Susan Stevenson

I found Susan through the Cancer Control Society’s list of survivors and gave her a call. She was so welcoming and we had a wonderful conversation, relating over our survival stories. After chatting with her for a while, I told her I was particularly impressed by her age when diagnosed, 54. It is well known in the alternative cancer “world” that age is a big factor in making a decision to forgo conventional treatment. Typically, the older we get, our immune systems weaken further and it becomes more difficult to fight illness. Even at 54, Susan responded very well to her alternative protocol and continues to be cancer free after 13 years.

Me: What was your specific diagnosis and how old were you?

Susan: “I was 54, diagnosed 13 years ago. I was classified as Stage II, Infiltrating Ductal Carcinoma.”

Me: Can you give me a summary of your therapy and WHY you did not do chemo or radiation? 

Susan: “I had a double mastectomy and was SCHEDULED to have chemo. Radiation was not recommended since all of the cancer was removed. There was no lymph node involvement. This helped me make the decision I did. I was so scared initially and was almost scared into chemo but I had already been so holistic in treating more everyday illnesses. At first I thought I would do complementary alongside the chemo. In my search for a doctor to support this, I ended up finding Dr. Schachter in New York. Even though I’m from California, I had friends who lived up there that I could stay with while seeing him, so it was an easier decision.”

“While initially consulting with Dr. Schachter, I talked with him about chemo and he gave me another outlook. In his opinion, because there was no evidence of the cancer spreading (after many tests were run,) he decided after the mastectomy that I didn’t need to do go the route of chemo. He didn’t push his opinion on me, but allowed me to make my own decision. After consulting with friends and family and doing my own research, I decided to opt out of the chemo. That was 13 years ago and I’m not sorry.”

“Being under his care was a lifestyle change. A big part of it was diet. I ate whole foods, as much organic as possible, cancer fighting foods, antioxidant-rich foods, supplements that supported my immune system. Avoided chemical products. I also did Laetrile intravenously. I juiced twice a day.

“Something I really want to emphasize: I believe a HUGE part of my recovery of was cleaning out emotionally- seeing a therapist. When someone gets cancer, their body is broken down in some way- and a lot of that breakdown has an emotional factor. I also got into meditation and yoga, exercise. They need to address those inner issues. It was a lifestyle where I had to put myself first and be cautious in what I chose to do.”

“I did not do many scans because of the radiation treatment. My doctor, Dr. Schachter does not even recommend mammograms because of the radiation.”

Me: If you could offer one piece of advice to a newly diagnosed patient, what would it be?

Susan: If I could have one thing to say to someone journeying into this world, I would say get a good doctor or naturopath who knows what they’re doing to be in charge. It’s not bad to research but it can be REALLY overwhelming and really expensive to jump around trying random things. Don’t believe in one hit wonders, try to get on a program.

All of these treatments are not an end-all-be-all. You need someone keeping track of you while you’re doing these things.

Me: So what do you do today regarding the cancer?

Susan: Currently, I don’t get scans but I still do a mammogram every year. Dr. Schachter would be happy if I didn’t get mammograms but it’s my choice to do it. It’s how I was diagnosed and that’s the one thing I still choose to go conventional on. I also get blood work done and the doctor asks me how I generally feel and such.”

Me: “Thank you so much Susan, for talking with me tonight. I really appreciate it!”

Susan: “Oh sure, you know the reason I put myself out there was to do exactly this, to help people out and give them a little leg up on natural remedies out of gratitude for where I’ve come from.”

You can read more about Susan in her husband’s book: Looks Easy Enough, A Joyful Memoir of Overcoming Disease, Divorce, and Disaster by Scott Stevenson.

Also visit: www.lookseasyenough.com. I read a lot about Susan’s story in the FAQ section.

You can also contact Susan by phone along with other survivors on the Cancer Control Society’s patient contact page HERE.