The Basics #20: A cancer survivor's take on the new Netflix series, Apple Cider Vinegar.

The impact of wellness influencers and specifically one who lied about it.

Hi friends,

I’m deep down the rabbit hole and this time it hits way too close to home. I’m going to try to share some of my innermost thoughts and feelings on a sensitive topic so bare with me.

If you haven’t watched the latest con-artist series on Netflix then fear not as I’m not here to spoil it for you. If you’ve watched and binged the series then you too might be caught up in your feelings. Let’s chat either way.

Netflix recently dropped the new 6 episode miniseries, Apple Cider Vinegar and I had NO idea that this story was going to send me spiraling but alas here we are. I binged all six episodes in less than 24 hours, have watched the 60 minutes interview with Gibson, listened to a 3-part podcast and read countless online articles.

Apple Cider Vinegar is NOT a docu-series but a dramatization of a true story. Think Inventing Anna but in the wellness arena. This is a matter of life or death and not merely money.

The show was adapted for television by Samantha Strauss and is based on the nonfiction book The Woman Who Fooled the World : Belle Gibson’s Cancer Con, and the Darkness at the Heart of the Wellness Industry by Beau Donelly.

Belle Gibson claimed to have cured her malignant brain tumor through healthy eating and holistic practices and managed to build an EMPIRE around this lie. An empire that include a popular mobile app, a cookbook published by Penguin and a blog with hundreds of thousands of followers.

As I watched the series I found it interesting that the characters at times talk directly to the audience. They use this tool to remind the viewer that this is a “true-ish” story and that Belle Gibson is not profiting from this story. Thank GOD for that. I had the same thoughts while watching Inventing Anna.

It’s clear that Strauss took a story and broadened it to include a wider scope of the wellness industry and the possible ramifications of Belle’s and others actions and statements. It also explores cancer diagnosis and conventional medicine vs alterative options. Ultimately this story is about so MUCH more than Belle Gibson.

There is A LOT going on in this series so it will be impossible to touch on it all so let’s focus on my visceral reactions to a few particulars that have related to my own experiences.

For context: I’m a breast cancer survivor as well as a daughter of a mother who passed away from GBM (the same cancer many believed Belle had) so just imagine my reaction to this six part series.

Let’s start with Belle claiming to have cured her brain cancer through nutrition and holistic medicine. Imagine my shock and dismay when minutes into watching the series I hear the word Glioblastoma. Based on my research I haven’t seen documentation that Belle claimed that she had Glioblastoma specifically but many believe this is what she implied. The series put a name on it and you bet it caught my attention.

My own mother passed away from Glioblastoma (GBM, glioblastoma multiforme), a malignant tumor affecting the brain or spine that is extremely aggressive and incurable. My mother was given three months to live at time of diagnosis in April of 2013, and passed away in July, just short of the three months. This was around the same time Gibson was claiming to have cured herself of this same disease. Now, back in 2013, Glioblastoma was not as well known as it is today so I can understand why some might have found her convincing. Nonetheless, the fact is, most people live an average of 12-18 months after diagnosis and less than 5% have a five-year survival rate.

There have been a few times in my life I’ve had to go into fight and survival mode. When my mother was given just three months to live, my sisters and father simply could not reckon with that fact. How did this happen so quickly? We need more time. There must be something that can be done. Milla’s character who is said to be based on the wellness blogger Jess, deeply resonated with me. While I did not turn to alterative medicine I can certainly see why many might and the lengths we go to when trying to save our loved ones.

It’s an incredibly vulnerable time and one that Gibson took complete advantage of. Social media is full of wellness influencers and if you consider yourself immune from influence then think again. Also, this is proof (yet again) that smart people, like you and me, can indeed be duped.

I’m a breast cancer survivor who used conventional medicine and practices. It’s extremely triggering to hear someone state they’ve decided to take things into their own hands and they now hold the power to their healing. It’s a nice thought but not always practical when you’re fighting for your life and have young twin boys to care for. Chemotherapy worked to erase the cancer cells in my body but it also sent my own father-in-law (who passed from Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma) to the emergency room.

What I hope viewers take away from this series is that each cancer diagnosis is unique. Each path to wellness is unique. I can’t tell you how many times people questioned my treatment plan or gave me their own advice. Can we come to some middle ground with conventional and alterative remedies? Are we truly honest with ourselves and the influence that social media influencers and specifically wellness influencers have over these critical decisions in our lives? When is the last time you saw someone claim they could help you lose weight the easy way? We want to believe people and especially when we are at our most vulnerable state.

Do we need laws protecting the vulnerable or can we trust that people like Belle Gibson are one in a billion? Can we trust the truth when it’s up for every person’s own interpretation of the truth? How old are you really, Belle?

Perhaps if there were harsher punishments? Afterall, Gibson was fined a little over $400K and is walking free today, having paid none of it back.

I wish I knew the answer but if you’re struggling with a diagnosis or someone you love has been diagnosed with a terminal illness, I see YOU. I will be the listening ear that you need, the shoulder to lean on, without judgement or an agenda.

xoxo Basic B

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Rabbit hole links

60 minutes Australia episode with Belle Gibson

What to know about Belle Gibson before watching the Netflix series

Cast and Real Life Character Guide

Whistleblower Chanelle McAuliffe take on the series

Scandal Podcast - The Belle Gibson Story

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