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Medics baffled as woman's killer cancer disappears

By Lisa Smyth

A Northern Ireland woman who was diagnosed with terminal cancer before the tumour miraculously disappeared may have been saved by her own immune system.

Sharyn Mackay, from Newcastle, Co Down, was diagnosed with a cancerous tumour on her kidney which was so rare that doctors at Craigavon Area Hospital sent samples of it for examination by specialists in London, Glasgow and Harvard.

The mother-of-four was then dealt a further devastating blow by doctors — the cancer was inoperable and chemotherapy, even if it worked, would only add a few weeks to her life.

“They said it was spindle cell sarcoma which is normally a bone cancer,” she explained.

“I was one of only 10 known cases where it had become a kidney tumour. The surgeon kept a watch on my kidney but in April 2004 he told me the cancer had rattled through my kidneys and lungs and I was a terminal case.

“The hospital said treatment was an option, but not a cure, and that I had a year to live at best.”

The mother was left stunned, however, when further scans to see how the cancer was progressing showed that it had inexplicably disappeared.

“The doctors were astonished and said it could not have been due to anything they’d done,” she added.

“Four radiographers studied the scans and none of them could quite believe it. The tumours had gone and I was told to leave the hospital and live a full life. The cancer has never come back and I have never felt better.”

While Mrs Mackay attributed her recovery to the power of prayer, medical experts are now considering the possibility that her immune system played a vital role in destroying the tumour.

A study of Norwegian women concluded that spontaneous remission of breast cancer may have occurred in 20 per cent of cases.

Peter Johnson, the professor of medical oncology at the Cancer Research UK Centre in Southampton, told the Daily Mail: “The immune system’s role is tantalising because we know something is at work in spontaneous remission but we don’t know what makes the system do it.

“The question is, how do you turn the immune system from an occasional assistant into a more constant helper?

“Cancer Research is funding research into this area and pharmaceutical companies are working in this area too.”

Mrs Mackay’s amazing recovery first came to light in 2005 when she told the Belfast Telegraph how she prayed to God and pleaded to survive her illness.

She said: “The night before that scan I wrote in my journal: ‘Thank you God for healing me. I know I will get clear results tomorrow.’

“The following day my consultant at Craigavon smiled at me for the first time in ages. He explained that he had been dreading that day, as four world authorities had examined my scans and all confirmed the worst.

“But the most recent scan revealed the tumours and lesions were gone. He had called in radiographers and doctors to look over all the scans and no-one could explain it.”

This article is from The Belfast Telegraph

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Comments

just mayber she..
[info]tommytcg wrote:
Wednesday, 22 April 2009 at 08:42 pm (UTC)
did something that has been privately published by a 40-year cell research biologist in The Cure and Prevention of All Cancers, 2007, H R Clark PhD ND. While mainstream medicine refuses to accept any cure, Wilhelm Reich, Hoxsey, H. Clark, M. McCain, essiac, legal German ozone etc, find their way to those that seek a cure, not a toxic treatment. Lets see how long it takes for big Medicines attack dogs to come on and claim all these cures are snake oil, junk, science, false hope, etc. As a German doctor explained to an enquiring US commentator, when asked about lack of double blind studies, he responded that with over one million cured, there was no real need to prove anything to anybody. Cured was cured. I hear Ronald Reagan nipped over for his cure, and Ted Kenendy`s son cured his incurable bone cancer with essiac. While their is still freedom on the net, and maybe for not much longer depending on the new May EU projects, one should get wised up.
Building Up the Immune System
[info]redroseandy wrote:
Thursday, 23 April 2009 at 05:40 am (UTC)
If the experts are correct and the immune system can get rid of cancers then it would be useful to build up the immune system of patients. I have found three ways to do so which I tell to HIV and anorexia suffers. Colostrum capsules, high levels of vitamin C (check with Doctor how much this is), and body building. The Colostum gives enough energy to want to body build, by listening to enjoyable music at the same time endorphines are released which makes one feel better.
Immne-system reflects who we are
[info]mind_ful wrote:
Thursday, 23 April 2009 at 07:22 am (UTC)
The immune system is not some seperate thing operating without any attachemtn to who we are or what we feel. It is us. It reperesents us. OUr hopes, attitudes, being and expierneces. Everything we do affects it and vice versa. It has evolved to keep us alive. Why do medical people think they know everything? This lady is right- she affected her own immune-system. Well done her for refusing to die just becasue she was told she would by the medical profession! It is stories like this that make one glad that one doesn't listen to that barking mad medical flat-earther professor ernst and his crony journalists.! Great stuff.
The Power of Prayer
[info]joyous2 wrote:
Thursday, 23 April 2009 at 05:42 pm (UTC)
This is the second story I have heard this week, concerning miraculous healing following prayer. The first one was in our own church, this past Sunday. Why do these medics continue to scratch their heads in amazement at this? Surely in this economic climate, we should be embracing prayer as a safe and cost effective way of healing, without all the side effects that modern medicine comes with. God Bless both this lady and anybody else who has the Faith to entrust their healing to God.
Re: The Power of Prayer
[info]rayamiles wrote:
Thursday, 23 April 2009 at 09:39 pm (UTC)
and just how many people have prayed night and day for themselves or a loved one to be healed only to be disappointed? I guess that does not get quite so much coverage in your church.

Its the god of gaps, we cannot at the moment explain why something happens so for some people it must be down to god.... oh well i guess if it makes you happy.
Re: The Power of Prayer
[info]djdylan2000 wrote:
Friday, 24 April 2009 at 08:11 am (UTC)
God does not need to cure everyone who asks him. If that were so, everyone would just take him for granted. We turn to God only in our times of trouble. At all other times, most of us do not even acknowledge his existence.
When we say the Our Father, we say "Thy will be done", not "my will be done".
Medical science is living in denial. While chemotherapy may extend life by a small amount, that life is not worth living, the treatment is worse than the disease!
Re: The Power of Prayer
[info]elouise1000 wrote:
Friday, 24 April 2009 at 08:35 am (UTC)
What an ignorant ridiculous comment.

My 34 year old sister found out she had aggressive pre-menopausal breast cancer two days after giving birth to her daughter.

Radiotherapy and chemotherapy followed.

Seven years later I think she would question your sweeping statement that chemotherapy 'may extend life by a small amount' (however) 'that life is not worth living the treatment is worse than the disease'.

On the contrary - I think she would tell you that breast cancer at such a young age with young children to look after is far far worse.

What medical facts are you basing your statement on. Do you consider the extra seven years my sister has gained as 'not worth living'?

Oh - by the way my sister is a life long atheist and I'm a Christian.
Re: The Power of Prayer
[info]djdylan2000 wrote:
Friday, 24 April 2009 at 09:45 am (UTC)
Re: The Power of Prayer
[info]elouise1000 wrote:
Friday, 24 April 2009 at 10:18 am (UTC)
1.) Read your own article properly - they are doubting that chemo is effective in one fifth of patients who are TERMINALLY ill.

2.) What about the four fiths it is appropriate for?


However, I'll make sure I let my sister know that she should have ignored her doctors and refused treatment but prayed instead.

Good Lord.
Re: The Power of Prayer
[info]rayamiles wrote:
Sunday, 26 April 2009 at 09:54 pm (UTC)
Ah that get out of free jail card "Thy will be done", so heads you win tails i loose....

I have never found the need to believe in mythical sky bullies, but as i said if it helps you get through the day, good for you....
God
[info]rttech82 wrote:
Friday, 24 April 2009 at 02:35 am (UTC)
What is so baffling about it? We have a Great God and He can do anything!

RT
www.anonymity.es.tc
Healing
[info]sweetbriar12 wrote:
Friday, 24 April 2009 at 04:43 am (UTC)
I suggest you who are skeptic read Anam Cara by the late John O Donohue. This woman's positiveness contributed to her healing, as it will for any person who trusts and believes God.
Re: Healing
[info]elouise1000 wrote:
Friday, 24 April 2009 at 08:36 am (UTC)
Did't help Jade Goody though did it? How do you explain that one?
Re: Healing
[info]djdylan2000 wrote:
Friday, 24 April 2009 at 09:54 am (UTC)
Ahem...Ahem.... Jade Goody underwent chemo and radiotherapy...
Re: Healing
[info]elouise1000 wrote:
Friday, 24 April 2009 at 10:37 am (UTC)
Ah - so God differentiates does he - Jade Goody turned to God towards the end of her life but because she'd had chemo and radiotherapy he decided her prayers were not to be fulfilled. Right. I get it now. Sorry.

Have you considered that if she'd not had chemo and radiotherapy she would have died earlier? It was her choice to have these treatments to spend as much time as she could with her children and as recent research backs up religious people fight harder for aggressive treatment:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/18/health/research/18faith.html?_r=2

As a mother of 2 children myself - I too would fight to stay alive as long as possible. I trust and believe in God but I possess the common sense to realise that prayer alone will not cure me, it may comfort me but that's all.



[info]davemeek wrote:
Friday, 24 April 2009 at 09:46 am (UTC)
My father, on being told he had bowel cancer which had spread and would be dead within the year, seemed to age by ten years and shrink to half the man i had known.
A couple of days later he went for a walk in the woods and when he came back he just said "right", whilst looking his old self.
Two years later, at the age of 77 he is clear in full remission and enjoying his life with his relieved family.
Although he had wonderful medical care it was the positive mental attitude that made the difference. You could say faith indeed, although not in a god, has helped him. So i can see how the belief that you will get better (in this case with blind faith in her god) can transfer to the physical.
The message seems to be as in all aspects of life....BE POSITIVE
i agree...
[info]rayamiles wrote:
Sunday, 26 April 2009 at 10:38 pm (UTC)
i was just reading an article which supports what you said, researches looked at committed atheists as well as devout Christians and found similar outcomes, it seems that what you believe is not important the real thing is to believe with conviction, and be positive.


http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/articles/2009/04/26/beyond_belief/
Cancer Cure
[info]schang1984 wrote:
Friday, 24 April 2009 at 11:46 am (UTC)
It could also been due to the supplements Quercetin + Vitamin C, both cancer killers.
healings not supernatural but supremely natural
[info]frances472 wrote:
Friday, 24 April 2009 at 07:00 pm (UTC)
Christian Scientists have, on record in Boston, more than 2 million such healings over the last 100+ years. 20% of these have been verified by medical witnesses. I am always baffled that this wonderful fact is denied, ignored or never discovered by the the world's sufferers and their physicians.

Even my dogs have been healed of ghastly,professionally-diagnosed diseases by Christian Science treatment.When detractors claim that it is actionable for families to forego medical treatment I wonder why it is not considered reprehensible to forego Christian Science which has such an impressive record, when medicine's gruesome treatments so often fail and often do as much harm as good.

At least look into it. Disease and death are not the powers they seem to be.
a relevant citation from the Christian Science textbook
[info]frances472 wrote:
Friday, 24 April 2009 at 07:18 pm (UTC)
xi:9 The physical healing of Christian Science results
now, as in Jesus' time, from the operation of divine
Principle, before which sin and disease lose their real-
xi:12 ity in human consciousness and disappear as naturally
and as necessarily as darkness gives place to light and
sin to reformation. Now, as then, these mighty works
xi:15 are not supernatural, but supremely natural. They are
the sign of Immanuel, or "God with us," a divine
influence ever present in human consciousness and re-
xi:18 peating itself, coming now as was promised aforetime,

To preach deliverance to the captives [of sense],
And recovering of sight to the blind,
xi:21 To set at liberty them that are bruised.
Sounds like an administrative mistake
[info]pelorus wrote:
Sunday, 26 April 2009 at 09:14 am (UTC)
Much more likely there was a mixup.

Now she thinks she's Jesus and there's some poor bugger out there riddled with cancer who's just bought a new motorhome thinking they've a long life.


vegan diet
[info]dawnone wrote:
Monday, 27 April 2009 at 05:20 pm (UTC)
I had a friend in a similar situation (diagnosed with a terminal cancer) who became a strict vegan. consuming only raw, organic food grown in the region where she lived and in season. It was a difficult, restrictive diet but as a result her cancerous tumour entirely disappeared, much to her doctors' surprise. If I were in a similar situation, I would try this. Meanwhile, I avoid meat, eat fish that is wild, not farmed, and try to eat organic, gmo and antibiotic free food as much as possible.


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