Pancreatic Cancer Survivor: Maribel Lim’s Story

Manila, Philippines

Living with a serious disease can be difficult and challenging. I know first hand what it was like when I became seriously ill eight years ago.

In July 2001, an MRI result revealed that I had pancreatic cancer. My husband Victor and I went from one doctor to another to find the best treatment for my cancer. Three, four, five, seven — I can no longer remember how many oncologists we’ve been to, all specialists in pancreatic cancer, the kind of cancer in which the patient has little chance of getting cured. This is the most aggressive form of cancer.

When I had the courage to ask my doctor how long I would live if I refused surgery, his response stunned me — 6 months, one year at the most.

When I heard the prognosis, my world stood still. I felt like a prisoner who was just handed a death sentence. I went numb. Tears ran down my cheeks.

Our only recourse at the time was surgery. I braced myself for a 12- to 24-hour operation. My gallbladder would be removed; part of my liver, stomach and duodenum would be taken away aswell. But if they discover that the 2-inch tumor was too close to the pancreas, they will not remove it. But then, the other parts of my body would have already been destroyed.

I consented to surgery as the only option. Then the issue of blood came up.

I am a Jehovah’s Witnesses and we adhere strictly to [our interpretation of] a Bible-based standard to abstain from blood, including getting a blood transfusion. My doctors became indignant each time I refused the idea of a blood transfusion. They resorted to threats, pressures, intimidation, just so I would agree to a surgery that included blood transfusions.

The impasse made me depressed. … My husband and I started researching other options. We read numerous books … until we discovered alternative treatments. We tried this approach. We learned that to treat a disease, the whole body has to be involved. This is holistic treatment. In my case, it was not enough to focus on my diseased pancreas but to include my whole body as well.

Each night we read a different book. We stayed late just to learn more about alternative treatments. Each research confirmed our conviction that surgery was not the only solution. In fact, it was not even required. We only have to change our lifestyle, what we have been used to. Alternative treatments are not easy — one has to be patient, and self-discipline is important. You just have to believe in what you are doing.

In my case, we started from nothing, zero knowledge with respect to alternative treatments. Added to this was the fact that we were running against time, which was very short — just six months. Each moment must not be wasted … every move must be precise, each decision was crucial. Each wrong move meant one big step backward, only to start all over again.

One very difficult aspect of having cancer is that well-meaning people around you just want to be sympathetic and offer help or their best suggestion. Each one of them has an opinion to give, a little pressure here and there for you to try this or that or just plain counsel on what to do given my situation. … But I have learned not to be carried away by pressure. The most important thing to consider, the moment you know that you have cancer, is to stay focused and not be swayed by others.

While we were doing our research, finally acting on what we read was difficult especially since we were not sure if we were doing the right thing. We put our hope on what we learned from our reading. We were not sure if things would be easy for us, nor were we convinced that it was the right track towards recovery.

I must admit that many times, I began to doubt what my husband and I were doing.

I took so many food supplements … whatever was recommended from what I read, I would buy … and whoever would give [them some to] me, I would accept. But I realized that it was not enough. One evening, I felt a severe pain. I woke my husband up and told him that perhaps this was the end. I was hoping that we could find treatment for me, hopefully using natural medicine (herbal). We prayed fervently to Jehovah God to help us find the right medicine for me.

The following day, a Chinese sister in faith visited me and made an appointment with a cancer researcher who introduced me to the medicine Tian Xian, commonly called China No. 1 in Asia.

When we arrived at the offices of Green & Gold International Exports in Manila, we were welcomed by a kind and very knowledgeable specialist in alternative treatment, Mr. Manuel Kiok. He showed us the Tian Xian packet and explained to us its effect to the body of a cancer patient like me.

For the first time since being diagnosed with cancer, my heart overflowed with joy. Now, I have hope. Through Mr. Kiok and his Tian Xian medicine, my life could be extended longer than the six months to one year I was given if I did not undergo surgery.

During the first few weeks of taking Tian Xian Liquid, combined with Tian Xian Capsule number 6, I remember eliminating black waste from my body. At first, it seemed like the disease was counteracting the medicine. There was some kind of wrestling going on inside my body every time I took Tian Xian. I knew then that the medicine was proving to be effective. So I continued the medicine hoping that one day I would be fully cured.

Six months has passed, and I am still alive. Still weak, still uncertain … and the only test I was doing to measure the degree of malignancy of my cancer is through HCG or Human Chorionic Gonadotropin. The test is based on a theory proposed by Dr. Howard Beard and other researchers who contend that cancer is related to a misplaced trophoblast cell that become malignant in a manner similar to pregnancy in that they both secrete HCG. As a consequence, a measure of the amount of HCG found in the urine is also a measure of the degree of malignancy. The higher the number, the greater the severity of the cancer.

Above 50 units is positive of cancer, 49 and below is negative. My first reading? 80 very high! I was overwhelmed and scared of that count. But within a few months, we tried to lower my HCG count. From 80, it went down to 73, then 64. I continued taking Tian Xian, at the same time observing my food intake. I refrained from eating food with sugar, salt, fat, oil, white flour. I only ate organic food. Each time I had an attack, Tian Xian helped relieve the pain. I really felt its effect.

When I felt I was cured, I tried to stop taking Tian Xian. I stopped for two weeks, dependent only on food supplements. After that, I measured mu HCG, thinking that the result would not be affected by stopping Tian Xian. From a reading of 56, which was very close to being cancer-free, my HCG went up to as high as 64.5.

I resumed taking Tian Xian again and my HCG went down. I tried for the second time to stop taking this medicine, thinking that it was just coincidental. The same thing happened, my HCG went up again. What does this show? That Tian Xian greatly helped in lessening the severity of my cancer. After two years, my HCG count fell from 80 to 51.

All this happened eight years ago, and I’m still here. I never thought I would still be alive. It is hard to believe that I am here standing before you, alive and well.

I talked to a doctor and he was astounded to learn that I have pancreatic cancer — and I was healthy despite not undergoing surgery. He could not believe that I am a cancer patient. Each time I talk to doctors who refuse to believe that I have pancreatic cancer, I would explain to them that I am taking natural medicine particularly Tian Xian. Invariably, a shake of the head would be the response I get.

It was many years ago that my doctors tried to convince me to get surgery. Today, they are shocked to see me alive. So they concluded that I must not have been sick of cancer. They said that in their experience, a pancreatic cancer patient had no chance of surviving months after being diagnosed despite taking natural medicines.

I could not believe what I was hearing. When I was very weak and thin, they insisted that I get surgery, scaring me with impending death. Now, that they see I am healthy, strong and very much alive, they claim that maybe I didn’t have cancer in the first place? That’s after several oncologists confirmed that I had cancer … after going through laboratory tests such as CT-SCAN, MRCP and scheduling me for surgery — how could they say that perhaps it was not cancer?

… Were they are reluctant to admit that the alternative treatment I used was effective? That because of my diet … and Tian Xian, with the help of Jehovah God, I survived their terminal prognosis. Of course, they cannot accept that these factors contributed to my recovery. After looking at their reaction, I thankful that I did not commit myself to them.

Because of this, let me take this opportunity to thank Mr. & Mrs. Manuel Kiok for introducing Tian Xian to us, which is the reason I am enjoying good health. But of course, all credit must first go to our God Almighty Jehovah, who, if not for Him, if not for His law of abstaining from blood which I firmly obeyed, I would not have looked for alternatives. I am convinced that He guided us in finding the best and appropriate treatment for me. And one of these is Tian Xian. I may not be fully cured, but my standing before you after eight years is already a big factor … a great miracle for a pancreatic cancer patient like me.

Again, my fervent thanks to Jehovah God and to His only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ … to my beloved husband, Victor, who painstakingly and patiently supported me in my search for alternative treatment that cured me, to my parents, brothers in faith who continuously pray to Jehovah God on my behalf … to the kindness of Mrs. Priscilla & Mr. Manuel Kiok, who helped me through Tian Xian, the one who sponsored my Tian Xian products, Mr. Sidney Lu, and I also wish to extend my thanks to the one who discovered Tian Xian — Prof. Wang Zhen Guo.

In the more than eight years of my struggle with cancer, recovery poses a serious challenge. As one feels one’s health improving, one tends to become relaxed — going back to what one used to do [bad habits] like eating mouth-watering foods and other vices that have [brought] the cancer.  But I have not done this. …

After changing my diet to organic foods, I have remained consistent. I keep taking food supplements, drinking fresh vegetable juices, and taking good care of my body. I do all this for a good reason.

First, what I went through, the physical, emotional and mental strain were unimaginable. Second, I do not want to waste the second chance given to me to have a healthy … and beautiful body. Third, I love my family. … And fourth, I want to use my life serving my God Jehovah.

For these reasons, I am inspired and motivated not to go back to my old lifestyle and diet, which had robbed me of my good health. I want to emphasize the same message to all cancer patients present in this hall: Let go of your old lifestyle and diet which [brought] you … cancer. As you sense your health improving, keep on taking the supplements and medications that helped you progress. Never go back to old vices and to appetizing but unhealthy foods restricted for a cancer patient. Keep a good lifestyle and diet.

Effective medication is not good enough to [offset the consumption of unhealthy but] inorganic foods … and … taking in organic foods is not good enough without proper and effective medication like Tian Xian.

Lastly, to all cancer patients here tonight, I know you too, can beat cancer … we can reverse cancer! Aside from taking Tian Xian, feed your body good nutrients through diet and supplements, thus providing your body the raw materials that it needs to rebuild itself. Then feed your heart with the good feelings of love, forgiveness, confidence in your abilities, a sense of purpose in your life, and a trusting relationship with your Creator. With this in mind, I firmly believe we can recover from cancer … we can defeat cancer!

Thank you everyone!