Well, some of you know this but we lost Amanda Miller on Friday of last week. I met Amanda at the CrossFit Games last year. I remember she had a fund raiser to get out to the event, if I recall correctly. Amanda contacted me last year and told me about her condition and asked if she could attend the CF Nutrition gig I was doing at CF Marina. We got to hang out a bit that day and I started working with her, trying everything I could think of. OPT and his doc also kindly contributed ideas and time.
Amanda WORKED. She did everything suggested to her and never complained, never showed a bit of fear. I know myself pretty well, and I am a coward compared to this girl. Craven. Amanda…she knew EXACTLY what she was up against. She had no pie-in-the-sky self deception going on. She was simply NOT going to give up.
The type of Melanoma she had is nasty. It does not respond to ketosis, vit-d, or calorie restriction nor conventional therapies.
I did not find out about Amanda till this morning. it was a beautiful day in Chico and I was at the gym training. Chrissy came around the corner and I could tell she was not happy. She told me about Amanda and I was just numb. All I could do was cry. I know Amanda would call me a pussy for belly-aching and carrying on. Sorry kiddo, you were a lot stronger than me.
CrossFit Ventura had a post on Amanda, Check it out.
Brittney McWethy says
Thanks to robb wolf for everything that you had done for her. I know she really loved that you did that for her. She always talked so many great things about you ( which we all do here at CFV) You post was funny and touching… perfect.. Thanks again for being a part of her life and as others.
Brittney
Crossfit Ventura
Robb Wolf says
Brittney-
It was almost surreal sometimes. We’d be in this heavy email exchange, trying to figure things out, then she would totally punk me! Then right back at it. A funny, brave girl.
Ironically, when the whole Black Box shit-storm was going down I was on the phone with her trying to get studies to her docs, OPT had his doctor contacting her. It was a whole other layer to the back-story that was infuriating.
Joe says
RIP. Her blog is very inspiring.
Brad Hirakawa says
I am very sad to hear this. May she rest in peace.
Mike says
Robb – I do not know Amanda, but reading the post made me cry as well. It’s ok – it’s what we need to do. I also have cancer – and I would like to thank you for what you do on this site and with the people you help. It makes a difference.
Mike (MFH of sphenoid bone)
Robb Wolf says
Frack-me Mike. Take care amigo, let me know if I can help.
StephenH says
Sorry for your loss. My thoughts and prayers are with Amanda’s family.
AJ Mirwani says
RIP Amanda. You will always be an inspiration!
Christina says
I’m sorry. It sounds like the world lost someone truly special. I’m glad she left a positive and influential mark in your life and it was enough to make a difference. It’s honoring in the way she fought with courage the whole way through. “He cannot be withstood by the courage of bulls nor of lions” – Herodotus, The Battle of Thermopylae.
Brian PCF says
Amanda was a class act. She will be missed.
Jaala says
Robb-
Thanks for all you did for Amanda and what you do for our community. You are respected greatly here at CFV.
Amanda will be and already is missed.
Art says
she was such a stud and example! what a bummer…
Gio says
RIP. God Bless.
Dave Re says
Wish I would’ve met Amanda. Her blog is inspirational. 🙁
If anyone has contact info for her family or someone else appropriate, I have a number of pictures I shot of her at the Games last year that I’d be happy to send to them on if they’d like them…
brandon miller says
hey dave my name is brandon miller i was amanda’s younger brother. i know you posted your comment 3 years ago but if you get this and still have pictures you can email them to me at [email protected] . thanks
Emily Maisannes says
My heart is broken. I miss her terribly, but at the same time, we all get to carry her in our hearts. Her fire will still burn in all of us. I know she’d yell at me to quit crying, but she knows how much I cared for her. Tomorrow is going to be my first WOD without being able to tell her how it went. I guess that doesn’t matter, though, since she’ll be there watching and yelling at me to go faster.
Robb Wolf says
Emily-
I appreciate the Email. I’m trying to suck it up because I know she would kick my ass for being weak.
Steven Low says
I found out via the CF mainpage. So sad.
Very nasty type of melanoma.
Wish I had gotten to talk to her one last time though.. it had been a while since we conversed so I was starting to get worried. Then I found out. 🙁
RIP Amanda.
John Jaeckel says
My thoughts and prayers are with Amanda, her family and friends.
Not to be morbid (I have a very good reason for asking this), Robb, what kind of melanoma did she have that was so diet/treatment resistant? My father and a second cousin died of melanoma and my sister has had it.
I’m going to betray my ignorance here, but is ketosis therefore therapeutically beneficial in fighting cancer? Can you give me the elevator speech on that? I do a lot of work in nutrition, diabetes and oncology. Thanks Robb!
Robb Wolf says
John-
check amanda’s site. I do not remember if she mentioned anything specific about the melanoma and if not I’m not at liberty to talk about that. I can check with her family, but not right now. Suffice to say, in general, melanomas are nasty, adaptive and a tough fight to win.
Cancer and ketosis.
Search for work by Veech, Seyfried, and Mujerke (I think) for more info.
Andrea says
This story make me unbelievably sad, not to mention pissed off at the world in the unfairness of it all. I hope she’s in peace.
Emily Maisannes says
In Amanda’s blog, there’s a link to a NYT article about the trial drug she was on. I’m sure there is info in there or some terms you can Google to figure out exactly what type it is. The article is 3 days, so make sure you get all three articles.
John Jaeckel says
ROBB,
Thx, and absolutely, that’s cool. I should know better than to ask anyone to violate HIPAA. And I did not mean to disrespect Amanda’s memory or ask you to betray her trust.
Dave says
Robb,
This post really got me…
Long story short, I have recently found you and your site because I too was diagnosed with melanoma about 2 months ago. Fortunately, they were able to remove it surgically, and while the incicision is still healing, it looks like I am in the clear.
Since then, I have been ultra-strict paleo for about a month, taking about 4 oounces of carlson fish oil per day (I am about 290lbs), 5000iu of vitamin D-3, as well as digestive enzymes and natural calm.
The weight has been falling off me, and things seem to be going well, but the reason for my post is, I have a really hard time “feeling” like I am in the clear – reading this post brought me to tears, and scared the shit out of me…again, and I am wondering what else I can do to make sure I am on the right track.
Can you maybe publish some or all of what you were having Amanda do for treatment? And maybe you might have some other advice for me (and others) about what we can all do to try and prevent this from happening, or catching it early?
Thanks for all you do, and I am very sorry for your (and everyone else’s) loss.
-Dave
Robb Wolf says
Dave-
Absolutely, will do.
Su says
Obituary and guest book:
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/floridatoday/obituary.aspx?n=amanda-rose-miller&pid=142302803
rest in peace Amanda
julianne says
Cancer sucks! It’s hit 3 out of six in my family.
Thanks for the ketosis link, I have a client whose partner has prostate cancer. They have been to the Issels Medical Centre.
Although they were told that sugar feeds cancer, they were also recommended to eat low GI carbs like legumes, oats, quinoa!
They were told that protein feeds cancer.
I haven’t researched this – is this something of a myth – or will too high levels of protein trigger cancer growth?
Would you recommend a ketogenic diet for what I’m assuming is aggressive prostate cancer?
If one does a ketogenic diet, I’m assuming an adequate / moderate level of grass fed or wild protein especially seafood, lots of fats low in omega 6, and the addition of lots of omega 3. And the addition of non starch veggies.
On another note – when my brother had aggressive AML, and underwent a bone marrow transplant – I found this amazing study on the effect of high dose fish oil in combating GVHD after a transplant.
5 patients out of 9 in the non fish oil group died, 0 out of 7 in the fish oil group died, plus they had far less severe GVHD.
My brother (an emergency doctor) took lots of Omega 3 high concentrate pre, post and during his transplant.
He recovered remarkably well from the BMT with very little GVHD and is really well 6 years later.
julianne says
Oops forgot the link:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11781629
Oral eicosapentaenoic acid for complications of bone marrow transplantation.
Steve says
Just sorry.
Anneke Marvin says
It sounds like she touched a lot of people although her time her was too short. We can find comfort in the fact that she is in a place where she feels no pain and no sadness. I am so sorry for everyone who knew her. What a terrible loss.
Mike says
Hi Robb – I would appreciate some help. 3 areas really. I am currently following the Budwig Protocol (my version with IF). I am the friend John Jaeckel enquired on behalf of. I would like to try and gain an understanding of the relative pros and cons of the dietary aspects of the protocol. Secondly – I am considering the ketogenic approach. I managed to contact Tom Seyfried and he very kindly emailed me some papers on his work. What would be great is some advice on implementing the restricted ketogenic diet according to the phases he mentions (Phase 1- gradually lowering blood glucose to 55-65mg/dl and elevating ketones to between 4 and 7mM. Phase 2 is not applicable to me – surgery. Phase 3 – cycling between restricted kd and low carb low glycemic index/load diet perhaps on a weekly basis.
Thirdly would be to see if I could merge aspects of the Budwig Protocol with the ketogenic approach.
All of this is in the context of Crossfitting 3 to 4 times per week and I’ve just started BJJ. My tumour is currently appears stable but still large (latest scan results tomorrrow – yikes) and I have no symptoms.
Don’t know how best to do this – maybe a consult would be more appropriate.
Thanks
Mike
Robb Wolf says
Mike-
1-The Bugwig protocol seems geared towards someone who has impaired liver function. The sue of cottage cheese creeps me out due to the growth factors in dairy, but it apparently acts as a carrier of short chain essential fats. A superior approach seems like a ketogenic diet (low protein intake, high fat intake, only veggies for carbs).
2-Keep met-cons at 70% effort. The last thign you want is to hammer your immune system.
Keep me posted.
Stepfanie G. says
She is a huge inspiration. RIP Amanda from Crossfit APE
Mike says
Hi Robb – got my scan results today – no change in the tumour. That’s 8 months with no change now. Gave my oncologist some of Tom Seyfiried’s research. Didn’t look as if he was going to read it but I might be doing him a disservice.
Mike says
Robb – 2 questions. 1st re the growth factors in dairy you mention. Is that something that’s added. I’ve heard cattle in the States get injected with various hormones, or is it natural stuff? 2nd – Do you have any research re exercise intensity, duration and effect on immune system? I have been unable to find anything meaningful. Where do you get 70% from and does it apply across all timeframes? I do tend to concentrate more on technique during my metcons, but sometimes it gets a little frustrating because I want to be going quicker. Oh and I realise that wasn’t just 2 questions. Cheers, Mike
Robb Wolf says
Mike-
1-those growth factors are natural.
2-http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=exercise+immune+function
3-just an educated guess.
Michaela Miller says
As Amanda’s cousin, I know she worked hard and never complained. Thanks for this Robb. RIP Amanda Rose, we all love and miss you.
Robb Wolf says
Michaela-
I’m sorry I could not be at the service. I hope you are all doing as well as you can.
Mike says
Cheers Robb – I had searched Google and come up with some stuff. Hadn’t used “immune function”. Looks like my reading quota for the next couple of weeks has now been allocated.
Steven Low says
May I be the first to say finally:
http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20627603.500-cancers-sweet-tooth-becomes-a-target.html?DCMP=NLC-nletter&nsref=mg20627603.500
However, a little too late. These types of drugs could’ve been a good trial run for Amanda. 🙁 But should undoubtedly help others in the future.
Robb Wolf says
Steven-
Unfortunately the melanoma is remarkably adaptable and aggressive, It might have helped, but not likely. Breast, colon prostate cancers, almost a certainty.