was stricken with cancer. She faced gruelling treatment which included surgery, chemotherapy and radiation, and her prognosis was uncertain.

With the loving support of her family and friends, and bolstered by her deep Christian faith, Mrs. Kyle faced the difficult days ahead with courage.

During the course of her extensive treatment in the United States she recalled hearing about macrobiotic eating and its benefit to cancer patients.

Resolving to take an active rather than passive role in her treatment plan, Mrs. Kyle researched a subject which would not only play a vital role in her recovery, but also become a way of life.

This is her story.

"Soon after I found out I had cancer I also found out the importance of three words beginning with `F' -- Family, Friends and Faith. I couldn't have gotten through the past two years without the total support of all three. Of course, all three were always there, it's just that I didn't realise what powerful healers they could be. A fourth `F' word was soon to be added to my list of healers: Food! "I can't remember how I first heard about macrobiotics -- I must have read something, somewhere about its benefits for cancer patients. So after two major surgeries, when I was thinking that there must be something I could do to help myself rather than just wait for surgeons to carve me up, my thoughts turned to macrobiotics.

"I know God had a hand in all this because the first person I asked was my friend Iva, who just happened to be Alexandra Todd's niece, although I didn't know it at the time. Her reply was something like, `Well, you've come to the right person!' In no time she had sent me several books on the subject.

"At the time I was in Boston (during their coldest winter ever!) undergoing seven weeks of radiation and chemotherapy.

"As was happening so often in my life of late, things again fell into place neatly when I discovered that Michio Kushi, who was instrumental in bringing macrobiotics to America from Japan and who has written many books on the subject, just happened to live within walking distance of my hospital.

"Two days later my sceptical mother and I found ourselves being ushered into the presence of a remarkable Japanese gentleman who proceeded to immediately win my mother over with one handshake and a murmur of, `Ah so, very good -- strong mother!' the inference being that my chances of recovery were increased because of mother's strong constitution.

"Michio's examination consisted of closely inspecting my face, hands and feet (in traditional Japanese medicine much can be determined about a person's health by looking at external features).

"Michio then gave me a special diet consisting of healthy, natural foods which he said assisted the body to heal itself by ensuring the swift removal of all toxins from chemicalised foods, and all animal fats stored deep in the body.

"He also stressed the importance of living a natural, relaxed lifestyle with respect for our environment. He said people should keep busy but ensure that each day was happy -- `Sing a happy song and go for a walk barefoot on the beach every day'.

"It all sounded so logical and sensible because I had already concluded months before that my cancer was brought on by the overly demanding lifestyle I had at the time. (Under extremely stressful conditions the body's immune system is weakened and has trouble coping. This gives cancer cells, which we all have from time to time, a chance to colonise instead of being flushed out of the body as would normally happen).

"As we arose to leave I asked Michio what he thought my chances of recovery were. His reply was that, whilst there was much work to be done, I could indeed heal myself, and he expected to see a marked improvement within six months.

"This, is fact, was the case. After five months my check-up showed no further spread of cancer and no growth at all in the `pre-macrobiotic' tumours in the liver. Thus I was able to postpone the liver resection surgery and enjoy a marvellous summer holiday touring Europe with my family.

"Nine months later, when I did have the surgery, there was still no spread and no growth. But the most amazing thing was my swift recov ery compared to `pre-macrobiotic' surgeries.

"I had been warned that a liver resection operation was much more serious, involving two weeks' hospitalisation and at least a month of `feeling like a freight train has hit you,' as someone at the hospital put it.

"Well, I left the hospital exactly one week after surgery (a hospital record for this type of surgery) and was touring New England and hiking through New Hampshire forests a week later.

"Elated and encouraged by my meeting with Michio Kushi, I rushed off to a well-known Boston store which was like a combination supermarket and health food store. Most things on the shopping list were recognisable -- rice, beans and vegetables of every sort. Some things, however, seemingly ranged from exotic to bizarre! Lotus root, daikon radish, shitake mushrooms, seaweeds of many types, and miso.

"Miso is a seasoning often found in Japanese soups and apparently has the ability to assist the body to flush out toxins. For example, Dr. Tatsuichiso Akizuki, the head of the department of internal medicine at a Nagasaki hospital successfully treated survivors of the nuclear bomb who were suffering from radiation sickness. His staff and patients were given a diet of brown rice, miso soup, seaweed and vegetables, no sugar allowed. The results were amazing. Unlike most victims of the bomb's radiation, all of these people survived.

"Recent studies by Kazumitsu Watanabe, professor of cancer and radiation at Hiroshima University's atomic bomb research centre, show that, when miso soup is eaten regularly, people may be more resistant to radiation side effects.

Similar studies have been carried out in Canada, using seaweed to remove radioactive toxins.

"Miso is delicious, but I'd rather not talk about my first efforts to eat seaweed (or sea vegetables as we prefer to call them). Luckily they can be disguised in a variety of dishes, and I eventually developed a taste for them -- so much so that I now eat toasted Nori like potato chips.

"After several weeks of very strict eating (I was after all on a `healing' diet -- normal macrobiotics encompasses a much wider spectrum, and the cuisine is quite delicious) to my delight I found myself not only very much slimmer but with boundless energy. Having only just finished two months of chemotherapy and radiation, everyone, including my PALS nurse, found this quite amazing. (PALS, by the way, have been so supportive and caring. We are indeed fortunate in Bermuda to have such a wonderful group of people).

"The better I felt the stronger my resolve to keep up this new, healthy way of eating. In fact each time I `cheated' (the odd ice-cream or chocolate), I felt so lethargic and depressed I started to feel sorry for all those folks who feel like that everyday but don't realise it is the refined sugars and baked goods causing it.

"After two months on the diet my husband and I went to the Kushi Institute in Massachusetts where we enrolled in a week long seminar of cooking classes, lectures and exercise programmes. It was wonderful week of meeting new friends, eating three delicious, natural food meals a day, refining cooking skills, learning more about how to live in harmony with the environment, and just relaxing amid the spectacular Berkshire mountains.

"I left with the idea of bringing a similar programme to Bermuda in the hope that others may benefit from this extraordinary powerful way of life.

"Exactly one year later, I have just returned from another course at Kushi, equally as enlightening and thought-provoking as the first, and armed with wonderful new recipes to try out on my family.

"At the same time my check-up in Boston showed no trace of cancer and my surgeon pronounced me fit and well. He is extremely supportive of my diet -- so much so that instructions on the discharge papers from my last hospitalisation six months ago merely said, `No driving for two weeks and keep up the vegetarian diet!' "Many books have been written telling success stories of macrobiotic people who have survived cancer. In each case their doctors remain at a loss to explain their recovery. Because of these stories many doctors are now becoming interested in the healing potential of a macrobiotic diet.

"In addition, the United States government is funding a major scientific research project into macrobiotics and cancer. The co-ordinator of this project, Ms Carol Winter, will be in Bermuda and will be pleased to give further information after her March 29 and 30 lectures.

"Following the lectures there will be a number of displays giving relevant information, as well as pertinent demonstrations.

"I know there is a reason I have been given a second chance at life, and I think it is this: If I can spend some of it showing others how to keep or regain their health then I'll know the challenges of the past two years were worth it. After the seminar I hope to start a cancer support group. (There is one for breast cancer survivors but not for the rest of us as far as I know).

Anyone who is interested can reach me at 295-3787.''