Latest news with #marathonRunner
Daily Mail
19 hours ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Runner baffles doctors by curing his cancer without drugs or surgery - using an unconventional method
A 103-year-old marathon runner claims he halted the spread of his cancer with a radical diet overhaul. Mike Fremont, from Cincinnati, Ohio, went against doctors' advice and rejected drugs and surgery when he was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer at age 69. Doctors at the Cleveland Clinic told him the disease would kill him within three months unless he began chemotherapy and radiotherapy, followed by surgery to remove the main tumor. At that point, the cancer had already spread to his lymph nodes — a stage known as metastasis — when the disease is still potentially curable, but at high risk of becoming terminal. Typically, doctors use drugs to shrink the tumor so it can be surgically removed. But instead of opting for proven treatments, Fremont switched to a strict vegan diet centered on whole foods like sweet and white potatoes (without oil), tofu, leafy greens, legumes, vegetables, fruit, and non-dairy milks. He claims the plant-based lifestyle cured his metastases. Two years later, he underwent surgery to remove the tumor and says he has been cancer-free ever since. But doctors remain fiercely skeptical, warning that even the strictest vegan diet cannot replace chemotherapy or immunotherapy. 'While a healthy diet plays a supportive role in cancer care, doctors argue it must be combined with medical treatments. Nutrition alone cannot eliminate cancer.' Cancer experts previously told the Daily Mail they are seeing a 'concerning' rise of patients using controversial treatments. A 2023 study found 70 percent of cancer patients use alternative medicine, one in three of that share use it as their sole method of treatment and 27 percent hid it from their oncologists. Dr Heber added: 'A nutritious diet should be used along with proper treatments in cancer patients, but diet alone absolutely cannot cure cancer.' Around 75 percent of colorectal cancer patients will be alive five years after their diagnosis with treatment. Without treatment, survival rates drop to just 44 percent after three years, making medical intervention absolutely crucial. A former Yale University wrestler, Fremont had been an avid runner since the 70s when he was grieving the death of his wife. His first of more than a dozen marathons was the 1972 Boston Marathon. At 103, the retired engineer and climate activist still holds multiple world records as the fastest marathoner in the 88, 90, and 91-year-old age categories. That's why it was so shocking when Fremont got the world-upending news in 1991. He said: 'I contracted a cancer which the Cleveland Clinic said would kill me in 3 months unless operated upon. 'I said no, I was going on a diet! 'The tumor had metastasized into my lymphatic system and would have required efforts to treat the metastases with radiation and/or chemotherapy.' Two years later he underwent an operation to remove the tumor from his colon when it began to bleed. After the procedure, doctors checked for cancer spread in 35 places around Fremont's body, he said, and found zero signs of cancer spread to other parts of the body. Fremont believes that his stellar health and advanced age are primarily due to his habits, rather than genetics. His father died of liver cancer, and his mother of a heart attack. He said: 'The results of the diet have been perfect and it has been since that diet that all my world records have come about as well as such distinction in the US.' And he doesn't plan on slowing down. 'My route is 5 miles long, through a scenic park near Cincinnati with mixed surface, lots of hills,' he said. 'The first mile is at my maximum speed, the other four under pressure to run fast. I resolved at age 98 to run 5 miles rather than 10, but to do it at speed.' Fremont has always followed a disciplined fitness plan, saying he runs five miles three times a week and incorporating push-ups and pull-ups. A typical day of eating for Fremont begins with oatmeal, syrup, and blueberries for breakfast. Lunch consists of beans, while dinner includes broccoli florets topped with ketchup. Fremont also lives a low-stress lifestyle, using exercise as a form of emotional release. He also does not drink or smoke. His healthy lifestyle has been shown to prevent cancer and its recurrence. Research has shown that a structured exercise program for stage II and III colon cancer patients reduced recurrence by 28 percent, lowered mortality risk by 37 percent over eight years, and showed benefits with just 1.5 to 2.25 hours of brisk walking weekly. Focusing on whole, unprocessed plant foods increases the amount of beneficial nutrients and compounds taken in that help reduce inflammation, a key factor in cancer development. Additionally, these dietary choices can support healthy weight, cholesterol levels, and blood sugar control, all of which contribute to a lower cancer risk But there is no concrete evidence diet alone can reverse cancer.
Daily Mail
08-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
I thought I had a common hangover symptom - it was actually TWO deadly brain tumours
A Yorkshire man who is terminally ill with two brain tumours completed the London Marathon in an astonishing three hours and 16 minutes, less than a year after he lost the ability to walk. George Wade, 41, from Thirsk in Yorkshire, was diagnosed with two cancerous growths in April last year, after suffering a series of symptoms which he initially ignored. The first sign was a severe headache, which came on one morning while driving back from a boozy weekend in Cheltenham. Oddly, he found that looking at the car headlights made him feel sick. 'I just thought it was like a huge hangover from Cheltenham and knackering myself out,' he said. But within a month, Mr Wade began experiencing stroke-like symptoms, such as the left side of his face and body becoming weak and drooping. He phoned his GP brother-in-law who reassured him about the episode and arranged for him to have blood and eye tests, which came back clear. He was booked in for a precautionary MRI scan on April 18, three days before he was due to run the Blackpool Marathon. There are more than 120 different types of brain tumours meaning the symptoms vary a lot. Hearing voices, losing interest in hobbies, forgetfulness, blurry vision and growth spurts especially in the hands and feet are all warning signs of a brain tumour 'As soon as they pulled me out at the end, the whole body language of the nurses seemed different,' he said. He was told a consultant would see him, and during the five-minute wait he began accepting the idea of being diagnosed with a brain tumour. But when he found out he had two tumours he felt hopeless. Mr Wade was diagnosed with two astrocytoma tumours, which are often aggressive. One was classified as grade four—the size of a tennis ball—and another was a golf ball-sized growth in the middle of his brain. 'Weirdly in my head, one would have been OK,' he said. 'But two … I just thought, I'm done. You know, if you've got two brain tumours, surely you just die.' Doctors told Mr Wade he might have had the tumours for up to 20 years and his symptoms were caused when his brain 'eventually just ran out of space'. He was referred to UCL Hospital in London's Queen's Square and started having video calls about treatment by the end of the week. Leading up to his surgery, doctors prescribed steroids to reduce inflammation in his brain, but they caused him to experience mania and paranoia when he was in hospital, resulting in him being held on a psychiatric ward for four days. In June, Mr Wade underwent an eight-hour surgery to remove his larger tumour and subsequently had to undergo another two-hour procedure to treat a bleed on the brain. When he woke up from surgery, Mr Wade said he could not open his left hand or walk properly, so had to work with physiotherapists to regain his movement. Re-learning to walk on his own made Mr Wade feel like running a marathon was a 'million miles away,' but he was able to walk within two days and run within a month. In July he started chemotherapy, taking temozolomide pills once a month for six months. But in the same month he developed an eye infection due to fluid leaking from his head, and underwent yet more surgery to treat it, as well as eight rounds of antibiotics. Today, he still being treated for a recurring skin infection and month have scans every three months. While doctors say his condition is 'life-limiting', they aren't sure on a firm prognosis. Despite this, he feels 'incredibly fit and healthy'. So much so that Mr Wade completed the London Marathon this year in record time, in aid of the National Brain Appeal, just two months after his final surgery. He said: 'I kind of thought I was fit enough to get a personal best. So I was really pleased that it all went well and was my fastest ever marathon.' 'I love a challenge, and I love a battle. One: I'm 41 and super fit, and two: I'm determined and we're going to battle through it,' he added.
