Friday, March 6, 2015

Does Belle Gibson Actually Have Cancer?

Does Belle Gibson actually have cancer?  Woah.  Okay.  Boy did I feel like a jerk as I typed that out.  It is certainly not my style to be skeptical of a person who claims she has cancer.  Indeed, when I first read Belle's story, I did not doubt it at all.  I completely believed that this was a woman who had terminal brain cancer that was treated well enough with conventional medicine that she was able to live many years beyond her initial diagnosis.   One thing I did not believe was that Belle had managed to keep her cancer in check with her diet, which is something she heavily implies. Now, I always think that we should look for the truth in claims of healing cancer naturally through diet or fantasy-based medicine, which is why I decided to take a much closer look at Belle's story.

As far as cancer "naturally healing" stories go, hers is surprisingly anemic.  The best I can glean from various articles written about her is that Belle was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer, given four months to live, used conventional medicine for two months, and then, after passing out on the hospital's lawn had an epiphany where she decided to reject conventional medicine and instead heal herself naturally with diet and fantasy-based medicine.  She is still alive six years later, though she claims that her brain tumor is still there, which causes her to have seizures.  I was curious about what actually happened here.  First of all, all Belle says is that she has "brain cancer" which seems a little odd to me.  Which kind of brain cancer is it?  Most people with a cancer story are very clear on this point.  Secondly, did Belle actually go through an entire cycle of treatment, or did she quit part way through?  Does she still use conventional medicine?  I ask because it is critical that we ask these questions of someone who heavily and publicly implies that she has used fantasy-based medicine and food to beat the odds and survive another six years past her initial life-expectancy.  But is any of this even true?

Last July, Belle posted on her facebook page that she has cancer of her spleen, blood, liver and uterus.  Now this is where I and many other people became skeptical, and that is because it is highly unusual for brain cancer to spread to other areas of the body.  The only thing I could think was that Belle's initial diagnosis was wrong, and that her original brain cancer was actually secondary cancer that stemmed from some other part of her body.  I still believed, however, that Belle had cancer all over her body and now sadly had very little time left.  But I am now seriously questioning whether I was correct in giving Belle the benefit of the doubt.  Eight months have gone by since that announcement. Her facebook page is full of photos from her trips around the world, the latest of which was a cruise in the South Pacific a little less than a month ago.  Now, I certainly know people (my own grandmother among them) who have taken trips with their family when still very sick with cancer.  It is a way to form one final "good" memory before things get really bad.  If this is what Belle is doing, then more power to her.  However, everything Belle posts does not suggest a person who is sick with cancer.  Is she getting treatment?  Is she just using food and fantasy-based medicine?  She claims that it was the misery of conventional treatment that inspired her to go natural, and her entire business has been based on this.  There are too many contradictions and gaps in Belle's story and that is why I feel is it is fair to demand the truth from her.  Too many people with cancer have relied on Belle's story of healing in making their own medical decisions.

Edited to add:  Hey folks, when you post a comment will you please use some sort of name or identifier.  You can still be anonymous of course; I simply want it to be easier to determine who posted what so that the dialog here does not get too confusing.  Thanks!

396 comments:

  1. I follow Belle on Instagram and noticed a comment a while back from an ex workmate of hers. He stated that she was claiming to have had brain cancer 8/9 years ago and he asked if it was the same cancer reoccurring again. Perhaps it was a simple misunderstanding but it made me wonder...

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    1. Yes I do wonder. I feel bad that we have to question this woman, but she makes a living off this story, and she heavily implies that the reason she is still alive is because she follows a certain lifestyle. In July she says that her cancer has spread to several major organs and in September she is photographed at a Cosmopolitan event looking quite good, and she is clearly not doing chemo as she still has her real hair. Can you really get cancer is your liver, not undergo chemo, and then be fit enough to be snorkeling in Vanuatu eight months later? I suppose it is possible, but it strikes me as being extraordinary enough that we need to question what is and is not true here.

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  2. Does she have a personal blog? I can't find it

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    1. I do not believe so. It appears that at one point she did, though. I do not know why or when it was deleted.

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  3. Well Done Violet.

    I have been following Belle about the same time as Jess as they did a few cross promotions of their brands. What stood out to me is the styling of TWP. It seems as though food strategically styled is somehow better for you. Maybe in her past she was in this line of work! I also note that she has tattoos. I believe these are fairly recent as one is in keeping with her branding. Isn't that contrary to her whole wellness philosophy?

    I do hope she is not as ill as she claimed last year as the card she had been dealt was indeed a losing one.

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    1. I definitely think that Belle is a very talented chef and food stylist. Indeed, her recipes and her food look really good to me and I would eat anything from her cookbook in a heartbeat. I just cannot believe that a person with liver and blood cancer has the energy eight months later to go snorkeling in Vanuatu. I have seen ( and certainly many of you as well) someone that far along with cancer of the liver and blood muster up the strength to go to a graduation or a wedding, but it is an exhausting enterprise that takes all their strength. Belle never posts any photos of herself (it is just her feet and hands mainly), which makes it difficult for me to gauge what it truly going on with her. Her facebook page HEAVILY IMPLIES that she is an active, vibrate person with lots of energy. The implication from that is that she is "beating" her cancer easily with fantasy-based medicine and woo. So either she is not as sick as she claims, or her facebook page is set up in such a way to make it appear that she is beating her cancer against the odds using woo. Both things are unacceptable. She is too famous and too many people suffering from cancer look to her for guidance.

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  4. OMG. How did I not think to ever question this before? I guess you don't expect someone who looks and sounds like Belle to be a fraud. A lot of her Facebook stuff is missing now. When she was first diagnosed (or when she first announced) with cancer that had spread to other organs she had hundreds of well wisher comments, I can't find them now. Maybe they're still there though? It all seems weird. How is she staying so well without treatment?

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    1. I have noticed that she often will post some big news as just the caption under a photograph instead of an actual facebook post. For a long time I thought she had removed the "cancer spreading" post but actually it was just somewhere in her photos.

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  5. http://facegram.io/u/healing_belle&Belle-Gibson-THEWHOLEPANTRY&301533198 Some posts remain accessible via other routes.

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  6. I found this from one of Belle's photos on her facebook page about 12 weeks after her second cancer diagnosis:

    "I'm following the same, yet amplified holistic medicine treatment plan, taking what I need from each respected modality; herbalism, acupuncture, nutrition etc and a new addition to it all with a German integrative oncology protocol. It took me a while, but I'm back in (adjusted) full force and taking each day as it comes."

    Does anyone know what any of this actually means? Is German integrative oncology protocol actual reality-based medicine, or is it fantasy-based medicine? I can say that to me at least, Belle is heavily implying that she is using fantasy-based medicine to treat her cancer of the liver, blood, spleen, and uterus. Again I must seriously question how it is possible that she is (seemingly) jet-setting all over the world and going on cruises during this time.

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  7. Who is the father of the little boy? Is he on the scene? Surely he wouldn't put his son through that if she was lying.
    I also found this that alarms me - from July 2014 (on a photo)
    "in the afternoon of Oli's party I collapsed in pain and had multiple seizures over the following 40 minutes"
    Generally a person doesn't just have seizures for 40 minutes after collapsing in pain. If a person was to seize for this long its called status epilieptcus and is life threatening.. something about this post doesn't ring true.. and I too feel horrible saying it. Its not uncommon for people to fake seizures..

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    1. Yes apparently a seizure like that is some very serious stuff. It is so serious, in fact, that it would be life-threatening and something that Belle would have been hospitalized over. I am surprised that her subsequent hospitalization was not part of her post. Up to 30% of people who have a seizure like that are dead within a month. It is that serious. Would a person who could potentially have something like that happen to them be traveling internationally all the time?

      What is really going on here?

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    2. Oh and two days after her forty minute long seizure she is flying on an airplane. Okay.....

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    3. Yeah its very suss. A 40 minute seizure would put someone in intensive care. I'm convinced she's a compulsive liar... I get a very unstable vibe from her watching the video below. People like Jess are very clear about their cancer and how it was treated.. Belle is very vague.

      https://au.tv.yahoo.com/sunrise/video/watch/21742703/health-wellness-and-lifestyle-app/



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    4. She is vague and her brain cancer spread to other areas of her body, which is is very rare. It is so rare, in fact, that it would seem like something that Belle would discuss on her facebook page or other places.

      Also, I'm sorry to bring this up, but I only do so because it is one more thing that bothers me about her story: she got pregnant AFTER she found out she supposedly had a malignant brain tumor. Gosh that is a damn odd decision to me. I just could not fathom going that route in that condition. I guess everyone is different but having a child, knowing that I was ostensibly terminally ill, would not even cross my mind.

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    5. would be good if Orac would do a post on her.. problem is her information is all over the place.. and hard to find in photos etc.. maybe this is deliberate too

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    6. Her facebook photos of her (I guess it is her) are mainly of her feet and hands. What I do not understand is why none of the "journalists" who interview her approach her with any sort of incredulity. Here is a person who is claiming that she is surviving despite getting only four months left to live. I cannot believe that not a single "journalist" out there has posed any hard questions to her. It is unfathomable to me that no one asks what to me seem like the questions that any person would ask someone like Belle Gibson. Here we have a person who has had one of the most extraordinary "cancer journeys" I have ever seen and not one person questions it.

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    7. I do agree that Belle Gibson has questions to answer. However, you have deliberately chosen to read that statement as saying that she had one fit lasting 40 minutes. What she actually said was that she had multiple fits over a 40 minute period. The two are different things and if you are critiquing others for not being completely honest, you cannot read meanings into things yourselves. That said, it all does seem rather odd. I wonder whether Belle Gibson in fact has epilepsy rather than a brain tumour.

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    8. Multiple seizures within a 40 min period is still a medical emergency and I highly doubt she would be jet setting 48 hours later if that was real

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    9. @anonymous: status epilepticus is defined as a seizure lasting longer than 30 minutes, or as two or more seizures which recur without a full recovery of neurological function in between. I read her statement and took on its face before I analyzed it. Having multiple seizures over forty minutes is status epilepticus and is a VERY serious medical issue that requires hospitalization in intensive care and the patient would be monitored afterwards. I did some reading on this, and, as far as I could gather, someone going on a trip 48 hours later would be very odd. People with a brain tumor who have one of these are at a very serious and very real risk of dying within the next thirty days.

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    10. I watched the video Alice posted @
      https://au.tv.yahoo.com/sunrise/video/watch/21742703/health-wellness-and-lifestyle-app/

      One thing I noticed was the change in Belle Gibson's teeth between the segment shot at home and the live interview. She has obviously had some major cosmetic dental work done - most likely veneers but possibly also dental implants. She won't eat GMO, preservatives etc. but is happy to have artificial compounds stuck to her teeth?

      I also recall reading on Jessica Ainscough's site (before it was taken down) that her mother had all her dental work reversed because her veneers and fillings were artificial and leaching chemicals into her body.

      The thing that strikes me is the vanity component of these 'wellness' gurus. They espouse the idea that if you eat well and think happy thoughts you will also look good. This is a superficial, image driven industry.

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    11. I agree, it is superficial and image-driven. I do not even really have an issue with that, as most businesses are. What concerns me is that Belle Gibson has claimed to have terminal cancer and has also claimed that she is still alive today because of her whole foods lifestyle (or whatever).

      If she does not have cancer, then she owes everyone the truth, and if she does have cancer but she is treating it conventionally, then she still owes everyone the truth.

      The fact that she cannot come forward and simply tell the truth speaks volumes to me.

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  8. God can you imagine if it wasn't true!

    I too feel terrible for questioning her condition but something feels off. I started following her because I found her story to be quite inspirational but my feelings have shifted.

    I have to agree Violet, if her treatment is legitimately this effective it should documented and shared.

    I am also seriously blown away by the number of sycophantic sheep that hang on every word and image posted by the woo superstars out there!

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    1. I just feel that for some reason, Belle's whole story is being kept purposefully vague. And yes, I certainly feel "icky" questioning someone's cancer story, but I feel it is necessary in light of the fact that she is no doubt inspiring other people with cancer to turn to fantasy-based medicine. Her whole business is based around the fact that she is surviving/beating/healing/overcoming cancer using health food. What is true here? Is she really beating her cancer right now without conventional medicine? Is she currently really sick with cancer but covering it up? Or does she simply not have cancer at all?

      SOMETHING funky is going on here and I think we need to get to the bottom of it. It seems very, very odd to me that someone is going on a trip 48 hours after having a forty minute long seizure, that someone is going on hikes to waterfalls and going snorkeling seven months after supposedly having her cancer spread to her liver and blood, and I find just as odd that a cancer that is not known to spread, managed to spread and that it was not even commented upon.

      Yes, I agree with you that the main reason her story does not get questioned is because there are thousands of sycophants out there who are blinded to thinking critically when it comes to a person they have decided to worship.

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  9. Great work Violet.
    These people need to be questioned. If they are being honest then there is nothing to fear from clarifying the facts.

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    1. I agree with you Rosalie. If Belle Gibson is telling the complete truth, then she should step forward at this moment and clarify many of the muddy issues surrounding her story. She has unilaterally and consciously chosen to make herself a public figure, and it is all based on the fact that she is a person who has survived a terminal cancer diagnosis for over six years. She cannot have it both ways; she cannot base a global business on a fantastic story of survival and then duck sharing the details that would give her story the complete picture that anyone purchasing her products deserves.

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  10. Have you read this?

    Yet she is clearly flying business class for her overseas trips...

    http://www.smh.com.au/digital-life/digital-life-news/charity-money-promised-by-inspirational-health-app-developer-belle-gibson-not-handed-over-20150308-13xgqk.html

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    1. Also Polly Noble interviewed Belle 23rd August, 2013 (published on Polly's website):

      "I read that you have cancer – can you tell us about that please?

      A few years ago I was diagnosed with malignant brain cancer, something that came out of nowhere, with very little warning. I was living away from family and friends at the time, working and exploring another part of Australia. It saw me lose my job, friendships and any sense of normality and familiarity. I partially lost my eyesight, struggled to walk and talk, and even think for myself. Like the typical cancer patient, I was pushed into treatment, but pulled myself out of it quickly, feeling it wasn’t right for me. Since then, I’ve been healing myself naturally, and it might sound bizarre, but through the power of fruits, vegetables and all that’s in abundance around us"


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  11. It looks like others may have the same suspicions as us. And I am curious if Belle's story is even more sinister than Jessie's, simply a fraud without even having had cancer, instead of just being delusional...

    I wonder what this phrase is based on: "says she has helped countless people dump conventional medicine to treat ailments including cancer"?

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    1. The thing that sets Belle's story apart from Jessica's is that Belle seems to have a much more "miraculous" cancer journey. Jessica's cancer progressed essentially exactly as predicted. Belle, on the other hand, seems to imply that she is alive six years after being told she had four months to live due to her lifestyle changes. That would be like if Jessica were alive 30 years from now doing woo.

      I wonder if Belle actually had a benign tumor, or if she was misdiagnosed at first. Whatever is going on, her story requires much more questioning and I do not think it should be taken at face value. There are too many holes in it.

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  12. Thank goodness my 2nd brain scan last week was clear otherwise I would have thought otherwise after reading that article above. Wow, what a head spin !

    I just went to the The Whole Pantry App and read the reviews there. Not so good, with claims of no new content and updates. There a few 5 star rating but they may be inhouse.

    The plot thickens!

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  13. Both her instagram page and her personal FB page have been wiped clean over the last couple of days. She's removed the "Post by Others" from the Whole Pantry FB page in the last few hours.

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    1. Now it is obvious that they were prepping for the coming storm. But make no mistake, people are angry and are expressing their anger in the comments of the "excuse-maker" post.

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  14. There is now a statement on her facebook page. Apparently she is 'dealing with the loss of people close to her' (Jess?), is 'not coping' and is therefore no longer the Managing Director of the company. They have avoided stating anything specific about her health but have said that they will update in due course. It is still possible to leave comments on facebook so I would encourage you to do this. This is absolutely outrageous and I really hope that this girl is properly taken to task about this. Lying about fundraising for charity, yet taking a Caribbean cruise- wtf. Unless this is a bucket list type of thing and she is actually at death's door and doesn't care that she misappropriated funds. It doesn't sound like she is somehow though.

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  15. So now the Whole Pantry and Belle Gibson have been accused of taking money they raised for charities. Their excuses are flimsy and appears that most people on facebook are calling them out on it. They used these charities to market their products, claimed that money raised for them would go to the charities, and then never delivered the money.

    TWP claims that Belle is dealing wither personal and health issues and has thus stepped down as managing director. Many of you noticed that the instagram and facebook pages have seen some changes in the past few days, and there was speculation as to why. Well, I think we have our answer.

    Look, I still am only questioning whether Belle Gibson has cancer (not concluding), but I think this story offers a glimpse into her character.

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  16. I'm wondering if she's taking her cash and going into hiding, because she can't carry on the sham.
    Or we could be completely wrong and she really is dying...

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    1. I certainly concede that we could be completely wrong. I am willing to accept feeling bad about all this. My point would still stand though: when a person bases a business on their story of healing/curing/surviving cancer, then we must demand more details from them before it should be accepted as fact.

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    2. There seems to be no background history on her whatsoever.. I'm wondering if that's her real name.. no family around, moved cities and was diagnosed, then moved cities again for treatment.. was alone in dr's office when diagnosed.. all very conveniently "alone" when given all this life threatening information about her health... I don't know about you, but I would certainly want support at an oncologists appointment!!

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    3. Ceejay over on Rosalie's blog pointed out that Belle never has said which stage she was at. I looked, and sure enough, I could not find anything. That is odd to me too. It certainly does not prove that Belle is lying, but so far she has not said which brain cancer she has and which stage she was at when she was diagnosed. It's really all so shady.

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    4. On FB

      The Whole Pantry - Live Healthy Belle is struggling with managing the loss of some of those close to her at the moment and has pulled back a lot over the last year, and even more so recently. She has been forced to put the health and wellbeing of her self and her family first. Belle is under the professional care of a new conventional team and when they feel right and ready to do so, they will update TWP and the following associated with the App on how she is going. Presently, Belle is not coping and we ask for respect whilst she grieves and awaits her upcoming appointments. As you can imagine, this is a difficult time for any family. Belle's withdrawal from managing the company was a very difficult decision, but necessary in supporting her. We will of course post a public statement, much the same as this when we are able to, to update those who keep her in their thoughts and support what she founded here at The Whole Pantry. Thanks, Felicity

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    5. Why are they not able to post a public statement right now? Surely posting the truth about something would be an easy, straightforward task that would take very little time or effort.

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    6. http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/health/the-whole-pantry-founder-inspires-in-the-face-of-terminal-cancer/story-fniym874-1227133426731

      There is this article which details her past as a carer for her mother with MS. Granted the source is not a reliable/reputable one, more of a lifestyle/celebrity gossip site. Hence running a piece on her to begin with. She has been incredible vague about her past, it is dubious to say the least.

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  17. TWP facebook page just deleted tons of comments questioning their ethics and Belle's true state of health. All they had to do was answer the questions and accusations TRUTHFULLY. That's it. Instead, they deleted it.

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    1. I emailed the reporters from that article, and told them to look into her cancer claims too. I don't know if they will, but it definitely appears that her lies are beginning to unravel with her business

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    2. I emailed them too, along with a very brief summary as to why I find her story suspect.

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    3. So did I. Before I even read this

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    4. Before they were deleted, A LOT of people on the facebook page were also asking questions about Belle's supposed cancer. If Belle's story is true, then she ought to come forward and clarify some of the things that are making us suspicious. The only thing she has to do is tell the truth. I have no idea why any of this would have to be put off until later. It is very simple. She just has to tell the truth.

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  18. I don't know if the post is still there but someone posted that The Whole Pantry is not a company but Belle operates as a sole trader for which a Managing Director is not required. For those overseas, we have the ability to look up this information on ASIC site and it reveals the company, its directors and other relevant information.

    Wow, people are going to lengths to find this information. My concern is that Belle may actually self harm. I hated tying that but she may have issues far greater than we imagine.

    Fingers crossed I'm wrong.

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    1. I doubt that. Rose, are you an attorney in Oz? Does this mean that Belle does not have the protection of being incorporated? Is this just a sole proprietorship then? Who the hell would run a global-reaching business without the benefits of incorporation?

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    2. No Violet I am not an attorney. I am a sole trader though and there is little that is complex about that. It simply means that I must lodge a Business Activity Statement and pay any tax I have collected. There is no requirement to have a MD and other holders as required by company law. ASIC stands for the Australian Securities and Investment Commission.

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  19. http://abr.business.gov.au/SearchByAbn.aspx?abn=66776548547

    She is a sole trader not even registered for GST.
    https://connectonline.asic.gov.au/RegistrySearch/faces/landing/bySearchId.jspx?searchId=163101595&searchIdType=BUSN&_adf.ctrl-state=7vfd54o3w_16


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  20. And another thing.... Sole traders get to keep all profits, and must run their own business themselves.
    http://www.findlaw.com.au/articles/4467/the-requirements-of-starting-a-business-as-a-sole-.aspx

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    1. So then in the event that she wants to step down as "managing director" she would have to incorporate TWP?

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    2. Yes or make it a partnership. Neither of which has been done.

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    3. Being a sole trader means she is personally liable for the debts of TWP. It also means that she can withdraw the profits of TWP as she chooses. I would think that if she has enough funds to pay for first class international flights and luxury cruises out of TWP, there should be enough liquid assets to fulfil the promise to donate a percentage of profits to nominated charities.

      On the face of it, this really seems to me like fraud (ie. dishonestly obtaining advantage for personal gain).

      Charity fraud is just a really low act and I'm glad the media is now picking up on this. I hope the ACCC, Consumer Affairs Victoria and police are alerted of this potential fraud and will investigate.

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  21. Does anyone know if Belle is also related to B-School affiliate marketing scheme as was Jess?

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  22. I remember reading that post on instagram last year around late July it was where she declared she now had cancer in her blood, spleen, liver and uterus and thinking how is this girl going to last the year?! This post was deleted from her FB page in the last 48 hours but someone had tagged it on instagram:

    https://instagram.com/p/rCrpSfsEkt/?modal=true

    honestly any doctors, oncologist can comment on this, she looks incredibly vibrant and healthy. Shortly after above mentioned post, in early September she's holidaying in Bali and then similar posts followed. Which also have been deleted in the last 48hours.

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    1. I would love it if an oncologist would weigh in here. I know that a doctor not treating Belle cannot say for sure, but the one thing I definitely want cleared up is whether is seems reasonable that Belle had cancer spread from the brain to those other organs.

      Also, she left her son and her partner for four weeks in September to go to California to work on her app. I dunno, that seems really weird to me, though, again, I am not judging her choice to do that after her second diagnosis, I am only saying that it is certainly not something I would ever do.

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    2. I assumed 3rd and 4th cancer was just incorrect use of terminology that is often seen among confused patients, when they actually mean metastasis of the primary. But then she mentions a primary and a secondary that are both new AND that is on top of a gynecological cancer found a few months back, after having had terminal brain cancer in the first place? Or is she actually trying to say she has had 4 separate cancers? A tad much on top of losing a child, taking care of mother with MS at the age of 12 and being estranged from her after getting cancer diagnosis? Munchhausen's syndrome maybe?

      I will eat my hat, if there is not something fishy about this whole thing, even if we don't look at the whole donation stealing subject...

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    3. Full text of the "balloon" image is still available on http://facegram.io/u/healing_belle&Belle-Gibson-THEWHOLEPANTRY&301533198:

      And it says the following:

      With frustration and ache in my heart // my beautiful, gamechanging community, it hurts me to find space tonight to let you all know with love and strength that I've been diagnosed with a third and forth cancer. One is secondary and the other is primary. I have cancer in my blood, spleen, brain, uterus, and liver. I am hurting. As some of you remember, there was a scare I briefly spoke about here 4 months ago where we found gynecological cancer that I stood up against with strength I wouldn't of had if it weren't for each of you. with these, it was only a matter of time before it all fell apart as my body goes through the waves of this process. I wanted to respectfully let you each know, and hand some of the energy over to the greater community, my team and @thewholepantry - through this I am still here reading, listening and learning with and to each of you, but need to respectfully and with great honour hand it over to TWP to carry on our legacies and collective message. I sit and work from a space for each of you, still creating and growing our philosophy of living - work towards releasing our first book and ensure that the legacies of our charity and community work which you ALL helped achieve through downloading The Whole Pantry App is all it needs to be, with whatever ends up being my defining story with you. I'm doing okay, but am feeling very unwell and picked up on this before my return from NYC with confirmation just over a week later. I have the most phenomenal team of integrative and holistic specialist and practitioners and know either way, they'll give me good conversations to leave with. I'm so grateful for them, my strength over the last five years and for being what seems to feel like the most unfortunate, tested life ever. Please turn to @thewholepantry account in this time of space for our message of The Whole Life, app and book updates and community support and inspiration to continúe on. Please don't carry my pain. I've got this.

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    4. I've tweet to Orac who is a surgical oncologist about this story and asked for his comment. I think the fact that they are deleting comment is pretty good confirmation that this is a scam.

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    5. My sister had multiple mets similar to those described (from sarcoma...not brain cancer) and was barely unable to walk let alone scuba dive. Far from being a picture of health she was emaciated and prematurely aged. The liver tumours meant a lot of fluid would collect in her abdomen so she had a large bulge on one side. And it was incredibly painful. Even if she'd wanted to, she could not get travel insurance from anyone so travelling to the US from Australia was out of the question as any hospital trip would cost hundreds of thousands of dollars if not millions. Something about Belle's story does not add up.

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    6. I agree with you. The fact that Belle still looked fantastically healthy was something that bothered me, but I confess that the only people I have seen in real life go through cancer were middle-aged or older. They were all VERY tired and they all lost a lot of weight. Also, all of them deteriorated significantly after the cancer spread to their liver. Again, my evidence is just anecdotal, but Belle going on a hike in Vanuatu eight months after having her cancer spread to her liver was very baffling to me.

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    7. + cancer in her kidneys too, apparently.

      "Her journey, compassion and determination has won her a massive following on social media.

      They are rallying after her recent discovery that the cancer is now also in her kidneys."

      The website have removed the article, but the cache version is here: http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:jXONCvDVr4AJ:engagingwomen.com.au/mentors/career-and-money/belle-gibson-apple-watch/+&cd=3&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=au&client=safari

      Delete
  23. She actually left for the USA 2 weeks after she announced that her cancer has spread. Many of us were under the impression that she was seeking treatment during that time. There's a photo of her looking very healthy that was tagged by someone else.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. http://www.theage.com.au/it-pro/expertise/australian-app-creators-triumph-with-apple-watch-20140913-10g0mp.html

      This article contains a video of Belle in California in what seems to be about six to eight weeks after her cancer spread to her liver and her blood. She is clearly not getting chemotherapy, and looks quite healthy to me. Now I know that many cancer sufferers look healthy, but it is just one more thing that makes me think this whole thing is a bit dodgy. Would someone with that much cancer in their body really leave the primary place where they get health care for several weeks?

      Delete
    2. Wow, I can't believe how much its blowing up on social media.. her silence is deafening and speaks volumes.
      Its looking more and more likely that she's made up the cancer story now. What I can't get my head around is why she would lie about it spreading? I kindof get why she would lie about having brain cancer initially because she built her business around it.. but then why lie that it had spread.. just digging an even bigger hole for herself really.

      Delete
  24. Will someone back me up on this? From what I can see on the facebook page, the announcement of Belle's second cancer has been deleted. It was in the photos and it was a photo of a bunch of pink balloons from July 29, 2014. I just want to make sure that I am right about this. Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The twelve week update from November is also gone.

      Delete
    2. I'm not 100% sure of this, but I think the balloon pic was on her Instagram healing_belle feed and shared on Facebook from there. Since Instagram account is now set to private, maybe photos don't appear in FB anymore.

      I don't see it in FB around that date.

      Delete
    3. I am 100% sure I saw it on facebook because I do not follow her instagram. I asked to, but she did not accept me as a follower. It most certainly was on the facebook page.

      Delete
    4. Yep.. they have all gone, including the one I spoke about yesterday that mentioned the seizures.
      If she was authentic why would these be gone.???
      You didn't by any chance take screen shots did you?

      Delete
    5. I'm not on instagram.. those pics were all definitely there yesterday on FB !!

      Delete
    6. No. I certainly was not expecting this to fall apart so soon. But rest assured, the next person comes along and plays this game (and there will be more) will be subjected to me taking a screenshot of everything they post, and I will put it up on a blog that will NOT be taken down.

      Delete
    7. Yes violet you are correct - it was late july post 29 sounds right, with pink balloons. It was taken down in the last 48 hours or so. I posted a link above to a girls insta feed that took a screen grab of this very post in question , if you search #healingbelle on Instagram there's multiple screen shots of pink balloon shot but only this one with the actual text.

      Delete
    8. I posted a question about it on their facebook page. I suspect it will be deleted, but it was worth a shot.

      Delete
    9. can you see this? It's on her Instagram account. https://instagram.com/p/rCA4hHMf2G/?modal=true

      Delete
    10. I just saw your question very quickly got deleted on TWP's FB! Something very fishy is going on and needs to be properly investigated by the ASIC. The link was to the pink balloons post on her IG account announcing her cancer. I have a screen shot that I can email you if you like?

      Delete
  25. The post from July regarding 3rd and 4th cancer is still archived here:

    http://facegram.io/u/healing_belle&Belle-Gibson-THEWHOLEPANTRY&301533198

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hmm, strange...the post from the link was written by Belle in July 2014:

      "I have cancer in my blood, spleen, brain, uterus, and liver."

      ...but then in September it was reported that the cancer had spread to her kidneys (but no mention of it spreading elsewhere):

      "News that she now also has cancer in her kidneys didn't slow her down. "
      - September 2014 (http://www.theage.com.au/it-pro/expertise/australian-app-creators-triumph-with-apple-watch-20140913-10g0mp.html )

      Delete
  26. Wow TWP is being hit hard on social media and so it should be!

    It's all highly suspicious behaviour and it's not doing her any favours. I would say she will completely retreat now due to 'health' reasons but this is not going to go away.

    The TWP office must be complete chaos right now!

    ReplyDelete
  27. I hope Orac addresses this.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Me too! I just mainly want an answer from a cancer surgeon about the likelihood of brain cancer spreading to the other organs like that.

      Delete
    2. Absolutely - I just find it hard to believe that she can function so well with multiple cancers.

      I wonder if people from her past will now come forward with perhaps a little more insight into the real Belle Gibson.

      Delete
  28. I worked with Belle not even 8 years ago, During this time of employment, she continued to lie and get sympathy to the point she left. She liked people to feel pitty on her. She is not with the father, but the father is an active part of her sons life. She also claimed to have fallen pregnant and loosing the child a year ago being 4 months in to this. Having experienced this myself, she wouldn't of been able to conceive with all her cancers. Right or wrong?

    Brain cancer doesn't spread to other parts of the body, it is isolated to the brain, for her cancer to spread she would of had another type of cancer and brain cancer be secondary to that.

    We all need answers to what is going on, and Belle needs to do that herself. And being a long time friend of hers I am shocked and we have never seen and formal documentation

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for your comment. I have been wanting to hear from people who knew or know Belle. Yes, apparently conceiving after chemo is difficult though not impossible. Getting pregnant twice soon after is simply one more thing that I put in the column of Things That Are Not Adding Up.

      I am waiting to hear from Belle. It could entirely be possible that she was misdiagnosed and had a primary that spread to her brain, BUT the fact that she never even comments on how strange the circumstances surrounding her cancer is, certainly gives me pause.

      Delete
    2. While your at it Google 'borderline personality disorder.'

      The sh*t has well and truly hit the fan over at TWP

      Delete
    3. She has never had any formal training as a Chef. For my understanding only ever working in food wholesalers. I myself couldn't conceive after cancer and had to have IVF. Considering she conceived only right at the beginning of all this should have sent alarm bells. No one has ever seen formal reports.

      Delete
    4. I do not even think they are monitoring it anymore. There is a link there to this blog, which would have normally been immediately deleted if anyone was paying attention.

      Damn people sure are pissed though, and I do not blame them one bit.

      Delete
    5. Alice, it will and she will hide, its the wrong attention she wants. I am not even 1km from her, we are friends but am being ignored.

      Delete
    6. I've had chemo...there are many types of chemo and not all render you infertile. I was advised at age 39 that I would go into an early menopause as a result of chemo...which I did...until about a year after treatment when my period returned and my hormones went up to pre-chemo levels. At that point there was no reason I could not have fallen pregnant.

      So yes it is possible. Being pregnant during chemo is not recommended because of the toxins you're receiving but at the time of my chemo there were one or two pregnant ladies receiving similar treatment...albeit well past their first trimester.

      Having said all that...there is something very fishy about all this. I'm glad you are asking questions.

      Delete
    7. Everyone is pisses Violet, we have all stood by and never questioned her jet setting lifestyle she lived in business class and beyond

      Delete
    8. Can you give me any insight into her current appearance? The photos on facebook are mainly just of her hands and feet.

      Delete
    9. She's obviously Mentally unwell

      Delete
    10. http://resources3.news.com.au/images/2014/11/24/1227133/427103-a34e6a06-7376-11e4-9406-90937d335e44.jpg

      Delete
    11. That was from September at the Cosmo event right? She looks fine there but people often do in the early stages.

      Delete
    12. She is similar still, but look what a little make up does, She isnt well, but we do not know much ourselves about our own friend

      Delete
    13. @anonymous, I'm a bit confused by your viewpoint.. Do you genuinely believe belle has cancer because you have hinted at her being a fraud. Or is this different people posting as anonymous

      Delete
    14. I dont believe her to have brain cancer like she has saod for the past 6 years. there nis another person commenting

      Delete
    15. I find it strange that none of her friends have come forward in her defense to say she has cancer. I presume with her popularity she would have heaps of friends? For instance, the owner of a health food store called @thestaplespace supposedly "held her hand" through her illness. Surely SOMEONE can put an end to all this speculation?

      Delete
    16. There is a photo of her on instagram which is 3 weeks old I think, still cheery for someone that is dying, But looking a little "bigger" then normal

      Delete
    17. NO ONE has seen proof she has this, not even her family. So we cant come forward and vouch

      Delete
    18. Surely if she had cancer then someone would come with her to her appointments? Look, I have seen people who have cancer to the extent that Belle claims. It takes over their entire life. Their life is consumed by their illness and their treatment. If anyone knows Belle and it seems that her life is not positively consumed by her illness, then you should seriously question her about it.

      Delete
    19. we have been shut out

      Delete
    20. what do you mean by shut out? Are you a friend or know Belle personally?

      Delete
    21. To the person who worked with Belle Gibson.
      I wrote the story in The Age. Please call me on 0388671016 or email beau.donelly@fairfaxmedia.com.au

      Delete
  29. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  30. if u look at a current article you can see she is starting to swell, she isnt well. I havent seen her for weeks.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Do you have a link? I have not seen what I believe is a current photo of Belle in many months.

      Delete
    2. Look at @fgrwellness Instagram account there's a recent photo of her at a book launch. She looks well but seem to have put on weight.

      Delete
    3. She looks perhaps 15 pounds heavier or so than at her slimmest, but really I would consider that within a normal weight fluctuation, and she just got back from a cruise :/

      She clearly is not having chemo as her treatment, so I wonder what kind of treatment she is getting (if she has cancer). Well, she certainly "appears" healthy just two weeks ago. Again, not evidence that she does not have cancer, just something that sticks out to me.

      Delete
    4. Well the truth will be out in no time so let's wait and see what her response is. But then again, if she doesn't respond what can we do? She'll likely just pay up and get away with it.

      Delete
    5. the so called treatment she is having is under an american doctor. I would have to find the post about it.

      Delete
    6. Weight gain could be from steroids which are prescribed during chemo. I put on 12 kgs in only 3 weeks from steroids. Her face would be puffy and round if thats the case. And not all chemos cause hair loss.

      Now..I think she is a total scam but its possible she is being treated for something.

      Delete
  31. Great article - i knew someone that 'went it alone' with their brain cancer diagnosis and treatment. Turned out to be a complete lie. Will be interested to see how this plays out.

    ReplyDelete
  32. Thank you Violet for all your work to expose this fraud. If you look at the mamamia facebook comments you will see a lot of people who claim to have known Belle in the past waiting for the truth to come out.
    I think it is all unravelling now.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I am passionate about getting to the truth of all stories about people curing or surviving cancer using fantasy-based medicine. It is simply far too potentially devastating to let lie.

      And I agree, this is all unraveling. Belle Gibson will have to come out and answer some of these questions if she wants her business to continue.

      Delete
    2. Hi Anon
      Where on mamia's FB are you referring to? I can't see anything. Can you provide a link? Thanks

      Delete
    3. I hope this link goes to the right spot in the comments, the original comment is tagged with the name Kelsey :
      https://m.facebook.com/comment/replies/?ctoken=10152773667170945_10152773745180945&ft_ent_identifier=10152773667170945&gfid=AQAmENiW7iO8wmq7

      Belle is downright dangerous with her kale and lemon water cures cancer nonsense. She could cost lives and so the work that Violet (and others) are doing to expose the lies could save lives. All the accusations have been respectful and fact based, so keep up the great work.

      Delete
    4. Hi there link is not working. Can you link the article that generated the comments?

      Delete
  33. At the risk of repeating myself...sorry....I do have HER2 breast cancer which falls into an aggressive category and I was diagnosed at Stage 3, high grade in my lymph nodes.

    I just wanted to point out that looking good is not always a true reflection of what is lingering and how you may feel physically. I felt like crap most of the time but a bit of war paint and a wig camouflaged outward signs of illness. Second point is that my medical team all advised strongly against travelling whilst the cancer was still detectable. They would not sign off on it. I know that these points are irrelevant as Ms Gibson was not under the care of medical doctors and if her alternative doctors...errr...quacks approved, they are truly irresponsible,

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rose, please always feel cool reminding everyone that you have had cancer. I think it is very important and adds a lot to the discussion here. Yes, I realize that people with cancer can still look pretty good, which is one reason that Belle gets away with lying about her illness.

      Delete
  34. it seems like someone who knows Belle personally has posted to say that she should come clean and seek help for Munchausen syndrome. hmmm.....

    ReplyDelete
  35. Look, I went to school with Belle Gibson and was close friends with her. Most of what she has said about her past is a lie. She was a compulsive liar when she was 16 and seems she still is. She isn't 26, she is 23, turning 24 this October, if memory serves me correctly. She even has to lie about that! She was a backstabbing and deceitful friend. The story of her "cancer" began a LONG time ago, when she was about 17/18. The person who actually had brain cancer was her grandfather with whom she had a big falling out with after which they never spoke again. I truly believe she adopted his story to gain attention and sympathy. She was cared for by him for years and very rarely saw her mother or her brother. (both of whom she would complain bitterly about) She isn't the saint or the superhero she wants you to think she is. She loves the pity. She always did. I wish she would just tell the truth! It infuriates me. I hope her "career" is over. Maybe karma is FINALLY coming for her.

    https://twitter.com/bellemneb

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I wrote the story in The Age. Please call me on 0388671016 or email beau.donelly@fairfaxmedia.com.au

      Delete
    2. It's weird you say that because I was only aware that she was homeschooled and never went to school.

      Delete
    3. Do you have a source for the homeschool claims?

      Delete
    4. Her Harry Gibson Facebook page in the 'about me' section says it.

      Delete
    5. I cannot seem to find it. I wonder why she uses the name "Harry"? Was that her grandfather's name perhaps?

      Delete
  36. Can you provide a link? I would like to hear what friends/family are saying.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. post was deleted. even her friend was deleted from her personal fb page under @harrygibson!

      Delete
    2. Far out! This is seriously scary.

      Delete
  37. Violet, your blog has been linked on a few tweets. Well done.

    This link will show you a complete different set of teeth

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PyfQskLdCEo&feature=youtu.be&a

    than most of the pictures. Here are a couple that show some really good dental work.

    http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/digital-life/digital-life-news/backlash-over-app-developer-belle-gibsons-missing-charity-money-20150309-13yzd4.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

    http://www.smh.com.au/digital-life/digital-life-news/charity-money-promised-by-inspirational-health-app-developer-belle-gibson-not-handed-over-20150308-13xgqk.html


    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rose.T, that you tube link says it has been removed by the user. Coincidence?

      Delete
  38. Ah, that was quick but some disbelievers are even quicker. Here is a new link:

    Try this:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABaBAPjbbCY&feature=youtu.be&a

    If that doesn't work, on YouTube search, type this in:
    Belle Gibson: The Entrepreneur Behind The Whole Pantry App

    ReplyDelete
  39. someone who seemed to know her called her out on Facebook saying she has Munchausens Syndrome and linked to Belle's personal facebook which she has changed the name to 'Harry Gibson' then it was quickly deleted. I have been blocked from posting anything on the Whole Pantry Facebook page but if you watch the feed closely, there are lots of people saying they have known her for years and she has never been ill and that she is the only person who works at 'The Whole Pantry' & then they are deleted. I knew it was Belle responding to comments on there as the response about her 'not coping' and having 'lost people close to her' was the typical victim stance she always takes.

    ReplyDelete
  40. I am so glad we have a pair of good investigative journos from The Age onto her finally!

    ReplyDelete
  41. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100009376682730&fref=ufi

    ReplyDelete
  42. To whoever Justice Tyme is on that Facebook page I love your work and I'll copy and send the letter too. Don't know if you are reading this but love your work. I have been a friend for a while and there has been some stuff that has stunk. Fyi her birthday is 9 October from what I know. No idea year. If you go to her old Twitter page (link referenced above) and go way back you can see she is claiming to have cancer and seizures back in October 2009. Trips I know about are Caribbean for Feb 2015. Tokyo in November. 2 May 2014 Bali. 14 & 15 May 2014 besides donating all app purchase funds straight to the 2h Project and Bumi Sehat Foundation she also promised to donate an additional $1 to anybody who comments on those posts. I have screen shots if needed but just go back in the history of the TWP Facebook page. 22 May 2014 a post clearly states that she raised 'a further $5k for the Bumi Sehat Foundation' tonight. Hong Kong on 30 May 2014. Listed as a second summer holiday with her child. Then USA in June 2014. I know there were more Bali trips in there somewhere because there were heaps of times she frequented that place last year and called it her home.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Not forgetting the USA trip she took 2 weeks after her announcement that her cancer has spread!

      Delete
    2. Please email me screenshots of the posts you consider suspicious at violetrealitybased@gmail.com. I am going to make a post where we can have PERMANENT access to these posts. I already have some that I am going to make a post about.

      Delete
  43. If it turns out that she is a fraud and mentally unstable I really hope she doesn't do anything drastic. It could be the mother of all holes she has dug for herself but hopefully she does the right thing for the sake of her son.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I really hope this woman will get the help she REALLY needs. She is obviously mentally unstable and has issues regarding her mother, father and grandfather. She has a lot to work out but it is still possible that she can have decent life beyond all this.

      Delete
  44. I know for a fact that Belle's partner of 3 years told a friend of mine that even he is 99% sure she has never had cancer and has only ever taken her to the hospital once for a review and he drove around the block due to a traffic block and saw her sitting in the park having NEVER entered the hospital. If anyone has actual proof or knows somebody from Belle's past life or family please contact the journalist beau.donelly@fairfaxmedia.com.au

    ReplyDelete
  45. Belle's partner Clive should come forward then! He lives with her and according to some of her IG posts, she claims to get frequent seizures and have been unwell. Surely living with her, he'd know the truth? By not coming forward, he is as bad as she is and perpetuating this dishonesty and fraud

    ReplyDelete
  46. Nanette Johnson in Melbourne called her on the Münchausen syndrome. Just fyi.

    ReplyDelete
  47. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  48. I worked with Belle 7 years ago and remember her saying she was going for 'cancer tests'. She didn't have cancer, and hadn't had cancer at that point, even though she says she was diagnosed 8/9 years ago. I didn't believe her then. She showed no symptoms and had no sick days off work. She couldn't explain what the tests were and what they were checking for. The day of the 'test' she was half an hour late to work with no signs of anything having been done.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I wrote the story in The Age. Please call me on 03 86671016 or email
      beau.donelly@fairfaxmedia.com.au

      Delete
  49. Belle Gibson tanking up with some goonies, with mates:

    https://web.archive.org/web/20091008011033im_/http://17.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_kqg9bb7opA1qa2y0ho1_500.jpg

    ReplyDelete
  50. She also claims to have had a Gardasil vaccine injury and a stroke: http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/health/the-whole-pantry-founder-inspires-in-the-face-of-terminal-cancer/story-fniym874-1227133426731?from=public_rss
    I'm an oncologist, and her story does not add up at all- CNS (brain/spine) tumours almost never metastasise to the abdomen, and definitely never go to blood;,and frankly, people with a CNS malignancy don't say they have 'brain cancer', they want to educate everyone about their oligodendroglioma/ATRT/glioblastoma or whatever flavour they have.
    I'm pretty sure this lass is fibbing. Her followers are going to be livid when it all comes out (if they haven't died of untreated cancer by following Belle's recipe for cure, that is).

    ReplyDelete
  51. I think perhaps half of the truth has come out:
    http://m.theaustralian.com.au/business/mega-blogger-belle-gibson-casts-doubt-on-her-own-cancer-claims/story-e6frg8zx-1227255933051

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. a subscription is required to read the article

      Delete
    2. Odd. I do not subscribe, but could open the full article. Its explosive! Will have to put it in a few posts due to length.
      MELBOURNE social media entrepreneur Belle Gibson, whose story of miraculous survival from terminal cancer helped launch a global “health and wellness” business, has admitted that her claim of suffering multiple life-threatening cancers may be false.

      Gibson, who has launched highly successful iPad apps and will next month publish her spin-off book in Britain and the US, says her announcement last year that she was suffering from cancer of the liver, uterus, spleen and blood was based on a “misdiagnosis” by a doctor she won’t name.

      “It’s hard to admit that maybe you were wrong,” she said in an interview, adding that she felt “confused, bordering on humiliated”.

      Gibson stood by her claim that she has used alternative therapies to survive an aggressive malignant brain tumour for five years without any conventional medical treatment. But an investigation by The Australian has uncovered a series of unusual and contradictory medical claims by Gibson dating from May 2009, when she claimed to have undergone multiple heart surgery operations and momentarily died on an operating table.

      Gibson has also stated that in July that same year, when she was 20, a doctor told her she had terminal brain cancer and would be dead in four months. But according to the birth date on her own corporate filings, she was 17 at the time.

      Delete
    3. Part 2:
      Gibson’s Australian publisher, Lantern, confirmed yesterday that it had never asked for documentary verification of her medical condition or her age before publishing her book The Whole Pantry in October.

      The Australian has asked ­Gibson repeatedly for the name of her treating doctors or documentary evidence of her illness, but she has declined.

      Gibson became a social media sensation after launching an ­Instagram blog in early 2013, introducing herself as a young mother who had moved from Perth to Melbourne in mid-2009 to seek medical treatment for “a malignant, terminal form of brain cancer”.

      In subsequent postings, she ­detailed her shock at being told by a doctor that she had only four months to live, and her decision to abandon chemotherapy and radiotherapy after two months, opting instead to treat her illness with alternative remedies such as colonics and oxygen therapy.

      The blog attracted a worldwide following and led Gibson to design an iPhone and iPad app of her recipes called The Whole Pantry, which was voted the best food and drink app of 2013. By early last year Gibson had 200,000 followers on Instagram and a contract with Lantern, an imprint of Penguin which published The Whole Pantry. She has repeated her cancer survival story in many newspaper and magazines articles, and has been working with Apple on an iWatch app.

      Delete
  52. Hey- I am unable to read that article because it is subscription only. Is there any chance you could copy and paste the contents to this blog or at least summarise what she has said. I really can't belive she would stoop so low as to pretend to have cancer. Sickening.

    ReplyDelete
  53. http://m.theaustralian.com.au/business/mega-blogger-belle-gibson-casts-doubt-on-her-own-cancer-claims/story-e6frg8zx-1227255933051

    Ok, well, here is the answer.

    ReplyDelete
  54. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  55. Here's the article from The Australian - apparently I have to post this in two parts. First part:

    Two months later, having moved to Melbourne, Gibson posted a message on Facebook that she was consulting cancer specialists after being diagnosed with a “stage two malignant tumor of the brain”. Brain tumours are measured in grades rather than stages, and several cancer specialists contacted by The Australian said that a grade two tumour was relatively slow-growing and would be unlikely to result in a life ­expectancy of four months.

    Most of Gibson’s social media postings for the years 2010-12 are no longer available, but since launching her blog and app in 2013, she has kept up a steady flow of reports about her seizures, brain swelling and other health crises.

    Last March she announced that she was being tested for two “neurological” cancers.

    Then in late July she elicited an outpouring of sympathy from her Instagram followers when she reported that she had been diagnosed with several additional cancers.

    “With frustration and ache in my heart ... it hurts me to find space tonight to let you all know with love and strength that I’ve been ­diagnosed with a third and forth (sic) cancer,” she wrote.

    “One is secondary and the other is primary. I have cancer in my blood, spleen, brain, uterus, and liver. I am hurting.” Later in the post she spoke of handing over the business to others to carry on her legacy.

    In an interview with The Australian, Gibson said she now ­believes she was misdiagnosed by a medical team using “magnetic” therapy from Germany. Asked to name the leader of the team she declined and indicated she was not certain whether he was a medical doctor.

    Gibson became visibly upset during the interview, crying several times and saying she felt her doctor had led her astray.

    She said she was now seeking treatment from a conventional medical team but again declined to name them. “I’m still going through understanding what’s happening with my body,” she said.

    Gibson later complained about The Australian’s attempts to contact former friends and stopped ­returning the newspaper’s calls. The Australian also contacted her partner, Clive Rothwell, who said Gibson was upset by media reports about her.

    Gibson has said that her business donates to 20 charities and that most of its revenue goes “straight back into the community and world wide, rotating charities and extended TWP (The Whole Pantry) projects”.

    Lantern publishing director Julie Gibbs said the company would question Gibson about the issues raised by The Australian but added: “We published Belle’s ­recipe book in good faith — in discussions with Belle in the course of publishing the book, she always spoke clearly about her medical background. It was not something we felt we needed to verify given that the book’s content focuses on the recipes.”

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oops, sorry for the confusion. I accidentally posted the second half first and then had to go back and delete it and post the first half first ... grr. Anyway it's in the right order now.

      Delete
    2. Thanks for posting:)

      Delete
    3. Thank you for posting. So I guess now it is fair to say that at the very least the July 29 cancer diagnosis was bullshit. And I had a pretty good feeling that Belle would not be able to name her doctors. How very sad. I hope this woman can get the help she needs.

      Delete
  56. Whoa her story is even crazier than I originally thought.

    ReplyDelete
  57. Yes, it is actually crazier. The amazing bit is, unless you dig, you only see the surface - a struggling young woman with cancer and a small child. Disgusting.

    ReplyDelete
  58. I guess most don't question a person with cancer because you can't possibly imagine someone would lie about such a thing - it truly defies belief!

    Many, many lessons will be learnt from this!

    ReplyDelete
  59. So now she is going to pretend it is all her 'Doctors' fault for 'leading her astray' - she has been diagnosing herself for years and years! She has a lying disorder that is all.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. She's blaming the doctors for a misdiagnosis, yet she herself blamed her initial brain tumour and other illnesses on Gardasil. Even when she's been caught out by the media, she is still not telling the truth.

      Delete
    2. Oh right, the Gardasil story. Sadly, some girls and women probably chose not to get the vaccine (which actually does prevent cancer) because they were taken in by her lie. How tragic.

      Delete
  60. http://m.theaustralian.com.au/business/mega-blogger-belle-gibson-casts-doubt-on-her-own-cancer-claims/story-e6frg8zx-1227255933051

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  61. I met belle years ago before she was diagnosed. I met her only briefly but remained fb friends until last year or so when she deleted me. The entire time i suspected something was up, I knew she had cancer but her lifestyle was so lavish and constantly updated. She got a lot of sympathy, no questions raised. I mean, I feel bad speculating myself. But I did always use to wonder why she wanted to involve everyone with such a personal journey

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    1. We all feel bad about questioning a person's cancer story, which is something Belle exploited. I actually had to get some nerve before I created this blog. I felt nervous about putting myself out there over something like this. I knew I would feel horrible if it turned out that Belle was telling the truth, but it is simply to important not to at least speculate on.

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    2. Obviously a lot of us have been thinking the same thing but were not as brave to say it.

      The hero worshipping of beautiful, young, green juice drinking, cancer crusaders is a massive disservice to those deep in the less glamorous trenches fighting this hideous disease, and they need to be exposed if the picture they project is inaccurate.

      Encouraging healthy living and eating is wonderful but pedalling false hope to the desperate is certainly not.

      So thank you for writing these words.

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    3. I am glad I was able to help (potentially) in getting people with cancer proper medical care. I agree with you about the fact that eating healthy and being healthy are great things to strive for, but they do not cure cancer. I am sure I will eventually get some shit about being in the pockets of big pharm or thinking people should eat at McDonald's all the time. Let it be known that today I will be having a salad lunch with produce from my own organic (by default) garden, and that I do not work for the pharma industry.

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    4. RKB, you summed it up perfectly. Out of the trench, the green drink can wait and this morning it will be a strong latte for me.

      Violet, these people are pretend warriors, You are true to the title. Thank You.

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    5. I wish I could be even half as good as those people "in the trenches" as RKB says. There are people out there who heroically clean up the mess that fantasy-based medicine promotes. They aren't posting photos of themselves flying first class on instagram; they are simply doing their jobs well.

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  62. Clive Rothwell if you are reading this, be a man and come out with the truth! For the sake of Oli, if nothing else.

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  63. So tomorrow we can expect an announcement that she is miraculously cancer free, and that multiple doctors on multiple continents misdiagnosed her - oh and the charity cheques are in the mail!

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    1. Lol you are half right! Doubt she's gonna cough up the $$

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    2. I strongly suspect that money is long gone.

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  64. Now I'm doubting everything. When Belle started TWP she said she needed over $30,000 to start the app. She asked for donations on fb. People (including myself) opened up their pockets to do so. Now I'm betting she didn't even need all that money.

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  65. There is a massive difference between making it up and a 'misdiagnosis' obviously more lies to cover her lies...it doesn't surprise me she was 'visibly upset' in The Australian's article. If she had been misdiagnosed 6 months ago...why not come out and tell her followers like she did when she was 'diagnosed' it is sooooo obvious this woman is a compulsive liar.

    Where is her partner Clive Rothwell in all this? Where is the father of her little boy Nathan Corbett? Why are they not leaping to her defence? Where are her friends and family? No-one is sticking up for her or offering proof...presumably because there isn't any.

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    1. Clive Rothwell's details as primary contact is dotted all through the whois details of their website domains. He's right in the thick of it.

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    2. I wonder if he is in on this, or if he has been taken for a ride too.

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  66. Why did Belle Gibson lie about her age?

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    1. Probably to hide her teenage pregnancy

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    2. Yes that is something that occurred to me early on, that Belle Gibson did not want to be a "teenage mum" when launching her business.

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    3. I knew someone who lied about a brain tumour. She had these convoluted stories about her past - university education etc that just DID NOT add up with her age. I think it is all part of them beginning to believe their own lies and back stories even if it doesnt add up.

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  67. One more interview here from November of last year: http://news.optuszoo.com.au/2014/11/24/i-dont-feel-like-im-dying/

    "I don't feel like I'm dying" - oh really, I wonder why! This is just so vile!
    That poor, poor kid...

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    1. Yes when I read that, I thought that she was probably being truthful. She probably does not, indeed, feel like she is dying.

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  68. She has deleted a lot of her posts that talks about her feeling sick from cancer! There were several during her Bali trip about being so sick no healers would touch her, even one at a hospital. Even the post about her seizure on her boy's birthday, ALL GONE! She even changed her iG heading which used to say she had brain cancer. She's obviously preparing for a law suit and deleting all evidence! If anyone has screenshots please send then to Violet to collate. Good job violet!

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    1. Yes please send screenshots to violetrealitybased@gmail.com. Depending on how this all plays out, I may make a post with just screenshots of the deleted content.

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  69. As the primary carer for someone with a blood cancer who was Stage 4b at diagnosis, there is no way she has cancer. Also, she doesn't know the language, the biology or the staging process. When you get cancer, you have to learn the language stat. She also speak in a verbose, flowery, indulgent way, even on TWP FB page, it's obvious it's her commenting.

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    1. It was her lack of details that initially made me question her story. Brain cancer? Really? There are many different types of brain cancer and try as I might, I could never find a source where it stated which type she had. That alone would perhaps have been something I could let go, but the fact that someone is hiking in Vanuatu eight months after being diagnosed with cancer of the blood (after apparently no real treatment) was simply too extraordinary for me to not comment upon.

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  70. There is one part of this entire debacle that concerns me most, that NO ONE is asking questions about…she has a son! A young son…is he ok? Is he being looked after? If memory is correct, she also claimed to have had a later term miscarriage? This is all adding up to someone with a significant personality disorder, and authorities need to investigate and act QUICKLY. - V

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    1. I agree. She seems to be a loving and caring mother, but clearly not all is as it seems. I am always concerned when children are around people who are potentially mentally unstable. I hope that someone close to Belle is reading this blog and will go over to her house right now and check up on things.

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  71. Thanks for this post Violet. Have been following it closely the last couple of days. You have been compassionate through it all, despite the mounting evidence that Belle has been deceitful. I am afraid I don't think this is a 'disorder'. I think she has profited inordinately - monetarily, reputation, sheer opportunities - from her lies and that is what fuelled her with even more bombastic lies. The sheer audacity of her lies...! I am concerned for her son, and her partner, who have lived the last few years of their life thinking they could lose her at any point. Awful. This whole thing makes me feel sick.

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    1. I did not even think of that. Please God do not let it be that she pulled this crap on her little son. This is why we need to always look for the truth in these cancer stories. The consequences of cheering a person like this on are simply too horrid. People DIE because they follow fantasy-based medicine nonsense, and they are more likely to try it if they think they know someone it worked for.

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