Cancer Survivor Finds Peace Through Psilocybin Trial

Teresa Anne Volgenau was eight months past her uterine cancer surgery when the disease came back. Sitting in the infusion center at UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital, she told her nurse she was having a tough time coping.

That same day, researchers happened to be in the center recruiting for a clinical trial. They were studying whether psilocybin, a psychedelic compound, combined with talk therapy could help late-stage cancer patients manage anxiety, depression, and the existential distress that often comes with facing mortality.

Volgenau, 53, didn't hesitate. "As soon as they told me about this trial, I said, 'I'm all in,'" she recalls.

The study, led by Dr. Stacy Fischer at CU Anschutz Cancer Center and funded by the National Cancer Institute, has enrolled around 60 participants. The randomized trial gives some patients a 25 mg dose of psilocybin alongside psychotherapy, while others receive a placebo with the same therapy sessions.

The science behind it is compelling. Psilocybin creates a period of neuroplasticity in the brain, making people more open to therapy. Participants report greater cognitive flexibility, openness, and self-compassion after their dosing session.

For Volgenau, the eight-hour guided session was unlike anything she'd experienced. Wearing an eye mask and listening to instrumental music, she felt what she describes as conveyor belts of chaos being removed from her psyche. There was crying, nervous laughter, and intense emotion, but it led somewhere new.

"I am showing up in the world in a better way because of this trial," she says. "I'm living my life with less anxiety than before, and I'm more Zen than ever before."

Why This Inspires

Traditional anxiety and depression medications often don't work well for cancer patients facing existential distress. This research offers a faster, more effective pathway to emotional healing during one of life's most challenging moments.

Other participants have shared similar transformations. One told researchers, "When I got home, everywhere I look, all I see is love." Dr. Fischer, who has 25 years of research experience, calls it unlike anything she's seen before.

Colorado decriminalized psilocybin for medical use in 2022. Fischer hopes her study results will lead cancer centers nationwide to offer palliative psychedelic care for patients who could benefit.

Volgenau now views her diagnosis through a lens of acceptance rather than fear. "The clinical trial was a beautiful game-changer for me," she says.

Sometimes the most profound healing comes from the most unexpected places.