Dr. Barry Marshall knew that he had the cure for ulcers, a common readily available antibiotic.  However he was prohibited from experimenting on humans by the medical community. Mainstream gastroenterologists did not buy his theory and held on to the ancient idea that ulcers were caused by stress.

Dr. Marshall had discovered that H.pylori bacteria caused ulcers.  However no one would believe him or let him experiment on people.   So what to do?  He found the only human patient that he could experiment on, himself.  So he drank H.pylori from the gut of a sick patient.

After a few days he began to vomit, he felt sick and was extremely exhausted.  He then cured himself and proved without a doubt that this available antibiotic was the cure for ulcers.

As it turns out not only is this the cure for ulcers it is also the cure for stomach cancer.

So, by giving himself an ulcer and experimenting on himself he cured stomach cancer and ulcers, almost completely ridding the world of these two diseases.  He also won a Noble Peace Prize in 2005.  He was able to accomplish this despite the lack of support and barriers put up by the medical community.

There are many people who look back on their life and say, “I wish I would have…” Are you one of those people?  Am I?

In order to accomplish what we really want out of life we have to take risks and not play it safe, we must make ourselves sick.  We also have to listen to ourselves and not others, even though the “others” are trusted and wise.  If Dr. Marshall had listened to the medical community, the “others,” the world would not have the cure for ulcers and stomach cancer.

Many times in my life and in yours, people will tell you what you should do, and what is right for you.  The truth is that the only person who knows this is you.  The question is will you listen to you, or to others?

We all have a cure, will you claim yours as Dr. Marshall claimed his?

For more on Dr. Marshall see the Feb. 2010 issue of Discover Magazine.