Cancer survivor Kathleen speaks of her Mary miracle

JACQUELINE MALEY - January 11, 2010 - 3:05PM
(photo from here)

The middle-aged Maitland mother whose cure from cancer was attributed to the miraculous intercession of Mother Mary Mackillop today spoke about her experience for the first time.
Kathleen Evans, 66, whose anonymity has been zealously guarded until now, spoke at the Mary MacKillop chapel in North Sydney this afternoon about her incredible survival.
Surrounded by her husband Barry, family members and sisters from the Josephite Order, the mother of five, grandmother of 20 and great-grandmother of two, told how she had smoked since the age of 16 but had given up in 1990, three years before she got the devastating news that at 49 she had cancer.
The tumour, in her right lung, was particularly aggressive and quickly spread to her glands. Within a few months a secondary cancer was found on her brain.
She was told it was inoperable and that chemotherapy and X-ray treatment were considered pointless.
"Besides," she said, "the odds were just not worth it.
"‘I was only given a couple of months at the most to live so I said thanks but no thanks.
"All I had left was prayer."
A friend in the Hunter Valley gave her a picture of Mary MacKillop and a piece of her clothing, so Ms Evans, her family and her parish all began praying.
"I'm not one to be on my knees all the time or think I'll go to hell if I miss Mass," she said. But she is a regular churchgoer.
Far from getting worse, her condition improved and after four months her doctor called for more tests "because, as he said, I just shouldn't be here".
Ten months after her original diagnosis, she was told there was no sign of any cancer - just some scarring where the tumours had been.
She left her home town five years ago and has been travelling around Australia to keep a low profile while the canonisation process takes its course.
She said she talks to Mackillop all the time and hopes to go to Rome for the ceremony.
In December her recovery was formally recognised as MacKillop's second miracle, clearing the way for her canonisation, which is expected to occur in Rome this year.
The campaign for MacKillop's canonisation began in 1926, 17 years after her death.
In 1995 her first miracle - the cure in 1961 of a woman with terminal leukaemia - was accepted by the Vatican and she was beatified.
Several other high-profile victims of illness or accident have attributed their recovery at least in part to MacKillop's help.
The Catholic family of burns victim Sophie Delezio credits her medical progress to MacKillop.
When Irishman David Keohane woke from an eight-month coma following an assault in Sydney, his family attributed his recovery to months of prayers to MacKillop.

Relaxation

11/4 Worldwide day of Parkinson's Disease & Red TULIP

The tulip symbol that has been adopted both by the EPDA as it's logo, along with many Parkinson's disease organizations and groups around the world, is the Dr. James Parkinson Tulip.

The story of the Parkinson tulip began in 1980 in the Netherlands when J.W.S. Van der Wereld, a Dutch horticulturalist who had PD, gave the name "Dr. James Parkinson" to the red and white tulip he had developed.
In 1981 he registered his prize cultivar, the 'Dr James Parkinson' bulb. The name was chosen to honor Dr. James Parkinson, the English doctor who described the condition in his 1817 "Essay On The Shaking Palsy" and to honour the International Year of the Disabled.

The Tulipa 'Doctor James Parkinson' received the Award of Merit that same year from the Royal Horticultural Society in London England, and also received the Trial Garden Award from the Royal General Bulb Growers of Holland.

It is described as a flower: “exterior, glowing cardinal red, small feathered white edge, outer base whitish; inside, currant-red to turkey-red, broad feathered white edge, anthers pale yellow.”

On 11 April 2005, the Red Tulip was launched as the Worldwide Symbol of Parkinson's Disease at the 9th World PD Day Conference in Luxembourg.

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Candida Albicans… a fungus that thrives and propagates on sugar and carbohydrates

Candida albicans is a fungus that thrives and propagates on sugar and carbohydrates. By definition, candida albicans is basically the overgrowth of yeast in the body. Yeast is actually not bad for the body. In fact, it grows in most of the food we eat. Vinegar has yeast. Most fruits such as apples and pears have yeast in them. The fruit juice you drink earlier has yeast. Even milk-based foods such as cheese and ice cream contain yeast. The candida yeast is also present in several portions of our body, particularly in the digestive system. However, when the yeast outgrows itself in the body, that’s where the troubles begin. Candida albicans thrives on the excess of yeast in the body. So those who have yeast infection should be more wary about eating food particularly those rich in sugar and carbohydrates. Yeast likes to prosper from food that contains sugar, salt, and chemicals. When the Candida albicans multiply and cause further contamination, an ailment referred to as candiasis develops. This is why people who have Candida albicans are advised to watch their diet. Eating healthy foods is essential to preventing the fungus or yeast from rapidly developing. However, how does one identify which foods are okay to eat, and which are detrimental to the health of those with Candida albicans? The glycemic index is a good way to determine which food is okay or not okay to eat for those with Candida albicans. But what is the glycemic index? The glycemic index is a system that arranges food according to its carbohydrate content and its consequences on blood glucose. Pure glucose which has a glycemic index of 100 is the point of comparison for foods. Using the glycemic index, apples are 49, mangoes are 69, while soft drinks are 100. Now, basing from the glycemic index, those who have Candida albicans in their bodies should refrain from eating high-glycemic foods, or those foods that like soft drinks, are rated from 70-100. Among these foods are ripe bananas, papayas, and grains such as bread, bagels, and cereals. Vegetarians should also look closely on their diet and refrain from eating staples such as potato, sweet corn, and carrots. Those who like to gorge on sweetened juices should also be wary of their intake of sports drinks and canned juices. Those with a sweet tooth are also not spared from this friendly counsel. Sweet favorites such as honey and corn syrups are considered as high-glycemic foods. Fast food items like hamburgers, doughnuts, pancakes, and waffles are likewise classified as high-glycemic foods, and thus should be taken out of the diet. The same goes for other popular food items such as hotdogs, pretzels, corn chips, rice cakes, and ice cream. In the long run, it is best for those with yeast infection to try to eat low-glycemic food such as apples, tomatoes, onion, garlic, oatmeal, green tea, and water, among others. Eat healthy foods instead. Whole foods that are free from sugar and chemical are best options for anyone suffering from yeast infection. Remember that nutrition is very important in order to neutralize or lessen the effects of Candida albicans. In the end, the battle against Candida albicans all ends up with your determination and willingness to put some discipline in your diet.
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