In March 2023, I was diagnosed with Stage 2 triple negative breast cancer. After this diagnosis, I underwent further investigations, including a biopsy, a lymph node aspiration, and another mammogram. Shortly after these procedures, in April 2023, I received the devastating news that my cancer had spread and was now considered Stage 4... Terminal. I was told that my prognosis was extremely limited — less than a year. Hearing this at just 54 years old was overwhelming and heartbreaking.

I was told to prepare to celebrate my last birthday, where I turned 55 in May 2023. A beautiful friend created a birthday celebration that I will never forget. I was also told I might not make it to Christmas and to consider celebrating early, just in case. At the same time, my incredible daughter‑in‑law was pregnant with a long‑awaited granddaughter. The thought of not being here to meet her — or to stay with my soulmate, my husband, and the people I love — was devastating.

The cancer being metastatic, had been found in several areas outside my primary breast tumour, including my spine, lymph nodes, pancreas, pelvis, and thorax. The fear I felt during this time was immense. I found out about my terminal diagnosis on 20 April, and I began chemotherapy the very next day, followed by immunotherapy.

Alongside my medical treatment, I also chose to explore complementary approaches that supported my overall sense of wellbeing. I have always believed in caring for the whole person, so I incorporated integrative and functional medicine perspectives, as well as supportive practices that helped me feel more grounded emotionally and spiritually. These were personal choices — part of my own path — not recommendations for others.

Looking back, I often reflect on how much I have learned since those early days. My journey has been shaped by faith, intuition, and a deep desire to care for my whole self — body, mind, and spirit. I was held by love, community, and the quiet strength that rises when life demands everything of you.

What I share here is simply my personal experience — not advice, not guidance, and not claims about treatments. This is my story of navigating fear, finding hope, and discovering meaning in the most unexpected places.

November 2023 brought another overwhelming moment in my journey. I was told that my outlook was extremely limited and that I might not live beyond January 2024. It was confronting, heartbreaking, and almost impossible to process.

At the same time, the side effects of treatment were becoming increasingly difficult for my body to manage. I felt like I was being pulled in two directions — fighting the disease while also struggling with the impact of the treatments themselves.

Then, in the midst of all this, a PET/CT scan revealed something extraordinary: NEAD — No Evidence of Active Disease. Hearing those words was shocking, confusing, and deeply emotional. To be told I was cancer‑free, yet also told there were no further traditional treatment options, was devastating and surreal all at once.

After many conversations, reflection, prayer, research and a renewed focus on supporting my overall wellbeing, I made a decision. I chose to fight for my life in every way I could. This was my path — shaped by intuition, faith, and the fierce determination to care for my whole self. It was driven by the will, or perhaps the sheer bloody‑mindedness, to live.

By God's grace, I made it to January 2024, when I was again hospitalised with significant liver issues - a deranged liver. I used to joke it was the owner who was deranged not the liver. It was an extremely difficult time, both physically and emotionally. I was also dealing with several other health challenges and comorbidities that had developed over the course of my cancer journey, including bone density changes, inflammation, colitis, rheumatoid arthritis, and mobility difficulties. By this stage, my quality of life had declined so much that I was using a wheelchair, and I felt overwhelmed by everything my body and mind had been through.

During this period, I began to reflect deeply on my situation and what I felt I needed in order to support my wellbeing. After much thought, prayer, and discussion, I came to understand that there were still no further conventional treatment options available to me at that time. With this in mind, I made the personal decision to step away from the traditional medical world and focus on approaches that felt gentler and more aligned with my own values. My oncologist jokingly referred to it as my “hippy dippy” path, and in many ways, that description captured the holistic, spiritually grounded direction I felt drawn toward.

This was a choice made for my own circumstances, based on my personal experiences, intuition, and beliefs and in consultation with my integrated medical team.

I remained NEAD for almost a year while continuing with the holistic, “hippy dippy” approach that felt right for me. In October 2024, after the emotional stress of losing my beloved dog Harley and then my brother’s passing from pancreatic cancer, I learnt that cancer had returned in my lymphatic system. My medical oncologist told me I had about three months left to live. It was a heartbreaking time, and I felt the weight of grief and uncertainty all over again.

My medical oncologist told me I could now try chemotherapy again — the red devil. The idea of going through chemotherapy again terrified me. I prayed, researched, and spoke with my integrated oncologist and integrated medical team.

During this time, I continued exploring different ways of supporting my wellbeing. This research included looking into repurposed medications under medical guidance, alongside the integrated and functional medical practices that helped me feel grounded, supported, and hopeful.

By April 2025, I was told that I was once again in remission — an incredibly emotional and humbling moment.

Our God is a powerful God.

I’ve focused on strengthening my wellbeing, honouring my spirit, and praising my God

I try to fill my days with the people who enrich my life and moments that lift me higher. I cherish the moments and memories that we share and create together.

After everything my body and heart have endured, I stand here with a fierce gratitude for every sunrise, every laugh, every breath.

I know now that life is not measured in years, but in courage, faith, and the choices we make when everything is on the line. I chose to fight. I chose to hope. I chose to live — and I continue to choose to every single day.

Living life and loving it!

Disclaimer

The experiences shared on this website reflect my personal journey only. They are not intended to provide medical advice, make therapeutic claims, or suggest that any approach, treatment, or practice is suitable for others. Nothing here should be interpreted as a replacement for professional medical care, diagnosis, or treatment.

Please seek guidance from qualified healthcare professionals for your own health needs.

Heads‑up: Some photos are real, and some are AI‑generated because, let’s be honest, I didn’t always have a camera handy during the chaos. The AI images are just for storytelling — not medical evidence.

© 2026 My Hippy Dippy Healing Journey. All rights reserved.