Paul Stamets’ mother, Beverly Stamets, was diagnosed with stage IV breast cancer in 2009 and given less than three months to live. She underwent conventional treatment including Taxol and Herceptin chemotherapy, alongside a daily regimen of turkey tail mushroom (Trametes versicolor) extract supplied by Stamets’ company, Fungi Perfecti.
Within a year, scans showed no detectable cancer, and she remained cancer-free for ten additional years until her death at age 93. While Stamets and his supporters attribute this recovery to the immune-boosting properties of the mushrooms, medical professionals note that Turkey Tail is not a standalone cure and that the success likely resulted from the combination with standard oncology drugs. Clinical trials funded by the NIH have since confirmed that turkey tail can enhance immune cell activity in breast cancer patients receiving conventional therapy.