by Marcia Schaefer, DC

2010 was my year. I had abso­lutely everything going for me, and felt the top of the world was just within my reach. The year started off with a bang, marrying my best friend on February 19th. I was overjoyed! Next came my graduation from Palmer College of Chiropractic. I was a doctor, something I never thought I would do. I chose that profession because it was the one thing that made sense to me. Heal from above down, inside out. Healing comes from within. The power that made the body is the same power that will heal the body. It all made sense to me. I knew nutrition has the ability to do the same – little did I know how true that would come to be!

To add to our already amazing year, we found out we were expecting! On August 25th, our first child, Keegan, joined us. My heart could have literally burst, I was so happy. When I went to the hospital in labor, the nurse was con­cerned, not because I was 17 days post “due,” but because of the size of my thyroid gland. I had noticed that it was a bit large since 2005, but thought nothing of it. Come to think of it, my professor in Physical Diagnosis actu­ally asked me to get it checked out. I had no insurance, so I did nothing about it. I noticed it from time to time, but just let it go. When I got pregnant, my thyroid seemed to take off. It was very large, but I didn’t take notice, because all my labs were completely normal, and I had no symptoms.

At my son’s 6 week well baby visit, the midwives wanted to run more tests on me. We did, and they all came back normal. They suggested going to an endocrinologist. I finally made the appointment in December when I could no longer extend my head without swallowing issues. Yes, in hindsight I know that was too late, and I wish I had taken action earlier, but I was a bit busy with a new baby and new life! The endocrinol­ogist got me in very quickly when I explained my situation.

They ran tests and did a needle biopsy. The endocrinolo­gist’s face told the story before he said anything. Papillary thy­roid cancer. I looked at my husband and son, and just shook my head. “There are support groups, and this is a successful­ly treated cancer” the endocrinologist said. At that point, I lost it. I was so frustrated – how could my perfect year be ending this way!? I had SO much on my plate, so much to live for – why was this the test I was chosen for?

In that same instant, I decided I would kick this cancer out of next year. Had it not been for my mother heal­ing breast cancer and melanoma nat­urally, and my Chiropractic education, I don’t know what I would have done. “Papillary Thyroid Cancer, surgery in January,” I texted to my mom and sister as I left the hospital.

I went into surgery on January 3rd, 2011, determined this cancer would leave as quickly as it was found. In sur­gery, they did a total thyroidectomy and took 30 lymph nodes out of the left side of my neck, and 26 tested positive for cancer. My thyroid was the size of my surgeon’s fist! We were now dealing with metastatic thyroid cancer.

I decided to get a skin check­up, since I had been doing yearly skin checks. The dermatologist said she dreaded making the phone call to me on an early morning in February to tell me I tested positive for malignant mel­anoma. I had surgery for that as well, and was busily researching my options. I already knew the benefits of diet, and had started juicing, but didn’t know how I would get to Mexico.

In March, I had a CT of my neck and chest. They found another enlarged lymph node and a mass in my right lung. Surgery happened again, and they took 41 lymph nodes out of the right side of my neck. It was a relief to me in a way, as the scar on my neck is now even! I worked to find humor in my situation, but the truth was, surgery was a lot more painful the second time around, and I was sick of being labeled as “sick.” Of the 41 lymph nodes taken, 4 were positive.

Thanks to some of the most giving, selfless people in the entire world, I was able to take the trip to the Gerson Clinic, and my husband, Shawn, and I left on April 19th, 2011. Words can’t describe my experience at the clinic. We were warmly welcomed when we got there, the other people regaining health were open and willing to share their diagno­sis and what they had been doing up to this time. The knowledge and peace I received as a patient at the clinic will stay with me my entire life.

I fell into a routine. Every night I cut my carrots, prepare vegetables for the green juice and prepare the soup vege­tables. I have 2 juicers. As the number of enemas I had to do decreased, I found I was able to do more things as well.

My blood work has been coming out normal and my chest x-ray showed that my lungs are clear. I get regular skin checks and my skin is clear of mel­anoma. My endocrinologist said that I am cancer free, less than a year after my original diagnosis.

Treating cancer is a choice. We all have choices every single day of our lives. Every person down in Mexico and in San Diego gets to see the bright side of that choice. Cancer is absolutely incurable – in the medical world. Never once will poison heal, and I am a living testament to that.

2011 is my year. I am defeating cancer, I have opened my practice, and I am living proof that a positive attitude, supportive, loving friends and family, and lots of carrot juice can make all the difference in your world. Cancer is ABSOLUTELY curable, and I will not stop my crusade to help others with this fantastic therapy – I will pay it forward to anyone who will listen!