Apple Cider Vinegar on Netflix tells the ‘true-ish’ story of cancer fraudster Belle Gibson. But also portrayed is Jessica Ainscough, which has led to fresh trauma for her grieving father
A grieving father of a ‘wellness warrior’ depicted in a new Netflix series about a cancer faker has hit out at the show.
Apple Cider Vinegar is based on the true story of Australian fraudster Belle Gibson, who falsely claimed to have brain cancer and created a wellness app supporting others with terminal illnesses. But the dad of Jessica Ainscough, who was diagnosed at 22-years-old, says the ‘appalling inaccuracies’ have led to fresh trauma.
Jessica Ainscough, an Australian health influencer, lost her battle with a rare form of cancer after turning her back on conventional medical treatment. Col Ainscough, who also lost his wife Sharyn to cancer 18 months before his only child Jessica passed, said the character Milla Blake is based on his daughter but that she was never even friends with Belle Gibson, as is portrayed in the series.
The 72-year-old also said that the show portrayed him as ‘unsupportive’ when it came to alternative therapies, which couldn’t be further from the truth, he claims. “Continually linking Jess’s name to Belle is appalling. Jess doesn’t deserve her legacy to be tarnished by this,” Mr Ainscough told the Daily Telegraph.
“Jess was incredibly intelligent and she and Sharyn spent months researching every possible option, including clinics worldwide. I did my own research, read about Gerson therapy and felt confident it was manageable for our family. I trusted Jess and Sharyn’s judgment, knowing they wouldn’t take such a decision lightly.”
Mr Ainscough added Jessica’s blended approach to cancer treatment seemed effective, noting she was ‘cancer-free’ after two years on the Gerson program. However, it’s important to note that The Cancer Council states Gerson therapy is not ‘a valid or effective treatment for cancer’ and shouldn’t be taken instead of conventional treatments.
And he claims his daughter’s death is also depicted incorrectly in Apple Cider Vinegar. While the series shows Jessica dying from the cancer spreading through her body – she actually passed due to radiation therapy complications, he says.
Despite being told that prescribed treatment could potentially extend her life by a decade, she died at 30, less than ten years after opting for alternative methods. But Netflix has always said that Apple Cider Vinegar is based on a ‘true-ish story’.
Milla Blake, portrayed by Alycia Debnam-Carey in Apple Cider Vinegar, was inspired by Jessica’s life. Jessica worked as an online editor for the popular Australian magazine Dolly prior to being diagnosed with epithelioid sarcoma in 2008 after noticing lumps on her left arm.
She was told she had a slim chance of survival but, determined to combine conventional and holistic medicine to beat the odds, Jessica created her blog The Wellness Warrior, which drew in 1.5 million followers. She also wrote a book titled Make Peace with Your Plate, which she described as both a memoir and “exploration into the possibility of ditching diets and mending our torturous relationships with food.”
Apple Cider Vinegar is available to stream on Netflix
