Story of Hope – Kevin Forsyth – Stage 4 Colon Cancer
BELIEVE BIG INTERVIEW:
What’s your name, where do you live, and what do you do for a living?
My name is Kevin Forsyth, and I am 65 years old last month. I have an amazing wife of 37 years – and the love of my life – Sandie Brown Forsyth, and 2 son’s – Josh who is 37, Ben who is 33 and his new wife Une. I also have an adopted son – Birama Konate who is 33 with his wife Fatima, and their 3 sons Dauda, Mamadou, and Baah who live in Philadelphia. Then there is the rest of the family our dog Bo, and his little buddies, Tumbleweed, Summer, Bruce, and Tigger.
I live in Birmingham, Alabama. We have a family business since 1995. Forsyth Consulting provides Licensed and proprietary background music services for business. We also provide acoustic analysis, along with audio and video systems for business.
Describe how you discovered your illness?
This is an interesting story. I had my first colonoscopy in January of 2014 at the age of 57. It was clear and no polyps. I was healthy, exercised, and no family history. About 7 months later, I started having some pain in my stomach and went to see my regular physician. We tried some things that conventional medicine would typically do, and none of it worked. He then referred me to another Gastro who then performed an Endoscopy that was clean, and a subsequent colonoscopy in which they found a 5cm tumor on my colon at the Secum. I was shocked after having a clear colonoscopy a year earlier. I took the pictures and report to my original Gastro doctor and compared images side by side. He was just as surprised as I was. It was night and day. It was apparently very aggressive and did not start as a polyp. 9 days later, I had a Colectomy whereby they removed 10” or large and 2” of small intestine, and put it back together. During this surgery they removed approximately 27 lymph nodes around the colon, and determined that 3 had been invaded by the cancer indicating a Stage 3 diagnosis. He then recommended conventional treatment of Folfox 6 chemotherapy. I started 6 infusion sessions – 1 every 2 weeks. What the Oncologist said in our first meeting really blew us away. She said, “ I want you to get a PET Scan – I am worried about your liver.” Sandie and I looked at each other in disbelief. Liver? What about the liver? She told us I had tumors in my liver of which we were completely unaware. Then she told us that I had a 5% chance of survival. That was the lowest point for us.
From that point forward I requested copies of all my radiology reports and pathology reports. The liver tumors were clearly shown on my radiology report. Then we went through the stages of disbelief, sadness, and anger, then focused on healing. All I could think of is what would happen to our family business, my wife, my sons, and our future. I wanted to heal and give it my best effort. My youngest son came back from Seoul South Korea to help in the business. Sandie started looking at studies and information on Mistletoe Therapy from Switzerland that my oldest son sent to her. This eventually led her to Believe Big . The chemo was brutal and by the 5th treatment I had what I thought were 3 heart attacks in one day. They literally knocked me to my knees. I went back in to see the Oncologist and she wanted to continue with treatments saying “Mr. Forsyth – I am just trying to save your life.” I looked at Sandie and with her encouragement and study of the videos and information I made the decision to terminate my Oncologist opting instead of finding an Integrative Oncologist who would work with my Naturopath.
The good news is the tumors did shrink in my liver after the first 5 rounds of Folfox 6 and Naturopathic remedies enough for another Surgical Oncologist at UAB to perform a Microwave needle ablation on two tumors in my liver. We chose this option versus a 50% liver resection. The surgery appeared successful. Through gene testing, my new Integrative Oncologist determined that I had a slight defect in a gene that made one of the drugs in Folfox 6 particularly damaging, but effective. He changed up the cocktail and I started another round of 6 treatments that were not quite as bad. I completed 3 and let my integrative oncologist know that due to how well my CEA markers, Full Terrain tests and clear scans, I would no longer take any more chemo. He then had to fire me, but that was understandable.
12 months after my second surgery one of the two spots on my liver came back. This was disappointing, and then had to undergo a one third liver resection removing the small lobe of my liver. That was the tough surgical recovery. My Naturopath was providing tele medicine conference calls with me at least once per month after Full Terrain testing that also included dietary recommendation, fasting recommendations, exercise, and supplements along with Mistletoe Therapy of which I continue to do today now 5 years clear since my last surgery in November of 2016.
One of my surgeons calls me his Unicorn. Both send newly diagnosed cancer patients to me who are interested in hearing about my journey.
When and how did you discover Believe Big?
During my first surgery, my oldest son Josh sent my wife – Sandie a link saying Read Swiss Mistletoe Study. Sandie subsequently discovered Believe Big when studying Mistletoe therapy for cancer patients on their website. I also studied their website and watched their videos and testimonials. I was very inspired by Ivelisse’s journey since she had the same cancer and issues I had, and it provided so much hope. Believe Big is a wonderful resource for newly diagnosed cancer patients and their families.
What Integrative Therapies did you adopt and how did they improve your condition?
My Naturopath at Namaste Health Center ordered plasma testing for me from Biofocus in Germany to test 4 types of Mistletoe Therapies and Thymus to see which ones had the strongest NK killer cell response. My native kill rate at that point was only 8% and a normal healthy person is 23% and up. This test came back indicating that Abnoba Fraxini had a 22% plus response and Thymus extract had a 19% plus impact. I chose to proceed with those two therapies as a result. I started subcutaneous injections every other day for the next 4 years. We continued performing Full Terrain Testing on my plasma looking at over 50 markers of internal inflammation of which we did once every 90 days to catch “ The Embers before the Fire”. Her resulting report post a telemedicine call provided a supplement regimen, recommendations for fasting, and dietary recommendations and recipes for the foods that would help build my immune system involving a Mediterranean / Ketogenic approach to eating. This along with intermittent fasting and exercise worked. In retrospect I believe that my out-of-control cancerous growth was primarily aggravated by Stress and my Integrative Oncologist is a big fan of Yoga and Meditation. This should have also been something I was doing prior to being diagnosed, but I had no idea the stress was getting to me.
What is your diagnosis today?
The American Medical world says that today I am cancer free, but I learned so much during this journey about cancer. I discovered you have cancerous cells in you from the time you are born. Your immune system keeps these in check. Once your immune system breaks down, this is when out of control cancerous activity starts. The key to good health is a strong immune system.
We also know the way to a strong and effective immune system consists of eliminating sugar from your diet, Ketogenic / Mediterranean eating with clean natural foods, intermittent or regular fasting, and exercise along with a good supplement regimen makes this happen. Had known 20 years ago what I know today, what would I have done differently that might have prevented my out-of-control cancerous activity? Most of us particularly men don’t wrestle with these truths until something happens like cancer, then we adjust if we are knowledgeable enough and understand the truth of our immune system.
How has your experience with Believe Big changed your life?
What Believe Big provides is that when you are diagnosed with Cancer, you have a place you can go to learn and begin your journey relating to Naturopathic approaches to healing. Their focus on Mistletoe Therapy is very important. Their introduction to Quality naturopaths around the Country is a great resource particularly since these physicians are trained in Mistletoe Therapy among the other techniques for healing and good health. I have sent dozens of newly diagnosed cancer patients and lots of other folks to Believe Big. I believe in their mission, and we support them as they have initiated the Johns Hopkins FDA Mistletoe trials, and the New Wellness Center planned for Colorado. It will be amazing that one day you can go to a single place helping you make decisions regarding your own health.
If you could do anything differently about your cancer experience, what would that be?
First a foremost it is imperative that all newly diagnosed cancer patients need to implement these Naturopathic paradigms right away for the best chance of success. Waiting until you are well into conventional medical therapies reduces your chances of success. It’s so easy to change your health paradigm with things like eliminating all sugar from your diet. Mediterranean / Ketogenic eating with clean foods. Intermittent fasting daily, and exercise. Don’t wait. Start right away.
Additionally, you don’t have to rush into medical treatments while you are still in shock from your diagnosis. There is more than one way to heal. Take a deep breath, do some research, and make good decisions with informed consent. Read your radiology reports and pathology reports. Make sure you understand them. Ask you doctors to explain all of it while you are in their office and show you scans slice by slice, so you have a clear understanding of where you are at. You will find that not all radiologists, doctors, and physicians agree on what they are seeing and the best approach to heal. Get second opinions and find a competent Naturopath. Both the Doctors and Naturopaths need to collaborate with you, your family, and each other. If you find one that is not cooperating, stop and find another one that suits your needs. Healing is a collaboration. Not a doctor telling you what to do, and you only doing what they ask. Men especially – don’t be stubborn.
How did living in an area with limited access to integrative therapies and Naturopaths impact you? How did you overcome it?
Believe Big’s resources for Naturopaths was the key. Additionally, my Naturopath being able to do remote telemedicine was huge. I could not take off for weeks from our business to be in a clinic, and could not travel once a month to Durango, Colorado. The past several years – remote telemedicine has become a lot more common. If your doctor’s will cooperate with your Naturopath on blood draws in addition to the ones, they need – it’s a win win. You can also go to local entities like Lab Corp to get your blood drawn and they will accept your Naturopath’s scrip. Be extremely positive, pray for peace and healing, and Thank God every day of your life and for the amazing support your family can provide you during this difficult journey.
How has overcoming cancer changed your life? What are your new life goals?
I fully recognize God’s gift of life and the amazing creation of the human body and its ability to heal. To love and appreciate my wife who has been the key to my survival of this ordeal. And to give back by sharing the good news with others dealing with the same issues. May God Bless Believe Big and its mission on earth, and Thank You Lord for our ability to learn and understand your great creation.
Watch Kevin’s full story here:
