What can people who unexpectedly recover from serious illnesses teach us about living better? In the midst of a global health crisis, Harvard’s Dr Jeff Rediger shares his insights into mind, body and identity.
In the history of medicine, we have almost never used the tools of rigorous science to investigate remarkable recoveries from incurable illnesses. But, Dr Jeff Rediger, a world-leading Harvard medic, has spent the last fifteen years studying thousands of individuals from around the world and examining the stories behind these extraordinary cases of spontaneous remission.
Retiree Claire was diagnosed with a violent form of pancreatic cancer and given weeks to live. 23-year-old Matt was given a 2 per cent chance of surviving a lethal brain tumour. Both rejected chemotherapy and radiation, and went home to try to prepare themselves for acceptance and a peaceful death. Both are alive over a decade later, their bodies absent of all tumours. Dr Rediger doesn’t classify people like Claire or Matt as ‘flukes’ or ‘outliers’ but has analysed what they – and thousands of others – have done to cure themselves and reveals the common denominators of people who have beaten the odds.
Dr. Rediger says, ‘The people I met on this fifteen year journey didn’t know how much time they had. They didn’t have the key to immortality. Nor did they cheat death. They sort forth with the mission to claim the life that was theirs for the time they had. In doing so, they healed.’
In this free livestream, Dr. Rediger will explore the science of healing and apply his insights to the coronavirus crisis. You have an amazing immune system, with all these brilliant cells and cell sub-types that want to do their job crisply and efficiently to keep you healthy and vital. For that to occur, you need to give them the proper conditions. Do not miss this chance to hear clear, practical advice from a medical pioneer at the forefront of improving human health – and to ask him your own questions.
Praise for Dr. Jeff Rediger:
‘Seasoned with the author’s penetrating insights about healing, clearly articulated science and illuminating case histories, Cured opens genuine vistas of transforming illness into health even in the face of diagnoses conventional medical thinking habitually dismisses as hopeless’ – Gabor Maté, author of When The Body Says No
“Cured is one of the most important books I’ve ever read. Dr Rediger presents dozens of case studies of people who defied the odds, many making complete recoveries even after being told to go home and get their affairs in order. In this book, he shows us why they recovered but he also gives us insights into how we, too, can tap into this amazing curative and regenerative power of the human body. This is a deeply inspiring book. I could hardly put it down.” – David R Hamilton, PhD, author of, How Your Mind Can Heal Your Body
‘An amazing piece of work … Cured is packed with cutting-edge science and powerful, eye-opening real life case studies. Dr Jeff Rediger offers ground-breaking and scientifically-backed evidence of how trauma can have long-lasting effects on our bodies. This is a hopeful tale of how through resilience and meaningful lifestyle adjustments even the most serious of cases can be redeemed. Timely and beautifully written … Everyone should read this book.’ – Bessel van der Kolk, author of The Body Keeps the Score
