Founder's Story
Hello, I am Richard Golden, the creator of this web site. My children, Arielle, Ryan, Rich, family and friends wanted to know how they could help. So, we put together this Web Site, "BleepCancer.org." I have been living with cancer since 2006 and have been blessed with the opportunity to take on this project with my kids.
Overall my quality of life is better than most stage IV adrenocortical carcinoma cancer patients which I attribute to the major changes in my diet and lifestye. There is no effective conventional chemo-therapy and radiation has no curative benefit. Surgery, the most effective conventional treatment, was used to remove the original tumor however, because of the size and number of tumors in my lungs, surgery is not a viable option.
As you will discover in my short story, I have explored and continue to seek conventional and non-conventional ways to treat cancer. My dream, hope and goal is to successfully heal myself and share this experience to help others return to good health.
We now live in a world where 1 in 2 men will get cancer and more than 1 in 3 women will develop cancer in their life time. This is not an epidemic it is a pandemic of global proportions! Why is modern western medicine still dominated with the same type of treaments used for decades? The time has come for us all to take charge of our own health and forge a new world of medicine for the 21st century.
Less than One in a Million By Richard Golden
On May 4, 2006, after a week of stomach pains that continued to worsen, my family doctor sent me to the hospital for a CAT scan. An abdominal mass of unknown origin, the size of a football was discovered and apparently bleeding. I was admitted to the hospital and for the next 5 days given intravenous antibiotics; at the time it was thought an infection could be the cause of the tumor. The bleeding stabilized and I was released without a diagnosis. A week later a needle biopsy of the tumor was taken and after two weeks, came back with an uncertain pathology.
Along with my doctors, we agreed that no matter what, this tumor should be removed. On June 23, 2006 the nearly 1500 gram tumor (3 1/3 lbs) was removed along with my left adrenal gland. There was a strong possibility that other organ might have to be removed such as pancreas, spleen and kidney. However, I felt blessed from the beginning when after the surgery, I was told it wasn’t necessary.
The surgeon called me on July 7, 2006 and explained to me that the pathology of the tumor came back for that of a rare type of cancer named, adrenal cortical carcinoma. And, that the five tumors in my left lung and two in my right, discovered on the CT scan back in May, were highly suspect for metastasis. The largest tumor in my left lung was about 11mm at this time. He suggested a follow-up appointment with an Oncologist to discuss treatment options.
I had promised myself that until I had a definitive pathology that I would not research any information on cancer. Once I knew, I started learning everything I could about this disease. All of the information was terrifying, average life expectancy 19 months, aggressively and quickly spreading throughout the body and there were no treatments that cure this type of cancer. There is only one drug approved by the FDA, Mitotane, for the treatment of this disease. For some reason, I never panicked, always feeling there must be some kind of treatment I can take.
About 5 weeks after surgery, I met with the oncologist to discuss treatment. I had researched a lot of information online about this cancer before my appointment. The doctor felt that a systemic adjuvant treatment would provide the best chance at extending my life. She offered Mitotane, strong chemos such as Topotecan or Doxorubicin, or a clinical trial. I told her there was one she missed, do nothing. I learned nothing that I didn’t already find out online myself. I choose the wait and see approach.
For the next 3 months I continued to learn about my disease and found a group of patients online with adrenocortical carcinoma called ACCompasion. A symposium, the first of its kind for Adrenal Cortical Carcinoma, was being held at TGen in Phoenix, Arizona in October of 2006. I flew out a couple weeks earlier to meet with cancer doctors there who did a microarray analysis of my primary tumor, in hopes that they could provide me with better treatment options. Turned out they were offering similar treatment as back home.
The ACC symposium was incredible; I had never met anyone else with the same disease until now. There was so much hope in the air, for the first time ever, doctors from around the world and representatives from the FDA, NIH and NCI gathered to discuss and share their knowledge of this disease. A long term survivor of ACC was instrumental in helping to bring us all together and is the founder of ATAC, the Advancement for Adrenal Cortical Carcinoma, which is the only foundation exclusively dedicated to finding new treatments for this rare cancer. It was at this symposium that I met a research doctor from the University of Michigan that really impressed me with his experience in working with many ACC patients.
2007
2007 turned out to be a year I would become a student in the treatments of cancer. I had a PET scan done at the end of 2006 that pretty much confirmed the tumors in my lungs were cancer. I instinctively felt that the treatments being offered up to this point were not for me. However, all information I had gathered (from the allopathic medical world) indicated if I do nothing I would be dead by the end of 2007 or early 2008.
As 2007 began to unfold in my life, I met a friend who started explaining to me the benefits of a good diet, one that excludes meats, dairy and processed food. My entire life I ate meat, pizza, chicken wings, etcetera and indulged in alcohol almost every weekend. A light clicked on in my head saying, if you want to live you are going to have make major changes in your life. I stopped drinking alcohol, weaned myself off of meat and dairy and started traveling down a different road.
Still faced with a cancer that was slowly growing in my lungs, I decided in February of 2007 under the advice of my ACC specialist at the University of Michigan, to begin taking Mitotane. The drug is a derivative of the pesticide DDT that was discovered serendipitously to disable the adrenal glands in rats. And by a mechanism unknown has an effect of temporarily shrinking tumors in about 25% of patients who can tolerate the treatment.
Even as I began taking Mitotane, there was something driving me to find other possible more effective treatments. Having exhausted the allopathic treatment route, I investigated holistic treatments. By May of 2007, one year after initial diagnosis, my latest scan indicated that the largest tumor in my left lung was now 15mm and that all the others had grown a little. Also Mitotane had shut down my adrenal system and I was taking hormone replacement to make up for the cortisol my body was no longer producing.
I was taking all kinds of supplements, resveratrol, vitamin C, essiac tea, super Z eolite, SSR super quinone and on and on. I read about; clinics in Mexico doing alternative treatments, Immune approach therapies outside the United States and books from people who cured their cancers. I started to feel like information overload was about to collapse on top of me.
Around September of 2007, I met with a woman at the Center for the Advancement of Cancer Education in an effort to bring some kind of order to everything I was reading. She shared with me a book titled “The Cancer Report.” The main focus in the book is Psychoneuroimmunology and more. I had always known there was a strong connection between the mind and body but, this book really helped to put it in perspective and utilize this knowledge in order to take a huge step in understanding disease onset and progression and more importantly steps to correct these issues. A must read for anyone with cancer or any chronic illness.
It was through “The Cancer Report” that I learned about Hippocrates Health Institute. I stopped taking Mitotane October 7, 2007 but continued taking the cortisol replacement because my adrenal gland was not functioning. October 28, 2007, I arrived at Hippocrates Health Institute and enrolled in the 3-week life change program. I struggled in the beginning but, was determined to make this change in my life.
Returning home I was enthusiastic about this new diet and made the change to eating living foods. My adrenal gland came back to life and I no longer had to take hormone replacement therapy. I started exercising, feeling energized and hopeful about living with cancer.
2008
My CT scan in January of 2008 indicated the largest tumor in my left lung had grown to about 19 mm with the other 6 tumors remaining stable. My weight had dropped from 170 lbs a year ago to 140 lbs. I was not eating100% raw but, had been at about 60%-70% with the balance strictly a vegan diet. In February, I started exercising regularly and focused on diet and lifestyle.
By August 2008 I felt like I was in the best shape of my life however, the recent CT scan showed that the tumors continue to grow with the largest tumor now 23mm. I really didn’t give this much thought but, in the back of my mind was wondering when is this going to stop growing. Then, the CT scan report from October 2008 indicated that the tumors were stable with little or no change since the last scan. This seemed like a good reason to celebrate.
Around the Thanksgiving holiday I was feeling awesome and thought why not go ahead and have a little holiday food, I even had a glass of wine on Christmas Eve. Well, still sticking with a vegan diet I started eating sweets like pie, cookies and some cooked foods such as veggies and potatoes. I was still drinking wheatgrass and doing 2 oz. implants regularly as well as eating raw foods.
2009
Come January of 2009, I felt like I have drifted way to far from my diet and realized that over the last 6 weeks had really fell of the raw food ONLY wagon. So, I started juicing regularly again and happily focusing my diet back to where it should be. My next CT scan in February 2009 revealed the largest tumor in my left lung has grown to 32mm. the largest growth in my entire history of this disease. I was not entirely surprised having wavered from the life style that has extended and greatly improved my quality of life.
The latest scan was both a wake up call and a test of my resolve to live my life to the fullest. I surrender to those things that I can not change and take responsibility for all those things that I can.
I decided to go back to Hippocrates Health Institute in March 2009 to get around the food and people. It was so nice to have someone else prepare the food and make the juice. I truly enjoyed my stay and will spend my vacations as often as possible going back to HHI.
In May 2009, I met with Dr. Thomas Lodi an Integrative Holistic Oncologist operating "An Oasis of Healing" clinic in Mesa, Arizona. Over the summer, I worked on raising the $50K for treatment. His treatment plan is very comprehensive including a raw food and green juice diet. He teaches his patients to stop making cancer by changing their life style and diet, eliminates the cancer, and then builds the immune system back up.
Dr. Lodi recommened a baseline PET Scan before treatment. My local oncologist and I set up the scan in June 2009 and the results showed metbolic activity in the lower lobe of my liver and a CT scan later revealed a tumor of about 2-3 cm in size was actually growing in my colon. Not sure if this was metastatic or not, a colonoscopy was done in July 2009 to determine the tumor location and actual pathology which turn out to be colon cancer. This was devastating news, being diagnosed with a second primary cancer. Dr Lodi advised me to begin treatment immediately in Arizona and my local doctor insisted on surgery to remove the colon cancer.
Here I was faced with another difficult situation, do I have the surgery or travel to Arizona for treatment. To further compond the situation I did not have the $50,000 for treatment in Arizona and had only raised about $4,000. I decided to hold off on surgery and try to raise more money. The rest of the summer my friends and family worked to raise money. My sons helped by going door to door in their neighborhood, we had a yard sale and sold many of our personal items that had some cash value. And, in August 2009 we had a concert & variety show at a local music hall that turned out to be a very special evening for everyone involved.
As the middle of August approach our fund raising amounted to around $8,000. I agonized over the decision to have surgery and was very depressed that we were unable to raise more money for treatment in Arizona. One sunny afternoon I walked to a local rural wooded park and prayed, meditated and sat in the beautiful peaceful setting, searching my soul for an answer as to where my life was heading.
I choose to have the surgery that would would remove about 19cm of my large intestine, along with the tumor and take some more time to raise money. On September 14, 2009, I went to the hospital for surgery and was released two days later. I spent the next week recovering at home and my healing seemed to move along quickly. My body was in great shape, I had been exercising regularly for the last couple years and eating very well. So, in a way I couldn't have been better prepared for the surgery.
On October 14th I had another CT Scan, the largest tumor in my left lung had swelled to 39mm. Again another blow in this effort to bring the cancer in my body under control. Our fund raising was upto about $10,000 and I decided I could no longer delay the treatment offered by Dr. Lodi in Arizona. I called the clinic, "An Oasis of Healing" and asked if they could put a treatment protocol together for me using the money I had. One week before leaving, I had out patient surgery ito insert a power port for IV treatments. I made living arrangements starting November 1st in Mesa, Arizona and began my 5 day road trip on October 27, 2009.
The month of November, 2009, I was finally getting the treatment all my research and effort pulled me towards. I really felt this was going to work. However, after arriving I discovered that I could not afford the full blown treatment but, Dr. Lodi put together a protocol that would give me the most bang for my buc. We set up IPT twice a week, two colonics, 3 quarts of veggie juice daily and the drug DCA. So for one month this was my plan.
Returning home November 29, 2009, I began to set-up a treatment plan that was affordable and could give me the most potent combat against this cancer. I was also anxious to have a CT Scan and see if the treatment in Arizona did anything. My plan was to have the Vitamin C IV driptwice a week and continue taking the DCA capsules twice a day.
The moment of truth had arrived, the results from my CT Scan on December 17th would prove if the treatment actually helped. "Remarkable!" was all my oncoligist here at home could say. The largest tumor in my left lung had melted down to 27mm from a previous size of 39mm and one of the 10mm tumors disappeared, with the remaining 5 tumors stable in size from the last scan in October.
As everyone in my family and circle of friends, including myself, celebrated this great news; I couldn't shake the bittersweet tatste of victory . My uncertain future; where there is no money left for additional treatments in Arizona and wondering where I would come up with the nearly $800 a month just for the Vitamin C IV drip and the oral capsule medication DCA here at home. Anyway, I am glad to put 2009 behind me and in the history books. And, look forward to what 2010 will bring.
2010
The begining of this year started with Vitamin C IV treatments and continued use of the drug DCA until March. The CT scan in March indicated no new growth and stable pulmonary nodules. Between March & July, unable to no longer afford these treaments, I decided to have monthly Vitamin C IV treatements in order to keep my port open, clean and usable. Amazingly the CT scan results on July 8th again indicated no new growth, even without any treatment. My future is and as always has been placed in the devine nature of the universe. Alive and well !
TO BE CONTINUED...
