Defying the Odds: Jennifer Dickenson’s 14+ Year Healing Journey After Grade 4 Glioblastoma
Explicit content warning
03/24/25 • 40 min
What would you do if doctors told you that you had just 12 months to live? For Jennifer Dickinson, this devastating prognosis became the catalyst for a profound transformation that defied all medical expectations.
In this deeply moving conversation, Jennifer shares how her 2011 diagnosis of grade 4 glioblastoma brain cancer set her on an unexpected healing journey. At 44 years old, with young daughters in first and third grade, she refused to accept that her story was already written. "They gave me 12 months, but I was like, 'Yeah, you don't know me,'" Jennifer recalls with quiet confidence.
Her path to survival wasn't paved with experimental treatments or medical miracles but with accessible, holistic approaches that anyone can implement. From the powerful practice of Qigong that brought her to tears of joy even while cancer grew in her brain, to the fundamental shifts in nutrition, sleep, and mindfulness that revitalized her immune system, Jennifer's approach was both simple and revolutionary.
What sets Jennifer's story apart is her recognition that healing requires more than just targeting the disease. "The medical doctor is a piece of the pie," she explains, "The other pieces are your mind, your physical body, and your spiritual side." This comprehensive approach placed her in the less than 2% of patients who survive glioblastoma long-term.
Perhaps most striking is Jennifer's gratitude for her cancer experience. As a former high-powered attorney managing a firm with 100 lawyers and staff, she now values the wake-up call that forced her to reassess what truly matters. "The blessings I have learned from the hardest, devastating news is unimaginable," she reflects.
Whether you're facing your health challenge or simply seeking to live more consciously, Jennifer's journey reminds us that we are not merely statistics. By making fundamental changes to how we live, eat, think, and connect with something greater than ourselves, we can write new endings to stories that seem predetermined.
Ready to explore your own healing potential? Subscribe to the Survivorship Project for more inspiring conversations that prove hope is not just a feeling—it's a starting point for transformation.
Resources mentioned in this episode:
• Jennifer's website
• Jennifer on Instagram, Facebook & LinkedIn
• Get Jennifer's Book "The Case for Hope" on Amazon• Sound frequency app "Evolutioner"
• Yonanas Dessert Maker• Qigong
________
If you want to be a guest on the show, email Carsten directly at [email protected]
Please remember to leave a review for the show and hit the Follow button to stay updated about new episodes.
What would you do if doctors told you that you had just 12 months to live? For Jennifer Dickinson, this devastating prognosis became the catalyst for a profound transformation that defied all medical expectations.
In this deeply moving conversation, Jennifer shares how her 2011 diagnosis of grade 4 glioblastoma brain cancer set her on an unexpected healing journey. At 44 years old, with young daughters in first and third grade, she refused to accept that her story was already written. "They gave me 12 months, but I was like, 'Yeah, you don't know me,'" Jennifer recalls with quiet confidence.
Her path to survival wasn't paved with experimental treatments or medical miracles but with accessible, holistic approaches that anyone can implement. From the powerful practice of Qigong that brought her to tears of joy even while cancer grew in her brain, to the fundamental shifts in nutrition, sleep, and mindfulness that revitalized her immune system, Jennifer's approach was both simple and revolutionary.
What sets Jennifer's story apart is her recognition that healing requires more than just targeting the disease. "The medical doctor is a piece of the pie," she explains, "The other pieces are your mind, your physical body, and your spiritual side." This comprehensive approach placed her in the less than 2% of patients who survive glioblastoma long-term.
Perhaps most striking is Jennifer's gratitude for her cancer experience. As a former high-powered attorney managing a firm with 100 lawyers and staff, she now values the wake-up call that forced her to reassess what truly matters. "The blessings I have learned from the hardest, devastating news is unimaginable," she reflects.
Whether you're facing your health challenge or simply seeking to live more consciously, Jennifer's journey reminds us that we are not merely statistics. By making fundamental changes to how we live, eat, think, and connect with something greater than ourselves, we can write new endings to stories that seem predetermined.
Ready to explore your own healing potential? Subscribe to the Survivorship Project for more inspiring conversations that prove hope is not just a feeling—it's a starting point for transformation.
Resources mentioned in this episode:
• Jennifer's website
• Jennifer on Instagram, Facebook & LinkedIn
• Get Jennifer's Book "The Case for Hope" on Amazon• Sound frequency app "Evolutioner"
• Yonanas Dessert Maker• Qigong
________
If you want to be a guest on the show, email Carsten directly at [email protected]
Please remember to leave a review for the show and hit the Follow button to stay updated about new episodes.
Previous Episode
Welcome to The Survivorship Project Podcast
When life falls apart, how do you rebuild?
Welcome to The Survivorship Project, a podcast about resilience, healing, and thriving beyond a cancer diagnosis. Hosted by Carsten Pleiser, a husband, father, and survivor who was given a dire prognosis but is still here, this show brings you inspiring stories of those who have defied the odds, expert insights from leading health professionals and holistic healers, and practical tools for reclaiming your health, mindset, and life.
This isn’t just about survival—it’s about truly living.
________
If you want to be a guest on the show, email Carsten directly at [email protected]
Please remember to leave a review for the show and hit the Follow button to stay updated about new episodes.
Next Episode
Living with Inoperable Pancreatic Cancer: Martijn Timmermans on Hope, Healing & Histotripsy
When faced with a stage 3 pancreatic cancer diagnosis at age 53, Martin Timmermans refused to accept the grim statistics often associated with this disease. His powerful conversation reveals how seemingly minor chest discomfort led to a life-altering diagnosis that forced him to reconsider everything about his existence as a father of three.
Martin takes us through his eleven rounds of chemotherapy—a process he likens to preparing for repeated "boxing matches" with diminishing strength each time. When conventional medicine reached its limits and surgery was deemed too risky due to the tumour's proximity to critical blood vessels, Martin channelled his energy into researching alternatives rather than surrendering to despair.
His journey led to discovering an innovative ultrasound therapy called histotripsy being trialed in Barcelona—a noninvasive approach offering new hope when standard treatments couldn't. The €62,000 financial hurdle for this experimental treatment revealed the extraordinary power of community support, with friends, colleagues in the events industry, and even children donating their savings through a crowdfunding campaign.
What truly distinguishes Martin's story is his philosophical approach to cancer. Rather than viewing his condition as something to "fight against," he adopted a perspective of acceptance without resignation. Drawing wisdom from Buddhist principles of impermanence and dedicated meditation practice, Martin found that facing mortality clarified his priorities unexpectedly: "I'd rather have half a year of super intense time with family than 10 years going on as before."
This episode offers crucial wisdom for anyone facing serious illness: question medical orthodoxy when appropriate, research diligently using modern tools like AI, listen to your body, and find a balance between head and heart when making decisions. Above all, Martin demonstrates that human connection and mindful presence can transform the journey from mere survival to profound living, even in life's darkest moments.
Resources mentioned in this episode:
• Histotripsy by HistoSonics• NotebookLM
• Vipassana Insight Meditation
________
If you want to be a guest on the show, email Carsten directly at [email protected]
Please remember to leave a review for the show and hit the Follow button to stay updated about new episodes.
The Survivorship Project - Defying the Odds: Jennifer Dickenson’s 14+ Year Healing Journey After Grade 4 Glioblastoma
Transcript
Hi everybody . This is Carsten and you're listening to the Survivorship Project podcast , the show that brings hope , inspiration and the right tools and mindset to your cancer journey . I've created a space to share stories from survivors , thrivers and those who have defied the odds to give you hope and help you heal . Today , we're talking with Jennifer Dickinson , a lawyer ,
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