WOMEN AND CANCER PROGRAM
Low-Income Women Find Benefits in 2005 Holistic Cancer Services
By Gretchen King
The Women and Cancer Program offered by Heartwood Center for Body Mind Spirit in partnership with Rogers Park Community Council was once again a tremendous success . With grant funding from the Illinois Department of Health, Office of Women’s Health the program provided 198 holistic healthcare treatments to low-income women living with cancer at no cost to the participant. Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine, psychotherapy and massage therapy were all utilized by women in the program. Heartwood also served these women by offering free classes and participants attended 35 yoga and T’ai Chi classes.
Participants found the program to be extremely beneficial. One participant reported in her follow-up questionnaire,
“Going to Heartwood was a welcome oasis of treatment. Cancer is like a hurricane: it wreaks havoc on one’s life, physically, emotionally, spiritually but there is no Red Cross showing up at your door offering help and assistance. The Women and Cancer Program at Heartwood is the Red Cross of Cancer. Life preservers do exist amongst this storm!”
This program focused on the quality of care provided and not on the quantity of women served. The intention was to provide services to a small number of women, many of whom were being treated for late stage metastasized cancer. This program served the 33 women intended to reach; more women are already on the waiting list for the next program.
These 33 women were affected by and treated for 25 cases of cancer, including
- two cases of melanoma,
- two cases of colon cancer,
- one case of uterine cancer,
- one case of Hodgkin’s disease,
- one case of kidney cancer,
- one case of cervical cancer, and
- one case of bone cancer.
In the pre-treatment questionnaire, they reported various physical and emotional pains as a result of their struggle with cancer and the repercussions and side effects of their cancer treatments. There were Caucasians as well as women of color in the program and they ranged in age from 28 to 76+. Women came from all over the Chicago area to receive services through this unique program.
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One participant shared:
“Words cannot express my gratitude. Soothing, comforting, nurturing. They facilitated me finding a place of comfort and nurturing within myself allowing me to feel my whole creative being. Sometimes we’re a square peg forcing ourselves into a round hole. At Heartwood, I found myself to be a multi-dimensional person connecting with my multi-dimensional self.”
Another woman reported:
“For the first time in my entire life, I feel that my entire being -- mind, body, and spirit -- is reverently addressed and tended to!”
A third participant stated:
“The program and Heartwood are like moisture for my soul.”
Heartwood is incredibly grateful to have been able to provide these much needed services to women living and struggling with cancer. We were encouraged by the overwhelming response to the program both in filling all the available spaces and in the extreme gratitude of each woman who participated. We have a wait list of women wanting to be a part of the next Women and Cancer Program.
Referrals for Participants Welcome
If you know of someone who would benefit from the Women and Cancer Program, please contact Terri at 847 491 1122 x23. Participants will be placed on the waiting list and receive healthcare on a first-come first-served basis.
Now Accepting Your Generous Contributions
Please consider contributing financially by sponsoring a woman in our cancer program. All donations are tax-deductible and are accepted with love and gratitude. For more information, contact Heartwood Executive Director Nancy Floy at 847.491.1122 x 11 or via email.
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