Wellness advocate Belle Gibson, who translated her high profile as a cancer survivor into publishing success, has admitted her cancer diagnosis was not real.Ms Gibson, 23, who claimed to have healed terminal brain cancer by eating wholefoods, made the admission in an interview with the Australian Women’s Weekly.
The success of Gibson’s book, The Whole Pantry, and her smartphone application, which advocates natural therapies, has been largely dependent on her high-profile as a cancer survivor.
Asked if she had ever had cancer, Ms Gibson told the magazine: "No. None of it’s true.
"I don’t want forgiveness. I just think [speaking out] was the responsible thing.
“Above anything, I would like people to say ‘OK, she’s human’.”
I say, “OK, she’s an unprincipled fraud.” (In case there’s any doubt, “unprincipled frauds” form a proper subset of “humans.”)
Now all that’s left for her to do is to wait for the inevitable clamour of “Well, it worked for me, I promise!” claims and the money that will keep on rolling in.
If she had a decent bone in her body, she’d donate all of her book sale proceeds to cancer research because this display of probity is no more than a hollow, attention-seeking sham otherwise.
'Luthon64
Alright, in view of this other news titbit, I’ll amend my earlier declaration to “OK, she’s a pathologically unprincipled fraud.”
'Luthon64
You may be on to something… 
The question though, that annoys my mind… Why do we lock up someone who kills 1 person, but this chick probably killed 100’s and gets to walk free? Where’s the justice in that?
Yes, apparently people are starting to comment, and lament, on social media how they have eshewed medical treatment based on her advice.
Whole foods? Bah. All you need is garlic, olive oil and beetroot, I tell you…
There is none because the law can only convict for harm that’s caused by direct action where the victims were coerced and/or deprived of choice. It’s the same basic reason that civil actions against tobacco companies and arms manufacturers invariably fail: caveat emptor.
But here’s some peripherally relevant reading material that presents an interesting perspective. (Actually, it’s more directly relevant to the MMR vaccination safety blog referenced in the ShoutBox currently.)
'Luthon64
I’m in the habit of questioning stuff even if it is “the law”. Call it a “rhetorical lament” if you will. There may be no justice in the world, but I can still feel sad about it being so. 
While walking in the neighborhood. I noticed a sign that said: “Spiritual healer, heals cancer.”
A part of me really wanted to take down the add, thinking on how much damage people like this do.
Perhaps just make a stamp with this group’s URL, and stamp that onto the quackery ads. 