Hi, my name is Jess. I am a wife and mother to two wonderful children, and like many people, I was juggling family life and a demanding career in senior human resource management when my world quietly began to shift.
For nearly two years, I experienced ongoing symptoms – dizziness, migraines, and vertigo. They were disruptive, but not alarming enough to suggest anything serious. In January 2023, my GP recommended a routine MRI, simply to rule out “anything nasty.” That seemingly ordinary scan changed the course of my life forever.
The results revealed a brain tumour about the size of a grape on my right occipital lobe. I was advised it could not be safely removed, and over the following six months it grew to the size of a small lime. A biopsy was then undertaken.
In September 2023, I received the diagnosis: glioblastoma. I was told I had twelve to eighteen months to live. Like so many others, I was plunged into a world of uncertainty—medical appointments, limited treatment options, and the surreal feeling that this could not possibly be my reality. But deep down, I knew I could not accept the prognosis without exhausting all potential options open to me.
I spent hundreds of hours researching complementary approaches to support my medical treatment, anything that might give my body even the smallest advantage. My mindset was simple: if something had even a one percent chance of helping, I wanted to understand it. If it resonated with me, I was willing to try.
Over time, something began to shift. My three-monthly MRI scans showed encouraging results. I started to regain strength physically, mentally, and emotionally. I could walk, talk, and feel like myself again. I was not just living, I was thriving!
As I began sharing what I was learning with close family and friends, they encouraged me to write a book. That is how Defying the Diagnosis came to life. I share my journey with the goal that it helps others navigating a similar path, and the loved ones supporting them.
It was written from a place of deep determination to offer hope, strength, and reassurance, and to remind others they are not alone.
In December 2025, I received the words I had been told were not possible: No Evidence of Disease.
Today, I continue with treatment alongside the complementary protocols outlined in my book that have supported my healing. I remain focused, committed, and deeply grateful, while holding deep respect for those who do not receive the same outcome.
This experience has changed how I see life. I now treat each day as a gift, because the truth is, none of us are guaranteed tomorrow.
If sharing my story provides even a small light of hope for someone on their cancer journey, then it has been worth it.
Jess’s book, Defying The Diagnosis: A Survivor’s Journey Towards Healing Stage 4 Cancer is available on Amazon now.
Pictured: Jess with her husband Alan and their two children, Jacob and Jasmine.
