Healing from Pancreatic Cancer: A True Story of Transformation

I met Troy Firth, CEO and father, just weeks after his diagnosis with stage 4 pancreatic cancer and he’s nothing short of a medical miracle and a true inspiration. Troy is part of the 1% that has not only survived from this type of cancer, but is a better person today because of it. Read on to hear his incredible story.

Troy’s Journey with Stage 4 Pancreatic Cancer

Tell us about the diagnosis and symptoms.

The discovery of the pancreatic cancer was a complete chance occurrence.  It was early 2020 and I was overdue for an ultrasound to check my carotid arteries as I have family history with high cholesterol, etc… so it was a preventative check to ensure all was okay.  As part of that scan they noticed some unusual growths on my liver.  From there, another ultrasound and CT scan that culminated in a diagnosis of Stage 4 Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer in October, 2020, two months before my 50th birthday. 

So, apart from it being the worst birthday present ever, I was shocked as I did not have any symptoms, however, as I have learned this particular cancer is notorious for masking as other issues in the body and by the time specific symptoms present themselves, it’s often quite advanced. 

The “talk” with my oncologist suggested that I may have as few as 3 months to live and with treatment perhaps a year.  Not awesome, but also the moment during which I had a deep internal knowing that this was somehow not my fate in spite of all the evidence being presented to me.  The cancer was growing and had spread rapidly and looking back it was dire and I was terrified, and yet deep down had some inexplicable sense that something was beginning for me. 

It’s difficult to put into words, and perhaps why I have taken so long to try and express myself and begin to tell the story, but all I can say is the story continues.

What was happening in your life when the symptoms started?

It had been over a year of a very heavy work load, managing the company through the COVID crisis and working to ensure we survived.  It had capped many years of putting work first and myself much further down on the list of priorities. 

I was turning 50 and objectively “successful” with a good job, family and friends, but I was never happy with myself (these comments are all in retrospect).

What modalities or practices had the biggest impact on your healing journey?

When you are given a terminal diagnosis, your initial reaction is to grasp at anything that you think may save you.  I had always been a strong believer in the mind/body connection and knew that there are many factors that can lead to illness and disease in our bodies.  I also knew that the body is a miraculous healing machine when the right conditions are created. 

For me, it was a holistic approach. I listened and learned about allopathic options, standard oncology, and that has been part of my healing journey (48 rounds over two years in fact) but for me that was just one part. 

I would say the biggest impact was learning about myself, my energy, my body, my emotions and really looking at what may have contributed to an environment that allowed dis-ease to take hold.  My work with meditation, bio-energy healing (thank you Margaret), nutrition, spiritual work, naturopathic medicine and other alternative therapies have contributed immensely to the fact I am here writing for this blog.

What lesson(s) do you think your body was teaching you?

My body gave me a full stop but it began at another level.  I believe I was presented with this dis-ease for a reason and that will now become the essence of my story.

Why am I here? What is my greatest good?  I have spent the last few years looking within to answer those questions and seek those answers. Sharing my story I believe is part of that purpose and anything I can do to help other people find light in darkness and hope in fear is what I must do.

How has life changed since?

I say there was a death from cancer, and it was my old self. Regardless of where the journey ends, I find gratitude in each day which I had never experienced before my diagnosis. 

One of my favourite sayings is “today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday” and I have learned that all we have is this present moment—right now—so how am I going to choose to live this moment?  It’s work, no doubt, and the ego loves to jump in with fear and take control… but going within and reintegrating yourself with your true purpose seems to open the universe and things begin to happen.   

I have become a better person, father, husband, and brother because I now understand how precious and miraculous life is.  I am continuing to learn, work on myself and live as my vision of complete health no matter what appearances may be before me.  Most importantly, I am excited to see what is in store for me.