LIVING PROOF: A Medical Mutiny

Gearin-Tosh, a tutor at St. Catherine's College, Oxford, was diagnosed with myeloma (cancer of the bone marrow) and told that if he did not begin chemotherapy immediately, he would be dead in less than a year. The recommended treatment, while probably extending his life somewhat, would not cure the condition. A second specialist confirmed the original prognosis, but the author rejected the proposed treatment after a former Oxford pupil consulted a cancer statistician who warned, "If your friend touches chemotherapy, he's a goner." Interwoven with engaging anecdotes from his professional life, Gearin-Tosh details his research into the world of alternative medicine, a journey that led him to Chinese breathing exercises and acupuncture. The treatment that he credits with saving his life he found in A Cancer Therapy, by Max Gerson, a doctor who died in 1958. Based on the daily drinking of freshly made juices and taking several coffee enemas a day, the Gerson Diet also includes a variety of supplements. Despite the time-consuming nature of this restrictive regime, eight years later Gearin-Tosh is alive and pursuing an active professional life. He is careful to point out that while this program is working for him, "each person should explore his own way with their physician." Gearin-Tosh's detailed, engaging memoir of a search for his own cure will inspire readers to take the time to consider their own treatments. (Apr.)