It was during a New Year's holiday back to her family home in Perth in 1986 that Geraldine Page was first diagnosed with cervical cancer.
Ms Dee Page immediately had surgery to remove her womb.
'It was particularly hard for me because my choice as a woman of whether to have children or not was taken away for me,' she said.
After the surgery, she returned to her life here in Singapore. She made a few changes to her diet, but two years later, another tumour was found in Ms Page's pelvic wall.
She recalled: 'It was inoperable and the doctors didn't think they could halt it. They also gave me little hope for survival.'
She was offered an experimental chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment with a 10 to 15 per cent chance of survival. Ms Page decided to take it and resolved to undertake the remaining 85 per cent of healing from the inside.
For Ms Page, prayer became important, as did meditation and positive affirmation. She would visualise the tumour shrinking and meditated on the desired future.
'I spent less time watching the news, which can be negative, and spent more time laughing and being with nature,' Ms Page told MYB. Her diet became mostly vegan, with some fish, vegetable and wheat grass juices. To that, she added vitamins and herbs.
Three months later, the tumour was gone.
But she experienced yet another setback two years later, when doctors told her they found that the cancer had spread to her right lung.
'The doctors basically told me to go home, get my things in order and prepare to die.'
Instead, Ms Page opted for surgery, which involved removing half a lung.
'I asked my surgeon and his nursing team to say only positive things during my surgery,' she said.
When faced with this third crisis, Ms Page once again turned inwards. The answer that came to her, she told MYB, involved engaging in positive feelings of joy, pleasure and grace. She finds that so much about healing is presented in a 'thinking way' but feelings are the essence of living.
'Medical treatment alone did not get me through. Something I did worked,' she said.
Her last 17 years have been cancer free. She continues to follow the changes that she made. 'This is my path for life,' she said.
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She listened to her body
Irene Yeo (above, right)
She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2003. Chemotherapy had been planned but her doctor advised her to wait. 'So, I had to find ways to help myself,' she said in Cancer Cured Naturally.
Ms Yeo started looking for options and found Kampong Senang, a non-profit setup which offers counselling, talks and courses on natural healing, organic, vegan meals and an organic food donation service to cancer patients who may not be able to afford it.
The single mum of two found tremendous support at Kampung Senang, she told MYB.
Before starting chemotherapy, MsYeo began a detoxification programme. Out went processed foods, meat and dairy and her diet included plenty of vegetable soups, fresh juices and coconut water.
While on treatment, there were times when her body needed meat. She listened to those signals and ate what her body asked for, she told MYB.
'My general philosophy has been to listen to my body and to go with my treatment.' She advises patients to not go against medical treatment.
She said: 'My doctor was surprised that I didn't get mouth ulcers, which is a common side-effect of chemo.'
Meditation and breathing exercises have helped Ms Yeo manage stress and difficult emotions.
Cancer-free since 2003, Ms Yeo has continued with many of changes she had made.
