A HAGLEY woman who says she has regained her health after cancer wants to share her survival secrets with others.

Sheila Barratt-Smith, a clinical hypnotherapist, was diagnosed with the deadly disease for a second time in five years back in 2009, after previously beating breast cancer, and she was told that without chemotherapy and radiotherapy it would almost certainly be terminal.

But concerned about the associated side effects of the gruelling treatment - she decided instead to pursue her own natural treatment pathway, and she believes the decision was lifesaving.

She claims that after just six months of relaxation, meditation and self-hypnosis sessions, combined with homeopathy, herbal medicine and a change of diet, her oncologist could not find anything to suggest she had cancer anymore.

Since then she has continued to research different approaches to surviving cancer naturally - taking inspiration from Scottish scientist turned best-selling author Dr David Hamilton (who wrote How Your Mind Can Heal Your Body) and American wellness guru, bestselling author and cancer survivor Kris Carr, a keen advocate of raw food and juicing.

And she now wants to share her own story and what she has learned with others and has devised a one-day workshop entitled 'You Can Survive' which will be held at The French Hen, Clent, on Saturday June 13.

She said: "This workshop is for anyone affected by cancer - personally or professionally."

The 61-year-old, who underwent a mastectomy and reconstructive surgery after being diagnosed with breast cancer at age 50, stresses she's not trying to encourage people to ignore advice and treatment offered by conventional western medics.

But she added: "It's about seeing cancer from a different perspective and about what you can do to support yourself.

"For me chemotherapy didn't make sense because it horrendously batters your immune system and when you've got cancer you need a good immune system.

"I started researching how your mind and stress affects your body and how positive thoughts release endorphins and put you into healing mode, so I started working with relaxation and self-hypnosis and I also changed my diet which was previously appalling.

"I also used homeopathy and herbal medicine. I was determined I could do this. I've got a great belief in our bodies being able to heal themselves but we're not told that."

Sheila, a grandmother-of-three, promises to tell more about her own personal battle to regain her health in the workshop which runs from 10am to 4.30pm.

The event will also look at people's perceptions of cancer and why it terrifies, the importance of positive language, how the power of the subconscious mind can help with recovery, the value of relaxation and how it affects cancer cells, how diet can help recovery and reduce the effects of chemotherapy and which foods cancer cells love and hate.

To find out more go to www.sheilabarratt-smith.co.uk/cancer-workshops.html, email sheila@sheilabarratt-smith.co.uk or call 01562 882662 or 07912 536188.

NHS England recommends complementary or alternative treatments such as homeopathy and dietary changes should always be used along with, but never replacing, conventional treatment recommended by doctors.

Cancer patients are also recommended to always tell their doctor and use a qualified therapist if deciding to try complementary or alternative therapies to treat symptoms of cancer or side effects of cancer treatment.

Macmillan Cancer Support says anything that can help people cope with a cancer diagnosis is valuable but “it would be difficult for medical evidence to show whether a change of attitude alone can help with cancer, symptoms or side effects”.

The charity does, however, state on its website “many people find complementary therapies helpful, and they can contribute to a sense of well-being and better quality of life”.