Our son Billy was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Disease in June 1994. He was 16 years old. Not knowing any better, we took the advice of the oncologists and Billy started chemotherapy in July. The treatments continued until October when he packed his bags and ran away from home to get away from the chemo. He left us a note explaining that he felt the chemo was killing him rather than curing him. Being a born-again Christian, he put his life totally in God’s hands.

We were devastated. We had no idea Billy felt this strongly against the treatments. We did everything we could think of to track him down with absolutely no luck at all. Eventually the media became involved in our story and it was picked up by the national news media through the Associated Press. Billy, who was in Houston, Texas, was amazed to see his parents on the TV show "A Current Affair," pleading with him to come home. He did call us and we told Billy that he would not be forced into chemotherapy or radiation treatments. During this time we were deluged with phone calls and letters from cancer survivors who had used traditional treatments saying Billy needed to complete his treatments, although some of them were fighting cancer for the second or third time.

When Billy returned home he was tested at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. The results showed that the cancer was growing and looking worse than it had in October. During this time, the media was reporting that we were looking into alternative therapies. We were inundated with calls and letters about many different alternative therapies. We spoke with countless people who had used some of these therapies with success. We informed the doctors and counselors at the hospital that we had decided to use alternative therapies. The hospital reported us to the Department of Social Services in Massachusetts as unfit parents and tried to have Billy taken away. Fortunately, the state decided not to get involved in this case and we were able to proceed.

We were very confused and didn’t know which treatment to choose. Every letter and every phone call urged us to try the therapy that person had used successfully. Finally, in January 1995 after much prayer and with the Lord’s help we decided on the treatments that Billy would use. Essiac was one of the treatments that we decided on although it took us a while to wade through the counterfeits and finally settle on the real Essiac from Resperin Corporation. He started on six ounces daily and continued that for about six months. Now he takes four ounces daily as a preventative. We also take four ounces daily and have stayed quite healthy while the people we work with have gotten colds and flu’s. Billy also used 714X for 6 months. This is an all-natural injection that builds up the immune system.

Billy also made nutritional changes including avoiding red meat, eating only chicken, turkey and fish; no dairy products; no sugar, no carbonated beverages. He did eat lots of fresh, organic produce; drank lots of distilled water; and tried to eat unprocessed, natural foods. We also started visiting healthy food stores frequently to learn about natural foods. In addition, he took various vitamins and minerals to help build up the immune system. He continues to take supplements and this is one reason his health is excellent today. No matter how nutritiously we try to eat, we are lacking our daily requirements for vitamins and minerals. So it makes good sense to take natural supplements not the synthetic kind you find at the drug stores.

Within two and a half months of using these natural therapies the cancer was gone (that was March 1995) and has been gone every since. We are very thankful to the Lord for leading us to natural therapies. We feel that the Lord answered our prayers for a cure for Billy. These natural treatments build up the immune system and allow your body to heal itself as God intended. Chemotherapy and radiation are man made and kill the body’s immune system.

We thank the Lord every day for what He has done in our lives and are very happy to share this story with you.

by Sue and Billy Best