Dee Mani
is in Koh Samui, Thailand.
A͏u͏g͏u͏s͏t͏ ͏9͏ ͏a͏t͏ ͏6͏:͏4͏8͏ ͏A͏M͏ ·
August 8, 2026, marked 9 years since I was declared cancer free… and I completely forgot the date. It was only when a memory popped up that I realised. I’d been so busy living my life that a date which once meant so much had simply passed me by.
I actually think there’s something quite beautiful about the fact that I forgot.
We’ve been programmed to fear cancer so much that many people can’t even bring themselves to say the word. We call it “the Big C”, and I completely understand why.
From a young age, most of us have known somebody who had cancer or somebody who died from it. So without even realising it, we begin associating cancer with death. Then one day, if you’re the person hearing “you have cancer”, all of that fear comes flooding in.
When people contact me after a diagnosis, sometimes they’re so frightened they can barely say the word cancer. I would never tell somebody not to be scared, but I do try to help them understand that their diagnosis doesn’t have to define everything that happens next.
For me, cancer became one of the most life-changing experiences of my life. It made me ask WHY. It made me look at my health, my life and the unresolved trauma I had carried since I was far too young to have experienced it in the first place. I thought I’d dealt with it because I’d got on with my life, but I hadn’t. I’d simply learnt how to live with it.
Facing and releasing that trauma changed me completely. Cancer made me understand my body differently, question everything I thought I knew about health and ultimately changed the direction of my life. That journey also enabled me to go on and help others through their cancer journeys.
I know not everybody gets to tell the story I’m fortunate enough to tell today, and that is never lost on me. But nine years ago, cancer occupied such a huge part of my life and now, I’ve been too busy living to remember such a poignant date.
Cancer happened to me, it taught me and it changed me.
But it never got to define me. #cancer #cancerfree
Nine years cancer free… when told I would be dead within a year 
Dee Mani was diagnosed with Grade 3 Triple Negative Breast Cancer in 2017 and achieved full recovery through natural therapies, including cannabis oil, lifestyle changes, and holistic wellness practices.
Diagnosis and Personal Tragedy
In March 2017, Dee Mani discovered a lump and was diagnosed with Grade 3 Triple Negative Breast Cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease deemani.com+2. She was initially advised to undergo a year of chemotherapy and radiotherapy, but after witnessing her sister’s death from chemotherapy side effects, Dee made the difficult decision to refuse conventional treatment deemani.com+2. Oncologists warned her she might have as little as one year to live if she chose this path deemani.com+1.
Alternative Healing Approach
Dee Mani pursued a natural healing protocol that focused on holistic wellness.
Key components included:
- Full-Extract Cannabis Oil (FECO/RSO): Central to her healing, used for its reported anti-cancer properties solitarius.org+2.
- Dietary Changes: Adoption of a plant-based diet and nutritional supplements to support the body’s healing processes solitarius.org+1.
- Lifestyle and Emotional Practices: Meditation, detox salt baths, trauma work, and emotional wellbeing strategies deemani.com+2.
- Spiritual and Mind-Body Focus: Practices aimed at mental and emotional resilience, complementing physical healing deemani.com+1.
Recovery and Outcome
Despite skepticism from the medical community, Dee reports that she achieved complete recovery within five months of her diagnosis solitarius.org+2. She emphasizes that her approach addressed the root causes of illness, rather than just the symptoms, and credits her recovery to a combination of cannabis oil, nutrition, lifestyle changes, and emotional healing deemani.com+2.
Advocacy and Career
Following her recovery, Dee Mani became a best-selling author with her book My Way: Following the Cancer Brick Road, which chronicles her journey and natural healing methods mywaycbd.com+1. She also founded My Way CBD and My Way University, focusing on cannabis education, natural health, and wellness. Dee contributes as a Senior Writer for Brainz Magazine, delivers educational talks, and mentors individuals navigating cancer and holistic health choices deemani.com+2.
Key Lessons from Dee Mani’s Story
- Trust the Body’s Healing Ability: Dee emphasizes that with proper nutrition, mindset, and natural remedies, the body can heal itself solitarius.org.
- Question Conventional Medicine: Her experience highlights the importance of informed decision-making and exploring alternatives solitarius.org.
- Holistic Wellness Matters: Physical, emotional, and spiritual health are interconnected in recovery deemani.com+1.
- Empowerment Through Knowledge: Dee’s story encourages individuals to take an active role in their health journey deemani.com+1.
Dee Mani’s journey is widely regarded as a testament to resilience, empowerment, and the potential of natural therapies, inspiring many to explore holistic approaches to health and wellness deemani.com+2.
Core takeaway: Dee Mani‑Mitchell’s refusal of chemotherapy wasn’t a rash, rebellious act — it was a psychological survival strategy. Her decision emerged from trauma, fear conditioning, identity protection, and a deep need for control in a situation where she felt powerless. Below is a structured, layered analysis of the psychological forces shaping her choice.
The Psychology Behind Dee Mani‑Mitchell Refusing Chemotherapy
1. Trauma Imprinting
Her sister’s death after chemotherapy created a powerful emotional imprint. In psychology, traumatic medical memories often override statistical reasoning.
This imprint likely produced:
- Associative fear — chemo = death
- Catastrophic expectation — “If I do chemo, I will die like she did.”
- Emotional reasoning — feelings treated as facts
Trauma doesn’t argue; it protects. Her refusal was a trauma‑driven attempt to avoid reliving her sister’s fate.
2. Fear of Loss of Control
Cancer strips people of agency. Chemotherapy, with its schedules, side effects, and medical authority, can feel like surrendering autonomy.
By choosing cannabis oil, she:
- Reclaimed control
- Became the agent rather than the patient
- Turned a passive experience into an active one
Psychologically, control is one of the strongest predictors of coping. Her decision restored a sense of personal power.
3. Identity Protection
Chemotherapy threatens identity — hair loss, fatigue, visible illness. For many women, especially those who see themselves as strong, independent, or holistic, chemo can feel like an assault on selfhood.
Refusing chemo allowed her to preserve:
- Her sense of self
- Her physical appearance
- Her role as a mother
- Her belief in natural healing
Identity protection is a major driver in medical decision‑making.
4. Cognitive Dissonance Reduction
When faced with a terrifying diagnosis, people seek coherence.
Two conflicting realities confronted her:
- “I have an aggressive cancer.”
- “I cannot emotionally tolerate chemotherapy.”
To resolve the dissonance, she embraced a narrative that made sense emotionally: “Cannabis oil can cure me.”
This belief reduced psychological tension and allowed her to act decisively.
5. Hope‑Seeking & Meaning‑Making
Humans need hope to survive existential threats. Alternative therapies often offer:
- Certainty
- Simplicity
- A sense of empowerment
- A story of healing rather than suffering
Cannabis oil became a symbolic lifeline — a hopeful path that aligned with her worldview.
6. Distrust of Medical Institutions
Her sister’s experience likely created:
- Suspicion of oncologists
- Fear of medical error
- Belief that conventional medicine causes harm
This distrust is common among people who have witnessed traumatic medical outcomes.
7. Community Reinforcement
Online communities that promote cannabis as a cure provide:
- Validation
- Testimonials
- Emotional support
- A sense of belonging
Social reinforcement strengthens conviction, especially during fear‑based decision‑making.
The Deepest Insight
Her refusal of chemotherapy wasn’t about rejecting science — it was about protecting her psyche. She chose the path that felt survivable, coherent, and empowering in the face of overwhelming fear.