Rene Caisse the Story of Essiac

Since its introduction to Western culture, Essiac has resisted many attempts of sabotage by the authorities. It is no surprise to learn that the history of this herbal remedy is shrouded in controversy. The mere notion that it is considered a cancer cure by many, is enough to cause outrage within the medical establishment. The fact that it is still available today owes much to the remarkable individual who discovered it.

Rene Caisse (1888-1978) was a Canadian head nurse working at a hospital in Ontario during the 1920's. Her desire to help sick people meant that she was extremely dedicated to her job. One day, during her rounds, she noticed a strange scarring on one of her patient's breasts. The patient, an elderly woman, was only too happy to tell her the story behind the scar. What Rene learnt was soon to determine the course of her entire future.

In search of wealth, Rene's patient had traveled from England to Ontario with her prospector husband. Soon after their arrival, she had noticed a hardened lump on her breast. The couple had recently befriended a medicine man from the local Native American Ojibwe tribe. He claimed he could help her condition by giving her 'a holy drink that purifies the body and places it back in balance with the great spirit.' The woman hailed from a culture which regarded such remedies with scepticism. She was grateful for his offer but decided to turn to orthodox medicine instead. Her worst fears were confirmed by the hospital in Toronto. The prognosis was not good. She was told that she had aggressive cancer and that her only option was the complete removal of her breast. A close friend had died recently after a mastectomy, so she was reluctant to go ahead with the operation. Instead she made the radical decision to return to the Ojibwa medicine man and take him up on his kind offer.
Rene Caisse was struck by the importance of this new discovery. It was now over twenty years after the patient's unconventional treatment, and the only remaining evidence of the cancer was scar tissue. Rene asked the woman for the recipe to this healing tea. She said: "I was very interested and wrote down the names of the herbs she had used. Knowing that at the time doctors threw up their hands when cancer was discovered in a patient, my thought was that if I should ever develop cancer, I would use it." Little did she realise that in two years time, she would be putting this remedy to the test. Her favourite aunt Mireza had been diagnosed with terminal cancer of the stomach and liver. Rene approached Mireza's physician to ask permission to use the remedy. He admitted there was nothing else he could do for her, and could see no harm in giving her the tea. After two months of daily treatment Mireza began to recover. She went on to live another twenty years.

This was proof enough to Rene of the efficacy of this remedy. Thus began a long, hard struggle for her to legitimize the use of the tea in treating her cancer patients. The remedy was named Essiac (Caisse in reverse). Rene spent her life fighting to establish Essiac as a legal cure for cancer. During this time she encountered many obstacles laid by the authorities. At one stage she was even forced to close down her highly successful cancer clinic in Ontario.

Considering her a threat to orthodox medicine, the Medical Establishment used their clout to hound her at every available opportunity. Yet this did not prevent her from fighting back. She had total faith in the healing powers of Essiac. For over fifty years she successfully treated thousands of so-called terminal cancer patients. Perhaps the most amazing attribute of this remarkable woman was her refusal to charge for her services. She was offered huge sums of money by many organisations in return for the herbal formula, yet she always turned them down. Rene's focus was on healing, not profit.

So what exactly is Essiac tea? Much controversy surrounds the herbs and quantities used. This is due in part, to Rene's reluctance to pass on the formula. Sadly today there are many organisations involved in petty squabbles over who produces the correct formula. The original formula can be traced back to four main herbs. These consist of Burdock Root, Sheep Sorrel, Slippery Elm and Rhubarb Root. However there are many variations of this herb mixture which can be found in health stores the world over. The names are equally as varied: Caisse Tea, Essiac, Essyac, Flor-essence, Four Herb Tea, Ojibwe Herbal Tea and Tea of Life. Despite claims and counterclaims regarding the efficacy of these mixtures, all have proven health benefits. It is unfortunate to note that even today the in-fighting continues amongst the various manufacturers.

So can Essiac cure cancer? As all Gersonites know, it is not legally possible to make such claims. However, the positive evidence is recorded in the many testimonials and documented cases treated by Rene during her years in nursing. In the 1960's President J.F. Kennedy's physician, Dr Charles A. Brusch, stated "Essiac is a cure for cancer, period." After working with Rene for ten years, he put himself forward as living proof, by curing his own cancer through Essiac treatment. In 1990 he said "I have taken Essiac every day since my diagnosis (1984) and my recent examination has given me a clean bill of health."
Rene Caisse died in 1978 at the age of 90. It is unfortunate that she never lived to see her revolutionary discovery attain the accessibility it enjoys today. However, the future of Essiac tea remains uncertain. It is disheartening to note that little has changed since Caisse's on-going battle with the Medical Establishment. The threat posed by the EU directive reflects the increased popularity of alternative medicine and the impact it is having on orthodox methods today. It seems that far from being won, Rene's battle will continue to run.

Samantha Flower is a Nutritional Therapist and Iridologist living and practising in the North London area. She takes clinics in Camden and Crouch End and is also a Kevala Centre Course Tutor.

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