From Stage IV Cancer to Marathon Runner Dr. Dawn Mussallem’s 5 Best Foods for Healing and Prevention

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A two-decade-long battle of a cancer fighter story with relentless resilience made Dr. Dawn Mussallem, a cancer survivor with determination and her hope would be inspirational to many. 

The Diagnosis  

Three months into medical school, Dr. Mussallem fainted while climbing a flight of stairs and was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin lymphoma, stage 4. For someone trying to become a doctor, this was unquestionably an unfortunate scenario.  

Treatment and Survival  

The disease was aggressive, and so with the necessary medical interventions for a year, she went through chemotherapy, radiation, and a bone marrow transplant. The bone marrow transplant would mean a four-month hospital stay. The medical team,  concerned with the possibility of developing  complications  while being bedridden, advised her to get an exercise bike as a  routine, every morning at 4 A.M. She rode the bike and watched the sun rise, before the other patients woke up.  

She maintained every healthy lifestyle behavior she could, so much so that she eventually “actively participated” in her cancer fight journey and  credited it to  the  lifestyle behavior she chose.  “It was the key to survival.” She recalls how those actions empowered her to stay vital during cancer.

Life Beyond Cancer

After beating stage 4 cancer, Dr. Mussallem finished medical school, married and delivered a daughter. She proceeded with a sterling career as a physician in Mayo Clinic in the breast health and lifestyle medicine wing. The experience being a patient of cancer really shaped her approach to the medical field. She said that going through what she went through gave her that ability to connect with patients, having good intuition about where they are in their cancer journey.

The Aftermath: Heart Failure

Regrettably, the treatments that saved the life of Dr. Mussallem inflicted great damage on her heart. She later on in life experienced severe heart failure which was a tragic complication of her treatment of cancer. They had a defibrillator installed, and even then, she was striving to continue her hectic schedule in the hospital. One day, while rushing to a leadership meeting which she was supposed to address, she suddenly became weak, short of breath, lost consciousness, and collapsed in the boardroom.

Heart Transplant and Astonishing Recovery

By early 2021 her health was rapidly declining and she was hospitalized, placed on therapy to assist her heart. On February 5, 2021, she received her heart transplant, naming her new heart “Grace.”

She had a recovery that was nothing short of remarkable. She walked out of the hospital unassisted two weeks after the transplant. Three and a half months post-transplant, she ran her first 5K in 20 years. Then, one year and one day post-transplant, Dr. Dawn ran a full marathon, the Donna Marathon in Jacksonville. She would be the first person to run a marathon one year post-heart transplant.

Dr. Mussallem’s view of 5 Best Foods in cancer care 

As a Doctor of Breast Health and lifestyle medicine, a double board-certified physician at Mayo Clinic and a stage 4 cancer survivor who shared her views with American author Mel Robbins podcast on October 23 about the top five foods that can help our body fight cancer and promote long-term wellness.

You must have come across the expression you are what you eat but it is more than a cliche. Calories consumed can help the body fight and prevent diseases. From wild and colorful vegetables, to other staples in the kitchen, there are plenty of germ-fighting elements.

  1. Berries

According to Dr Mussallem, the research on berries is so exciting, both for prevention and survivors of breast cancer. For every two servings a week, they can reduce the risk of breast cancer; for survivors, lower the risk of dying from it by 25%:

  1. Purple sweet potatoes

Purple sweet potatoes are 150 percent healthier than the berries. These powerful anthocyanins also help to switch off the cancer causing genes and activate the genes that suppress cancer, helping to keep tumor growth in check.

  1. Cruciferous Vegetables

Asparagus, broccoli, and cauliflower, along with Brussels sprouts, are among cruciferous vegetables.

These are among the most powerful vegetables, Dr Mussallem explains that they contain an enzyme called myrosinase, which enhances the body’s ability to absorb their cancer-fighting nutrients. They also help transform estrogen into a less stimulative form that does not encourage cell growth in regard to breast cancer..

  1. Beans and other fiber-rich plant foods

This is an amazing plant protein, and you’re not just getting protein, you’re getting fiber, Doctor noted. A massive study with 17 million people and years of data showed that fiber can reduce the risk of dying from any cause, heart disease, and even pancreatic cancer. Another review found that fiber can cut overall cancer risk by 22%.

  1. Soy and edamame

There are very few foods that, if you ever get breast cancer, can actually reduce your risk of dying, and edamame is one of them, says Dr Mussallem. Soy is also protective for the prostate and may reduce the risk of lung cancer. The American Cancer Society’s 2022 report showed that soy can lower the risk of breast cancer recurrence by 25%.

By this way, Dr Mussallem concludes that “food is my medicine”. The phytonutrients found in fruits and vegetables help restore good health and so our body has such wisdom to repair itself; we just have to give it the right tools.

Her Legacy and Mission Today

Dr. Mussallem is a diagnostic breast specialist at The Robert and Monica Jacoby Center for Breast Health at Mayo Clinic and Medical Director for the Center for Humanities in Medicine. In 2015, she established the Integrative Medicine and Breast Health Program at Mayo Clinic, Florida where she is leading breast cancer patients to get back their lost vitality by optimizing their lifestyle in addition to using conventional therapies. 

She is the sole survivor with stage 4 cancer and with heart transplant too, which places in a unique position to be able to relate and inspire many people. She has been an inspiring example of a spirit of perseverance that despite the crushing health odds, personal choice, and sheer strength could be the difference between not only survival but prosperity.

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