September is Blood Cancer Awareness Month
September’s health issue is focused on blood cancers as well as grief, and for me, this gets really personal. Compared to all cancers, leukemia has risen the fastest, approaching a 110% rise from 1998 to 2018, and this is likely even greater in 2024 with the significant immune challenges facing us all.
I was diagnosed with a rare leukemia, hairy cell, in 2012, Lyme in 2013 and then developed severe staph in 2014 which kept me out of commission for almost a year. While I am much healthier since then, there have been sequelae to manage, watch and use my functional and integrative medicine tools with even greater compliance – because I choose to be the healthiest I can in order to do my lifework!
There was no incidence of leukemia in my family and statistically most cancers are not genetic but are more often environmentally related – toxins, poor diet, stress and burnout. Working in my field, I chose to do the deep dive into potential causes, both from the environmental/biochemical perspective as well as the emotional/spiritual realm and not surprisingly, it all made sense why I developed this particular form of cancer.
Hairy cell happens to be highly correlated with hormonal abnormalities, environmental toxins and mercury exposure. I had high doses of all – mom was on DES, a fertility hormone that is now banned, dad used copious amounts of DDT, Chlordane, Roundup (unfortunately still available!) and other now banned chemicals both inside and outside of the house, and just a year before my diagnosis, I had all of my silver fillings (mercury) removed, having even asked my dentist if he knew how to remove them properly. Well, the Monday morning quarterback now knows better and I use biologic or holistic dentists for cleanings, etc.
My life was filled with higher levels of stress and trauma than many, but I was raised just to push ahead, often working three jobs, 12-hour days and having to protect my family from abuse. I ran on “Dunkin” for many years and yet a part of me was always able to hold onto positivity and gratitude. I even did my yoga postures while in the hospital for a month and luckily Reiki was offered at the Newton Wellesley Hospital.
But deep down, I knew there was more and so I referred to Louise Hay, Carolyn Myss and other spiritual scholars to look at the emotional-spiritual connections. Indeed there it was front and center – self-loathing, immature cells with hair-like projections that didn’t deserve to survive nevermind thrive. These were themes in my life, although no one on the outside would have ever guessed. “Julie always showed up (loyal) and on top of that, she always had a smile, offering to be helpful to others.”
While I continue to aspire to these qualities, I also work on the deserving part and have softened the “yapper in the back of my mind” to be less critical, more loving, providing me with space and grace when I make mistakes.
There is so much left for us all to do in this world and I take this responsibility very seriously. I want to thrive in order to support others as they meet challenges along the way; I want to educate others about the lurking toxins in our environment, from food to face care; I want to BE present with another, holding out my hand and my heart with support, compassion, loving-kindness.
This is the work that I do everyday - seeing the whole person and not merely the label or diagnosis. If you have been diagnosed with any cancer, pause and take time to ask yourself what you truly need, what has been suppressed that is now sending a message. After all, this is your life and not a dress rehearsal.
