Pancreatic cancer survivor tells how wellness therapy experience made a difference to her health

Nine months after I had been diagnosed with inoperable, metastasised stage-four pancreatic cancer, I was exhausted. I had been given six to 18 months to live and undergone nine cycles of chemotherapy. About 20 sessions of infusions had whacked not just the tumour but my entire system as well. A friend insisted a recharge at a wellness centre, and after careful research, my team and I chose Pema Wellness centre in Andhra Pradesh, India.

With its 68 rooms, Pema is a newcomer to the Indian wellness scene. More established resorts in states like Kerala, and places such as Rishikesh and Bangalore, offer an array of ayurvedic (medicine with historical roots in India) treatments, yoga and traditional Indian therapies. Opened three years ago, Pema positions itself as a luxury wellness resort and offers naturopathy and yoga.

Pema requested my latest medical reports for its senior team to examine before accepting me. In the interim, its naturopathy doctor Raja Raja Chozhan contacted me through WhatsApp.

“Is there honestly something you could do for me?” I asked. I had already been turned away by cancer facilities in Portugal and Switzerland, and that still stung. Right from the outset, Dr Chozhan placed great emphasis on the facts that my disease was currently stable with tumour markers considerably down; that I was not in pain; was eating well; and had a strongly positive attitude.

He believed a holistic approach to improve my “overall well-being” could also positively impact the pancreatic tumour. “But we’ll have to consider the fact that your cancer has metastasised,” he added. “Yoga therapy, a low calorie nutritious and vegetarian diet, counselling and biofeedback sessions await.”