Pancreatic Cancer Survivor: Maribel’s Story

Pancreatic Cancer SurvivorMaribel C. Lim (Manila, Philippines)
(UPDATED: November 8, 2009/Century Park Sheraton)

See the video of her earlier testimony.

Living with any serious disease can be difficult and challenging. I know how each one of you who has a serious ailment feels. I have also felt that way, more than eight years ago.

After reading the MRI result in July of 2001, my husband Victor and I went from one doctor to another to find out the best way to extend my life, to be cured of my cancer. Three, four, five, seven — I can no longer count how many oncologists we’ve been to, all specialists in pancreatic cancer, a kind of cancer in which the patient has little chance of getting cured. This is the most aggressive form of cancer. Too little time is given to you to think — if you are still able to think straight given your serious condition.

When I had the courage to ask the doctor how long I will live if I would not undergo an operation, his response stunned me — 6 months, one year at the most.

When I heard those words, I felt that the world stood still. Everything the doctor said was incomprehensible. I felt like a prisoner who was handed a death sentence. During those moments, I felt numbness all over my body. What I could only feel at that time were tears running down my cheeks.

Like any other person with a serious ailment, I wanted an immediate cure. At that time, the fastest solution, and the only solution we know of, is surgery, nothing else. I braced myself for a 12-24 hour operation. My gallbladder would be removed; part of my liver, stomach and duodenum would be taken away. But if during surgery it is discovered that the tumor, which was 2 inches round, was too close to the pancreas, they will not remove it, and instead terminate the surgery by closing the incision. Of course, the other parts of my body will have already been destroyed.

I consented to surgery even if it would be very difficult on my part, rather than waiting, defenseless, because as I mentioned it was the only solution we knew of. Then the issue of blood came up.

I am a Jehovah’s Witnesses and we adhere strictly to [our interpretation of] a Bible-based standard to abstain from blood, including getting a blood transfusion.

My doctors became indignant each time I refused the idea of a blood transfusion. They resorted to threats, pressures, intimidation, just so I would agree to a surgery using blood.

Every consultation would result in my getting depressed, since it was impossible for me to be operated on without the use of blood, and I would never compromise the firm foundation of [our beliefs] to abstain from blood, even if this would mean losing my life.

This is the main reason why I was not operated on, thanks to being a Jehovah’s Witness, and my strict compliance with the standard of abstaining from blood. Otherwise, I would have gone under the knife.

… My husband and I started researching. We read numerous books … until we discovered the “alternative treatment.” We tried this approach. We learned that to treat a disease, the whole body has to be involved. In my case, it is not enough to focus on my diseased pancreas but to include my whole body as well. We learned holistic treatment — a form of treatment that includes the whole body not just the affected part.

Each night we read a different book. We stayed late just to learn more about alternative treatments. Each research confirmed our conviction that surgery was not the only solution. In fact, it was not even required. We only have to change our lifestyle, what we have been used to. Alternative treatments are not easy — one has to be patient, and self-discipline is important. You just have to believe in what you are doing.

In my case, we started from nothing, zero knowledge with respect to alternative treatments. Added to this was the fact that we were running against time, which was very short– just six months. Each moment must not be wasted … every move must be precise, each decision was crucial. Each wrong move meant one big step backward, only to start all over again.

One very difficult aspect of having cancer is that well-meaning people around you just want to be sympathetic and offer any help or suggestion the best way they know how. Each one of them has an opinion to give, a little pressure here and there for you to try this or that or just plain counsel on what to do given my situation. Of course, you get confused … but I have learned not to be carried away by pressure. The most important thing to consider, the moment you know that you have cancer, is to stay focused and not to be swayed by mere talk.

While we were researching, making the first move was difficult. Especially since we were not sure if we were doing the right thing. We rested our hope on what we learned from our readings. We were not sure if things would be easy for us, nor were we convinced that it was the right track towards recovery.

I admit that many times, I lost confidence in what my husband and I were doing. Many nights in bed, the thought of not seeing the dawn of a new day gripped me. Once I had painful attacks, I had this desire to undergo the operation … but again thinking about the blood issue, this firmed up my decision to go ahead with the alternative treatment.

I took so many food supplements … a variety of them … whatever it is that I read, I would buy … whoever would give [them to] me, I would accept. But I realized that it was not enough. One evening, I had a severe attack. I felt as if there was a fresh, deep wound in my stomach being gnawed at by a rat. I woke my husband up and told him that perhaps it was already my end. I was hoping that we could find treatment for me, hopefully natural medicine (herbal). We prayed fervently to Jehovah God to help us find a medicine that would directly address my ailment.

The following day, a Chinese sister in faith visited me and made an appointment with a cancer researcher who introduced the medicine Tian Xian or commonly called China No. 1 in Asia.

When we arrived at the Green & Gold International Exports Office in Manila, we were welcomed by a kind and very knowledgeable specialist in alternative treatment, Mr. Manuel Kiok. He showed us the Tian Xian packet and explained to us its effect to the body of a cancer patient like me.

For the first time after I was diagnosed with cancer, my heart was overflowing with joy. Now, I have hope. Through Mr. Kiok, Tian Xian will help extend my life, much better than the six months to one year lease on life if I would not undergo surgery.

During the first few weeks of taking Tian Xian Liquid, combined with Tian Xian Capsule number 6, I remember emitting black wastes from my body. At the start, it seemed that the disease was counteracting the medicine. There was some kind of wrestling going on inside my body every time I took Tian Xian. I knew then that the medicine was proving to be effective. So I continued the medicine hoping that one day I would be pronounced fully cured.

Six months has passed, and I am still alive. Still weak, still uncertain … and the only test I was doing to measure the degree of malignancy of my cancer is thru HCG or Human Chorionic Gonadotropin. The test is based on a theory proposed by Dr. Howard Beard and other researchers who contend that cancer is related to a misplaced trophoblast cell that become malignant in a manner similar to pregnancy in that they both secrete HCG. As a consequence, a measure of the amount of HCG found in the urine is also a measure of the degree of malignancy. The higher the number, the greater the severity of the cancer.

Above 50 units is positive of cancer, 49 and below is negative. My first reading? 80 very high! I was overwhelmed and scared of that count. But within a few months, we tried to lower my HCG count. From 80, it went down to 73, then 64. I continued taking Tian Xian, at the same time observing my food intake. I refrained from eating food with sugar, salt, fat, oil, white flour. I only ate organic food. Each time I had an attack, Tian Xian helped relieve the pain. I really felt its effect.

When I felt I had been cured, I tried to stop taking Tian Xian. I stopped for two weeks, dependent only on food supplements. After that, I had my HCG taken, too confident that the result would not be affected by not taking Tian Xian. From a reading of 56, which is very close to being cancer-free, my HCG went up to as high as 64.5.

When I resumed taking Tian Xian again, my HCG went down. I tried for the second time to stop taking this medicine, thinking that it was just coincidental. The same thing happened, my HCG went up again. What does this show? That Tian Xian greatly helped in lessening the severity of my cancer.

After two years, my HCG count has fallen from 80 to 51. I never thought I would still be alive after eight years. It is hard to believe that I am here standing before you, alive and well.

I once talked to a doctor, and he was astounded to learn that I have pancreatic cancer — healthy despite not undergoing surgery. He could not, or shall I say did not, believe that I am a cancer patient. Each time I talk to doctors who refuse to believe that I have pancreatic cancer, I would explain to them that I am taking natural medicine particularly Tian Xian. Invariably, a shake of the head would be the response I get.

It has been years since my doctors tried to convince me to undergo an immediate operation. Now, they are shocked to see me alive. So they concluded that I must not have been sick of cancer. They said that in their experience, a pancreatic cancer patient has no chance of surviving months after he has been diagnosed despite being aided by natural medicines.

I could not believe what I heard. Two years ago when I was very weak and thin, they insisted that I undergo surgery, threatening that I would die if I delayed my decision. Now, that they see me healthy, strong and very much alive, they claim that maybe I have no cancer? After several oncologists confirmed that I have cancer … after making me go through laboratory tests such as CT-SCAN, MRCP and scheduling me for surgery — they would tell me after two years that perhaps it was not cancer?

Back then when I was weak, they were certain it was cancer. Now that I am physically strong, they are no longer certain? What could perhaps be the reason? Is it because they had no hand in my recovery? Or is it because they are reluctant to admit that the alternative treatment that I used was proven to be effective? That because of my diet … of Tian Xian, and with the help of Jehovah God, I survived the prognosis they had set for me. But of course, they could not accept that these were the factors that contributed to my recovery. By their reaction, there is one thing I am sure of … I thankful that I did not commit myself to them.

Because of this, let me take this opportunity to thank Mr. & Mrs. Manuel Kiok for introducing Tian Xian to us, which is the reason I am enjoying good health. But of course, all credit must first go to our God Almighty Jehovah, who, if not for Him, if not for His law of abstaining from blood which I firmly obeyed, I would not have looked for alternatives. I am convinced that He guided us in finding the best and appropriate treatment for me. And one of these is Tian Xian. I may not be fully cured, but my standing before you after eight years is already a big factor … a great miracle for a pancreatic cancer patient like me.

Again, my fervent thanks to Jehovah God and to His only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ … to my beloved husband, Victor, who painstakingly and patiently supported me in my search for alternative treatment that cured me, to my parents, brothers in faith who continuously pray to Jehovah God on my behalf … to the kindness of Mrs. Priscilla & Mr. Manuel Kiok, who helped me through Tian Xian. The one who sponsored my Tian Xian products, Mr. Sidney Lu, and I also wish to extend my thanks to the one who discovered Tian Xian — Prof. Wang Zhen Guo.

In the more than eight years of my struggle with cancer, recovery poses a serious challenge. As one feels one’s health improving, one tends to become relaxed — going back to what one used to do [bad habits] like eating mouth-watering foods and other vices that have [brought] the cancer.  But I have not done this. …

After changing my diet to organic foods, I have remained consistent. I keep taking food supplements, drinking fresh vegetable juices, and taking good care of my body. I do all this for a good reason.

First, what I went through, the physical, emotional and mental strain were unimaginable.

Second, I do not want to waste the second chance given to me to have a healthy … and beautiful body.

Third, I love my family. …

And fourth, I want to use my life worthily serving my God Jehovah.

For these reasons, I am inspired and motivated not to go back to my old lifestyle and diet, which had robbed me of my good health. I want to emphasize the same message to all cancer patients present in this hall: Let go of your old lifestyle and diet which had [brought] you … cancer. As you sense your health improving, keep on taking supplements and medications that caused progress. Never go back to vices and to yummy and appetizing foods restricted for a cancer patient. Keep a good lifestyle and diet.

Effective medication is not good enough to [offset the consumption of unhealthy but] yummy inorganic foods … and … taking in organic foods is not good enough without proper and effective medication like Tian Xian.

Lastly, to all cancer patients here tonight, I know you too, can beat cancer … we can reverse cancer! Aside from taking Tian Xian, feed your body good nutrients through diet and supplements, thus providing your body the raw materials that it needs to rebuild itself. Then feed your heart the good feelings of love, forgiveness, confidence in your abilities, a sense of purpose in your life, and a trusting relationship with your Creator. With this in mind, I firmly believe we can recover from cancer … we can defeat cancer!

Thank you everyone!