DIAGNOSED with terminal cancer and only months to live, Sunshine Coast mum Corissa Macklin-Rice left her three children to head to the jungle of Peru to treat her illness with frog poison and plant-based hallucinogenics.

Ms Macklin-Rice began planning the trip to Amaru Spirit, a natural medicine healing centre, a year ago after her breast cancer returned and she was diagnosed terminal with 18 months left to live.

The Bli-Bli mum fought breast cancer without chemotherapy, and had a double mastectomy and lymph nodes removed in March 2014.

"I met a shaman called Greg, who works at Amaru Spirit, at one of my yoga classes and after a lot of research decided to seek treatment there," she said.

The 45-year-old mum said leaving her family to head to Peru was not an easy decision.

Corissa Macklin-Rice took on breast cancer through yoga, positive thinking, and diet in 2014. Warren Lynam

"I felt sick about it," she said.

"I knew I had to leave though as I was running out of options in Australia.

"It was a hard decision to make, but if I didn't do something then I was afraid my time would be up."

Her youngest child, Sunny turned 11 last week and her daughter Marley will be 14 in mid-June, while her eldest, Pheobe, 19, has taken over the role of mum.

"They were mostly supportive of the decision," Ms Macklin-Rice said.

"My son was the hardest hit. He is still my baby, but I have set in place a lot of support for him.

"If it means missing one of their birthdays now to heal, I might be around for many more to come."

ALTERNATIVE TREATMENT: Corissa with her son, Sunny. Contributed

Having spent all her savings previously on her double mastectomy Ms Macklin-Rice tried unsuccessfully to raise money for the trip through a GoFundMe page.

Finally, after a year of battling to access her superannuation, the money came through and after two days of travel and four flights, she stepped the little wooden boat at Iquitos that would take her down the river to Amaru Spirit.

"It was an amazing, exciting journey to a spectacular place and as soon as I arrived I knew I was in the right place," she said.

ALTERNATIVE THERAPIES

Ms Macklin-Rice isn't alone in seeking alternative treatment for cancer.

A 2004 study by the government (revised in 2010) found that 87 percent of women with breast cancer involved in their research had used an alternative or complementary medicines and practises including vitamins and other treatments.

While this might not always be harmful, the study found that it is problematic as only 40 percent of those women had talked to their medical team about the alternative treatments before commencing them.

Ms Macklin-Rice made the decision not to consult with her doctors before heading to Peru.

ALTERNATIVE TREATMENT: The hut Corissa stayed in and the temple during the ceremony. Contributed

"I thought a lot about it before leaving, but I realised I had nothing to be afraid of," she said.

"I already had terminal cancer so what's the worst that can happen?"

Professor Sanchia Aranda, CEO of Cancer Council Australia told Kidspot in a statement:

"We understand that a cancer terminal diagnosis is very upsetting and that Australians in this situation will often seek out alternative treatments that claim to offer hope or relief.

"However, unfortunately when it comes to cancer treatments offered overseas, there are a lot of dishonest people selling bogus cures, misinformation and expensive fake treatments, that don't work, haven't been tested for effectiveness and safety, or can actually be quite dangerous.

"Cancer Council encourages anyone considering alternative cancer treatment to speak openly to their doctor and healthcare team who can provide medically sound advice based on the best evidence and their individual situation."

THE GRUELLING TREATMENTS

For Ms Macklin-Rice in Peru, the treatment began to take it's toll.

"I hit a healing crisis about a week and half in. I couldn't get out of bed and thought this was it," she said.

ALTERNATIVE TREATMENT: Some of the tools used in ceremonies. CONTRIBUTED

"I didn't think I would make it home. All I could think was how can I pack my bags to get home to die.

"I was too weak to even call the kids and didn't want to alarm them but I did do a video to explain what was happening in case something did happen."

Ms Macklin-Rice continued with a course of unconventional treatments, many of which caused her to purge for hours at a time and have left her eight kilograms lighter.

For ten days, she did an intense liver and gall bladder cleanse, which included drinking a fermented potato drink, a variety of herbs, a clay and oil drink, Epsom salts drink and finally fresh orange juice and olive oil which caused her liver to convulse.

She also drinks a tobacco tea every day which burns her insides. The Shaman believes this treatment causes a purge and releases the emotions, unlocking what is creating the disease.

The treatment she feared most going into the retreat is the controversial ayahuasca ceremony performed by the shaman.

Ms Macklin-Rice underwent eight of these ceremonies where she was taken to a completely dark temple with several other people and drank a vine mixed with bark containing the psychedelic substance DMT.

For about five hours she sat in the temple with diarrhoea and vomiting while the shaman chanted and facilitators helped her back to her bed in the temple.

"It opens old blocked memories so that you can rewire your brain and create new pathways." Ms Macklin-Rice explained.

"I wanted to let go of the fear of dying and a lot of things that don't serve me anymore," she said.

Ms Macklin-Rice said during the ceremony she experienced the shaman transform into a beautiful insect as he chanted and burnt plants.

The other hallucinogenic treatment Ms Macklin-Rice had was San Pedro, which involves drinking a drink made from a cactus. The effects of this drug lasted 24 hours.

"They say it is like cutting off your head and feeling with your heart," Ms Macklin-Rice said.

ALTERNATIVE TREATMENT: Corissa at home, before leaving for her treatments. CONTRIBUTED

During one of these treatments she said she was taken back to her mother's womb before emerging as a butterfly free of pain.

Before leaving Amaru, Ms Macklin-Rice will be given three injections of a poison from a frog's glands called kambo, designed to boost her immune system.

"Your body reacts straight away. Your face swells and you go blotchy and you purge from it," she said.

CORISSA'S RETURN

Ms Macklin-Rice does not claim to have been cured by the treatment, but believes it has benefited her physically and mentally.

She will have blood tests on her return to see if any improvements have been made by the treatment.

"I didn't expect it to be this amazing.

"This place has really helped me heal and I am not the same person I was. I have found love for myself and I don't need approval from anyone," she said.

Ms Macklin-Rice said the kids are so happy with the improvement to her health and can't wait to see her.

"It will be cold when I return so we are going to have a onesie party and eat rainbow cake," she said.

Originally published on KidSpot.