I'm so sad to hear of the passing of Jess Ainscough today. What a remarkable woman, who devoted herself to life, and in the process changed the lives of so many.
Undoubtedly there will be cruel words about her choices in the light of her death, and to that I say, don't judge. Dont Judge. Seriously, DONT JUDGE.
Why is there an expectation of 'alternative' medicine to fully cure or reverse cancer, yet conventional is deemed successful if a patient survives 5 years.
No, we don't get to judge a person's choice. That she spread her gospel to thousands, that she supported others who had experienced a diagnosis, and that she lived her life fully awoken, these are all things to celebrate. None of us walked in her shoes. Whatever choices she made, deserve to be respected. We each get to choose which information to follow, which advice to adhere to. It's that simple. We each take responsibility for ourselves.
I'm so grateful to have known this woman, albeit on-line. She was gracious with her time and advice.
Even in death she has taught me something valuable, that it is possible to die in peace, surrounded by love, doing what you believe in.
A few months ago, I took my children to London. It was the usual lovely day out, dodging cancer propaganda. Nothing new about that, but on this particular day I decided to take a photo every time I saw the 'C' word. The pictures piled up quickly; on the back of the public loo door, on the tube, on full colour posters and on the front pages of newspapers and magazines. Cancer, cancer everywhere. The messages shouted, they screamed: let's run for the cure, bake cakes for it, let's fight it, beat it, pity and fear it. But let's not take responsibility for it.
It's a wonder that anyone ever survives cancer with this much subliminal coaching. We're programmed to believe that we will not heal from cancer, that the best we can do is follow the oncologist's advice, that it's going to be a tough fight, a battle, and if we're brave, we might just live, albeit bald, weak and emaciated. This media manipulation is dangerous. It plants seeds of fear and doubt.
Those reported to choose a different way of reversing disease are ridiculed. Magazine articles often include a 'disclaimer' (usually written by a doctor) suggesting that this person was 'lucky' or that they experienced a spontaneous remission.
What if we saw posters which chided "Cancer is just a lump, get over it" or "Take responsibility for your cancer, you can heal"? How would these provocative slogans be received by a public who largely wants to hand over the reins for personal healing? Would these messages invoke hope as an antidote to our current fear based media?
What if we took it step further, and created a campaign which educated about the link between poor nutrition and disease? Would that empower or disempower? And would the sugar manufacturers, let alone the chemo-makers allow it?
I feel proud to be part of a growing voice, a global family who are reversing disease naturally, one day at a time, not (yet) 'proven' through double-blind peer reviewed studies by people who have never had cancer, (but are financially invested), rather by people who have looked their cancer straight in the eye, and made changes. One day I hope that our voice is loud enough to be heard without ridicule or disbelief, and that the many, MANY different strategies we're using become part of an easily accessible protocol for the newly diagnosed, who may understand that they have a choice in how to address their dis-ease.
