My Cancer Journey
In 1990 when I was 36 I was diagnosed with bowel cancer. As I struggled to come to terms with this devastating news I stumbled upon a part of myself that I had not met before: the “real” Diana. This meeting took me on a journey of self-discovery and healing.
Conventional therapy treated my cancer symptoms. But I discovered that to heal fully I also had to address the unresolved deep-seated issues that were at the heart of my dis-ease. This took me on a two-year path of personal and spiritual self-discovery. After my recovery I travelled around the world and worked with healers, shamans, and teachers who completely changed my perspective on life and healing.
My profound learnings from this experience have imprinted themselves indelibly on my belief system in every way. I was so convinced of the validity of these findings that I became a counsellor to share my knowledge with others.
I believe there is an emotional component of cancer. Cancer can exist in our spirit and encompass our innate and fundamental expression, the hidden part of us. To effect lasting healing of the body we must also heal the spirit and the perception of self.
I have written some specific advice around cancer support and counselling in a series of blog articles, which you can access here.
Cancer Support Articles
How to support someone with a cancer diagnosis
Unfortunately, it’s highly likely that at some point in your life someone in your family or a very close friend will be diagnosed with cancer. This news can unleash a roller-coaster of [...]
Martin Crowes’ story
Martin Crowe, world-famous New Zealand cricketer, came to me as a client when he was diagnosed with lymphoma. His wife, Lorraine Downes, has graciously allowed me to share an excerpt from her memoir Life, Loss, Love.
“One of the first things Marty did after his diagnosis was begin counselling sessions with Diana Newcomb, a cancer survivor. Diana had written a book called Cancer: Don’t Buy Into Its Terror Tactics. She believed that her cancer had been brought on by her emotions, and when Marty read that, it resonated with him instantly.
His sessions with Diana unleashed a whole barrage of deep-seated emotions he’d been hanging on to. I would wake up some nights to hear the sound of sobbing coming from downstairs, and I’d find Marty lying on the floor, the emotion pouring out of him…
Diana was a godsend. She was able to connect with Marty and guide him – sometimes gently, sometimes not so gently – so that he could understand the destructive thinking that had become a habit after so many years of practice. She showed him his ego and how it could make him fearful. She also showed him how to shut down that ego when the fearful thoughts came, and to say to the constant questioning thoughts in his head, ‘I don’t care.’
Doing this was a huge challenge for Marty – his negative thinking had dominated his psyche for thirty years. But he now believed these thought patterns had caused his cancer and accepted that he needed to change. Diana taught Marty about meditating, which was the ideal tool for him as it required him to still his mind. It was a tool he could turn to when the suffering became too much.
These counselling sessions helped him to find inner peace.”