Video: Given 6 Months to Live – Stage 4 Colon Cancer Recovery

I was diagnosed December 27 of 2024 with stage 4 colon cancer that spread to my liver.

And when I arrived at Life Works in January, I was not giving hope of going in remission. I was Dr. Minkoff was clear, you’re going to be treated, you’re not going to be cured.

My situation has increased so much that now Dr. Minkoff and my regular oncologist both of them agreed that I might go in remission because the numbers have changed so much.

I was in liver failure in January and uh now I’m it’s doing I’m doing great.

So I’m Andrea Ferguson. I’m 52. I’m originally from Brazil. I moved to the United States 25 years ago and I work with Hope for Brazil Ministry and I’m married kids, grandkids.

The best year of my life was 2024. I was healthy. I was exercising. I lost weight. Doing great. My blood work in May of 2024 was the best blood work I have ever had.

November, I started with a lot of stomach ache, nausea, stomach ache, and back pain. went to the chiropractor and the chiropractor said he thought that I should see a doctor that could have cancer.

I ignored and it was Christmas time. It was December. So the appointment was for January. I end up in the emergency room with a lot of pain and was diagnosed December 27 of 2024 with stage 4 colon cancer that spread to my liver.

They directed me to a doctor that I saw on December 30th. The doctor was a traditional medicine doctor and he gave me 6 months to a year to live.

I felt that nobody cared. I was just one more number right from the bed.

So I end up firing him as my doctor [laughter] because I thought that a doctor that didn’t have faith to heal me shouldn’t be my doctor. [clears throat]

So after that I tried to get into Moffitt being that I’m in Tampa area. couldn’t get an appointment. I went to hallways of the hospital, cried, beg for appointments, couldn’t get in and they said, “Your cancer is pretty advanced. As he gave me 6 months, I needed start treatment immediately.”

A great friend of mine did some homework. She did some research and she found Dr. Minkoff and she called me on a Tuesday and she said, “I found this doctor. He sounds amazing.

I called and it happened that somebody had cancelled an appointment and he was available 2 days after. So I paid for the visitation immediately and came to see him.

I got here in a wheelchair. So I was debilitated.

I met with Dr. Minkoff and he gave me hope. He was direct and he was straightforward like things don’t look right but we will work with it. and uh he gave me hope. He saw me. He spent time with me and he understood everything that I was facing.

And I absolutely adore him and all the staff here at LifeWorks. With Dr. Minkoff, I felt at peace. I felt that he gave me hope. He was going to work with me. He was going to treat me.

I trust him with every decision that he makes with my health. I trust him. I don’t even ask questions. I just tell him, “What do you want me to do?” when I do it.

Dr. Minkoff sent  me for tests and he said that my cancer was too advanced for me to do IPT. So he sent me to do traditional chemo.

So I do traditional chemo and I do the treatments here. So I have both worlds.

Traditional chemo destroys me. I am exhausted. I am in pain.

I come here and with one day of treatment I feel energetic. I feel myself again.

something that like CA number is the number to measure the the colon cancer the normal is 0 to 5 mortality rate is 500 I was on 5,000 my CA number is 40 now so the increase has been amazing

People don’t believe that I have cancer they look at me like no you don’t have cancer because I have a completely normal life.

And I believe that it’s a combination of everything faith, treatment, doctors, wonderful treatments, wonderful approach and positive mind.

If you’re thinking about approaching LifeWorks do not hesitate do not wait life is too precious and here it’s like a family. I say jump in come in and check it out for yourself.

I can tell by my experience that is life-changing being treated at life works continued treatment at Life Works I feel confident of my health.

I feel stronger to fight and I feel that I’m part of a family, not part of a doctor treatment.

Now that my health is getting better and better, I look forward to be able to help people to find hope and find treatments.