Beyond apple-cider vinegar

Sitting in a stark hospital room in late 2013, I felt the walls closing in as my doctor delivered the news: “It's a chronic blood cancer. You'll need to be on medication for the rest of your life. We recommend a mild form of chemotherapy.” I was in my early 30s with young kids at home and now faced a future ruled by medication. The weight of my diagnosis and sudden loss of control hit me like a Mack truck.

- Lara Charles

As I faced my diagnosis and treatment, Jess Ainscough and Belle Gibson were rising to stardom in some foreign wellness world. At the time, I had rarely eaten kale, let alone tried green juice. I'd never questioned a doctor's orders — until a friend texted, “Hey babe, have you heard of Jess Ainscough? Google her.”

I did. And everything shifted. Jess claimed to be managing her cancer with alternative therapies and her story ignited something in me — not just hope, but a sense of control. After all, that's what I truly craved — control over my fate, my body, my illness. Maybe, just maybe, this was my way out.

Beyond hope lay fear. Doubts crept in. Would natural healing work? What if I failed? What if I died? I faced a cruel choice: accept a life tethered to harsh medication or gamble everything on the uncertain promise of natural healing.