In 1971, Dr. O. Carl Simonton, a radiologist at the University of Texas met a 61-year old patient who had throat cancer that had progressed so far that the man could hardly swallow and he only weighed 98 pounds. His prognosis was very poor with only a 5% of surviving 5 years after treatment. In any case, the patient was so weak that it seemed highly unlikely that he would respond well to radiation, the standard therapy for his condition.

In desperation, Dr. Simonton suggested the man try visualisation as a means of enhancing his radiation therapy.

1. The man visualised his cancer cells as vividly as possible.
2. Then using a mental picture that appealed to him, he visualised his immune system and his white blood cells successfully dealing with the cancer cells. For him, he saw his cancer cells being swept clean from his system leaving only healthy cells behind.
3. The man went home with instructions to repeat his visualisation throughout the day.

In a few weeks, his tumour seemed to be shrinking and he was virtually free of side effects from his radiation therapy. After 2 months, his tumour was gone.

Natuarally Dr. Simonton was elated but baffled. How could a thought deal so effectively with a cancer cell? The patient however accepted his cure without undue surprise. In fact he told Dr. Simonton that he would also try visualisation on the arthritis in his legs which had kept him from going stream-fishing.

He did just that and within a few more weeks, he succeeded. And continued to remain free of the former cancer and arthritis throughout the follow-up period of the next 6 years.