Today we wish one of our newest members of our ECHO Family – Mary Audrey Smith – a very happy birthday. We are also excited to highlight her success story in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer in 2013, Mary’s will to live compelled her to actively seek out solutions outside of traditional cancer treatments. Earlier this year she reached out to us at ECHO Connection.
“I was given a death sentence four years ago, and we know that’s not correct,” Mary said. “I’m still here!”
Throughout most of the three plus years since her diagnosis, Mary and her journey to wellness has been positive. Earlier this year, however, she started to feel that her recovery had hit a plateau. The cancer had spread and she felt she was losing ground. The stress caused her to suffer from night sweats, pain, nausea and dizziness — symptoms that she suspects were partly related to her lymphatic system busy fighting to maintain health.
Mary researched the potential benefits of cannabinoids like cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychoactive cannabinoid found in cannabis plants like hemp, and reached out to ECHO Connection.
Mary has been using CBD hemp oil through the ECHO sponsorship program since this summer. She takes three servings of CBD hemp oil each day – in the morning, at noon, and in the evening. After just three days of the regimen, she noticed differences both physically and emotionally. The hemp oil helps settle down her nausea, and reduce her pain and dizziness. She also feels the oil helps her feel calmer and have a clearer mind.
When asked for her advice for other patients diagnosed with cancer, Mary said: “Never ever believe a doctor if they say you are going to die if you have cancer. The doctor either doesn’t know or has given up. It’s really up to you. If you decided to die, then go for it. If not, the get the solution of where you want to go.”
She plans to celebrate her birthday by going to dinner this weekend with her beloved partner, Steven Jones. Happy Birthday Mary!
As ECHO continues its series of educational content around CBD’s potential therapeutic application for breast cancer throughout this October for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we invite you to look through our previously-published related articles, including:
- Study Finds 1 in 4 Cancer Patients Use Medical Cannabinoids Where They’re Legal
- Study Shows CBDA Beneficial for Breast Cancer
- Here’s What the National Cancer Institute Says About CBD for Breast Cancer
ECHO is proud to help educate families on the therapeutic and healing properties of CBD, and to connect those facing special circumstances with product donations. We’re proud to have sponsored 22 families so far. Learn more about how to become an ECHO Sponsored Family and what to know when applying.
You can learn even more about cannabinoids and what research has found about their therapeutic potential for breast cancer through our education page.
