Dena Mendes - A Survivors Guide To Kicking Cancers Ass

Hay House Titles of Related Interest

YOU CAN HEAL YOUR LIFE, the movie, starring Louise L. Hay &
Friends (available as a 1-DVD program and an expanded 2-DVD set)
Watch the trailer at: www.LouiseHayMovie.com

THE SHIFT, the movie, starring Dr. Wayne W. Dyer

(available as a 1-DVD program and an expanded 2-DVD set)
Watch the trailer at: www.DyerMovie.com

THE BELLY FAT CURE SUGAR & CARB COUNTER:
Discover Which Foods will Melt Up to 9 Lbs. This Week, by Jorge Cruise

THE BODY KNOWS: How to Tune In to Your Body and
Improve Your Health, by Caroline M. Sutherland

DEFY GRAVITY: Healing Beyond the Bounds of Reason,
by Caroline Myss

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW TO FEEL GO(O)D,
by Candace Pert, Ph.D.

HELP ME TO HEAL: A Practical Guidebook for Patients, Visitors,
and Caregivers, by Bernie Siegel, M.D., and Yosaif August

JUST AN OUNCE OF PRVENTION IS WORTH A POUND OF CURE:
A Modern Guide to Healthful Living from the Originator of the Blood
Type Diet, by Dr. James L. DAdamo, with Allan Richards

RAW BASICS: Incorporating Raw Living Foods into Your Diet
Using Easy and Delicious Recipes, by Jenny Ross

SACRED CEREMONY: How to Create Ceremonies for Healing,
Transitions, and Celebrations, by Steven Farmer, Ph.D.

SEEDS OF FREEDOM: Cultivating a Life That Matters,
by Heather Marie Wilson

WHEAT-FREE, WORRY-FREE:
The Art of Happy, Healthy, Gluten-Free Living,by Danna Korn

YOU CAN HEAL YOUR LIFE, by Louise L. Hay

All of the above are available at your local bookstore,
or may be ordered by visiting:

Hay House USA: www.hayhouse.com
Hay House Australia: www.hayhouse.com.au
Hay House UK: www.hayhouse.co.uk
Hay House South Africa: www.hayhouse.co.za
Hay House India: www.hayhouse.co.in

Copyright 2011 by Dena Mendes

Published and distributed in the United States by: Hay House, Inc.: www.hayhouse.com Published and distributed in Australia by: Hay House Australia Pty. Ltd.: www.hayhouse.com.au Published and distributed in the United Kingdom by: Hay House UK, Ltd.: www.hayhouse.co.uk Published and distributed in the Republic of South Africa by: Hay House SA (Pty), Ltd.: www.hayhouse.co.za Distributed in Canada by: Raincoast: www.raincoast.com Published in India by: Hay House Publishers India: www.hayhouse.co.in

Cover design: Christy Salinas Interior design: Pam Homan

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced by any mechanical, photographic, or electronic process, or in the form of a phonographic recording; nor may it be stored in a retrieval system, transmitted, or otherwise be copied for public or private useother than for fair use as brief quotations embodied in articles and reviewswithout prior written permission of the publisher.

The author of this book does not dispense medical advice or prescribe the use of any technique as a form of treatment for physical, emotional, or medical problems without the advice of a physician, either directly or indirectly. The intent of the author is only to offer information of a general nature to help you in your quest for emotional and spiritual well-being. In the event you use any of the information in this book for yourself, which is your constitutional right, the author and the publisher assume no responsibility for your actions.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Mendes, Dena.

A survivors guide to kicking cancers ass / Dena Mendes.

p. cm.

ISBN 978-1-4019-3154-4 (pbk.)

1. Cancer--Popular works. 2. Cancer--Patients--Popular works. I. Title.

RC263.M42 2011

616.994--dc23

2011024043

ISBN: 978-1-4019-3154-4

Digital ISBN: 978-1-4019-3155-1

14 13 12 11 4 3 2 1

1st edition, November 2011

Printed in the United States of America

I dedicate this book to my children,
the love and light of my life
and who stuck by me through it all!

I dedicate this book to people of every
age who have endured the challenges
of turning chaos into opportunity,
nightmares into dreams.

I dedicate this book to people who
have had to turn themselves inside out
through horrific amounts of pain,
the kind of catastrophic life-changing events
that would crumble buildings.

To all the fighters, to all the survivors,
and to those who continue to fight each day.
To the ones who have lost love,
lost limbs, lost faith or hope.
To those who have lost their lives
like my sweet brother, Bradley

I dedicate this book to you.

I wonder if Ive been changed in the night? Let me
think: was I the same when I got up this morning?
I almost think I can remember feeling a little different.
But if Im not the same, the next question is, Who
in the world am I? Ah, thats the great puzzle!

FROM ALICES ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND,
BY LEWIS CARROLL

Whenever Im asked to describe what being diagnosed with cancer is like, what instantly floods my mind are images of a surreal and absurdist musical being acted out on some stage. Its impossible to expect the human brain to grasp the paralyzing devastation that comes from that single word: cancer. I liken it to Alices first trip down the rabbit hole, as she lost her footing and her world spun out of control. Just like Alice, I was catapulted into a bizarre misadventure that ultimately resulted in a beautiful metamorphosis.

Before I was diagnosed with cancer, I was finally having the wonderful life Id always dreamed of after a childhood filled with abuse. The experiences I went through as a young girl were traumatic, yet I believed they were normal.

Children should be seen and not heard was my fathers credo, and we marched to the beat of his drum or else we paid dearly. My mother was too young and self-absorbed to be a mother. My parents inability to be attentive, compassionate, and loving was not their fault, as they were products of their own environment. Yet the more I craved the love and attention that I couldnt get, the angrier and more rebellious I became. I believe I was suffering from depression and low self-esteem, and I continued on this path for years.

I often became ill from physical and emotional abuse as well as the typical teenage poor-quality diet, made up of chemical-laden, processed foods. When I was 17, I developed a spastic colon (also known as irritable bowel syndrome) and colitis. During this time, I had the privilege of stumbling across my first guru, Max Vanorman, who literally saved my life. He taught me to turn the damage from my family dysfunction into a desire to learn more about mental and emotional healingand he was the first person who ever showed me the connection between food and how we feel and function physically, mentally, and emotionally. Thanks to Max, I not only healed from my stomach issues within three weeks, I was also inspired to study natural healing in all its capacities.

I went on to attend Arizona State University, studying communications, broadcast journalism, and public health. I wanted to combine my interest in natural modalities with the ability to share the health. While earning my bachelor of arts degree, I worked as a research reporter and medical-news reporting assistant for NBC KPNX-TV 12 in Phoenix. Even back then, I tried to squeeze my natural stories in between sports and what I considered fluffbut in the late 80s, people had never heard of fish oil or probiotics, so my stories werent well received.