“Cancer.” It’s a word doctors came up with and love to use. Personally, I just call them “growths” in the body. Why? That’s a longer conversation. But let’s start with this: there was a time when doctors wanted to remove seven of my organs. Yes, you read that right—seven. My official diagnosis was stage 4 cancer, advanced, with metastases throughout my body. The largest growth was 13 cm, and there were several more around 5 cm each. The doctors told me I wouldn’t live more than a month. That’s why I feel called to write this.
In that moment, I made a choice: I would either die, or I would heal—but I knew one thing for sure: no one would cut into me. I won’t lie—my emotions were all over the place before I made that decision. I went through the full spectrum of human feeling. But when I finally decided that I wouldn’t let anyone operate on me, I felt an almost shocking sense of peace. You can call it what you want, but for me, it was the voice of my soul, whispering: “Jakub, give us time. If we have time, we can do this.” And I listened.
I’m writing this for anyone who finds themselves—or might one day find themselves—at a similar crossroads. There are two big forces that come crashing in: your own fear, and the influence of others, especially family and friends. Everyone around you suddenly becomes an expert on what you should do. But the truth is—none of them are in your shoes. Sure, it might affect them emotionally—they may be your partner, child, or parent—but at the end of the day, you are the one who has to make the choice. And what choice is that?
The one that is truly right for you.
How do you know what that is? Do you just follow everyone’s advice? Or the doctors, for whom you’re often just a case number and a stranger? What if everything they say is wrong—for you?
What if this whole situation is a test designed just for you, not your family or your circle of advisors?
What if you are the infinite being here? The one who can choose to step into your power, face this head-on, and pass the test? Or... do you hand that power away, follow someone else’s path, and live with their choices?
Yes, it’s easier—more comfortable even—to hand responsibility to someone else. To say, “Well, the doctor told me…” But the universe doesn’t work that way. When you give your power away, you’re no longer creating your life. And in my experience, that doesn’t end well.
Have you ever thought about cause and effect from the universe’s perspective? That’s a whole other conversation for another time. Here’s one thing I know: what you think about, you attract. You create it. That’s why I urge people to be careful with their thoughts. If you constantly focus on fear and negativity, you invite it in. But if your thoughts are positive or at least neutral, you give your body a much better chance.
Looking back, I see now: cancer came into my life to teach me something important. It was a message meant just for me. And that’s what I want to pass on: you alone bear the consequences of your choices, whatever they are.
If I can offer one piece of advice, it’s this: listen to your body. Your body is always with you. It knows what it needs. It wants you to thrive.
If you’re curious about my story, I’ll tell you this: I changed everything. I sold my home, packed up, and moved to the Caribbean—Honduras. A fresh start. Because I asked myself: How badly do I want to live? And what am I willing to do for it? How far outside your comfort zone are you willing to go? How strong is your faith in yourself? How deeply do you honor your own being?
When was the last time you thanked your body—for being there, for keeping you going?
I remember crawling four meters on all fours, from the couch to the bathroom, urinating blood and clots. That was the moment I truly grasped how miraculous our body is. What it can do—if we give it care, time, and attention. Now, I ask my body each day:
“What would you like to eat today?”
“What possibilities can we open together today?”
Gratitude and self-recognition—that, to me, is one of the deepest realizations you can have. After all, who are you with your entire life? Yourself.
But most of us forget that. We take it for granted. I don’t anymore. I learned it the hard way—by crashing into the wall. But now, I’m grateful for that crash. So here’s a shoutout to your amazing bodies—thank them, honor them. They work for you every day, whether you’re aware of it or not.
I’m grateful I can now share what I’ve learned with people who genuinely want to change. And that’s the thing—many say they want it, but don’t act. I spent 12–15 hours a day for nearly three years figuring out what my body needed and how to help it heal.
If you think you can reverse something that built up over years in just a month—you’re mistaken. True detox and regeneration can take years. But ask yourself—isn’t a few years of work worth a second chance at life? I’ll leave that answer to you.
How far can healing take you—beyond the limits of this reality? With deep respect and gratitude,Jakub Karásek, MBA et LL.M.