Caregiving Community

Ouch. I can't find anywhere online for people to turn when facing this problem. The wisdom of forum members is eagerly sought.

My cousin has breast cancer. She followed regular medical diagnosis up to November, then bailed-out just before a lumpectomy. She now goes to a special clinic that charges thousands of dollars per week to hook her up to their "secret formula" intravenous cancer treatment.

I want to be supportive, and I'm OK with trying alternatives, but this outfit seems to have achieved the perfect con. She now refuses to have any REAL medical examination to see if the therapy is being effective -- instead she sends a urine sample to a lab in the Philippines. They perform some hocus-pocus there (far from US laws) and proclaim that her urine tests show that her treatment is working great ! She is not going to take a real look at her cancer's progress or remission until it's too late to have an Option B.

HELP !! This is like having an emotionally vulnerable person who gets sucked into a cult. But -- most people gradually come to their senses in a cult and grow out of it. My cousin doesn't have 12 months to avoid treatment while waiting to "wake-up."

I understand the appeal of alternative treatment -- the conventional approach to cancer is shockingly harsh and poisonous. But -- I know a dozen people who went through it .. and all are alive today.

Surely somewhere there is a support group for family members in my position, but I cannot find anything. Trying to talk directly to my cousin and give her information on cancer-cure scams is useless ... but maybe someone with more experience in such matters can offer useful guidance ?

Thanks for giving this some thought, and passing-along any helpful ideas.
(Complaining to the BBB, FTC, or FDA is not going to result in any action in time to help my cousin ...)