Making Friends with Cancer
by Dawn Nelson
Published by Findhorn Press. 2000. Paperback. £7.95. ISBN 1-899171-38-X
Reviewed by Dr Brian McMullen
About
the Reviewer
Dr Brian McMullen trained in medicine and spent twelve years as a
General Practitioner in the NHS. After a meaningful experience of illness
and with a growing interest in Holistic Medicine he has been learning
about the importance of balance in life. He lives near the Findhorn Foundation
and works part time as a doctor. He enjoys the outdoors, cycling, Gestalt,
singing and working in the Foundation kitchen.
Modern
medicine is full of metaphors from the theatre of war. We ‘fight’ cancer
and ‘defeat’ depression and ‘campaign’ against the causes of illness.
Therefore, the title of this book may shock
many people. In the foreword Dr Bernie Siegel, author of Love, Medicine
and Miracles has difficulty with the choice of the word ‘friends’
in relation to cancer. In choosing this title, Dawn Nelson is challenging
the basis of modern medicine and it is an important and courageous act.
She introduces instead the metaphor of cancer
as ‘The Uninvited Guest’. Her book is a moving personal story of her experience
with ovarian cancer. She looks upon cancer as her wake up call to the
immediacy of life – an experience that many people discover from an encounter
with many kinds of life threatening events.
Before her illness, Dawn had worked for
many years giving massage to people who were ill, including those who
were dying. She had knowledge of many alternative healing techniques and
she dwells in depth on her difficult decision to accept chemotherapy.
Throughout the book, she demonstrates her
achievement to feel empowered instead of victimized. She makes conscious
choices about her illness and begins a series of changes to her lifestyle,
including a change to a macrobiotic diet. In addition to the conventional
treatment route, she uses acupuncture, massage, healing, meditation and
affirmations. Her determination shines on every page. Everyone reacts
to a diagnosis of cancer in a different way and Dawn Nelson encourages
each individual to find the combination of choices that will work for
them.
For anyone who doubts that cancer can be
a gift, the chapter on ‘Cancer’s Lessons, Cancer’s Gifts’ is worth reading.
Here is the evidence that cancer can be a transformative experience leading
to a greater awareness of the important things in life. This is particularly
important for those of us who have an unpleasant experience and then the
desire to ‘get back to normal’ as soon as possible. In our society, people
often look to the medical profession or the NHS to achieve this goal.
Of course, we can never get back to being the people we were before a
diagnosis of cancer. Every experience changes us. However, in our desire
to resist the change we miss the huge lessons and gifts that the illness
brings.
The book is attractive to read. I liked
the quotations at the beginning of each chapter. I am not clear why the
text was frequently printed in italics and I found this a distraction.
There is a useful list of American books that deal with coping with cancer.
The Appendix has a series of facts on ovarian cancer. Some of these are
debatable. ‘Regular pelvic examinations’ are recommended for early detection
of ovarian cancer but no interval is stated. There is a wealth of information
about ovarian cancer and support groups in the UK on the Internet and
I am rather surprised that an American book does not include some web
site addresses.
In her conclusion to the book, Dawn returns
to the theme of making friends with cancer. Her journey through healing
is inspiring and optimistic. For anyone who is ready to open to the lessons
of an illness this book will provide support and encouragement. For those
of us who have the gift of good health, it is a reminder of the importance
of being awake in each moment. Dawn Nelson demonstrates the courage to
choose life and we all have that choice.