many places and people he’s been blessed to know throughout his life. His zest for life is back, and so far, all test results are encouraging. We just got confirmation today that we’ll be checking out in less than a week. We still have therapies to do, and an important CT scan tomorrow, but we're feeling confident.
I know it sounds far-fetched to see such change in two weeks. I know most people reading this in the US will not believe it or create some excuse for how what I’m saying must not be the truth. But it is the truth. Not only for my dad, but for many other people here, now. I can tell you of a guy who showed up also on death’s door with his liver about to fail, so enlarged with tumors that it was poking out of his abdomen and collapsing his right lung. He had a colon tumor so large it was blocking his colon. Five weeks later, his liver shows only small signs of tumors left and a thick band of healthy liver cells all around its perimeter, and he recently had only a small portion of his colon and rectum surgically removed, from which he is healing nicely. It’s not just cancer. People here are being healed from Lyme’s disease, mold infections, and other things that have previously left them confined to bed for months and without an answer from their doctors back home in the US or Canada.
I’ve tracked every moment of every day here. I’ve been in all of the procedures, talked with the doctors and nurses and technicians, taken photos, captured vitals, and sat with dad and other patients through every meal. What is being done here amounts to everyday miracles, and they are, but it also attests to what medicine can be if we were to really believe in the scientific method (proof!), if doctors really lived by the creed “First, do no harm,” and if medicine focused on compassionate care of the whole person - mind, body, and spirit/soul. It takes loving attention to ALL of those factors in order to heal.
More Background
My Dad came here with Stage 4 prostate cancer. We first caught it in 2014, already at Stage 4. That battle was from 2014-late 2016. Statistically, only 30% of Stage 4 prostate cancer patients live 5 years or more. At the time, we frantically researched . We used a kitchen sink approach from Cancertutor.com combined with things we learned from independent research, work with integrative doctors, and western diagnostics as well as some hormone therapy. This, after his urologist and oncologist had said their treatments would not lead to remission. I had gone to the Prostate Cancer Research Institute’s summit and seen doctors high-fiving when they showed they could extend the life expectancy from 2.4 years to 2.7years, with no mention of quality of life. I knew after speaking with them and his doctors that they had only a small number of tools they could use, and none of them seemed ready to lead to a quality life, extended. We stuck with the alternative treatments and we were seeing good results, despite the berating we received from his doctors.
By the end of 2016, Dad was told by his doctor in Burbank that they could find no active cancer in his body. The fact we reached remission gave us confidence that “alternative” treatments were not only good, but preferable. I’ll probably document that in a subsequent post, since I previously wrote a many-page summary of it and have shared it with friends. However, if I knew then that the Sanoviv facility existed, I would have come here in a heartbeat, instead of the lonely journey we had taken.
Overview of Treatment at Sanoviv
Here’s a high level summary of the types of therapies my dad has undergone over the past couple of weeks. I have detailed records of every day, and am learning more all the time, but here is how I describe it at a high level and each therapy in my own words. I’m not a doctor. I am a person who digs into all of the details and am intelligent enough to understand what I read. (Remember, doctors know only what they’ve studied, too…)
Upon arriving at Sanoviv clinic, we immediately started to meet with different doctors and assess his situation. He met with everyone, did a full blood panel, took diagnostics (in addition to those we submitted), and then met with his head doctor to discuss treatment.
The treatment used is an integrative protocol. (VERY SIMPLIFIED:) The prevailing premise is that with cancer, cells create inflammatory response around cancer cells, which reduces oxygen in the body, leading to acidity and inflammation. This inflammation contributes to an increase in the growth of cancer cells. That inflammation also suppresses the immune response. T-lymphocites are thus kept in a suppressed environment. Natural Killer Cells (a.k.a. Ntk cells) have a high capacity to attach to cancer cells and promote cancer cell death, if the cells can reach and recognize cancerous cells, but in this case are limited in their effect. Cancerous cells existing in a degenerative (ill) state are allowed to multiply without the natural cell death process that would normally be triggered.
Dad’s treatment has been a combination of many approaches:
- Strengthening - Filling his body with nutrients to strengthen him and his immune system. Getting his body able to move and flow again as he takes on this fight.
- Immunotherapies - procedures and treatments designed to stimulate the body’s natural defenses
- Direct tumor reduction therapies designed to help the body break down cancer cells where it previously couldn’t
- Detoxification - therapies that help the body to expel toxins that contribute to cancer as well as remove the remnants of cancer cells that have been broken down.
- Whole-body therapies designed to make his blood and organs inhospitable to cancer and working optimally according to how they are “supposed” to work.
- Psychology - helping him to let go of past traumas that contribute to stress and inflammation, and to rebuilt a healthy attitude of gratitude for life.
- Community - interacting with others who are going through similar fights for their lives, but doing so in a positive and encouraging environment.
CAUTION. If you bring this kind of treatment up with your doctor in the US, he/she will likely tell you the treatments I describe here are quackery, that they are unproven or dangerous, and that doing anything other than what they are telling you to do means you are signing your death warrant and killing yourself or your loved one. In my experience, they often use fear tactics to convince you to stay on the fully westernized path of treatment. Knowing what I know now, I won’t mince my words. DO NOT LISTEN TO THEM. I’m sorry to put it so bluntly, but they couldn’t be further from the truth. The doctors here are not quacks - they are licensed oncologists, surgeons, nutritionists, psychologist, chiropractors, dentists, and so many more professionals, all circling up around you, the patient, talking about your conditions every day, adjusting the treatment schedule immediately upon getting new information, and keeping you informed every step of the way. The diagnostic equipment is as good and sometimes better than images taken in the major US clinics. People here are here after being sent home to die from the major hospitals like yours (I’m not going to name them here, but yes, that one, too.) If nothing else, this method of treatment is proven to shrink tumors and strengthen your body’s natural defenses, preparing you for whatever treatment path you decide. In many cases, whatever they are prescribing to you may not be necessary after an integrative approach.
Details on Therapies Used
The therapies used for my dad are as follows, and were combined over the three weeks here, overseen by Oncologists and specialists in each field:
Nutrition - They do a body composition analysis, a metabolic analysis. They’ll do a specific nutrition plan based on the patient’s metabolic type. They do evaluations twice per week to follow up. Everyone here either is on the Sanoviv diet or has a diet tailored to their needs based on the nutritionist’s assessment. Sanoviv diet is a whole food diet, free from most irritants and cooked in ways and at temperatures that maintain the nutrients in the food. And it’s delicious. (I could make a whole post on the food.)
Diagnostics - CT scans, ultrasounds, blood work, CT cone beam dental scans, and a lot more.
Detoxification - everything from ensuring the blood stream is cleared of free radicals, to ensuring the lymphatic system is moving toxins out of the body through waste or through pores, to ensuring you’re going to the bathroom adequately to eliminate what the body is needing to eliminate.
Immunotherapy - T-cell lypmhosite and Ntk cell injection. Harvesting T-cells and Ntk cells from 120ml of blood drawn on the second day, placing them in a culture dish in the lab here, growing them at a high rate, stimulating them and activating them with antigens toward the kinds of cancer(s) he is fighting, and then injecting them into his body on the 9th day here. His body recognizes them as his own cells. The cells attach to cancerous cells and with the help of Ntk cells trigger apoptosis.
Hyperthermia - this is a heatwave therapy. Dad is being exposed to it in two different modalities. One is whole body therapy, and the other is regionalized / localized therapy.
Whole body modality. Increase temperature of the body to 104-105F for 60 min. Helps breakdown subset of proteins, produce pores on cancer cell membrane, and trigger the body’s natural process of angiogenesis (growth of new blood vessels to areas of the body that are not getting sufficient blood flow). It also stimulates our immune system and our Ntk cells directly. In dad’s case, cancer in the bones, which have low blood flow so low oxygen - hyperthermia stimulates blood flow to those areas. Higher number of immune cells go to the bone. These processes combine with the IV protocols and immunotherapies to get the right substances to the cancer cells and trigger apoptosis (the body’s natural process of triggering cell breakdown). Whole body hyperthermia twice per week for 60 min
Regional hyperthermia modality is where energy is directed to specific areas with larger tumors - in my dad, that would be the thoracic spine, lumbar spine, prostate, and bladder. 1 hour; injecting energy above 100kj and reaching localized body temperatures of 105-107 degrees. This treatment is done 4x per week. Similar effects as whole-body, just more intensified on certain tumor areas.
Intravenous Therapy (IV)
IV - High dose Vitamin C - 25g first treatment, 50g second treatment. Every time after 75g 3x/week. Immune stimulating effect and produces an oxidizing effect. Produces reactive oxygen species that reduce tumor activity. Combine with hyperthermia.
IV - Amygdalin - derivative of B17 - has a direct effect of tumor shrinking by blocking certain proteins cancer cells use. It works similar to chemotherapy, but it’s a natural substance. Dad has had this treatment twice a week for one hour. It has usually been combined with one of his hyperthermia treatments.
IV - Artesunate. Reduce tumors through oxidation. Binds with iron, increase enzymes in cancer cell that regulate its growth or give it specific elimination process. Regulate the growth of tumor cells. 1 hour IV lasts for 6 days so done 1x/week.
IV - Coboxilaza / Carzilasa - this is mostly B-vitamins like B12 that are given to strengthen cellular mitochondria and help nutrients get into the cell across the membrane.
IV - TCM - t-cell modulator IV. Peptide therapy to stimulate T-cells. Given once in the first week. Top up with oral spray daily.
IV - Chelation - binds to free radicals and toxins and helps sweep them out of the bloodstream.
Oxygen Therapy
Hyperbaric oxygen chamber - increases pressure to promote oxygen into the blood and tissues of the body. (Cancerous cells have been proven to not be able to thrive in a highly oxygenated environment.)
Ozone therapy - rectal insufflation - stimulates oxidation and in this method is absorbed through the many blood vessels (note: we’ve previously done ozonated blood transfusions).
Energy therapies - a category of treatments to reduce stress, reduce inflammation, stimulate blood flow, and interact with the body’s natural energies.
Psychology - Discussion, meditations, exercises, - an incredible team helping to unearth traumas and pains, blocked energy, and move past it all to allow for a vital perspective on life. They body is going through great stress and mental stress. Increased cortisol and adrenaline levels are tumor stimulating. They have us with psychology or stress reduction 4x/week. 2x/week mind body therapist and 2x/week with psychologist.
Supplementation - taking oral vitamins, core minerals, omega 3 oils, anti-inflammatory natural mushroom supplements, and nutrients needed according to a nutritional assessment.
Therapeutic spa treatments - things like lymphatic massage to keep the lymph system going, Swedish massage to reduce stress, cranial sacral massage, reflexology, and other therapies to increase blood flow throughout the body.
Chiropractic work - you know what this is, but they’re amazing here and helped adjust parts of dad’s neck and back that have been bothering him for years, after which he felt much better and continues to.
Dentistry - amazing program. Here to help remove heavy metal filling toxins, catch and clean out infections in root canals, etc. Dad’s crown came off while here and they had it fitted in no time.
Exercise - fitness instructors here to assess each person’s fitness level and give targeted recommendations on how to improve activity levels safely and appropriately as a part of treatment and life improvement.
Education - lectures and materials available on nutrition, toxins that lead to disease, etc.
Other specialists as needed. We still may see a neurologist while here, and other specialists are brought into the treatment plan as needed.
Rest - they get you resting when the sun goes down and give plenty of time to get a full night of sleep (whether you do is dependent upon what you’re going through, of course).
A general appreciation of life - the setting is beautiful. The grounds are manicured and peaceful. Dolphins dancing in the water out front, sunshine, companionship, positive thinking and discussion.
Companion care - they advocate strongly to have a companion here with you, and they make it very easy to do so. Total cost for the companion to be here is essentially $100/day including stay, laundered clothing, meals, access to spa and pools, etc.
Home protocol. They will provide a treatment protocol for when we go home, including final instructions from all departments, nutrition plans, a recipe book, all the diagnostics we’ve taken here, and will do follow-up sessions with our doctor remotely once per month for a number of months, along with follow-up blood work.
Logistics:
The cost of this whole protocol was about $40k, all included. Everything is conducted in English. They will pick you up from multiple San Diego locations (or from Tijuana or Ensenada) and bring you across the border, down the coast, and right to the clinic's front door. Once here, you don’t really need anything of your own other than shoes/socks for exercise days (they give you sandals), underwear, a notebook if you want, and any personal items to pass quiet times like books. You are provided loose fitting clothing that is comfortable. The meals are one of the best part, as they practice what they preach 100% of the time. A stay here amounts to a detox program.
The staff:
Everyone is amazingly kind, caring, patient, helpful… from the admissions team to the transportation team, cafeteria staff, housekeeping, groundskeepers, nurses, doctors, guest services, … everyone. It’s a marvelous hospitality experience. One person referred to it as a “Spaspital” - combination Spa and Hospital (credit to Lauren’s friend, Melinda).
The guest rooms:
Every room faces the ocean with a beautiful view. Rooms mostly have companion rooms, which are little rooms with double doors that open into the main room.
Not-so-final thoughts
There is so much more. So many stories and details. My hope is that this information reaches people who don’t currently know there is another option. My opinion is that I would recommend this option FIRST, before pursuing aggressive forms of surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, or drugs. If you’re facing cancer for yourself or a loved one, reach out to the team at Sanoviv and they’ll help every step of the way.
I wish you good health, good days, and many of them.
Copyright Staring at a tree 2022