I had lost all faith in the medical establishment the last few years, which created a conundrum with my diagnosis of rectal cancer. Do I put myself in the hands of those that I no longer trust? Or do I opt for alternative treatments?

I opted for conventional chemo and radiation therapy. To me that gave me the best odds of recovery.

I had several friends and relatives recoil when I told them I was going the way of conventional treatment.

"You know that you're being poisoned, right", said my brother.

"Are you letting them poison you?", said a good friend as he turned his head in revulsion.

I responded: "Before my diagnoses I would have said the same, but reality hits home when it happenes to you personally".