Cancer care at Immunotherapy Institute Tijuana
Canadian Colon Cancer Patient Finds Life-Changing Treatment in Mexico After Facing Delays at Home. Tijuana’s Integrative Approach Offers New Hope.
TIJUANA, MEXICO, April 14, 2025 /
EINPresswire.com/ -- When Michelin Tunor from Nova Scotia was diagnosed with colon cancer, she expected immediate action. Instead, she was met with silence, long wait times, and doctors who barely made eye contact. Her life was on the line—and the Canadian healthcare system wasn’t moving fast enough.
“It felt like I was disappearing,” she recalls. “Nobody had answers. The system was too slow to help me in time.”
Refusing to be another statistic, Michelin took matters into her own hands. With help from friends and supporters, she launched a crowdfunding campaign and raised over $65,000 CAD to seek treatment abroad. Her destination: The
Immunotherapy Institute in Tijuana, Mexico.
Led by Dr. Ariel Perez, the Institute offers a next-generation model of care that combines traditional cancer therapies like chemotherapy and radiation with cutting-edge immunotherapies and holistic support—all under one roof. This integrative approach aims not only to treat the disease but to support the whole patient.
“Our philosophy is simple,” says Dr. Perez. “We don’t treat diagnoses—we treat people. That means designing personalized plans that reflect each patient’s unique needs, biology, and emotional health.”
Unlike in Canada, Michelin’s care began immediately. Within 24 hours of arrival, she had a full medical evaluation, a meeting with a
multidisciplinary team, and a personalized treatment plan that included immunotherapy, low-dose chemotherapy, nutritional care, and mind-body support.
“They didn’t just ask about my cancer,” she says. “They asked about me.”
Michelin’s story is just one of many. The Immunotherapy Institute has become a sought-after destination for international patients, especially from the U.S. and Canada, who feel stuck in healthcare systems plagued by bureaucracy and delay. What makes the Institute stand out is its evolution—from an “alternative” cancer clinic to a fully
integrative oncology center delivering evidence-based therapies in a patient-first environment.
“It’s not about rejecting conventional treatments,” says Dr. Perez. “It’s about using them smarter—reducing toxicity, improving outcomes, and giving patients a better experience.”
This new model stands in stark contrast to the rigid, insurance-driven systems in North America. In Canada, where universal healthcare is a national pride, timely access to cancer care remains a major challenge. A 2023 CIHI report showed one in five patients waits longer than recommended to begin treatment. For aggressive cancers like Michelin’s, those delays can be devastating.
“We hear from Canadians every week,” says Gabriela Rodriguez, Senior Case Manager at the Institute. “They’re not angry at their country—they just can’t afford to wait.”
Now back home recovering and thriving, Michelin says her journey to Mexico saved her life—and opened her eyes.
“I didn’t want to wait to die. I wanted to fight to live. Mexico gave me that chance.”
The success of patients like Michelin is drawing attention to the promise of integrative oncology as a global solution—not just a medical one, but a human one.
“With more patients choosing us every month, we’re proud to be pushing the frontier of cancer care,” says Dr. Perez. “The science is powerful, but it’s our approach to the whole person that’s changing lives.”
Gabriela Rodriguez
Immunotherapy Institute
+1 619-832-2230
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