Maureen Keane

I'm a wife, mother, sister, nutritionist, writer, and cancer treatment survivor. Professionally I am member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (the former American Dietetic Association) and Dieticians in Integrative and Functional Medicine. I received my masters degree in nutrition from Bastyr University in Redmond, Washington.

I wrote "What to Eat if You Have Cancer" because of my experience with the disease. In 1980 I was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer and sent to an oncologist at the University of Washington Medical Center. I underwent 4 courses of chemotherapy which blood tests indicated did not work. The oncologist was brutally blunt: have surgery or die so I had one more course of chemo and then surgery.

Long story made short: I had never had cancer. However, I never recovered from the chemo. My hair grew back but I was plagued with numerous problems. Within 3 years I had developed symptoms of pulmonary hypertension and was later diagnosed with migraines and fibromyalgia.

When I had my chemotherapy no one mentioned nutrition to me. I sincerely believe that a better diet and nutritional supplements might have prevented some of the problems I later developed but I didn't know better back then. Nutrition is not going to cure any chronic condition but it can help make treatment more effective, help slow the progress of the disease, or reduce side effects. It is the single most powerful thing you can do to help yourself become a proactive patient.

Last year saw some changes to our household. We adopted a Maine Coon from Indra's Net Cattery in California. Sáoirse quickly took over as office supervisor, juice machine guard and co-author. When I wasn't looking she stuffed my e-reader with articles and books on feline nutrition.