A former Playboy model with brain cancer says she has refused chemotherapy and is instead trying to treat her disease with cannabis oil.
Kerri Parker, 34, told the U.K.’s the Daily Mirror, that she did not want to have the chemotherapy advised by her doctors because of the side effects. The model was diagnosed with two types of brain tumor at the end of 2013 and, at the time, she was treated with surgery.
However, last month she was told the tumor had returned. She told the newspaper: “My chemo team wanted me to have 10 to 12 cycles but went on to tell me that no one with brain cancer has managed to have the full lot.
“I’ve been working hard over the past few years. I’m training for a black belt in martial arts, and I’m the fittest and healthiest I’ve been, so when doctors say they want me to have treatment which will make me sick, it makes no sense to me.
“I don’t want my hair to fall out from chemo, or my face burned from radiotherapy. I train daily, run a model academy and a nutrition business and I don’t want having cancer to affect all of this. Cannabis has helped many others with cancer. I’m willing to put faith in it too. I can’t imagine any judge would convict a girl for using cannabis to save her life. It’s a risk I’m ready to take.”
The use of cannabis oil, also known as THC, is illegal in the U.K. Parker is importing it from Spain, where it is legal. She says using the drug could land her in prison, “but I truly believe it is the only chance I have of living right now.”
