In this article, we present a unique story: that of a child whom CBD is said to have saved from a tumor. This story will serve as a springboard for exploring a complex disease that is increasingly affecting children. We will then examine the growing interest in cannabidiol.
Professor Richard Grundy’s Study
The Story in a Few Words
We are in England. Four-year-old William Frost is suffering from a rare brain tumor that is slowly consuming him. After examining the boy in 2014, an MRI revealed a rare, cancerous tumor the size of a golf ball in William’s brain. Doctors opted for conventional aggressive treatments in an attempt to save him. Nothing worked. They tried surgery, but there was no change. The little boy was slowly fading away. As a last resort, chemotherapy was tried, but to no avail. These interventions also left him paralyzed. The tumor seemed to subside, then returned with renewed vigor. The doctors announced that the child was going to die, since no treatment seemed to be working. The boy’s parents were not ready to lose him in the prime of his life. He was only 4 years old! So they decided to try a treatment based on CBD oil, derived from cannabis, having heard that it might help. The mother explained:
“We decided to seek treatment outside the healthcare system and we obtained cannabidiol (CBD).”Six months of treatment followed: a ketogenic diet (very low in carbohydrates) and CBD administration. The parents’ first observation was the improvement in William’s condition. The tumor had shrunk and stopped growing. The mother spoke again:
“Even though we defied fate, so far the tumor is stable, which means it’s no longer growing.”
She concluded:
“The CBD given to William, alongside the ketogenic diet, had a remarkable impact on his recovery.” Indeed, this story allows us to revisit the issue of cancer, and brain tumors in particular.
Some statistics on this tumor: Indeed, far from the spotlight, brain tumors are practically killing our children and younger siblings every day. In England, for example, approximately 1,750 individuals under the age of 18 are diagnosed with cancer each year. Around 400 of these are brain and spinal cord cancers. It is worth noting that this tumor is the leading cause of death in this country.
This alarming finding raises serious questions about current conventional treatments, particularly their effectiveness against such aggressive diseases. High-quality treatment is urgently needed to save lives. And we are not alone in this view. The lead researcher, Professor Richard Grundy, from the University of Nottingham’s Children’s Brain Tumor Centre, shares this opinion. He stated:
“New ways of treating brain tumors in children are urgently needed to extend and improve the quality of life for patients with malignant brain tumors. Therefore, we are delighted to be testing the effect of cannabidiol (CBD) on brain tumor cells.”
Professor Richard Grundy’s study
Indeed, it would undoubtedly be one of the leading studies of its kind. That said, what is its purpose? What exactly does it consist of? The objective is to determine if CBD reduces tumors. To achieve this, the researchers have a very specific process. Cells from different brain tumors will be cultured under laboratory conditions. Some will be cultured with cannabidiol molecules, while others will be cultured without. Afterward, they will compare the two samples using a technique called cell staining. This will allow them to see if the cells divide and die. In this regard, Professor Grundy has already outlined their expectations.
“We expect that the cells—the brain tumor and the normal brain—under our standard conditions will be healthy and divide actively. We expect that the normal brain cells cultured in cannabidiol will remain healthy.” However, we expect that brain tumor cells cultured in cannabidiol will stop growing and die.
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