How I used Complementary Therapies to Cope with Cancer
Mary Lunnen
Mary’s approach to life was changed by the diagnosis of cervical cancer in 1994. Since then she has worked as a volunteer and trainer with various cancer charities and published a compilation of women’s stories of surviving cervical cancer, ‘Flying in the Face of Fear’, in 1998.

When I was diagnosed with cancer in 1994, I was stunned. Despite the fact that many types of cancer were becoming more and more survivable due to new treatments, the shock hit me when I heard those words from my doctor.
I felt I was swept along on a medical conveyor belt with little say in what was happening to me. I was astounded at how literally disempowered I felt, despite normally being able to speak up for myself I felt unable to be assertive and question my doctors.
My recovery from the physical and emotional effects of the diagnosis and treatment only really began when I took back some control of my life by going to see an acupuncturist. The treatment helped to a degree with the ‘problem’ I had gone along with, persistent severe post-operative pain. More importantly for me, it was an hour or more spent with a trained and experienced complementary practitioner, who listened to me, treated me as an adult, and took notice of what I said. The treatment, as with all complementary therapies, worked in a holistic way, clearing blockages and enabling me to start healing myself.
My decision to take back some of the power I had given away to the medical profession was the beginning of the next stage of my amazing journey since that diagnosis. I have tried many sorts of therapies: reiki, colour therapy, Bach Flower Remedies, kinesiology, homeopathy, refl exology and zero balancing have all been beneficial at different times.
All the things I have tried have helped on many levels. Sometimes it has been particular food supplements or flower remedies for particular issues. Healing has allowed me to feel and release emotions, in a safe place, and without needing to talk unless I want to, but free to when I wished.
During my first reiki session, floods of tears came. Rather than the hot emotional sobbing that makes you feel awful afterwards, this was cooling, soothing, an out-flowing of suppressed grief and fear that had been bottled up for too long.
Another important aspect to me was the sense of ‘selfnurturing’, looking after myself. One of the feelings I experienced when I first received the cancer diagnosis, was that I was no longer Mary, but a ‘cancer patient’, a ‘sufferer’. People looked at me and spoke to me in a different way, a different tone of voice. I also felt that I had to look after everyone else’s feelings, not upset family by talking about my illness, appear positive so as not to worry them. To start with there was that series of phone calls I had to make. The person at the other end would sound so pleased to hear from me, say ‘oh, hello, how are you?!’ cheerily, only for me to have to say ‘Well, actually…’, and feel how awful it was for them hearing the news.
A lot of the time I felt I was being strong for others, not for myself. I don’t think I ever thought that I would die, I knew that I would get through it but the future was so uncertain and frightening, I needed support too. My husband and my mother were wonderful at just being there and giving practical help, but they were the people whose feelings I was protecting. It was only when I was able to talk and receive healing from someone outside my family and friends that real change began for me.
I did get through it of course and I know that the therapies I used and continue to work with helped greatly. I wish that I had known about them sooner. At the time, complementary therapies were barely discussed by medical practitioners. Now many cancer centres offer a range of approaches to help people affected by cancer, whether they are patients or families and carers.
I would encourage people to try anything they feel drawn to, making sure they check on the training and credentials of the therapist, whilst making the best use of the skill and expertise of their doctors. Medical training is becoming more holistic and many doctors acknowledge the value of complementary therapies to help with relief of symptoms and side effects of cancer and the medical treatments. It is for everyone to make their own individual choice about what is best for them.
Mary is an experienced trainer, life coach and business adviser. She established her life coaching practice, Dare to Blossom Life Coaching, in 2003. She works with people from all works of life, either individually or in groups, helping them achieve their dreams and develop their potential. She is currently running a series of creativity workshops, and hopes that her second book ‘Dare to Blossom: creativity and coaching’ will be published later this year. Contact details: mary@daretoblossom.co.uk, www.daretoblossom.co.uk, 01841 540552, 07771 778021