Sonoma International Film Festival

 Jeff Witzeman

Filmmaker Jeff Witzeman's “Cancer Can Be Killed” is a groundbreaking labor of love documentary sending ripples of controversy and debate through the oncology world. The film tells the story of Jeff's wife Kerry Witzeman who was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Instead of undergoing surgery and chemo therapy, as her traditional American doctors had suggested, she opted for an alternative medicine treatment in Germany. Kerry and Jeff traveled to Germany where innovative German doctors administered holistic treatment; within weeks of the treatment, she was completely cured from cancer. From Kerry's story, the film goes on to follow doctors in America practicing holistic cures for cancer with record rates of success. Jeff is currently working on a sequel. The film screened at the 21^st annual Sonoma Film Festival. It was also an official selection of the North Hollywood Cinefest. Most recently, it was awarded Best of Show, Outstanding Excellence at the Docs Without Borders.

I interviewed Jeff after seeing his pioneering film. Here is what he had to say:

How long did it take from the time you discovered your wife has cancer until her cure?

JEFF: Well initially a doctor removed a tumor from my wife’s bladder, but was not able to get all of it as it had penetrated the muscle wall. At that point, he suggested bladder removal. 30 days later we were in Germany treating it naturally to avoid removal. Then 30 days after that the cancer was gone!

When did you decide you had to get the word out and make a doc about it? Was it difficult to make the film and did you have to self finance?

JEFF: I was actually contacted by a number of filmmakers who wanted to make the documentary, then pulled out because of the difficulty of the subject matter. But two of these directors offered to mentor me if I would make the documentary. Then when it came time to edit the film, we had to part ways because I knew what was needed to help cancer patients know how to kill cancer naturally, and they wanted to only make something marketable. At that moment, I knew I was financing the film myself. The film has been seen almost 100,000 times so far and will pay for itself in two years.

What about cancer patients who can't afford the treatment overseas. Are there payment plans for it?

JEFF: There are actually clinics here in the States as well, and there are even treatment options as low as $3500. Many people crowdfund and have been successful raising money. But honestly, when you look at the copays here for ongoing treatment, like drugs that have to be taken for life, then $30,000 to go to a natural clinic seems like a bargain!

To some, the supposed holistic cures are so many... How would a patient decide what is the right route to go with all the options?

JEFF: Yeah, you really need a mentor or guide. But once you go down that path of finding out what your particular imbalance is, you can find the people who can right the ship. There are a lot of testimonies out there on sites like Chris Beat Cancer, and on my film and once you find multiple sources saying the same thing, you know you’re on to something. Then it’s just a matter of who you feel comfortable working with and changing the body’s environment for the better.

Have you received any heat from the FDA regarding your film? If so, what kind?

JEFF: The FDA doesn’t even know who I am and I don’t think they are threatened in any way. Who is threatened are traditional cancer centers and that’s where I have received the heat. I have to be careful to not interview them or talk about their inadequacies because they send their lawyers after me and try to shut me down. They have already unethically pulled the film down from Amazon once, and I had to remove the footage of an interview with a researcher that said her treatments harmed the body as well as going after the cancer. But then they don’t want people knowing that truth and threatening their hundreds of millions of dollars.

How many people that you have reached out to with this film have been cured because of this film or your referrals?

JEFF: I get messages every day from people thanking me for giving them the information to cure their cancer. One gentleman in Texas was so grateful, he started renting billboard space to advertise the film to everyone in his community. He’s up to four billboards now. So a conservative estimate would be hundreds who have been cured naturally.

Do you think the FDA will start to go the holistic approach eventually or continue to keep its control for profit?

JEFF: Ha, the FDA has no incentive whatsoever to go holistic as their sole aim is to protect patent owners and Big Pharma. It is truly business without conscience. But the public is demanding holistic answers and it’s only a matter of time before laws change and the FDA is limited in what it can control.

How have audiences reacted to the film?

JEFF: I’m always pleasantly surprised at these screenings. The gratitude and passion in the room is like nothing I have ever seen. But these are people who have either lost a loved one or have a loved one fighting cancer. To know that they can save their loved ones lives without hurting them . . . well they’re ready to shout from the rooftops!

You attended the Sonoma FF. How was that experience?

JEFF: The Sonoma Film Festival is the best festival I have ever been to. I loved the people, the organizers, the town, the wine, the food, the other filmmakers. I just can’t say enough good things about that festival.

What will your followup film be?

JEFF: The follow up film is almost done shooting and will soon go into editing. It deals with forced long term (2-4 year) chemo protocols for kids already in remission from cancer. Nobody knows this, but doctors can force a child into long term chemo even if he or she has been tested to show no more cancer. If the parents say no, the doctor calls child protective services to take the child from the parents and put them in foster care for the duration of treatment. So obviously if cancer can be killed naturally, then why are we torturing and killing our children with toxic poison? And to tell you the truth, I’m just documenting the brave parents out there who are changing the system by fighting in court or fleeing the country.

The film can be screened on Amazon, Amazon Prime, iTunes, Google Play.

website www.cancercanbekilled.com

Interview by Vanessa McMahon