Leah’s story (in her own words):

I have always considered myself a healthy person, but did not understand how much food and what I put in my mouth can influence my health.
I am an avid runner and was training for a marathon last September when I went to see an Allergy Doctor for itching on my arms that I have had for years. My doctor sent me for a chest x-ray to rule out Hodgkins Disease and Lymphoma, as itching can be a sign of a blood disorder.
The x-ray was negative for that, but showed a mass in my thoracic region. I had surgery in November to remove it and the surgeon could not get it all because it was attached to my spine.
The biopsy was sent to Mayo clinic and came back that it was a chondrosarcome, which is a rare form of primary bone cancer. I am about 1 of 50 people in the world with one on my spine!
This past February I had major surgery at UVA medical center where they had to remove pieces of two vertebrae and replace with cadaver bone and use rods and screws to hold it in place. I also had pieces of 2 ribs removed and a piece of my lung. The tumor was attached to these places as well.
I never thought I would hear the words cancer and undergo such an intense ordeal, but after discussing with my allergist how I can take control of my health, my husband and I are embarking on changing to an anti-cancer diet.
We are reading the book “Anti-Cancer” and moving to organic, whole foods and trying to remove refined sugars, which cancer cells feed on. I also want my children to begin to eat like this and learn that we can help our bodies fight cancer and other illnesses.
I am still recovering from surgery, but my margins came back clean and am currently cancer free and plan to stay that way!
The last chapter of my story will be when I am able to run again and finally complete my marathon!
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