About United Patients Group; Founders’ Introduction to Medical Cannabis

Traditional Cancer Treatment (Pre Medical Cannabis)

We started United Patients Group in 2011 because of my father-in-law’s diagnosis of Stage 4 lung cancer with METS to the brain (brain tumor on the brain stem). He was given 2 weeks to live.

I remember that day as if it was yesterday. Stan went from a healthy 77 year old man enjoying retirement to the wasting stages of this horrible cell malfunction. Our hearts dropped.  He was put on full time oxygen; he couldn’t drive, let alone walk.  It was a scary time for our family.  We didn’t know what to do.

We attended his next oncology appointment to find out what the future had for Stan and our family.

Wheeling him up with oxygen tanks toting along, we were now sitting in the room waiting for his oncologist to enter.  She did and we asked the dreaded question, “How much time do we have?”  She, Stan’s oncologist, looked at us and at Stan and answered, “2 weeks.”  Tears filled our eyes.  We asked, “There has to be something?” Her answer was, “morphine.”

Stan was never in pain, so he declined morphine. As we sat there in shock and sadness, I asked his oncologist, “It’s in the news daily…what about cannabis and cancer? She mentioned that she didn’t know much about it, but at this late of a stage, she would let us try anything.

They deemed my wife, Corinne, his caregiver.  We went into panic education mode the moment we left that office.  Where do we start??? How do we become a legal patient? Where do we get this medicine?  We were hoping for a miracle.

At first, all we wanted Stan to do was eat since research states that 40% of cancer patients die of complications brought on by malnutrition before they die of the cancer they are fighting. Our outcome was surprisingly better than that.

Introduction of Medical Cannabis

We administered Stan with cannabis (both raw and heated) capsules infused with coconut oil. Not only did he eat, but within 24 hours he was at his computer sending emails.  A week later, Stan was shuffling around the house from room to room. At one point he shared with us that, “something is happening.”

This was incredible news to our ears. With this information, we delved deeper into research, which led us to a high THC regiment (low dose) of cannabis oil.  In our research we discovered that THC can and does send cancerous cells into apoptosis (self-suicide).  Continuing with this regimen, I am proud to say that 11 years later, my father-in-law is ALIVE and his charts still state, NO EVIDENCE OF RECURRENT DISEASE. These five words are what started my wife and me on this journey to help others who are fighting for their lives or a loved one’s life.

Stan Rutner Update: Stan passed of OLD age, NOT cancer in May 2021.