Ayurvedic treatment for cancer has been luring patients to Coimbatore. Marinella Banfi, a French woman who got cured after treatment at an ayurveda centre in Palakkad in Kerala, returned after 10 years to do a documentary on the basis of this.

The 84-minute documentary `Indian Summer’ was telecast in her country in 2011 and features Marinella and her French doctor Thomas Tursz, Director of the Gustave-Roussy Institute of Oncology in Villejuif in France.

According to her, but for arthritic pain, she has been completely cured of cancer. The doctor-patient duo visit places in Kerala and Coimbatore where Marinella underwent treatment and Dr Tursz, impressed by the treatment, goes on to tell that he was visiting to explore and practise the methods used in Ayurveda.

“The approach of ayurveda is very different compared to allopathy. We treat the patient and not the disease. Cancer treatment should start by treating the person from within,” says Dr. K.G. Raveendran, Medical Director of Arya Vaidhya Pharmacy (AVP), Coimbatore.

The disease and the condition of the patient are taken into consideration and treatment is based on the receptiveness of the patient, he adds.

The centre in Coimbatore has treated 820 cancer patients, including from France, Germany and Hungary. Of them 679 were out-patients, he says.

“We do followup treatment and some of the patients make visits every year. Marinella comes in January for her follow up,” said Dr. U. Indu Lal from AVP.

Doctors also claim that the patients are not asked to stop their regular allopathic medicine when they undergo ayurveda treatment.