Sweet relief: the treechangers growing ‘miracle berries’ to help cancer patients taste again

Synsepalum dulcificum, known as ‘miracle fruit’ or ‘miracle berry’ on Rubyberry farm, Childers, Queensland Photograph: Supplied

Don Anderson describes himself as “a sceptic” but, four years ago, when he lost his sense of taste while undergoing radium therapy for prostate cancer, Anderson turned to an unorthodox treatment for relief.

“Yeah, I was doubtful,” the retired fisherman and boat skipper from Port Douglas says. “But I was also pretty fed up with everything tasting totally bland, so I thought I’d give it a go. I had nothing to lose.”