Chipping Norton author explores holistic approach to cancer

Louise Gourlay received the shock diagnosis in March 2008.

Louise underwent a mastectomy at the John Radcliffe followed by months of chemotherapy at the Horton.

Louise found the transition from a healthy, fully employed mother of three, to having to give up her teaching position to concentrate on her treatment a difficult one.

Louise said: “I had three young kids, I had stopped working and I was struggling with that a bit and basically I didn’t know how happy I was so I thought maybe this is an opportunity to change, but of course I didn’t .”

Louise regained her health but eventually her life returned to the same manic, stressful and hectic pace it had before with little time dedicated to herself.

In 2014, after ever increasing hip pain, Louise was again diagnosed with cancer, this time in her bones requiring an even stronger course of chemo leading to an all clear scan.

Louise said: “The second time it was terrifying, I was told I had a few years to live at most and there is no hope. That’s what’s going to happen to you. So I started researching seeing what I could do to live.”

Louise diligently looked into case studies of other cancer patients who had sought alternative therapies through both physical and mental adjustments.

Louise said: “During the chemo I was starting to make really big changes in my life. I was eating really well but I knew I had to slow down, so I started meditating.

“I did the research which shows that things like that are really effective in terms of boosting your immune system.”

The more Louise researched the more she became convinced that the key to future health was a healthy mind so in 2015 she secretly stopped her medication, much to her doctor’s dismay.

Louise said: “At the end of 2015 I wasn’t taking things and the scans showed it was coming back.

“In March 2016 I was honest and open with my doctor and told him I wanted to stop , I wanted to detox my body. He told me I would be dead in six months.”

Almost two years later Louise is still medication free and her book, sub titled, ‘creating a happy, healthy and meaningful life out of cancer and confusion’ details this potentially life-ending journey.

Louise said: “It’s so obvious to me now that it’s not actually just about our lifestyle, our diet, exercise which are really important but it’s our whole health. It’s literally about being happy.”

A Way Through is available in paperback and in Kindle format from Amazon.