For Valerie Harper, Montel Williams, and Jack Osbourne, the decision to open up about their health battles is part of their desire to help others. All three stars are combining holistic treatments with Western medicine. And for Valerie, her battle with brain cancer involved everything from medication to acupuncture, she revealed on The Doctors .
Harper was told that she had terminal brain cancer two years ago. But the woman who many still remember as Mary Tyler Moore’s beloved pal Rhoda Morgenstern refused to accept the news that she had only three months to live.
“What I have is rare. It’s also incurable, so far,” noted Valerie.
But despite that knowledge, she’s focused on living, not dying.
“More than anything, I’m living in the moment. I really want Americans and all of us to be less afraid of death. Know that it’s a passage, but don’t go to the funeral before the day of the funeral. While you’re living, live.”
Valerie credits her positive attitude, holistic options such as acupuncture, and her ability to stay active for helping her outlive all those predictions. But despite that, she emphasizes the importance of heeding doctors’ advice.
“You don’t give up. You listen to your doctors,” emphasized the actress.
And Harper also is paying it forward. She contributed her acting skills to the film Banner On the Moon . The movie tells the story of Cindy Abbot, who despite her terminal, rare disease is focused on boosting the profile of the National Organization of Rare Disorders. She climbed Mount Everest and made it to the finish of the Alaskan Iditarod.
Joining Valerie in desiring to help others by revealing their health battles are Jack Osbourne and Montel Williams, reported People .
After he learned that he had multiple sclerosis (MS) in 1999, Montel vowed to fight back. Since then, he’s teamed up with Jack and former Massachusetts first lady Ann Romney to jump-start a social media campaign.
It’s called #50millionfaces and showcases others dealing with MS as well as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, brain tumors and ALS.
Both Montel and Jack, like Valerie, are turning to holistic treatments as well as conventional medicine.
“I’ve been using this device for four years. It’s going to change the world, I’m telling you,” he declared.
Although it has not yet been approved by the FDA, Montel is hopeful that the PoNS device can change lives.
As for Jack Osbourne, he’s also using a combination of treatments, as the Inquisitr reported. To reduce inflammation, Jack follows a strict Paleo diet that excludes processed foods, sugar, grains, and dairy. It’s an approach recommended by Dr. Terry Wahls, who used functional medicine and a Paleo-style diet to conquer the symptoms of her own MS.
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