A cancer diagnosis is scary enough. The treatments can be just as scary; everyone seems to have a horror story from a friend or family member. When my doctor gave me the bad news that my cancer had come back in 2022, I had three options: chemotherapy, immunotherapy and radiation. As a clinical herbalist, I knew I had supplements that could help. I went hunting for cancer-specific herbs that could successfully integrate with standard oncology. During my research, I also learned that treating cancer is evolving faster than most people realize.
Chemotherapy’s frightening side effects even 10 years ago are not what is happening now. Immunotherapy is refining, too, and becoming more targeted to the individual. Some cancers even have vaccines in development. I wanted to boost the efficacy of any of my treatments and still be able to run my shop. I searched for the top cancer centers’ websites, published research and any science-driven information I could find.
It was a fine line I had to walk. Whatever I chose had to support the doctors’ plans, reduce as many side effects as possible and not interfere with the drugs. Each treatment phase had its own challenges and side effects. Chemo brought brain fog and exhaustion. I managed to reduce both and still work half-days at my shop. Immunotherapy was a bit better, but I still had aches and pains. Radiation was the quickest of all and, surprisingly, the one with the least problems. By 2026, I completed all three treatments.
I began gathering all my notes with the idea of publishing a book documenting my research and how I had used the herbs and supplements. When people found out I was starting to write a book about integrative medicine, they began sharing what they had used or found to “cure” cancer. Most of it was unproven. Some were downright dangerous. Eventually, one woman’s death really accelerated my writing. She had repeatedly asked for, then rejected, any of the research I showed her, choosing, instead, things that fit her more spiritual views. Publishing what I had done became urgent, a real driving force. If I could get a compact, reliable guide into people’s hands, maybe they could find something that could help them. The supplements had to have a solid science base—and if anything was already used as supporting therapy in Europe or Japan, even better.
Dancing with Cancer: Body-Mind-Spirit became that guidebook. I share what I did, how it worked and any research that I found. I include my list of favorite websites, tips for affordability and even some tasty recipes for herbal teas and snacks. It is designed as the first part of a pair of companion books. The second half will cover the mental and spiritual aspects that I combined with the herbs for a whole-body approach, and should be published sometime next year. Dancing with Cancer is due at Ravenswood by mid-November.
Editor’s note: Sara Thornton is the clinical herbalist and operations manager for Ravenswood Natural Health store in Simsbury.