Tim Baker, Patting the Shark

User

Posted 09 Apr 2023 at 07:52

Tim Baker is an Australian journalist, surfer and writer of several books. He was diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic prostate cancer, with cancer in his right femur and a left rib in 2015 when he was [about] 55. His medical treatment involved ADT and chemo but outside conventional guidelines he also used meditation, HIIT workouts, surfing, diet, marijuana, MDMA and psilocybin to take on his cancer. He is now in remission, an amazing result which has defied his predicted outcome.

Tim has done various interviews:

ABC Tim Baker

and

SBS Tim Baker

which give a summary of his approach to prostate cancer. While he took on all the recommended medical treatment he is critical of the narrow clinical approach of both oncologists and urologists.

His book, Patting the Shark is easy to read and includes rather more detail than his media interviews.It should probably be compulsory reading for all of us as well as for oncologists, GPs and anyone else who deals with prostate cancer.

Jules

Edited by member 10 Apr 2023 at 19:10 | Reason: Not specified

User

Posted 11 Apr 2023 at 05:30

Hi Phil,

I'm sure the surfing isn't mandatory but for Tim B it helped not only physically and mentally but also as a connection with his son at a time when it really mattered.

For most of us here our vital "consultations" consist of half an hour here and there with a possibly overworked specialist in oncology or urology. Clinical information is vital of course but I found it helpful to be able to spend a few hours immersing myself in the life experience of someone who's found a workable path through the challenges of prostate cancer and raised the often ignored mental challenges of ADT and mortality to their rightful place. I think, if I'd read his book earlier, I might have taken a slightly different approach to my time with Zoladex and recovery from that assault on my system. I would not have changed the medical treatment though.

I hope many people here will at least listen to the interviews and better still, follow up with reading the book.

[I have no connection with Tim B or his publisher :-) ]

Jules

Edited by member 11 Apr 2023 at 05:34 | Reason: Not specified

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