Support Luwana Dyer's Fight Against Ovarian Cancer

** Update: 5/6/25

My appts were rescheduled due to some health issues that kept me from traveling. I am headed to AZ next week to meet with the integrative oncology team, as well as starting with a new ND next week as well. I will update everyone on my tx planning after my appts!! I am healing OK after surgery and feeling a bit better at the moment. TY to everyone for the well wishes and the donations - it has made a world of difference.

** Update: 4/7/25. Please see below for more details.

Luwana Dyer has spent her life taking care of others: as a therapist, as an adoptive mother of six incredible teens, and in her animal rescue that saved hundreds of animals and helped them find loving homes. She deserves an amazing amount of credit for all of the help she has given, and now she’s the one who needs support.

Luwana was recently diagnosed with ovarian cancer. She’s pouring a lot of energy into finding the most advanced and helpful treatment options—but many of these treatments aren’t covered by insurance, and the costs are intense (More than Luwana can afford).

She is working hard on recovery and treatment planning while trying to keep things steady at home. She hopes to return to work, but is unsure of when, and she shouldn’t have to carry all of this at once. She deserves some room to breathe and focus on getting well without worrying that she cannot afford to stay alive.

We hope this fundraiser will help cover her treatment costs, travel when her care takes her out of town, and giving her a bit of support at home while she gets through this.

Luwana has given so much to others over the years. If you’re able to give—even a little—it makes a real difference. And if you can share this with others, that helps too.

Thank you so very much!

**UPDATE: 4-7-25

This is Luwana. I want to share a bit with you all. This is a bit long, and I apologize. However, I share so much in hope that this is helpful for those reading.

I would like to give some more information about my journey, as I move further into it, so that anyone praying, donating and/or sharing this fundraiser can know exactly who and how they are helping. I will also respond to any questions, and I am happy to share any part of my research or experience if it can help anyone else go through this. I have added a lot of details, maybe more than needed, to create some awareness around symptoms, as well as the current medical system/process (which has been rough to navigate), as it seems there is little awareness in these areas, and we are discovering these details much too late. This makes me sad and angry, and hopeful for change.

I had some symptoms in May of 2024 (some abdominal pain and bloating and ongoing bleeding) and went to my gynecologist. We did an internal ultrasound in June and found what appeared to be a fibroid in my uterus and some small cysts in my uterus and one on my left ovary. The doctor suggested we monitor since the pain and bleeding was mild and we did another internal ultrasound seven months later (still having same symptoms), first week of January 2025. Everything was reported to look about the same size, and three weeks after my ultrasound the doctor talked with me about doing a scraping and removing and testing cysts, just to be cautious. This was the last week of January. Three weeks later I was very tired and had some more concerning abdominal pain and some lower back pain, and the next week I was calling asking about my appt, which had still not been scheduled (They eventually called and suggested a late March appt). The next Tuesday, I woke up in severe pain. After stumbling to the kitchen and passing out a few times, I called 911 and ended up in the ER. After a CT scan and MRI I was told my situation was emergent due to a large mass on my right ovary, and was then told the hospital did not have a specialist so they could not help me, and that they could not transfer me to another hospital, and they discharged me. My boyfriend then drove 5 hours and picked me up and then drove another 2.5 hours to bring me to Southern Maine and we checked into the ER that next morning. I called my gyno on the way, and she was at the hospital, so I was seen promptly. After meeting with the oncology team and a biopsy, I was in surgery (Thursday 6th). After a radical hysterectomy (and bilateral oophorectomy – removal of ovaries) and a few weeks of healing, I was told that I had uterine and ovarian cancer (24th) and that my mass had ruptured and we were headed into chemo and genetic testing, etc. I had some complications after the surgery but was released on the 15th and have been healing and researching as much as energy has allowed. I have been on a blood thinner post-surgery, so I am not yet on many of the supplements or holistic supports I want, due to interactions with the blood thinner (But I’ll post below what I am looking to do). Currently I am waiting on genetic testing, meeting my new oncologist next week, and then head to my appt at Envita, an integrative cancer treatment center in AZ, the week after (where there will be more tests). I will be 8-9 weeks post-surgery before all my tests come in and we have a plan (Was told treatment should start 4-6 weeks after surgery, but this is the pace that we are moving at). I have cut out all added sugar, all soy (due to type of cancer), drastically reduced glutamine, I am fasting weekly and taking the limited supplements and teas that I can, practicing deep breathing for increased oxygen, and will be doing infrared therapy at home (cheap, lower grade version of hyperthermic therapy).

I share this timeline as a call to ppl to seek care early and to advocate for yourself. Things move very slowly in the medical world, and we are waiting much too long on important care due to understaffed offices, slow referrals and slow medical record transfers. All of my maternal aunts (3) and my mom had hormone related cancer, and one aunt died of ovarian cancer. If you are noticing symptoms, and have a family history, advocate for yourself, for prompt care. I am finally doing this, and lining up care, but I probably would not be in this situation if I had been a stronger advocate for myself from the beginning. And, even with my advocating, I have been on the phone multiple times with providers, many people have still not called me back, and things are moving very slowly. For anyone with cancer, it is impossible not to worry while we are waiting, wondering if the added weeks without treatment are going to be the reason the cancer spreads and we don’t survive.

At this point, I have my first appt in AZ in 11 days. This fist appt will cost me about10K. I am able to pay for this due to some limited savings. This, however, is just testing & planning. Everything in AZ will be out of pocket. I have been trying to raise funds for the next stage, which will be the active treatment phase. Asking for help with this is weird for me, as I usually can manage on my own. But today, I got some more information about treatment costs, and it is the first time I have felt panic, worry that I will know what I need but that I won’t get treatment because of money. And I realized that I need a lot of help. I have been a single mom with six kids for the last few years, and prior to this I ran a non-profit animal rescue, which was wonderful, but financially draining. I fractured my spine last year before all of this and missed some work for this medical issue as well (This has mostly healed- just no more rock climbing or surfing or other extreme sports). This said, I don’t have access to any large assets or amount of money to draw from. The low starting estimate for care is 125k (I had guessed it might be 50-60K). When I saw this, my heart dropped… I cannot receive care unless I come up with the money. I am going to try to figure out how to make treatment as affordable as possible, that said, it will still be too much. It is going to take a miracle for me to be able to pay my bills and pay for treatment. Fortunately, I still believe in miracles, and I am doing everything I can to make this happen. I am open to any outside the box ideas…loans, etc. It is my hope that I will get proper care and be able to pass the support I receive forward to others. I am a therapist, and I am in a holistic nutritional practitioner program that will wrap up next February. I am hoping that I can use these tools, as well as my writing skills, to be a resource and advocate for others moving forward, as this is a confusing and exhausting fight that no one should fight alone.

For now, as I move a day at a time, my goal is to be around for my children (And all the other people I love). This means getting treatment, which means trying to pull off a fundraising miracle. I have seen others do it, and I am choosing to have faith that it is possible for me to do the same. Any prayer, donation, or share of this post will help me with this goal. I thank you in advance for helping me fight cancer and stay alive. God Bless and may your kindness come back to you 10-FOLD!!!

**For anyone curious about my individual treatment, I’ll have more specific information at the end of the month, and I will update this fundraiser as things progress. In terms of my research, here are a few things you can explore if you are exploring additional treatment options (I’ll be doing a good deal of what I share). Every type and grade of cancer is unique. I have been researching Ovarian cancer mainly, though a lot of these things can be considered for many cancers. Also, supplements and herbs are often synergistic or antagonistic with one another, as well as with other treatments like chemo, so you will want to do your research and talk with your oncologist & nutritionist (Ideally an integrative oncologist). And, dosage is super important, as dosage makes the difference between medicine and poison, so this should be figured out with a professional. I am still learning, and this is just a quick snapshot of what has piqued my interest in the last two weeks of research, but I think it may be a good starting point for others. In addition to your oncologist, Chat GPT, Facebook cancer groups, and local cancer support programs are good places to start asking for more information about some of these. There are some organizations that will support with some of these treatments, but it is a search, often cancer & location specific, and many may be out of funds.

At home supplemental care

Fasting to kill the cancer cells- Takes 18-24 hours for ketosis & autophagy (cellular clean up – to kill cancer cells) to begin. 48-72 hours is when autophagy becomes more active. 72+ hours your body may begin stem cell regeneration.

Stay hydrated and make sure to have electrolytes on hand. There are some electrolytes that contain D- BHB (SHIFT brand), but this may interfere with your ketosis, and I would only use those when not fasting. I am using LMNT brand electrolytes.

Celtic salt looks like a good salt to consider if you are making your own electrolyte mixture.

You can use a glucose and ketone meter to keep track of your levels. The Keto- Mojo meter is around $50.00 ( plus cost of strips). You will want a ketone level of 1.5 -5 for higher ketosis and autophagy. I am usually at about 1.2 at about 24 hours.

If doing chemo- there are specific suggestions around fasting and you should create a thoughtful schedule around the chemo.

Diet- Low-no sugar and low glutamine (To starve cancer cells). Low iron for Ovarian cancer (esp heme iron in red meat). Increase poly-phenols (green tea, turmeric, etc) to modulate iron absorption.

I am using stevia and allulose and Monk Fruit (pure) for any sweetness. I am still eating some fresh fruits (despite sugar) for the benefits they provide.

I am using a Protein shake to help with protein intake. No whey or soy for me, so I am using Garden of Life (Raw organic protein and greens) & Sun Warrior (Protein warrior blend). I add spirulina, barely grass, flax and hemp seeds to my shakes.

Supplements- All suggested for cancer support, but definitely do the research on your exact needs. Sugg dosages can vary a lot depending on purpose of use, other supplements, etc. Also make sure you research the brands and sources and bioavailability of your products.

Turmeric Curcumin blend (root, ginger, pepper)

Fish oil (wild salmon)

CoQ10 (Chia)

B-12 ( Raw methylcobalamin)

D3

Vit C

Probiotics

Quercetin ( w/ bromelain)

Acetyl L- carnitine

Alpha Lipoic Acid

Melatonin (10-20mg suggested)

Gaba & theanine

Magnesium

A, E, K

Taurine & L-arginine – w/ low meat consumption

B-6

Chromium

And a few I am still researching…

Indole-3-carbinol (conflicting info about estrogenic and anti-estrogenic behavior)

BCAA supplements with low protein intake

Herbs- You will want to consider teas, verse capsules, verse tinctures based on what strength you are hoping for / what role these play in your care.

I am drinking green tea, clover and dandelion (This last one for detox, in moderation, some ppl suggest milk thistle instead).

Mushrooms- Be careful, some are not suggested for cancer tx.

Turkey tail, reishi, shiitake, maitake, cordyceps (I will be taking these).

Black seed oil

Oregano oil

Berberine

Sweet wormwood

Frankincense

Ginko and Ginseng

Mistletoe

Essaic tea and soursop have mixed reviews (possible toxicity) but worth researching

There are many more suggestions out there, but these seemed the most helpful and the safest to me.

Testing- I will add to this list after my trip to AZ

Complete genetic panel

Bloodwork: C-125 to be monitored during tx

Request MRI instead of CT scans for monitoring (reduced radiation)

ctDNA test (need tumor sample) for targeted tx

Heavy metal test ( detox & chelation)

Treatments /meds/ etc

Exercise and deep breathing, infrared sauna, hot Epsom baths, massage ( esp if lymph removal), acupuncture, etc

Hyperthermia, oxygen therapy, Vic C IV, Mistletoe- Subcutaneous, Immunotherapy ( & anti-angiogenesis) and targeted microdosing chemo

III collagen (has been reported both as helpful and harmful)

Glutamine inhibitors

DON- press pulse therapy

NAD+ Boosters

Ivermectin and fenbendazole (mixed reports) – something to give extra thought if you have had lyme, as there are studies making connections between these health issues and suggesting this treatment.

If doing chemo, esp for Ovarian, get cold therapy socks and gloves (reduces blood flow/ reduces neuropathy) and an ice/cold cap for your head (to reduce blood flow/ reduces hair loss). Some centers may have them, so ask. Spend more on good ones that will not need as much maintenance ( ie- longer freeze times on inserts, so less switching them out).

Test your water & stay away from chemicals you don’t need to be exposed to (ie- avoid plastics, esp with hot foods, chemicals in self-care products, etc). If you use a water filter, remember that reverse osmosis removes minerals, so make sure you add them elsewhere. Stick with grass fed, free range and organic products when you can. I use my computer and phone a lot, but I try to at least not sleep near them or my router.

More information-

You can find lots of ppl with lots of ideas about cancer, and it can be a bit overwhelming. A good place to start is Thomas Seyfried (lots of YouTube videos) and Patrick Quillin (books).