“Mighty Micah” Beats Stage IV Cancer! Watch his amazing story!

In December of 2019, Micah was diagnosed with stage four adrenal cortical carcinoma, a very rare and aggressive cancer. It’s not typically seen in children.

In the beginning without a diagnosis our surgeon felt it was important to remove it. We agreed. After an intense surgery, and waiting two weeks for results from multiple hospitals we received his shocking-diagnosis. My first response was “God, as long as I can hear you and know You are with me, I know I can do this.”

He started long inpatient chemo treatments in Tampa, but within two treatments God was clear that we would be selling our property, and relocating our family of 9 to Collierville, TN to be close to St. Jude, where there were research doctors who had successfully treated ACC a few times.

Micah’s healing is a full spectrum approach. The harsh protocol was important to eradicate the cancer but he needed support to empower him through it. He had a Gtube placed. We fed him liquid hope, breast milk, bone broth, yoursuper mixes and supplements that I felt his body needed. I would have dreams about foods his body required at different times. God had connected us deeply. Others would have dreams for him too. For example, I felt he needed lemon juice and someone had a dream I was feeding him organic lemons! I was reading books about cancer diets, having dreams about what he needed, and the labs would show we were right on. It was very surreal.

I read a few books that changed the way I saw cancer and I realized his entire body and spirit needed to be supported. We weren’t fighting against his confused cells, we were focusing on healing them.  I used essential oils regularly, praying over his body each night to clear his energy from the trauma of the day, exercise, outside and laughter became part of Micah’s treatment plan. We were away from his siblings and Dad for over 120 days, and it was HARD, but we focused on singing and laughing as much as we could.

I looked into Intravenous Vitamin C and mistletoe but while on treatment at St. Jude they asked me to wait. During his last month he was so sick and on several anti nausea meds. We hired Dr. Dagmara Beine, from Zuza’s Way and she helped us dose his THC/CBD, and we worked with Rylie’s Smile from Delaware for better education about cannabis and children. His nausea stopped immediately!! He was able to stop the anti-nausea medicines that same week, during what is suppose to be the hardest last month on daily chemo.

We finished Micah’s treatment of IV chemo, and started the mistletoe and IVC. We work with Dr. Beine on a lifetime approach for Micah, because he has a TP53 gene mutation. It’s not a quick fix or a sprint,  it’s a life journey. The oncologists eradicate the cancer and then send patients home to a wait and see approach. For us that wasn’t an option. We have a full year schedule of healing for Micah and then there are things he’ll do forever to ensure health and wholeness.

Surprising the team each scan, Micah is NED. Before scans they warned us they didn’t think it would be good, but with each scan they came in with smiles and encouragement. They don’t necessarily want to hear in detail all we are doing integrativly and we differ in opinion in areas but we are learning to work together. My passion is to see the integrative and mainstream medical bridge together. It hasn’t been easy and I’ve had to strongly advocate for choices that I knew were the right ones. The bottom line is he is my child and everything I’m doing has low risk and has been proven to be effective in healing and supporting.

I receive a lot of messages from parents who have wanted to explore integrative care but they were told not to. They were told it doesn’t matter what their children eat. My advice to anyone who has a desire to do all you can for your child in regards to integrative care, is to hire an integrative doctor that works with pediatric oncology, find other parents and groups who are pioneering. Read all of the studies. Most importantly push fear aside and find your peace. Your knowingness that you’re doing what’s best for your child is key. Don’t be afraid to disagree with doctors. Oncologists are trained to eradicate the cancer, and that’s a huge part of it but not at all the only goal.

For a while I felt like a salmon swimming upstream (especially in the pediatric oncology world) and I noticed we weren’t alone. Having foundations like Believe Big empowered us to keep going, especially in Memphis where it’s very behind. We needed that community of encouragement and we feel God has been very intentional to give us all that we needed for Micah’s healing journey, and Believe Big was one of those gifts to us.

In January, I had been working hard as a property manager while also rehearsing–I’m a pro drummer.  Although I was in great shape, I started getting winded and tired.  I dismissed these symptoms as being caused by the change in altitude after moving to the mountains. Then, my face, neck, and upper arms started to swell.  As a veteran, I went to the V.A.  and was diagnosed with a sinus infection and prescribed antibiotics.  Even after more antibiotics the swelling persisted, so I had an X-ray. 

The doctor said, “You have vena cava syndrome, and it’s most likely caused by cancer.  The swelling is from a tumor pressing against your heart that’s disrupting the blood flow.”  I was airlifted to Albuquerque for confirmation testing and treatment.  It was Stage 4 cancer that had metastasized to my pelvis and liver.  My checkered past of abuse and smoking had caught up with me, but I also felt that The Creator had stepped in with a warning sign–had my face not swelled, I would’ve continued as if nothing were wrong until it was too late.  It probably seemed too late to most people, but I’m a big believer in miracles.  The doctors treated me conventionally with heavy steroids followed by chemotherapy.  I enrolled at Taos Whole Health where I was told about Mistletoe treatment, which changed everything!  

While Taos Whole Health administers Mistletoe, my V.A. insurance and Medicaid didn’t cover it. Just in time, the big blessing came!  I contacted Believe Big and spoke to Christine to request a wellness grant for my Mistletoe treatment.  Not only did Christine speak of faith, treatment, and healing, which greatly lifted my spirits, but she also swiftly applied for my grant, and it quickly came!  With ample help from Believe Big I started seven sessions of IV Mistletoe treatment.  I finished my last chemo and Mistletoe treatments at the same time.  When I went for my CAT Scan, the oncologist told me that the cancer had NOT spread to my brain.  The metastasis was gone!  

My Stage 4 had almost disappeared, except for a couple minuscule spots!  Recently, I finished my second round of Mistletoe.  I know the cancer is now completely gone.  I am so grateful to Believe Big, whose patient advocates are at once personal and professional. 

Believe Big has given me hope and increased my faith, and the generous wellness grant I received helped save my life. 

DONATE TODAY AND HELP MORE PATIENTS LIKE DAVID RECEIVE WELLNESS GRANTS TO FIGHT CANCER

On November 9th, 2016, our life changed forever!

Alexa was a very typical girl.  A passionate basketball ball player, rarely ever sick, and had recently fell in love with a goldendoodle that we had just brought home, named Stella.

Alexa had been sick over the previous weekend, but because she was rarely sick, we just thought it was another day.  We took her to her pediatrician since we were thinking she had croup.  During her examination, her pediatrician asked, “is her belly always this bloated”.  Alexa was not a slim child, but far from being considered obese.  Her pediatrician recommended an abdominal ultrasound.

On the morning of November 9th, 2016, she went for her ultrasound.  Immediately, as soon as the probe hit her abdomen, the radiology technician said, “I need to get our Radiologist”.  As parents, we are both Nurses with a significant number of years of clinical experience, and we realized this was not a good sign.  It was at that moment when our lives changed, our hearts stopped, and we realized our life was not going to be the same, ever again.

She was immediately sent to a local children’s hospital, and after various blood work and diagnostic testing, we were informed that our 9-year-old daughter had stage 4 ovarian cancer.  Less than 2-3% of all pediatric cancers in the world.

On November 10th, she was to undergo an extensive debulking surgery.  Her left ovary, her omentum, and various other tumors were removed and sent for a definitive pathology diagnosis.  Alexa, being the strong girl that she is, recovered well, and within a few days we received the diagnosis that she had mixed germ cell cancer.  We were assured that this was a treatable cancer, but after multiple rounds of chemo, and on the verge of more aggressive treatment, we reached out to one of the top children’s oncology programs in the United States (Cincinnati Children’s Hospital).

Alexa underwent tandem bone marrow transplants with high dose chemotherapy, multiple different chemotherapy agents, yet her cancer was still not at bay.  She relapsed 3 times.

By the third time she had relapsed, we were clearly desperate, and as any parent would demand, we wanted the most aggressive treatment possible.  In November of 2017, we decided to put our daughter through the most extensive surgery and treatment protocol that was ever imagined for a child.  She underwent another extensive debulking surgery in which there was newer cancerous tumor growth, but also intra-abdominal chemotherapy during surgery. During this extensive surgery Alexa also had a portion of her liver removed, spleen and appendix removed due to new tumor presentation.  A questionable treatment in adults, and not well studied in pediatric patients, but we were desperate.  It was our daughter.

Fast forward a few weeks and the follow up treatment for Alexa was to get more chemo and 17 rounds of total abdominal radiation.  Once again, Alexa took this on like it was another day.  She never faltered, and she remained amazingly strong.  She was our strength and guiding light because as parents, we were absolutely crumbling everyday having to put her through such extensive treatment.

Alexa continued to recover, and she finally got to a point as to where we could consider alternative therapy.

Prior to Alexa’s extensive surgery in November of 2017, a family member (Bridget Wagner) who knew of Believe Big sent us information about this organization.  Since we were both nurses, we were scouring the medical and scientific literature to find a cure for our daughter.  We extensively reviewed the literature surrounding mistletoe therapy, and at that point we promised each other that if we ever got Alexa to a point that she could tolerate the travel to Colorado and the naturopathic treatment, we would do anything we had to do to get her treated with mistletoe.

With the extensive help of Believe Big, we were very fortunate to get Alexa treated with mistletoe therapy in December 2018 in Boulder, Colorado with Dr. Kirsten West at NatureMed and Jess Kelley at Remission Nutrition.  We strongly believe, and absolutely advocate for this therapy whether you are in treatment or post conventional treatment.  The science behind mistletoe therapy, in conjunction with conventional and naturopathic treatment, is absolutely what ultimately saved our daughter’s life.  None of this would have ever been possible if we had never been exposed to the great work that the Believe Big Foundation is doing every single day.  This organization is not only about providing funds for alternative treatment, they are also investing in the science to change the outcomes of patients, young or old.

We will forever be grateful to the Believe Big foundation for not only the support they gave our family financially, but also the extensive work they are investing in to prove in the United States that this therapy is effective.  To date, Alexa’s scans are completely clean, her tumor markers are well below normal, and her conventional Oncologist is amazed with every visit.

Sincerely,

The Hughes Family

Ben, JoAnn, Wesley, Alexa, and Jeffrey Hughes

Good Evening,

My name is Sonia Davis.  I’m 47, married to an incredible man and mother to 2 sweet kids, a daughter 10 and a son who just turned 8.  Last May I was diagnosed with Stage IV breast cancer after a clear 3D mammogram taken two months before in March of 2018.  To give you a brief history, my Mother died of ovarian cancer 6 years ago.  Yearly, I had a mammogram, pelvic ultrasound and CA-125 blood test to rule out ovarian cancer.  In March of 2018 these tests were clear except that my CA-125 was very elevated.  I met with a Gyn Oncologist and a week later I had a full hysterectomy.  After surgery he didn’t see any cancer and I was relieved.  But just 5 days later, the pathology report came back with metastatic breast cancer found in both ovaries.  About a week after that the PET scan revealed it had metastasized to my adrenal glands, lymph nodes, spine, right pelvis, sternum and ribs.  My diagnosis kept getting worse and worse.  I was given a life expectancy of about 5 years and my therapy would involve a daily chemo pill and an aromatase inhibitor to further remove the hormones from my body.  My cancer was ER+/PR+/HER2-.

My diagnosis and prognosis seemed to be pretty hopeless.  However, a dear friend contacted me and asked if I had spoken to Ivelisse Page at Believe Big.  I had not, but I knew of Believe Big.  I just wasn’t sure that Mistletoe could help me.  My friend said, “You HAVE to talk to Believe Big.”  Ivelisse took time out of her busy packing and moving schedule to Colorado to talk to me.  I walked out of that meeting with HOPE!   There was hope for this bleak prognosis.

Believe Big provided me with so many tools to guide me in this cancer journey.  From finding a Mistletoe doctor – thank you Dr. Hinderberger and Dr. West!!, to questions to ask your oncologist, to Believe Mugs, and books on navigating this cancer journey.  All of this guidance and these resources were provided to me free from Believe Big.  I can’t tell you how many times I’ve read the “I will have no fear” insert that came in my packet.  Fear is probably the most debilitating thing on this cancer journey.

Please get involved and donate to Believe Big.  Their staff has been such a source of support for me and advocate for so many others fighting this battle.  The financial health grants they’ve given me help to offset the cost of my Mistletoe treatments.  I am not sure where I would be today, had it not been for Believe Big!  I think my journey and quality of life would have been very different because Mistletoe works!!!  After doing IV Mistletoe and subcutaneous shots my scans have improved dramatically!  There is no more cancer in my adrenal glands or lymph nodes, no cancer found in my sternum or ribs and my spine and pelvis are 40% better!  I look forward to the day my scan reveals “No Evidence of Disease”!  I am BELIEVING BIG for this day!  Thank you.

Before cancer I was one of those annoying people who never got sick. When my left arm started hurting in August 2014 I thought it might be tennis elbow, even though I don’t play tennis. After a few weeks I finally got an X-ray and it showed a six inch tumor inside my left humerus. As it turned out, I had kidney cancer and it had spread everywhere. I was stunned.

Since then I’ve had radiation on some larger tumors (chemo doesn’t work on kidney cancer), different immunotherapy drugs, and participated in drug trials. I’ve had a rod inserted in my left humerus, a rod in my left femur, my left shoulder and arm amputated, and finally a rod in my right humerus. At this point, I’m almost the bionic woman! Kidney cancer is relatively rare, representing only 3% of all cancers. The survival rate is tied to how long it takes to work through the short list of available treatments and, unfortunately, that’s where I was last January.

I had attended the Believe Big dinner event a few years ago and had heard about mistletoe. Since my last experimental drug had given me a heart attack, I thought the time had finally come for me to try an alternative option. I contacted a patient advocate at Believe Big (Patty) and she was so fantastic! She provided a variety of resources and ways that Believe Big could help. One option was Namaste Health Center in Colorado where I could have mistletoe IV therapy, as well as other treatments. Some of these were Naturopathic medicine, Chinese medicine, Ortho-Bionomy, and nutrition therapy. With the help of a Believe Big grant and a Go Fund Me campaign I was able to attend Namaste Health Center for two weeks this past March.

Since my return, I’ve continued the mistletoe treatments, in combination with Opdivo (immunotherapy). Three times a week a family member gives me a mistletoe injection and monthly I get an Opdivo IV at Johns Hopkins. I’ve had several CAT scans since March and both showed the tumor in my kidney shrinking, while other tumors are stable or a little smaller. For me this is very encouraging since no other treatment has ever shrunk any of my tumors!

I’m so grateful that Believe Big was there to provide the information and help that has started me on this mistletoe journey. I’m very hopeful about where this will go and for now I’m appreciating every day with my family and friends.