My name is JoAnn Otto. My husband's name was Wayne Otto, he was 65 years old when he died. Wayne was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer at Mayo Clinic on June 15, 2004. The doctors at Mayo gave Wayne no hope. Wayne felt strong and healthy at the time and really wanted to try to fight his cancer - he wasn't a quitter. We knew if we were going to try to find someone to help us fight, Mayo was not the place. After reading information on your site, we decided to contact Dr. Douwes from Klinik St. Georg regarding hyperthermia treatment. We read articles regarding the philosophy behind hyperthermia and learned that Klinik St. Georg had been performing that treatment for many years. We decided to travel there immediately. Dr. Douwes never personally answered our requests, but we did hear from someone who worked as a laison for his Klinik. She said Klinik St. Georg was like a four start hotel and we would be very comfortable and happy. She also said that Dr. Douwes had great success in treating Pancreatic cancer. When we arrived, we found that the previous Klinik site had been moved and all patients were now being seen at St. Georg Hospital in downtown Bad Abling, Germany. The accommodations were far from a four star hotel. It was a very old building with hospital room furnishings consisting of a bed and table. I traveled with my husband, so they provided a room with a single platform bed with a 4" deep, hard mattress. After just one night in the hospital, we decided to find our own accommodations at a hotel across the street. The staff was very reluctant to allow this move, but we insisted. The treatments consisted of daily infusions of vitamins and supplements, plus two hyperthermia treatments, magnetic treatments, detoxification, and nutrition therapy. None of these treatments were covered by insurance. The price was approximately $23,000 for the three week period. We arrived in Germany the first week of July and stayed until August 1, 2004. We were due to return to Germany in September for Wayne's third and fourth hyperthermia treatments, but due to complications, we never made it back. Wayne died October 21, 2004. after developing a blood condition and he passed away from clots that settled in his liver. I have good and bad things to say about this treatment. The good things included: 1. Interaction with other patients. We learned so much from other patients regarding things that worked and didn't work. We maintained our optimism throughout Wayne's treatments. 2. Most of the staff was very friendly. 3. Wholesome food iwas ncluded with our stay. The bad things included: 1. We only spoke with Dr. Douwes for 10-15 minutes during our entire 3-week stay at the hospital. This one visit came the day before we left Germany. Dr. Douwes was totally elusive and sometimes made his patients sit in a hallway and wait 4-6 hours to see him. 2. There was a lack of CT scan, PET scan, or any state-of-the-art scanning devices to monitor the outcome of treatment. 3. For American patients, there was a lack of follow-up in the states. 4. My bill was written in German. After arriving home, I wrote and asked if they would please send me a translated copy of the bill. I never received an answer from them. They completely ignored my request. 5. My husband died despite his treatment at Klinik St. Georg. We knew, going in, that nothing was guaranteed, but this was obviously the worst thing that happened. Looking back, I think the biggest benefit of going to Germany for treatment was that it gave us hope. Was it false hope?...I don't know. My biggest regret was not seeking the help of a doctor in the states (before we left) who would agree to monitor Wayne on our return from Germany. After our return, I attempted to make an appointment with an onologist, but all were booked for almost a month in advance. While we were in Germany, we thought we had a chance to beat Wayne's cancer, but when we arrived home, we had a very different feeling. No one in the states believed in hyperthermia or any of the other complementary treatments. We felt very alone. Remember we are NOT Doctors and have NO medical training. This site is like an Encylopedia - there are many pages, many links on many topics. Support our work with any size DONATION - see left side of any page - for how to donate. You can help raise awareness of CAM.