From Fear to Hope: My Healing Journey at ITC Immunity Therapy Center

At first, when you’re first told this you sort of feel like you are standing on quicksand or at least you are in a state of confusion. They told me that I have cancer The doctor said it in a calm tone yet; the moment the words left his mouth my entire world came crashing down. I was a 45 years man and a father of two; accepting to be barred from your family, no chance of taking care of my children and see them grow without a father terrified me. I was afraid, confused about my direction in this project, and had no idea what to expect next.

Searching for Answers

The moment I started receiving the news, I was dragged into research as if looking for something to fill that gap. Conventional therapies such as chemotherapy all had me cringing. I needed a therapy that would win the battle against the disease as well as maintain the quality of my life. ITC Immunity Therapy Center in Tijuana, Mexico was where patients were treated as complete individuals and were given individual attention and a more comprehensive treatment for cancer.

The Arrival

When I joined ITC I was happy yet at the same time I was scared. The atmosphere was so warm, the audience was composed of people who know what I going to embark on. The first person I got to meet was Dr. Carlos Bautista, such a composed man which made me feel relaxed. He heard my anxiety and dreams and addressed me more closely not as a customer but as a woman.

“We will get through this, and I will support you through it and do whatever I can to make you feel better.”

The Emotional Rollercoaster

The treatments started, and I woke up each day – having both the desire and the anxiety to fight. It was a constant dull ache which brought me back to reality when I was beginning to daydream. There were days that I felt my body is in a state of rebellion it is day and night fighting between hope and hopelessness. I recall finding myself in the treatment room and seeing other patients – some were smiling, the others were trying to hold back tears. Said one of my patients as she added, “It is alright to be frightened; just do not be terrified to live.”

That I think was a turning point for me. Then I understood that I was not only fighting cancer anymore; I was learning what life was about and how much my family was important to me.

A New Beginning

After months of treatment, I received the news I had been praying for: my cancer was in remission. I recall staring at the floor in Dr. Bautista’s office, crying my eyes out and suddenly finding comfort that was out of the ordinary. “You did this,” he answered me with a smile.

“You gave your best efforts and you encouraged all the people near you.”

Today, I stand as a survivor happy that I went through the entire process. Both ITC and the goodwill of Dr. Bautista are instrumental in helping me to get back my lost life. I consider every moment spent with my children a blessing since life is way too short.

If you or somebody dear to you is struggling in a similar fight, don’t despair for you are not alone. Yes, this post talks about the pain, the physical pain and the pains of the heart that are part of this process, but there is a healing path that respects the journey and respects the feelings. Working at ITC I learned that hope is never far out of reach.