Margie Levine: Advocate, Operate, Meditate

  • Cape Cod Times Article on Margie Levine (8/14/01)
    Local paper summarizes Levine's battle with cancer and her efforts to blaze a new trail in life. It also gives an account of her new book, out in stores this month, that is autobiographical, instructional, and inspirational.

The Margie Levine Storey: A Medical Miracle

At age 43 Margie Levine, was diagnosed with one of the deadliest forms of lung cancermalignant pleural mesothelioma. Four different specialists gave her only months to live, a death sentence Levine refused to accept. Instead, she marshaled every known therapy available and created her own program blending traditional and complementary medicine to fight back. Today, twelve years later, she is the world's longest living cancer free survivor of this insidious disease In her book amazing book, Surviving Cancer, ( Broadway Books of Random House), available Aug 14, 2001, she shares her details of her amazing journey back to health. She explains her total mind/body regimen for conquering cancer------and for regaining physical and emotional health at any stage of life. Margie's story and inspiring program, will help anyone facing a medical diagnosis or life challenge.

Margie Levine

"Levine is a marvel whose case is studied at Harvard Medical School and whose longevity is turning heads in the medical community." --- Boston Globe

"The most remarkable blend of raw and useful information coupled to deep inspiration and wonder" --- Dr David Fisher MD Harvard University

"For Physicians m my advice is to give this book to your patients. For patients, give this book to your friends. Take control of your recovery" --- Michael Goldberg MD Tufts University

Never stopping the fight Margie's approach combined aggressive medicine with a series of life-affirming activities. She used her mind/body regimen to keep her alive. And for 9 years, other than close friends and family, she never told a soul. Still traumatized from the experience she kept it as her secret. Then in 1989 she was asked to speak at the internationally renowned Dana Farber Cancer Institute, to 150 doctors, CEO's and the Nobel Prize winner in medicine Honored but nervous, she prepared her speech and somehow felt this was her calling.

From the day of her presentation on, her phone never stopped ringing. The people asked "How did you do it?" The calls from came in from around the world. She wrote out her 41 steps and with friends around the kitchen table till midnight sent out the stapled pages to people around the globe. She then put it together in a manual called Embracing Challenge. Twelve years later, her method, now in full book form, called Surviving Cancer, has evolved into a prescription for survival. Margie has dedicated her life to helping others empower themselves so they too can learn to harness their skills to begin to heal.

Surviving Cancer - The Book

Surviving Cancer offers a practical, integrated way of self-healing, with advice on

  • Creating the best possible team of physicians and loved ones.
  • Maximizing nutrition, using veggie overdosing
  • Ridding your cells of harbored anger with a six-point forgiveness program.
  • Using a special visualization program to make your own affirmation tape with the use of your own voice.
  • Applying a personal deflection technique to ward off stress.
  • Using music to boost your immune system and fight pain
  • Building your body's endorphins by seeking joy
  • Using creative meditation techniques
mesothelioma asbestos

What people are saying

"There are documented cases of remission from all diseases, no matter how deadly. In most cases, however, no instruction manual is available for how to create such a remission yourself. In Surviving Cancer, Margie Levine has provided all of us with a healing manual which can help anyone, no matter what their state of health, to create the emotional, psychological, and spiritual conditions that support the biochemistry of healing. The end result is a user-friendly guide that could save your life." --- Christiane Northrup, M.D. author of Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom

" This book is a gift to people with cancer and those who love them. It provides practical instructions for involving body, mind, and spirit in the healing process. A book about hope and possibility, it is an awesome inspiration." --- Dr Joan Borysenko Ph.D. author of Minding the Body, Mending the Mind

"Margie Levine is a woman of courage, a pioneer, and a person saving many lives." --- Dr David Sugarbaker Chief of Thoracic Surgery Brigham and Women's Hospital Boston.

"This is a remarkable book----one that reveals the impact of cancer on an extra-ordinary person who summons the will to survive." --- Dr. David Nathan MD pres. Emeritus of Dana Farber Cancer Institute

"I recommend this book" --- Dr Bernie Siegel MD author of Peace Medicine and Miracles

"Surviving Cancer pays tribute to the real heroes of cancer research. Patients who choose to become involved in investigational research have special qualities that have not been recognized. They show extra-ordinary courage, determination. And good will in the face of adversity. Margie levine is a remarkable example. Their absolutely essential, indeed critical contribution to progress in cancer treatment, as is the case for Margie Levine, has not been appreciated and deserves to be told. All effective and curative treatments for cancer that exist today were made possible by such volunteers." --- Dr Beruj Benacerraf MD Nobel prize winner medicine 1980 Pres Emeritus Dana Farber Cancer Institute.

"Margie Levine has written an owner's manual for cancer patients. Her lessons are from the heart and provide a blue print to overcoming disease. "Surviving Cancer" teaches us how to mature and evolve as we overcome physical and emotional obstacles." --- Dr Mehemet Oz Cardiac Surgeon Columbia Presbyterian Hospital New York

Margie's Story

Margie Levine, at age 43, a health education teacher and social worker was given six months to live. She was diagnosed with pleural mesothelomia, a deadly lung cancer caused from asbestos exposure. After three major medical centers confirmed her grim prognosis, Margie refused to give up. I believe in possibility," she says referring to a quote from Emily Dickinson. Twelve years later she remains the world's longest living cancer free survivor of this deadly disease.

Her story began in Oct of 1989. It was midnight and she was lying in a bed at Mass General Hospital. That was the same week her blind mother was brought to Boston for major kidney surgery. Margie being the only child, spent every minute with her mom being a supportive daughter. While running back andforth

to see her mother that week, Margie noticed sharp chest pains that nearly took her breath away. Finding a local doctor from the yellow pages that would see her,, she intuitively knew she was misdiagnosed after she was given anti-inflammatory meds for pain. Margie then asked her momâ ™s surgeon for a chest xray.

The next day Margie was admitted to that hospital one floor below. Each night she was wheeled by stretcher to see her brave mother and wore a long trenchcoat to conceal her pajamas as they hugged. Trying to protect her mom from the gruesome scenario, she never told her what was really going on, hoping to allow her time to heal. Impressed with the swarm of visitors, surrounding her bed, Margie's mom could not figure out why she was so popular!But it was that late Oct night with the surgeon, still with blood stained scrubs leaning against the metal bed rails., bore the bad news.. That " large grapefruit tumor on your left lung is a very aggressive form of cancer." He suggested Margie forego treatment and live out her remaining months with quality and dignity of life.

"As I lay in my hospital bed trembling in the wake of the surgeons pronouncement, I remember reaching for a Hershey kiss on my night-stand from the growing stack of chocolate boxes" she states in the opening of her book.

"For a moment I felt free but then the realization hit, I was 43 and dying, I needed to go home, I needed to get my affairs in order" Margie did go home and hired a lawyer to write her will. She discarded secret diaries, and called old college buddies. . She gave away her music collection, gave away her antique dolls, gave away her grandmother's pendant watch â but she never gave up hope.

Drawing on her experience as a teacher and social worker, she became a student of this devastating disease. Margie became her own advocate and insisted on getting three medical opinions. She felt comfortable with the New York physician and liked the treatment plan. But after weighing the odds, she decided to stay in Boston to be close to family and friends. After extensive research planned her experimental protocol, adapting a radical surgical technique. With unrelenting perseverance she finally convinced her surgeon Dr. David Sugarbaker, and the medical team at Brigham and Women's and Dana Farber Hospitals to have them use her own tri-modal plan . A plan modeled after the protocol from Sloan Kettering Hospital in New York. Margie underwent major surgery for removal of the tumor and part of her lung. They poured intra-pleural chemo into her lung during the operation They rebuilt her chest wall and placed 100 metal clips around her heart. After a total of three surgeries , 4 inpatient chemo sessions, and twenty five radiation treatments, she began the next phase of her attack Margie began to blend complementary medicine into her program. From creating her own visualization tape with music, using creative meditation, devising a stress deflection technique, doing veggie overdosing, making a 6 step forgiveness program, doing acupuncture, and all those lovely picnics by the sea, she never let up.

Today Margie is the longest living survivor of this deadly disease. She is studied at Harvard Medical School and her case is presented around the globe. The protocol now used at the Brigham and Women's Hospital has been modeled after her treatment. Margie's prescription for wellness using her 41 steps is being used in hospitals and clinics worldwide.Margie is considered a medical miracle and feels she has been kept alive for a reason. Her hope is to continue to empower others so that too can learn to access their own healing from within.

From Surviving Cancer " I surrender to the natural rhythm of life. I will put forth my best effort,summon all my strength and then allow the perfection of God's plan to reveal itself" Margie Levine

"The days pass
and from my window
I watch the fullness of the
Yellow maple tree
Slowly losing its brilliance.
The leaves float downward
The sun warms my being.
I feel a sudden exuberance
..a tingling inside.
I begin to plan my life
Recuperated
And I want
To be able to live again." Margie Levine

All About Margie

Margie Levine is a health education teacher, social worker, and therapist who specializes in Integrative Medicine, the blending of conventional and complementary therapies. She conducts mind/body seminars, as well as cancer workshops for doctors, nurses, social workers and patients. She receives calls daily from around the globe and, and does personal counseling both in person and over speaker phone on health -related issues using her 41 steps toward healing. Margie's creative tape making program using the patient's own voice, which she refers to as magical, is one of her specialties. Her documented success stories in helping patients foster their own healing powers are most encouraging. Since the demand for her counseling has grown, Margie is now focusing on training health professionals to perpetuate her work and reach many more.

Margie has presented her program to doctors at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard University, Newton Wellesley Hospital, Connecticut Hospital Association, Columbia Presbyterian in New York and more. Her story has been featured on ABC news television, EmilyRooney's Greater Boston Show, and in the Boston Globe, Philadelphia Inquirer, and etc.

Margie also heads up the Boston Institute of Noetic Science Group, one of the three hundred worldwide. Founded by Apollo 14 Astronaut Edgar Mitchell, on his trip home from the moon, the international network is devoted to research and education so we can live in a more equitable, compassionate, and sustainable place. so human potential can soar. Margie believes she is here for a reason and has dedicated her life toward empowering others so they too can harness their skills and learn to cope.

Margie will be doing a monthly health newsletter through email that you may receive by emailing your email, free of charge. You may contact her at MargieLevine1@aol.com or by writing to her at Five Theatre Colony Lane Bass River, Ma 02664.

Her book can be purchased in most book stores (just ask and they can order if not on shelves) or go to www.Broadwaybooks.com or Random House.com or Amazon.com.

Margie Levine passed away on March 6, 2004