The spinal cancer returns, a new way forward

Today’s blog is a more personal reflection on health, healing and homeopathy. I have written about my husband, Ron, fairly often. Many of you who read my newsletters and posts have followed both Ron and I in his medical adventures for many years now.

A couple of times I have had to stop everything just to attend to medical situations. The most serious of the situations was in 2018. Some of you may recall – I even taught an online course afterward – Homeopathy for Pre and Post Abdominal Gall Bladder Surgery. (the course is not available on my website but if there is enough interest, we can put it up)

That was Ron’s diagnosis at the time.

The tumour is revealed

In the process of the gall bladder episode, the CT scan revealed a tumour at the bottom of Ron’s spine – right on the tailbone. A biopsy was ordered and long story short, Ron was diagnosed with a very rare form of cancer (sarcoma) called Chordoma.

With the diagnosis of Sacral Chordoma, I went into my research mode and looked up everything I could. I found the Chordoma Foundation and found soma amazing resources that helped us understand what a Chordoma is in medical terms, practical terms, with first person experiences and a wonderful supportive community.

Ron had an 11 ½ hour surgery to remove the tumour.

A conventional cancer treatment

Chordoma cancer is chemo resistant and the best option for radiation treatment is proton beam radiation therapy – only available in the USA.

After the surgery, we discussed conventional medical options, and the choice was to wait on the proton radiation. The surgery was successful – clear margins and the tumour removed whole.

Ron was up and walking within a couple of days and off pain meds very quickly. I attribute that to the care of my colleague and our friend who came up from California. He took the night shift that allowed me to get some sleep, and he monitored Ron’s prescription meds, made sure that Ron got sleep and he was Ron’s homeopath for that first week.

Ron’s MRIs were clear until 2024 when a possible recurrence began to show. Surgery to remove the tiny tumour was done October 2024 and it was confirmed to be chordoma – likely from seeding from the biopsy done in 2018.

I have yet to create a wound care course, but just to say – I learned a LOT about wound care post-surgery. Another story for another blog and another course one day!!

Throughout this now 8-year journey with the diagnosis, we have also been guided and supported through the Chordoma Foundation. With their resources, I have been able to navigate this ‘adventure’ with Ron with more confidence than if I had been trying to figure this out on my own.

Another reveal in the MRI and a major life change

Ron has regular MRI’s and in November of 2025 another ‘spot’ was detected, and in April of 2026 it was clear the spot was growing. Surgery is booked for June 19, 2026, in Vancouver where the other two surgeries have been. We have had incredible care from the Blusson Spine Centre where the surgeons there have extensive experience in chordoma cancer.

Post surgery June 19, 2026, and 2-month recovery July and August 2026, we will be headed likely to the University of Florida Health Proton Therapy Institute in Jacksonville, Florida. Expected treatment stay is 2-3 months. The proton radiation treatment is 5 days a week with weekends off. And the radiation exposure is less than 5 minutes per treatment. It’s a very long time to be away.

This time my work will continue!

Through all of this, I intend to keep up with my website, newsletters/blogs, and launching of the much-delayed Empowered Parents course.

Previously, with Ron’s other surgeries, I put my work on hold – and I found I needed the break but missed sharing my love and passion for homeopathy with others. This time, it’s a little different.

Behind the website is a great team!

There is a remarkable team from Website Alchemy who are behind Powers of Homeopathy – Serena Star-Leonard, John Leonard, Christina Nightingale and Catarina Carvalho. For homeopaths who are part of PoH readership, do check them out if you need a website built! Or any of you looking for a renovation on your website with some excellent support – both technical and coaching.

Because I have this kind of support, I am motivated and intend to see what I can do in the next few months. Please bear with me. I will also continue to teach for the Northwestern Academy of Homeopathy in the 2026-2027 season.

If there are blips in getting out a newsletter/blog, you will know why. If there are delays in replies, you will know why. I will try to be as consistent as possible.

Curious about this part of our adventure?

If you are curious about this, I will also be writing again in our Caring Bridge account, and you can even start at the beginning, and keep up with Ron and me for this journey.

We will likely also have to do some fund raising. Alberta Health Services (if Ron is approved for proton radiation treatment) covers the treatments but 2-3 months living in the US is a whole other expense!

Respect for conventional and complementary medicine working together

Some of the upcoming blogs will be about ‘having a foot in two worlds’ – conventional medicine and complementary medicine. Receiving a diagnosis of cancer can be terrifying for many. Ron has a remarkable personality and constitution that allows him to go with the flow – cheerfully go with the flow and if I had to travel this road of conventional medicine AND complementary medicine with anyone, it would be with Ron.

I am grateful for all the conventional medical practitioners we have met along the way – grateful for their skill, their expertise, their experience. And I am grateful for the homeopathic care we have been able to use to complement Ron’s healing journey.

For too long, there has been a rather large gap between conventional medicine and complementary modalities, but it is changing where it is not about either/or but both/and. Respect for both and the potential for both to work together for healing and health.

If you feel you are being called to walk this adventure with us, my deepest thanks,

Yours in health, healing and gratitude,

Donna