It is somewhat ironic that, as a PhD-qualified research chemist, Bronya Clare has turned the tables to develop and manufacture her own range of all-natural homecare and skincare products. Having been unwell for most of her adult life, and more recently recovering from bowel cancer, Bronya’s aim is to live as toxin free as possible, and help others do the same.
In 2005, after becoming aware of the number of everyday household poisons she was living with, Bronya threw out all her cleaners, moisturisers and shampoos and started making things for herself. After a career in chemical research, she knew she was more qualified than most people to create a range of skincare and home products. Her Clean Living range, made entirely in Tauranga, is non-toxic, plant-based and preservative and fragrance free, containing ingredients that have been used for generations and shown no signs of toxicity.
“For me it’s all about making and using products without any nasty chemicals and preservatives, so in my skincare range I use serums and oils rather than lotions,” says Bronya.
“We can get sucked into believing that we need a different product for everything and we really don’t. I now use one household cleaner that does everything.”
“I was so grateful for my own products during my cancer treatment and recovery and when I meet people who have been diagnosed with cancer I give them products to help because I know what goes on – the chemo rashes and radiation burns. When you are first diagnosed, often the first thing you think about is what caused it? Was it something I was exposed to, or something I put on my skin? People are becoming acutely aware of the toxins in their environment.”
Rollercoaster of illness
Bronya was diagnosed with stage 3 bowel cancer in 2015. For most of her adult life – she is 40 this year – she had been chronically unwell, beginning in her 20s when she was frequently bedridden with extremely painful periods and cyclical migraines. Initially she was misdiagnosed with endometriosis.
In 2006 she noticed bleeding from her bowel and what followed was a succession of doctors in Melbourne, the US and New Zealand (she worked and completed doctoral study in other countries) who could not find any problem. By the time a rectal tumour was finally discovered 10 years later, Bronya was seriously unwell. Earlier, a surgeon had mistakenly banded the tumour during a haemorrhoid procedure and, after being put off and rebooked several times, she had eventually returned to hospital to repeat the procedure. As soon as the specialist saw what had happened, the room quickly filled up with people.
“I was grateful to get a diagnosis but it was one of the lowest moments for me because I was so unwell and exhausted and my mother and sisters were not available. At that moment, sitting in the waiting room, I felt very alone. The doctor was amazing and she was the only person I trusted after that.”
Despite being ‘in’ the system with an aggressive illness, the road to treatment and recovery was far from smooth. There were long delays in seeing an oncologist, pre-surgical radiation and chemotherapy took months to get started and when she put her life on hold to await surgery, she found out she wasn’t even on the waiting list. Numerous inefficiencies continued to stymie progress.
“You actually have to be in charge of your own care, to ask what’s coming up and when tests and scans will be done, because everyone in the health system is so overworked. You cannot rely on them to follow things up.”
With large parts of her bowel removed Bronya had a temporary ileostomy bag before reversal surgery in April last year to recreate a large colon. Complications are expected with this kind of major surgery and Bronya is still recovering. She no longer requires the ileostomy bag but has had to get used to a new level of normal.
“This is the most well I have felt in my adult life and most of the time I feel really great. I still have a lot of pain in my life, and I’ll never be exactly how I was, but I can now function without any medical intervention and I love not being bedridden for days on end.”
At the end of August Bronya will perform in Tauranga’s Tarnished Frocks and Divas, an indication of how far she has come on her road to wellness. She credits the Cancer Society with helping her to get to this point, and, because the Society relies on donations, she wants to encourage people to donate, if they can.
“The Cancer Society was the most important part of my treatment. They made such an enormous difference and I cannot imagine how I would have gone through this journey without them. I would like to get my business to the stage where I can donate a lot more of my products to them.”
Back to wellness
As well as running her business and being mum to 6-year-old Oliver, fitness, nutrition and relaxation have all taken centre stage in Bronya’s life now. She walks most days and eats mostly a ‘peasant style’ diet of hardy whole-grain foods which fill the bowel with bulk instead of highly refined and fatty foods.
Since practising meditation she has realised the exercise is less about being able to clear your mind, and more about being aware of your mind wandering and then being able to come back to focus. It has made a massive difference to feeling calm and refreshed, she says.
“I’m a completely different person now; I’m more passionate about life and throw myself into things. I’m more selfish and less patient because everything comes down to me and my son. I’m more honest and open and stand behind every single thing that I do, every decision I make.
“All those years I was sick, I wanted to be able to do things and now that I can I want to make the most of it. I’m acutely aware that it might come back as there is a strong genetic component. I need to be on top of my health all my life.
“My oncologist told me that cancer is persistent and progressive so if you have any kind of medical issue, like pain or a virus, take notes and if it doesn’t go away and is slowly getting worse, get it checked out. Had I heard those words years ago, I wonder whether I would have acted differently. I have spoken with many women who have been misdiagnosed with endometriosis but actually had cancer. Women need to be aware of this.”
To find out more about Clean Living and Bronya’s range of natural, toxin-free skincare and homecare products, please visit cleanliving.co.nz
