Kristie Anne Mah’s memoir “The Day The Cancer Quit”
Kristie Anne Mah was raised in small town Saskatchewan, Canada. Accomplishing a Bachelor of Commerce degree, with Distinction and a double major in Finance and Human Resources, Kristie Anne always had a passion in her heart to write. After University, she traveled abroad to live in Spain, and after becoming fluent in Spanish, she returned home to the love of her life. Married for almost 13 years, with two incredible children and a vibrant Jack Russell Terrier, Kristie Anne never dreamed that her first book would be sharing the power of positivity, and how anything can be overcome- even Stage IV Pancreatic Cancer. In the first weekend after being published on Amazon, “The Day the Cancer Quit” was #10 in all new releases and #1 in the Healing Category.
Here’s an interview with Kristie Anne about her story and her new memoir.
What advice would you have for someone else whose spouse or other very close loved one had pancreatic cancer?
My biggest piece of advice is to remember that you are not a statistic. For the individual facing cancer, statistics are just an average and it is in their best interest to not read and focus on them. We have so much more power within us than to be statistics! I have a whole chapter dedicated to this in my book, “A Sinking Ship — Don’t Read Statistics.” Please understand I am not saying that you do not need to spend time researching treatment options, alternative therapies, and find what lies right within your heart. The reason I say this is because the life expectancy for those facing Pancreatic Cancer, or any Stage IV Cancer for that matter, is often very dismal. If you associate and believe in the statistics, then you greatly decrease the chance of survival for the individual who is facing cancer.
I would also advise not to give up, and to stay optimistic. Terri was diagnosed with Stage IV Pancreatic Cancer, with 24 tumors. We believed and continually told ourselves from the beginning that he was going to be okay. That somehow, and some way, he could survive this deadly disease. We knew that if we believed it in our hearts, we were that much closer to making it a reality. I understand this is not always simple to do, but it is crucial. Not only that, but it works. Terri is a survivor and has conquered all odds. It is now over three years since he was diagnosed.
How did you decide that you needed to write your story?
It has been on my bucket list for over twenty years to write a book. I used to joke that I should write a light-hearted comical story about my dating adventures in Spain. Time passed, and life became full with marriage, kids, and career and that was great. As soon as I knew that Terri was going to be okay, I was compelled to share our story. So many individuals told us time and again that they could not believe how well he was doing, and how he had faced one of most difficult diagnosis you could ever be given. The light switch turned on, and my first publication was launched. If this can help individuals around the world realize that we all have the power within to heal, grow, and attract abundance then I have accomplished a great dream. My next book, “Rock your Destiny — Unleash your True Potential” will dive deeper into some of these concepts that were launched in, “The Day the Cancer Quit-A True Story of Surviving Stage IV Pancreatic Cancer.” Either way, it is important to note that “The Day the Cancer Quit” does not only provide tools on how to only survive Stage IV Pancreatic Cancer, but honestly any form of cancer, illness, or wanting to overcome a challenge in your life.
How did the complementary medicine work together with the traditional Western medicine in your case? What is Body Talk?
Complementary medicine was fundamental to Terri’s healing. In all honesty, from the time he was diagnosed to the time we arrived at the clinic in Austria two months later, complimentary medicine was the foundation of his treatment. In those two months he had received one dose of chemo (before I convinced him to stop), two doses of IV Vitamin C, and approximately thirty BodyTalk sessions.
When we arrived in Austria, they performed a CT scan before they began any of the treatment there. From those thirty BodyTalk sessions, the main tumor in his pancreas was gone, and the two tumors in his lymph nodes were gone. They were completely gone!
From that point forward, it has been a journey for us to learn more about BodyTalk, Quantum Physics, meditation, and manifestation. All have played a crucial part in his healing, my own healing, the overall wellbeing of our family, and some incredible moments of abundance we have manifested (health and otherwise).
BodyTalk looks at the whole picture. Rather than just treating the physical symptoms, BodyTalk evaluates the entire bodymind complex — inclusive of physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual (whatever that may mean to everyone). The truth is that through our physical symptoms, such as cancer in a specific area, our body is so intelligent it is working to bring to our awareness that which needs healing.
As Dr. Joe Dispenza says, “Change your energy, change your life.” This principle is entirely true, and valid to every single one of us. Terri did work to treat the physical symptoms of his cancer through low-dose chemo, hyperthermia, IV Vitamin C, and other treatments that would fall under Western Medicine. He believed that everything worked together but is also aware that he would never have survived if he did not choose to dig deeper into the underlying causes of his cancer by targeting the deeper layers of his subconscious mind.
In addition to complementary medicine, we also employed the strategy of practicing gratitude every day to keep our mindset in a positive space, and keep the momentum of healing going. As an additional resource alongside the book, “The Day the Cancer Quit,” I published a gratitude journal entitled, “Gratitude for Life- 5 Minutes a Day to Kick-start Complete Transformation.”
What sorts of stresses can cancer put on a marriage, and how did you navigate the relationship and emotional aspects of your husband’s diagnosis and treatment?
When Terri came home and told me his diagnosis, we understandably had an excessively big cry. Then I took a deep breath, looked at him and said, “You are my husband and now you are my project. I will not accept anything less than an A++, and I know you are going to be okay.”
From that moment on, I genuinely believed it in my heart. I knew he was going to be a survivor. There were moments of hardship as we were raising young children, deciding where to go for treatment, and fundraising large amounts of money to be able to afford the best treatments. However, we never let any of that bring us down. We had an onward and upward attitude from the onset.
I know this may sound like a cop out of an answer, but it is the truth. We both believed that he was going to be okay, and we went through our days with that mentality. The key is that mindset is so important. Without a positive mindset, it makes overcoming the odds that much more difficult.
What was the most unexpected part of your and Terri’s cancer journey?
The most unexpected part of the journey was two-fold. The first part, as well outlined in the first chapter of my book, is where we chose to go for treatment. Dr. Ralf Kleef is incredibly talented, and 100% the right choice for us. He should be sought out by anyone looking for cancer treatment, or chronic illness relief. The irony is where he is located. Let us flashback to when I was pregnant with our son, Nixon, who is now 11. When I was pregnant, we did not know if the baby was a boy or a girl and Terri was suggesting names. He suggested Nixon for a boy, and Vienna for a girl. I flew off the couch when I heard the name Vienna, and knew it was the perfect name.
The irony reveals itself in the fact that we have a nine-year-old daughter Vienna, and where we go for treatment to see Dr. Kleef is Vienna, Austria. In that moment, it felt completely unexpected but reminded me that coincidences do not exist and there are so many signs pointing us in the right direction. We simply have to listen to them and open ourselves up to seeing them.
The second most unexpected part of the journey was when we were sitting in Dr. Kleef’s office after Terri’s CT in Austria (before we had started treatment there), and he shared with us the news that the tumor in his pancreas was gone, and the two tumors in his lymph nodes were gone. We knew he was going to be okay, but we never dreamed it would happen so quickly. It provided us that extra boost of confidence that we were on the right path towards his success.
What’s something that people don’t always realize about cancer, its treatment, or the families of people who have it?
The hardest thing to realize is that it is truly up to the individual facing the diagnosis whether they are going to do the healing work. I could provide Terri all the research I found, and suggest to him many options to explore, but the hard work and the deep digging needed to be done by him.
A big lesson is that cancer, or any diagnosis, is your body trying to show you something. Unhealed trauma, trapped emotions, unprocessed grief — the list is substantial. I would highly encourage people rather than trying to fight their cancer, to embrace it and try to learn from it.
In addition, the truth is that there are so many treatment options available. I honestly believe that oncologists and healthcare professionals provide the best options they are aware of. However, there is so much new research out there, so many complementary treatment modalities (like BodyTalk), I implore individuals to do their research and trust their instincts as to what treatments they feel will be most beneficial for them.
Finally, I would like families of cancer patients to realize that through the healing there will be a lot of shifting, growing, and changing. Be patient with your loved one, and remember that walking through your shadows for a healthy outcome is the most powerful thing you can do — but it needs to be realized that your support means so much through those moments of awareness.
Other comments:
“The Day the Cancer Quit” is 100% a true story. We are so grateful that Terri is a survivor, and in addition to sharing hope and inspiring others, we are also donating 10% of all profits to charity.
It is my goal to teach others, both through the book and through speaking engagements, that they can truly overcome any odds that are in their way. Not only that, but to learn how to align and attract abundance, health, and wellbeing to their lives through gratitude.
