Iris Zuckerman, a wife and mother of three, was living her normal day-to-day life, raising her kids in Chicago and working in legal research when without any reason to believe there was anything amiss, she got news from her doctor that a recent mammogram showed cancer. What began as a life-altering diagnosis ultimately led her to adopt a whole-food, plant-based diet, which she says is part of the reason she was able to feel strong during the harrowing journey and ultimately make a full recovery.
It all started in 2012 when Iris got her diagnosis: A mammogram found one small but invasive tumor in her left breast – invasive ductal carcinoma. Her doctors recommended surgery, and various doctors had differing opinions regarding chemo. The idea of following a course of treatment with chemotherapy or radiation set her off on an investigative journey to find natural remedies that would help her get healthier and ease the pain after surgery. Iris was a researcher by nature, and she knew there were options out there beyond what western science has to offer. Ultimately, Iris made the choice to not undergo chemotherapy since she felt a natural path was a better fit for her, and a mammaprint test showed that chemo might not even be as effective on her type of cancer as they would like. Even if the test had shown that chemo would be effective, she felt that it was the wrong direction for her: "I was confident chemo wasn’t the treatment plan for me because it didn’t make sense to destroy my immune system after having surgery when I could find natural ways to help my body prevent a potential metastasis or recurrence instead."