Voice of Byron

LOCAL DJ Greg “Magu” Melhuish has been living, working and raising a family in the Byron Bay area for decades.

He opened a fashion business in the Bertoli Building, Byron Bay in 1980/81 around the same time as John Wright Photos and Music commenced operation in the same building.

Like anyone living in the Byron region for the past four decades or so, Greg is well aware our region is pretty much one of Australia’s prime centres of alternate or ‘natural’ healing.

As Greg says, “We live in an area where natural therapies are abundant and that’s great. But what comes with this is a suspicion of Big Pharma, its cancer treatments and the medical profession in general.

“But what comes with this is a suspicion of Big Pharma, its cancer treatments and the medical profession in general.

“When I was diagnosed with cancer, I commenced a full regime of natural therapies consisting of many treatments and methods that I had regularly heard mentioned over the years.”

At the time, Greg also consulted an oncologist but after discussing his options, declined his assistance.

A couple of months passed and Greg’s natural practitioner informed him that his cancer “was well on the way to getting snuffed.”

A short time after that Greg admitted himself to Lismore Base Hospital full of fluid, swollen legs, feet and ankles and a bloated gut.

“I could hardly walk and had chronic exhaustion with a cancer count of 16,000 plus (cancer speak, but it’s high).

Basically I was not too far from death.

Greg chose to undergo a course of chemotherapy and urged his doctor to commence as soon as possible.

“I was like, come one, hurry up! What’s the delay?”

Greg can now inform us he is in remission from his cancer.

“Chemo has done it’s magic – it has pulled things considerably back and given me some more life,” he says.

“My Cancer count is down, fluid and other symptoms have all gone, but I have only have come back so far and now the cancer’s suspended, in remission, but still there. I still have it..

Greg states in no uncertain terms his delay is seeking “Big Pharma”-style treatments has cost him dearly.

“I would be in an even better state had I commenced chemotherapy when I was first diagnosed. I would have an even greater life expectancy and better health than I have right now.

“The side effects from chemo are there and it’s a constant battle to manage, but they are not the horror story I was expecting,” says Greg.

“Mornings are hard, nausea and upheaval but you warm up and get going especially with these beautiful days.

“Life is still good, I can’t possibly go surfing but I still have my family, dog garden, musical pursuits and the beautiful souls I get to interact with.

“Chemo and the Oncologist have never promised me a cure, just more precious time.”

Without chemo I would be dead.

“Thank you Big Pharma and the Medical profession,” Greg says.

Greg urges people who are diagnosed with cancer not to pay attention to conspiracies about Big Pharma vs Natural Therapies.

“One day you may be faced with the same decision as mine.

“Keep my story in mind as you make your decision.”