Grace Gawler - Helping You Navigate the Cancer Maze

Amazingly Successful Cancer Survivor Stories

Grace Gawler has consistently demonstrated that hope thrives even in the face of the most challenging cancer prognoses. As an Independent Cancer Navigator with 50 years of dedicated service, Grace Gawler has guided thousands of patients toward remarkable outcomes. These extraordinary survival stories are powerful testaments to hope and resilience in the face of adversity.

I selected a sample of survival stories (below) to lead the list because of their dramatic nature. Remarkably, these patients achieved outstanding outcomes, defying seemingly hopeless prognoses and grueling treatment recommendations from their hospitals.

Although Grace primarily works with female patients, the first two stories focus on male patients, chosen because the treatment options offered to them by their hospitals were particularly savage.

1. Metastatic squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) left sinus spread to scalp and facial nerves in 2010.
Alan M. Gold Coast. Long Term Survivor

One year before my cancer diagnosis I had constant headaches, but all standard diagnostic tests were normal. Then I developed numbness throughout my left scalp that spread to my tongue nose and then mouth. An MRI found a meningioma, but they thought that it was benign and nothing to do with my symptoms. A biopsy confirmed a diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma in behind my eye and surrounding structures. Pathology performed on my tissue called it a secondary or metastatic SCC cancer, but no primary lesion was found. The recommended surgery would remove almost half my face.

In retrospect, like many people living in QLD I had several skin lesions removed over the years but not all of them were biopsied. Most of these were removed by my GP. If there had been a primary SCC tumour on my skin, it was long gone.

I underwent radiation and chemotherapy (cisplatin) – but the condition progressed with doctors changing my chemotherapy to Docetaxel, 5FU and Carboplatin. The tumour progressed. A large tumour was now profusely growing out of my left eyebrow and I was told that surgery was the only option, and that such a procedure would virtually remove almost half of my face, then I would need more chemotherapy and that might buy me an extra 6 months.

A naturopath friend I knew recommended Grace Gawler. I had a one-hour solutions focussed consultation with Grace. She took a thorough history whilst I was in her consulting room, then contacted an oncologist she knew whom she believed could help. Within minutes it was all arranged, and I was booked in for an urgent consultation with him later that same day.

He prescribed an oral cancer medicine called Tarceva (Erlotinib) a type of targeted cancer drug. It was off label for me, but I could pay for it and given I had little other option than surgery, I agreed to give it a try.

That day signified a turning point. Although I felt fatigued from previous then current treatment, there were no more headaches, facial numbness was stable, and I felt generally well and able to function normally. My eye had been affected due to the tumour and radiation, but I had sight in a forward direction, peripheral vison was not functioning. But most important of all my tumour began to regress significantly.

Stage one had been completed. Grace encouraged me to leverage off the success and seek further targeted treatment. With the support of my new oncologist, I travelled to Germany and underwent local chemoperfusion at the University of Frankfurt Hospital. I had other treatments including a very exacting method of whole-body hyperthermia that took 6 hours each session spread over many weeks. My German doctors who were excellent with communicating with Grace, were now becoming a team. Targeted complementary medicines along with further conventional treatment was added. I started interferon along with another drug that was traditionally used for treating acne. Vitamin D was added.

My disease had gone into complete remission. My quality of life was high-I had returned to my work as a pharmacist. Then there was the decision as to whether I should have surgery whilst in remission to prevent a recurrence. I chose not to have surgery and continued my chosen path with Grace’s guidance. A few extra visits to Germany for follow up just in case there were any residual cells and then I was closely monitored by scan and blood tests for many years. I lost some further sight in my eye and some of my scalp and facial nerves remain slightly numb. There is of course a much larger story to tell but it would fill a book and is beyond the scope of a summary testimonial.
2024 Update: I am now 78, retired and enjoying life and family. Grateful for the help I have received both inside and outside the box of cancer medicine. The consultation with Grace Gawler that day proved a significant turning point in my cancer journey and is testimonial to using professional advice for a best of both worlds approach.

Note: My remission is fully verifiable with complete records.

2. Metastatic squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) – orbit and optic nerve (SCC)
Diagnosed 2016 – still in Remission Nov 2024

John, Sydney, NSW. Long Term Survivor.

A high profile NSW man, contacted the Grace Gawler Institute just two days before his scheduled surgery at a reputable Sydney hospital. They were about remove his eye socket & upper facial quadrant. He was extremely distressed knowing he faced a rigorous 5 month recovery affecting his quality of life. Given the urgency of his situation, within hours of his Skype call, Grace consulted her international medical network for a second opinion. Before long his scans & reports were sent to renowned eye cancer experts in Germany & Japan. A lengthy dialogue with many email exchanges followed.

Australian medical experts discussed best treatment options for John and suggested a plan of treatment. He also consulted a German pathologist who provided a second opinion on the type of cancer found in his biopsy. The biopsy results were provided to GGI’s Japanese colleagues and a new minimally invasive treatment plan was recommended.

John cancelled his surgery and flew to Japan for cyber-knife treatment with a world expert. He also benefited from cell-based cancer vaccines. His side-effects were minimal and the treatment was successful. He later experienced a small recurrence that was successfully treated with a targeted therapy. Update: John retained his eye and upper facial quadrant and remains tumour free – Nov 2024

3. Grade 2, Triple Negative, Ductal Carcinoma.
Jan, Sydney, NSW.

In late Feb 2024 I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC), I was to find out, is an aggressive cancer, not so easy to treat! Lucky for me I already knew about Grace Gawler’s cancer navigation service and got in touch immediately. At the age of 73 and with a history of other illnesses since my last breast cancer in 2007, I knew I wanted expert advice to help me make the most informed decisions about my path of treatment.

Grace provided that and more! The breadth of scientific and medical knowledge she displayed as she examined all my tests results, scans and medical history was extraordinary. Throughout the process she was able to give an integrated, personalised and detailed overview of my health situation that sadly medical specialists, due to their specialised focus, are unable to give. Read More

4. Patient P had been been told by her GP in April 2023: “Your breast tumour was so advanced I thought it would explode. I was expecting you to be in a wheelchair soon and did not expect you to survive”, but here you are a year later, and you are walking again and back at your work. I can’t believe what I am seeing”!

P was deemed palliative, and her unrelenting pain became so severe at one point, she even asked her doctor about assisted suicide. Just imagine!

A relative prompted her to contact cancer navigator, Grace Gawler, who delivered much-needed good news that she had helped many so-called palliative patients in the past. Although bedridden, Grace helped her navigate through the medical system where she was offered targeted cancer treatments.

A year passed and great improvements were made, but some symptoms returned. P and Grace worked intensively, left no stone unturned and even more targeted solutions were included in her program.

Her health has improved immensely, and her spirit is shining. It was at this time that her GP was amazed and bewildered by the changes he witnessed.

Grace is continuing to assist P to increase her overall well-being whilst continuing to navigate her to access state-of-the-art cancer treatments that one year ago, would not have been offered let alone been thought possible.

5. Heather:

On the 4th of July, before beginning daily video calls, I received wonderful news from a patient whose prognosis had been dismal. Heather had been undergoing treatment for her second recurrence of bile duct cancer: cholangiocarcinoma
Diagnosed May 2022, she underwent an Initial major liver resection, then a recurrence not long after was treated with oral chemotherapy.
Early January 2023 – Blood tests and imaging – all clear.
July 2023 – a rise in tumour markers and confirmed by imaging, reported a recurrence at the surgical margin.

Treated with targeted radiation therapy. Dec 2023 – imaging showed reduction in irradiated tumour – but new tumours had appeared.

Intensive intravenous chemotherapy + immunotherapy prescribed.

January 2024 – Heather contacts me. Genomic tests were organised via an experienced oncologist. Test results indicated that immunotherapy would highly likely not benefit her & would produce serious side effects.

Therefore, Heather declined immunotherapy, made additional lifestyle and dietary changes, and learned how to navigate the medical maze more effectively.

We spent a lot of time with coaching sessions to help her formulate the potentially life-saving questions. July 4 – brought an unexpected miracle – Remission.

Heathers’ was a case of intensively helping her to re-navigate the medical maze and to be more involved as a patient.

We are now working intensively to prevent recurrence, especially address the impact of residual surgery and side effects, radiation and chemotherapy.

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