Most cancer stories focus on the fight to survive the disease, but two Rossland women want people to start fighting now to prevent the diagnosis. Diana Daghofer, pubic health specialist, and Amber Watson, herbalist and wild-crafter, are teaming up to deliver Prevent Cancer with herbs and more workshop through the Monashee Institute on Saturday, October 25, followed by a tour of organic gardens on Sunday in Rossland.
Daghofer is past co-chair of Prevent Cancer Now, a national organization dedicated to the elimination of the preventable causes of cancer, and the chair of the Hills of Erin Cancer Prevention Foundation. When diagnosed with breast cancer a few years ago, she began to question the information she was getting. Daghofer had followed the recommended healthy lifestyle and still got cancer. It was around the time CBC presenter Wendy Mesley’s “Chasing the Cancer Answer” documentary aired.
“It made me think the information I was getting from the medical field was not going far enough,” said Daghofer. “I was going through treatment and trying to find organizations who dealt with cancer prevention. The information I found was very limited.”
“I’ve always had a strong belief in our own prevention powers,” said Daghofer, who believes up to 80 per cent of cancers can be prevented.
Daghofer’s search lead her to Prevent Cancer Now and to the conclusion there is not enough research on environmental causes of cancer. With research finding that about 50 per cent of cancers are lifestyle related and 10 per cent hereditary, that leaves 40 per cent unexplained.
“There are a range of reasons environmental causes are highly under-researched,” said Daghofer, who began her own personal research project to find answers.
She will discuss prevention options in 12 topic areas, such as food growing, purchasing and preparing, and the Tainted 22 list of fruits and vegetables to avoid.
Daghofer and Watson will also look at menu planning and cooking.
Amber Watson is an herbalist, gardener, geriatric and palliative nurse. She has been training in the ancient healing tradition of herbalism since 2002. Watson is motivated to teach and share the healing virtues of plants. She will share recipes for nurturing teas, salves an herbalist’s perspective on cancer prevention.