An Alternative Path to a Cure

In 2010, the long-anticipated July vacation finally arrived! My husband and I had had everything planned since the beginning of the year. We mapped out our travel route, which state we would visit first to see our dear relatives and friends. At that time we lived in Mato Grosso, Brazil, and in 30 days, we were going to travel through the states of Goiás, São Paulo, and Mato Grosso do Sul. During this vacation, we had moments of relaxation, happiness, and recreation.

I had scheduled a routine medical checkup in Mato Grosso do Sul at the end of our trip. I was calm during the check-up but felt uncomfortable. Something was off. The questions asked and the same exam being done repeatedly caught my attention. Two days later my husband and I were in the clinic’s waiting area when my doctor personally called and walked both of us into her office. I froze. Why would my husband have to accompany me?

God roars with his wondrous voice; he does great things we can’t know.

Job 37:5

Before we go any further, I need to share a bit of my family history. In 1998, my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. She underwent surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and five years of oral drug treatment. Thanks to our good God, she overcame this disease. In 2007 my youngest sister developed breast cancer at 25. She also went through the surgical process, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. In 2008, while still undergoing treatment and emotional turmoil over her daughter’s illness, my mother was stricken by another type of cancer (colon). In a period of ten years, it was the third case of cancer in our family. In 2010, both my mother and sister were still undergoing oral chemotherapy.

My doctor was aware of my family history and, in the office, she explained that the test results showed two nodules in the right breast, two nodules in the left breast, and two nodules in the thyroid. She was requesting a biopsy of one of the breast nodules, as its description was suspicious. I can’t describe the feeling I had at that moment. A thousand things were going through my head. How would my mother and sister react if the biopsy revealed a malignant tumor? I went into despair. What about my job? What about my life? Why? Why now? Lord, what am I going to do?

My son, pay attention to my words. Bend your ear to my speech. Don’t let them slip from your sight. Guard them in your mind. They are life to those who find them, and healing for their entire body.

Proverbs 4:20–22

We returned home without telling anyone about what had happened. I told my husband that, first, I would seek God’s guidance and then make a decision about how, when, and where I would undergo treatment. Thirty days of prayer, tears, and intense surrender and communion with God went by, and with each passing day, I felt more peace, tranquility, and confidence to make a decision. At the time, I still consumed dairy products, sugar, and gluten. During this period I began making changes and adjustments to my diet and started following God’s eight laws of health.

When you eat or drink or do anything else, always do it to honor God.

1 Corinthians 10:31

In September, I informed my husband that I wouldn’t follow medical protocol as I was strong and determined enough to undergo natural treatment. I knew that this strength wasn’t mine, and I believed in it very much. My husband gave me the support I needed, and from then on things happened very quickly and in my favor as if God was in the lead, making it easy and guiding everything to flow according to His will. I managed to negotiate my dismissal from my job and received full benefits. In October, we moved to the state of Goiás to be closer to our family members. I talked my decision over with my doctor who wisely told me: “As your friend, I will support you and follow up on your case, but as a doctor, I say that you have to do the biopsy.” I didn’t do the biopsy, but instead, I planned my natural treatment with therapeutic and medical supervision and laboratory tests every three months.

I delight in doing your will, my God, your law is within my heart.

Psalm 40:8

In November, I began natural treatments at Clínica Oasis Paranaense. I spent 20 days at the clinic where I was well attended by the professional team and quickly adapted to the treatment: medicinal clay, hydrotherapy, outdoor walks, healthy eating, etc. I felt God’s hand in everything I did, because before every procedure, before every action such as eating, drinking, or walking, I would pray. In December, natural treatment clinics have a break, but I continued the treatment at home.

In January of 2011, I continued my treatment at Clínica do Boanerges, in Paraguay. I spent 40 days there, following the natural treatment protocols. I met wonderful people! The love and joy at that place are contagious; community and prayer are part of that establishment.

After 40 days, I went to the doctor, underwent the laboratory tests again, and the result showed that five nodules had reduced in mass, however, the nodule for which the biopsy should have been done remained the same. I wasn’t shaken! I felt that I was going in the right direction and that this was the path to my healing.

I continued the natural treatments at home, repeating everything that I learned at the clinics. In June 2011, I followed up with the laboratory exams again and this time, there was a reduction in all the nodules. The decrease in the size of the nodules isn’t fast, it’s in millimeters (mm), and millimeters are considered outstanding progress! Each mm reduction was a victory for me and was always celebrated. My experience made me see the great love that God has for us. I never felt alone because I had Jesus with me. When sadness appeared, my tears soon stopped, and I felt a special peace. When I was weak, I became strong, and in each celebration of joy for a millimeter less, Jesus was happy and celebrated with me. Ten years have passed, and since 2018 the exams haven’t detected nodules in my body.

And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.

Luke 17:19

May the Lord give us the needed wisdom and strength for us to be faithful health reformers. Amen.

Juliane Esbizero,

Clinical Pharmacist of the Amapá State Health Department