Blog
ESSIAC: The Story Behind ESSIAC
June 12, 2013
ESSIAC is an herbal formula which has been around for centuries, yet was made popular by the famous Nurse Rene Caisse. The product has since been marketed all over the world, as an immune system support supplement. But what is great about ESSIAC is the story behind it. Rich in history, the ESSIAC story is briefly summarized in this post. With the popularity of ESSIAC products continuing to grow, it's interesting to learn more about the long tradition of the formula.
ESSIAC originated with the Ojibway Indians in Canada. Rene Caisse discovered the formula after coming into contact with an Ojibway herbalist, who made the concoction with four local herbs: Sheep Sorrel, Burdock, Slippery Elm, and Indian Rhubarb. The ESSIAC herbs were cooked and combined in such a way that made them even more potent than the herbs themselves. The herbalist offered to teach nurse Rene the method of making the formula, and nurse Caisse began to create it herself and administer it to her patients. The combination made nurse Caisse famous throughout the area, many people travelling for miles to have the opportunity to receive ESSIAC. ESSIAC was, as all true ESSIAC still is today, made with only the original four, organically grown herbs. It's also important to note that ESSIAC is made only in Canada, for true authenticity. ESSIAC's history is Canadian, and the product itself is truly Canadian, through and through.
What was also so special about the ESSIAC story, is that Rene Caisse was so selfless, with her formulas and with herself. She never charged for her services, and helped thousands of patients throughout the years, opening her humble home to each of them. Rene's only source of income were donations, though her patients often had little to nothing to spare. Throughout her life, she drifted below the poverty line, finding her riches in the service she gave to others. She was a hero to many, and her legacy still lives on today through the products that hold her namesake.
The full story of Rene Caisse's life and work is told in a book by James M. Demers entitled, "Bridge of Hope." The book details her services to patients, and gives more background on the woman that started the ESSIAC revolution. But we mustn't forget the true root of the ESSIAC formula that is now known internationally: the Ojibway Indians and their kind gesture of passing on the recipe to Nurse Caisse to help the masses.
