If you think there is a limit to the power of thought, consider the case of David Passmore, who was diagnosed with lymphatic cancer around his groin area 30 years ago. His oncologist’s prognosis was grim. David had an advanced cancer that would eventually kill him unless he immediately started a course of chemotherapy and radiotherapy, the doctor told him.

 If you think there is a limit to the power of thought, consider the case of David Passmore, who was diagnosed with lymphatic cancer around his groin area 30 years ago. His oncologist’s prognosis was grim. David had an advanced cancer that would eventually kill him unless he immediately started a course of chemotherapy and radiotherapy, the doctor told him.

How would you respond in that situation?  Would you have the nerve to refuse his treatment and use your own resources—primarily the power of your own mind and thoughts—to heal yourself? And not just once, but twice?

That’s precisely what David did.  “Against all considered opinion, I refused to take any treatment. The doctor was aghast as no patient of his had declined to do as prescribed,” said David.

So alarmed was the doctor by David’s wish to handle his own cancer that he referred him to Professor Timothy McElwain, a celebrated oncologist based at the Royal Marsden, who demanded to know on their first meeting why on earth David would refuse the best treatment available.

“I told him that I wanted to learn more about the disease. I would alter my diet and lifestyle considerably. I would continue my regular martial-arts training and exercise, and I would meditate on the subject,” said David.

David believed he knew why it had happened. He’d been working night and day on his successful media business and spending the few leisure hours he had left building a national network of Japanese martial-arts centres. “I was completely taken up with the peripheral stuff in my life,” he said, and ignoring its center: his wife and three children, as well as his own physical and spiritual nourishment.

“When I was diagnosed, I was just angry with myself. I knew immediately that it was my responsibility, and chemotherapy wasn’t going to solve it.”

Prof McElwain’s credulity was stretched to the limit by the thought that David was suggesting that he could ‘meditate’ his cancer away, but he was experienced enough to recognize strong resolve when confronted with it. He agreed to support this bizarre alternative regime, with one proviso: immediately report to him any sudden tiredness or weight loss.  

David returned to his home in the New Forest in Britain, and for the first five days he fasted and meditated, then got hold of images of the lymph system from some old medical textbooks.  “I started to visualize clusters of cancer cells in the lymph glands—I knew my affected glands were in my neck and arms—and I willed the areas to be well and free of disease.”

He also used every spare minute—when he was on the train or driving—to do ‘conscious breathing’—deep breaths just two or three times a minute—took mega-doses of vitamin C and starting reading some old books of his on spirituality.

“My senses began to change, my eyes saw the same things more vividly, my taste became more discerning, my hearing more acute,” said David.

This ‘brain training’ began to change his thoughts and intentions about his life and give him greater balance. “I began to simplify my life and to engage with my children, family and friends in a different and more meaningful way.’

Recently, at the age of 67 David faced an even bigger challenge when he was diagnosed with stage 4 prostate cancer. This time, his doctor was even more emphatic about the need for orthodox treatment.  He urgently needed an operation, radiotherapy—the works. 

Once again, David refused. Although his diet had been pristine, he believed there was more inner work to do.  He began long and powerful sessions of meditation and intention with visualization, to imagine, in exquisite detail, his body being free of the cancer.

Recently, when he had his latest PSA test, the score, which had been so elevated, was close to normal.

‘What on earth are you doing to treat this cancer?’ his astonished doctor said when he read the report.

‘Meditating,’ David replied.

The doctor looked baffled, then shook his head. “Wow,” he said. “That’s some powerful medicine.”