Introduction

1. A Letter to My Readers

“Opportunity often comes disguised in the form of misfortune or temporary defeat.”

—Napoleon Hill

On September 23, 2016, I rushed to the emergency room unable to breathe. The doctors removed 1.6 liters of fluid, enough to fill a large water bottle, from my right lung and found tumors that had metastasized on my chest, pelvis, and abdomen. They diagnosed me with “incurable” metastatic stage 4 lung cancer. Radiation and chemotherapy were not an option because the cancer had already spread, and according to my oncologist, the cancer’s next target would be my beautiful brain.

Naturally, after hearing this devastating diagnosis, my next question was, “How long do I have to live?”

My doctors told me stage 4 patients could usually expect to live six months. I heard the death sentence they gave me, but all I could think was, these doctors do not know who they’re talking to or what I am capable of achieving!

The statistics meant nothing to me—they were only numbers. I knew my own strength, and I believed that by taking responsibility for myself, I could beat the cancer. I had done the damage to my body that had caused the disease, and that gave me hope for one simple reason: it meant I also had the power to heal and reverse it.

Mastering and Understanding Cancer

“There is, he said, only one good, that is, knowledge, and only one evil, that is, ignorance.”

—Socrates

Despite what my doctors told me, I felt it in my bones that the cancer invading my body would be a short-term problem. There was no f--king way I would relinquish to this disease. I felt so determined to live, I did not even cry when I heard the diagnosis. Crying would have only added to my chronic sadness, which contributed to me getting sick in the first place.

When I looked back at this period in my life, I realized I had created the disease in my body by experiencing years of sadness, suppression, guilt, loneliness, and stress. I had allowed those toxic, negative emotions to fester for too long, so I decided to change my outlook and take responsibility for my actions.

I want to be clear, however, that responsibility is different from blame. Taking responsibility empowers you to change your circumstances, whereas blame causes nothing but negative emotions like guilt. You can react to your prognosis as a victim by blaming yourself and asking questions like, “Why did this happen to me?” or “What did I do wrong to deserve being punished with cancer?”

Instead, empower yourself by responding to the news with a positive mindset. Ask, “What lessons am I supposed to learn from this?” We tend to automatically assume the worst about our situations, but that tendency is counterproductive. Do not blame yourself for your disease, and do not think of it as a punishment.

Life is messy. Real life includes pain, suffering, and fear, not only joy, happiness, and excitement. These emotions are the admission we pay to participate in life, so avoiding them entirely means choosing not to live. We’ll have plenty of time to not feel any emotions—when we are dead! Instead, accept responsibility, and if you’ve allowed yourself to dwell on negative emotions for too long, pivot and move forward. To heal, you need to adopt a positive mindset and truly, deeply believe that the world is better with you in it.

Science and spirituality both support the idea that a strong connection exists between the mind and body. Physics asserts that our perception forms our reality. Neuroscience tells us our thoughts influence our biochemistry. Spirituality says that life doesn’t happen to us, it unfolds from us. The mind and body affect each other in every way, and if we are not healthy mentally and spiritually, we cannot be healthy physically.

Once I knew about these connections, I wholeheartedly believed I had the power to undo the damage I had inflicted on myself. I had two choices: to become a victim of cancer or to heal my body and become the absolute best version of myself. I chose the obvious—to be the Grace of Cancer—to live!

Finding Purpose

“There is one quality which one must possess to win, and that is definiteness of purpose, the knowledge of what one wants, and a burning desire to possess it.”

—Napoleon Hill

After hearing the word “incurable,” many people would probably curl up, give in to depression, and pass away. But surrendering to cancer never felt like an option to me. If I had listened to my doctors and their statistics, I would not be here today.

My whole life, I had prioritized the needs of others over my own. Now, the time had come for me to put Veronica Villanueva first. I had dreams I wanted to fulfill, and more importantly, I had finally found my next purpose in life.

Mark Twain said, “The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.”

Cancer revealed my “why”—to help people discover their full potential, activate their inner strength, and heal from their struggles and pain as I healed from mine. In keeping with that mission, I intend to donate a portion of the proceeds from this book to a foundation that will help people with no means to afford naturopathic treatment. I am also looking to partner with integrative clinics that can donate their time and treatments so more people can have access to integrative medicine.

I’m here to prove to you that the impossible is possible. Most importantly, I want to show you the greatness and grace that exist in you and in everything around you. The world is full of beauty and wonder. It is time for you to open your eyes and see it, starting with you.

My healing journey taught me humility and revealed more blessings in my life than I could have imagined. I started out not knowing what to do or where to look for answers, but I learned the value of relinquishing my grip on things I cannot control and being open to possibilities. I prayed, “God, I am not asking you to take this cancer out of my body. I did this to myself, so I will get rid of it, but I need your help. I am asking you to guide me. Give me signs when I am going in the right direction and signs when I am on the wrong path, because I do not have much time. I promise to look for your signs, connect the dots, and stay open to anything that can heal me.”

Sure enough, my prayers were answered. God and the universe guided me through my healing journey. I did not have an outline of steps to fight cancer, but I made sure to stay open-minded and feed my body and soul everything it needed to align with my decision to live. This included the tangible aspects...