Culture Apothecary with Alex Clark

Episode Title: The Predatory Reality Of Pediatric Cancer | Season Johnson, FNTP & IHP2
Air Date: November 26, 2025
Guest: Season Johnson, FNTP, IHP2, Pediatric Cancer Advocate and Founder of the Kick Cancer Movement
Main Theme:
A raw exploration of the pediatric cancer landscape—the limitations and “one-size-fits-all” pitfalls of conventional treatments, the legal and systemic obstacles faced by families seeking integrative care, and practical, holistic actions parents can take to protect and empower their children physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

Episode Overview

Alex Clark sits down with Season Johnson to unpack her journey as a parent of a pediatric cancer survivor and holistic practitioner. The episode exposes the systemic and often rigid approach of pediatric oncology, the need for advocacy and integrative support, and essential steps for parents navigating a diagnosis. Real-life experiences, actionable advice, and deep dives into nutrition, detox, and emotional healing provide hope and practical wisdom.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Harsh Realities of the Pediatric Cancer System

• Lack of Choice and Legal Threats

  • "If your child is under 18 and they're diagnosed with cancer, you are immediately required to follow standard of care." (06:00, Season Johnson)
  • Parents who question chemotherapy may be threatened with loss of custody or even jail time.

• Standardized, One-size-fits-all Protocols

  • All children are placed into the Children’s Oncology Group protocol, with little individualization except for weight adjustments. (25:45)
  • Second opinions rarely lead to different treatment options; the system is rigid.

• Profit Motive

  • "Chemotherapy is 100% markup… 10ml of bright red chemotherapy that created a reaction… was $80,000." (09:25, Season Johnson)

2. The Role and Limitations of Integrative Therapies

• Integrative & Holistic Approaches Are Dismissed

  • Hospitals are dismissive or even hostile toward complementary nutrition and detox strategies. Families may face allegations of noncompliance if their child appears "too healthy." (28:02)
  • Example: A family was told, “If he doesn’t come back to his next chemo appointment looking like a cancer patient, we are making a referral to CPS.” (04:59 / 28:02)

• Nutrition & Detox Strategies

  • Season attributes her son’s exceptional recovery—inpatient only for scheduled procedures, never needing transfusions—to targeted nutrition, detox modalities, emotional support, and prayer, alongside required chemotherapy. (07:00–08:45)

• Lack of Research & Funding for Alternatives

  • Pediatric cancer receives only 4% of the National Cancer Institute’s budget; most studies focus on adults, leaving gaps in data for integrative therapies in children. (32:20)

3. Parenting Under Pressure: Advocacy and Agency

• The Need for Advocacy

  • “You are so overcome with emotion and overwhelm and the pressure to make the right decision. This isn’t your job. You didn't study cancer.” (18:28, Season Johnson)
  • An experienced advocate helps navigate medical bureaucracy, ask the right questions, and push for simple things—like removing dextrose from IV fluids to reduce side effects. (19:06–20:33)

• Parental Rights & The Threat of CPS

  • Discussion of families facing CPS investigations simply for seeking integrative support or if children recover “too well,” interpreted by hospitals as noncompliance. (28:02–29:35)

4. Root Causes: Environmental & Lifestyle Factors

• Environmental Toxins as Triggers

  • "[Cancer is] an environmental disease. Genetics can play a role… but genes can be turned on or off with nutrition and lifestyle.” (10:40, Season Johnson)
  • Season traces contributing factors in her son’s case: prenatal anesthesia, C-section with antibiotics, high EMF (WiFi) exposure.

• Letting Go of Parental Guilt

  • “You’re not powerful enough to give your child cancer… When you know better, you have the obligation to do better.” (12:47, Season Johnson)

5. Food as Medicine

• Hospital Food & the Dismissal of Diet

  • “The head of oncology at CHLA literally laughed… ‘It does not matter what you feed your child. Chocolate cake and french fries—give it to them.’” (26:20, recounting a conversation)

• Actionable Dietary Guidance

  • Prioritize animal foods for nutrient density: eggs, butter, grass-fed beef/lamb, organ meats (which can be “hidden” in recipes or given as capsules), fermented veggies, and healthy fats.
  • Eliminate or dramatically reduce sugar; use fruit and vegetables for carbohydrates.
  • “There’s not a multivitamin I would tell you to give your kids except for organ meat.” (42:44, Season Johnson)

• Creative Meal Ideas:

  • Eggs in butter, avocado, sauerkraut, grass-fed steak, arugula and escarole salads, lunch wraps with turkey, raw cheese, microgreens, and organ-meat–infused seasoning (Pluck). (42:47–45:56)

• Practical Kitchen Tips:

  • Avoid microwaves; use toaster ovens, air fryers (with stainless or glass, not Teflon), or stovetop reheating to preserve nutrients and avoid carcinogens. (49:21–50:52)

6. Reducing Toxic Load at Home

• EMFs and Smart Tech

  • Avoid electric vehicles and smart home devices (Alexa, smart fridges, Ring doorbells) due to high electromagnetic frequency exposure, which can disrupt healing and nervous system function. (52:12, 58:50)
  • “Your home’s supposed to be a place to heal.” (59:30)

• Removing Household Toxins

  • Unplug WiFi at night, eliminate fragranced cleaning products and detergents.

7. Supplementation and Functional Testing

• Genetic Testing (MTHFR, etc.)

  • Nutrigenomic testing recommended for children—with saliva samples—as early as infancy, to tailor protocols and avoid harmful drug reactions. (34:09–35:05)

• Supplements & Detox

  • Natural antimicrobials like Kumanda and Banderol, along with probiotics, can support immune function during treatment, but should be used with an experienced practitioner. (61:59–62:26)
  • If doctors refuse supplements/detox, parents may have to proceed without explicit approval, accepting that oncologists may not have training in these modalities. (64:12)

8. Emotional & Spiritual Support

• Family Rituals for Processing Emotions

  • “Happy, Crappy, Jesus”: Each night, parents and children share something good (happy), something hard (crappy), and where they saw God working (Jesus).
  • “It creates a rhythm that you’re going to bed, kind of unfolding your emotions… and bringing Jesus into the picture.” (66:53–68:54)

• Spiritual Surrender:

  • “Surrender your hurts to Jesus… and see what He will do and how He’ll use it.” (75:54, Season Johnson)

9. Practical Steps Immediately After Diagnosis

• What to Do First

  • “Take a moment, like, take a deep breath. Don’t just accept everything that’s being told. Connect with someone who’s been through this journey. Community is huge.” (23:51–24:13)

• Navigating the System

  • Find a cancer advocate
  • Remove hospital food and bring your own nourishing options
  • Prioritize nutrition and emotional support from day one

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Legal Threats:

  • “If your child doesn’t come back to his next chemo appointment looking like a cancer patient, we are making a referral to CPS.”
    – Season Johnson (00:03, 28:02)

• On the Rigidity of Pediatric Oncology:

  • “Once you’re in that system, you’re not leaving… There isn’t a plan B.”
    – Season Johnson (05:00)

• On Nutrition’s Dismissal:

  • “‘It does not matter what you feed your child. Chocolate cake and french fries—give them chocolate cake and french fries.’” – recounting head of CHLA oncology (26:20)

• On Systemic Ignorance:

  • “Why would it be we’re going to threaten to take your kid away because your kid is surviving cancer?”
    – Alex Clark (29:55)

• On Environmental Factors:

  • “You’re not powerful enough to give your child cancer… When you know better, you have the obligation to do better.”
    – Season Johnson (12:47)

• On Organ Meats as Multivitamins:

  • “There’s not a multivitamin out there that I would tell you to give your kids except for organ meat.”
    – Season Johnson (42:44)

• On Emotional Health:

  • “We call it Happy, Crappy, Jesus… Get vulnerable as parents and lead the way.”
    – Season Johnson (66:53)

• On Surrender:

  • “Surrender your hurts to Jesus… and just watch what He’ll do.”
    – Season Johnson (75:54)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Intro & Season's Story: 00:00–08:45
• Legal Constraints & No Plan B: 04:41–05:59
• Systemic Profits & Hospital Policies: 08:39–10:36
• Cancer Triggers: Environment & Genetics: 10:40–15:18
• Emotional Guilt & Letting Go: 12:47–15:23
• What Happening After Diagnosis: 23:46–25:39
• Second Opinions & Nutrition Dismissal: 25:39–27:59
• When Hospitals Threaten Well Parents: 28:02–29:55
• The Role of an Advocate: 18:24–21:47
• Navigating Supplements & Testing: 34:09–35:12, 61:59–64:12
• Immediate Home Detox: 58:45–60:02
• Creative Nutrition: 41:21–46:45
• Hospital Food: 50:52–52:12
• EMFs & Electric Vehicles: 52:12–55:08
• Spiritual Practices (Happy, Crappy, Jesus): 66:53–68:54
• Life After Treatment: 68:59–70:58
• Plea to Medical Community: 71:07–72:12
• How to Find/Work With Season Johnson: 72:22–75:32

Resources & How to Connect

• Season Johnson
  • Instagram: @seasonjohnson
  • Website: seasonjohnson.com
  • Private Practice: biodynamicwellness.com
• Programs:
  • Thrive Through Cancer Formula (group)
  • Thrive Beyond (remission support)

Closing Remedy

“Surrendering your hurts to Jesus.”
– Season Johnson’s advice for healing culture on every level—physical, emotional, and spiritual. (75:54)

This rich, courageous conversation highlights the complexity of fighting pediatric cancer—and the hope that comes with refusing to let the system silence your voice as a parent, advocate, and believer in holistic healing.