How a Cancer Survivor Has Stayed Healthy for Two Decades After a Life-Threatening Recurrence

Epoch Times

5 days ago

In 2007, at age 36 and just six months into her marriage, Yang Ya-chuan underwent a medical check-up as she and her husband were trying to conceive a child. They received an unexpected diagnosis—cancer in her ovary.
Despite immediate surgery to remove the affected ovary, a year later, the cancer had spread.In a second procedure, surgeons took turns removing all the affected organs.
When she awoke, Yang learned that she had lost her remaining ovary, uterus, and part of her intestines. A bag was next to her belly button, with a piece of intestine sticking out.
'I felt like my whole world had collapsed.' Yang told The Epoch Times.
'I don't know what I did to deserve this. I don't know how much time I have left. Even the doctors can't tell me how long I'll live.'
At the most devastating point in her life, she started a qigong practice, which altered the course of her life.
A Chance Encounter
During her week-long hospital stay following surgery, her suffering continued.
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At the time, she was struggling with abdominal fluid buildup and severe pain from her surgical incision, which made it difficult to sleep. She also struggled mentally, feeling as though she looked like a Frankenstein's monster, with tubes and stitches. She cried to the point she couldn't speak, blaming fate was unfair.
Yang hired a caregiver to help look after her. Seeing Yang in such pain, the caregiver suggested that she try practicing a qigong practice called Falun Gong in hopes of relieving the mental and, hopefully, physical discomfort. The caregiver told Yang it had significantly improved her own health.
Falun Gong is a spiritual discipline that combines meditation with gentle, slow-moving exercises—similar to yoga or tai chi. It also comes with teachings that follow the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and forbearance. It emphasizes the development of moral character and personal cultivation.
Initially, Yang was skeptical. Still, she agreed to listen to recorded teachings.
'After about 20 minutes of listening, I would start to feel more at ease and could even take a short nap,' she said.
In 2010, Yang underwent her first round of chemotherapy. The treatment left her physically weakened, and she lost around 22 pounds.
She continued her therapy while keeping up her practice. Once discharged from the hospital, she took the time to attend a nine-day Falun Gong seminar.
Following her sixth round of chemotherapy, both her dietitian and doctor noticed something unusual—although Yang had lost weight, her muscle mass had been fully preserved.
Typically, chemotherapy causes a sharp decline in white blood cell count, increasing the risk of infection and potentially posing serious health risks. However, Yang's test results consistently showed that her white blood cell counts remained within a healthy range throughout treatment—a rare outcome for patients undergoing chemotherapy.
Noting how quickly Yang's body recovered after each round of chemotherapy, her doctor recommended she undergo six additional sessions as a preventive measure.
Yang told the doctor that she decided not to pursue the preventive sessions due to the potential physical toll. She also shared that she had experienced significant improvements since starting her practice of Falun Gong.
To her surprise, the renowned Taiwanese gynecologic oncology specialist, Hua-Hsi Wu, agreed with her decision. 'Then keep practicing Falun Gong,' he said.
Recovery
Since then, Yang has devoted herself fully to the mind and body practice.
Shortly after practicing Falun Gong outdoors, she experienced a unique swirling sensation in her back—in the area where she had previously undergone surgery to remove her lipoma. The strong energy flow lasted for longer than six months, she said.
'Every time I practiced, even in cold weather, I would break into a sweat. The smell of my sweat reminded me of the chemotherapy drugs, IV fluids, and disinfectants used during my hospital treatment. This continued for nearly a year.'
A month after completing her chemotherapy, her body returned to the state it was in before she underwent surgery, Yang said.
Practicing Falun Gong also helped Yang cultivate a more positive and peaceful outlook on life.
'Rather than resenting my illness, I have learned to face it with calm acceptance. After reading Zhuan Falun [the core text of Falun Gong], I came to understand that true health begins with being a kind and considerate person,' she said.
Her family and friends were surprised to see her let go of her previously impatient and quick-tempered nature—even her driving habits had changed.
For more than a decade, she has lived a healthy and energetic life.
Last August, Taipei Veterans General Hospital issued a health certificate indicating that Yang was symptom-free at the time of examination.
A health certificate issued by Taipei Veterans General Hospital on Aug. 20, 2024, indicated that Yang was symptom-free at the time of examination.
Courtesy of Yang Ya-chuan
The Power of Belief
Commenting on Yang's remarkable recovery after practicing Falun Gong, Dr. Glynn Weldon Gilcrease, associate professor of oncology at the University of Utah School of Medicine, told The Epoch Times that oncology typically relies on statistical measures—such as median survival—to assess prognosis.
However, he noted that some patients show unusually positive responses to treatment that are difficult to explain medically—and often, even the patients themselves cannot pinpoint a specific reason.
'I believe that having hope and a sense of meaning in life is crucial. When you have a purpose—when you understand why you're here—that makes a significant difference,' he said.
Dr. Chih-Ying Liao, a radiation oncologist at China Medical University Hospital in Taiwan, emphasized the importance of belief in cancer recovery.
'The human brain is a remarkable organ—it can influence the immune system,' he told The Epoch Times.
'Practices such as qigong and meditation can help stabilize both the body and mind,' Liao said. 'From a spiritual or religious standpoint, there's indirect evidence that these practices may improve quality of life, enhance sleep, and reduce levels of inflammatory hormones. These effects could, in turn, help support cancer recovery by boosting the immune system.'
Patients with greater emotional stability are also more likely to care for their physical health—maintaining healthier diets, exercising regularly, and ultimately achieving better treatment outcomes, he said. In some cases, this can even lead to cancer reversal.
In recent years, the concept of integrative oncology has received growing attention within the medical community.
A 2021
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As of the report date, 149 patients were still alive and in good health. Compared to the predicted 5.1 months, their survival period was prolonged to 56 months. Notably, patients' quality of life also improved significantly.
A recent photo of Yang Ya-chuan.
Courtesy of Yang Ya-chuan
Surviving and Thriving
Three years after completing chemotherapy, Yang returned to the workforce.
She became a life insurance agent at Nan Shan Life, one of Taiwan's top three insurance providers. She has earned the prestigious Million Dollar Round Table recognition seven times—an honor that marks her as one of the top professionals in the industry.
She's also been in good health. Once a frequent visitor to clinics, Yang used to catch a cold every three to four months, suffer sleepless nights from persistent coughing, and struggle with digestive issues. Now, she doesn't.
'I am even healthier than I was before the cancer.'