posted June 27, 2012 08:42 PM            

A WOMAN who has drunk a glass of breast milk a day since being diagnosed with cancer believes it is saving her life.
Jenny Jones has had a daily 400ml dose of milk from an anonymous donor after being diagnosed with multiple myeloma, or bone marrow cancer, seven months ago.
Breast milk has been proven to help build immunity in newborn babies and is a unique nutritional source that cannot adequately be replaced by any other food.
While the unusual treatment has not been prescribed by her doctor, her decision has been supported by doctors at John Flynn Private Hospital and the Mater Hospital in Brisbane where she is treated.
Mrs Jones, 62, said her cancer levels when she was diagnosed in December were "dramatic". But after a month of daily doses of breast milk she said her levels had reduced significantly.
The mother-of-three admits she is also following standard cancer treatments including oral chemotherapy.
Gold Coast oncologist Dr Steven Stylian said it was difficult to know which treatments were working on Mrs Jones but said he would not dismiss the milk treatment.
"People stumble across cures all the time this way," Dr Stylian said. "All treatments need to be evaluated and I'm open minded about it."
Mrs Jones has been a lactation consultant at John Flynn for 14 years and said she knew about the milk's benefits.
"I'd never tasted it and never wanted to but once I had this big thing happen in my life, I just threw it down because I believe in it," Mrs Jones said.
In 2010 researchers in Sweden published a study that showed breast milk could kill cancer cells.