Thriver Kaiulani Facciani: On Cancer, Miracles & Inspiration

15 Jun Thriver Kaiulani Facciani: On Cancer, Miracles & Inspiration

“Cell mutation takes place all the time inside the body. All of us get cancers. You might well have one now. Most of these mutations die off, simply because they are too mutant to survive or because the immune system identifies them as alien and destroys them…It’s tempting to anthropomorphize the cancer and think of it as cunning, or strategic, but really, cancer is a product of the same evolutionary processes that lead to our own survival, or that of any other species or organism…Over the course of our lifetimes, we’re being thrown tons of twists by malignant cells, and it takes only a handful to turn on the immune system’s brake and start a cascade of malignancy…,” from Matt Richtel’s must-read, “An Elegant Defense.”

Just ask Telluride local Kaiulani Facciani, a local thriver on the subject. Kaiulani could write a book on cancer, that “psycho puppet-master.” In fact, she has written three. (Plus blogs and a video.)

Before digging into her remarkable story, check out her defiant, uplifting video: The goal: to provide “inspiration and  information so you don’t go off and die just because someone in a white coat says you will.”

A miraculous breast cancer thriver, Kaiulani Facciani has recently put out three books as part of her Thrive Tribe Series.

Published by her non-profit organization, Snarling Wolf, Inc., the goal is to provide inspiration and information so that people don’t just go off and die because someone in a white coat said they will. Having defied dire prognoses of imminent death, outliving her expiration date on three separate occasions, Kaiulani believes in the indomitable human spirit to win against all obstacles. To continue living a rich, robust life, she employed western medicine and naturopathic interventions in her protocol and is firmly convinced that both were necessary for her miracles.

About Kaiulani Facciani

Kaiulani’s journey with breast cancer began in August 2007. After a roller-coaster ride from hell, she thought it was over after 6 months. But 5 years later, the disease reared its ugly head, this time with a frightening terminal diagnosis of Stage IV metastatic cancer.

By 2012, tumors had crushed several vertebrae in Kai’s neck and spine and split her sacroiliac joint apart. She lost full use of her legs and one arm and had lesions on her liver, lungs, and lymph nodes. With nothing to lose, Kai threw everything she could into healing. She employed a strict naturopathic regimen, received chemotherapy and radiation, and meditated on spiritual healing. She worked hard to rebuild joints and muscles and to survive both the cancer and the toxic treatments. Thirteen months after diagnosis, most of her tumors were gone and she had regained 99% mobility.

Although still considered terminal, Kaiulani felt like she was going to live forever.

Then, Halloween of 2013, doctors found 9 brain tumors, a rare and dangerous type of brain metastasis with an average survival of 2.8 months after diagnosis. The tumors were inoperable and were ineligible for targeted radiation, most chemotherapies could not penetrate, and the blood-brain barrier prevented the targeted immunotherapy that had been keeping her alive from entering her brain to kill the cancer within.

Kaiulani had to get creative.

And she is still alive… for now… and was declared NEAD (No Evidence of Active Disease) in May 2014!!!!!

Recently, Kaiulani was diagnosed with a large, difficult-to-treat tumor in the center of her brain. Living in Puerto Rico, she was urged to return to the states for treatment immediately. Unable to do so and needing to change insurance, she was forced to rely primarily on naturopathic remedies and a little bit of chemotherapy. Upon landing in the states, Kaiulani immediately got a new brain MRI – which showed the tumor had disappeared without a trace!

Kaiulani’s Message

Kaiulani is indebted to all healers who helped her on her path..even those who, at first, appeared negative and obstructionist. She learned from them as well. By sharing her journey, she wishes to encourage and empower others to take charge of their lives and defeat the obstacles they may face. That is her path… what she chose as being right for her. Perhaps reading Kaiulani’s words will spark others to take note of their own experiences in a new way. One that compels them to incorporate the lessons they are learning into a formula for positive change. Only you truly know what is best for you. No one else will ever care as much. And you have a lot to live for.

Go to it!

If someone is looking for a guru to tell them what to do and who to be, Kaiulani is not that girl. She believes in everyone’s indomitable spirit and in our innate wisdom to know what’s best for us. All she can do is communicate that belief, encourage everyone to believe in themself, wake people to their innate wisdom, and provide raw materials to ply that wisdom on. If anyone disagrees with something Kaiulani has done or said, good for them! That means they are in tune with and have confidence in themself.

Her work is done.

The Books

Book 1, “Whatever Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Strong,” on surviving life and denying death, is an inspirational memoir recounting the lessons Kaiulani learned in life and how she applied them to overcome significant obstacles. It provides an inside view to what terminal cancer patients face, not only the challenges offered by the disease, but also those presented by the modern medical establishment in this country, as well as well-meaning friends and family. Since this is the type of book one might wish to read while curled up in an easy chair on a rainy Sunday afternoon or listen to while working on the garden, Kaiulani recommends the print or audio version.

Book 2, “What I Did and Do and Why,” a naturopathic protocol that allowed her to survive and thrive. The narrative details the protocol Kaiulani followed. The title comes from everyone wanting to know what she did. It also reflects the fact she doesn’t feel she should tell others what to do. So she annotates what she did, what she feels served her well and continues to do Kaiulani also offers nearly 700 links to research, articles, and anecdotal stories that provided the basis for wanting to try what she tried.

Kaiulani strongly believes that everyone must find their own unique path and that her truth is not everyone’s truth. That said, her hope is by providing this information, she may help others to find their way through. This is the book Kaiuani wishes she had when diagnosed.

Book 2 contains a large and heavily researched section on the role of cannabis in treating cancer. More than once, cannabis played an important role in Kaiulani’s miracles and she provides that chapter to educate others about the value of this powerful plant in healing many disease conditions. She feels this section alone is worth the price of admission. Because of the hundred of links in this book, Kaiulani recommends purchasing the e-book version.

Book 3, “My Path as a Graceful Warrior, Find Your Voice, Find Your Power,” is a prompted journal for patients, anyone facing challenges really, to help them process what they are going through. As she posted her inspirational quotes on Facebook, Instagram, and her blogs, Kaiulani’s readers pleaded for her to publish a book of quotes. Journaling was essential for her to process her journey and she often urges others to journal, only to hear they don’t know where to start.

“My Path as a Graceful Warrior” provides a vehicle by providing quotes to serve as writing prompts. The “my” in the title is to represent the person keeping the journal. It is only available in print format.

“Torn between the desires to fight to control our destiny or to surrender with grace, we can choose to walk between…the path of the graceful warrior.”

All books are available through the store on Kaiulani’s web site, www.kaiulanifacciani.com. Print versions are printed and fulfilled through Amazon, so her site sends you there to order.

Ebooks, available for Books 1 and 2 only, are easy to download directly from Kaiulani’s site in epub (ibook), mobi (Kindle), and pdf (universal) formats for $7, (a 30% discount over other channels). An audiobook version of Book 1 is also available for $7. Purchasers of books are members of Kaiulani’s Thrive Tribe and can email her anytime for inspiration or information.

The Blogs

As part of the book rollout, Kaiulani’s website and three blogs have been completely redone. Subscription is free, registrants receive notifications when something new is published. www.makesyoustrong.com offers inspirational writings… essays from Book 1 as well as inspirational quotes from Book 3. www.whatididanddoandwhy.com is based on Book 2 and will contain all of the content of the book… for free.

At some point, it will be easier to own the book ($7 for the recommended ebook version). www.imgonnaliveuntilidie.com is an inspirational travel blog to show patients that there can be life after that chemo chair. Inspired by her own momentary loss and regain of hope while undergoing treatment, Kaiulani urges others to never give up, to dream, and to commit to realizing those dreams.

Purchasers and/or subscribers receive membership in Kaiulani’s Thrive Tribe, can receive any or all of her 5 newsletters, and may email her any time for inspiration or information.