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WOMEN AND CANCER PROGRAM

Low-Income Women Benefit with Heartwood's 2006 Holistic Cancer Services

By Gretchen King
Continuing their successful partnership with Rogers Park Community Council, Heartwood Center for Body Mind Spirit offered their Women and Cancer Program from February through June 2006. Funded by an Illinois Department of Health, Office of Women’s Health grant, the program provided holistic healthcare treatments to low-income women living with cancer at no cost to participants. Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine, psychotherapy and massage therapy were all utilized by women in the program. They also attended free classes at Heartwood in yoga and T’ai Chi.

Our program focuses on high-quality care for a small number of women. This year, we were able to searve 14 women - many of whom were treated for late state metastasized cancer - though more women will receive services as the Women and Cancer Program continues. There were Caucasians as well as women of color and they ranged in age from 35 to 77.

Participants found the program to be extremely beneficial. One participant reported in her follow-up questionnaire:

“Cancer survivors have so many issues to address physically that the mind/body/spirit connection is often ignored or at the bottom of the list. Finances and energy run thin. This program helps address these issues so well.”

The women who participated were affected by and treated for breast cancer, colon cancer, thyroid cancer and ovarian cancer. They initially reported various physical and emotional pains as a result of their struggle with cancer and medical treatments. But after receiving treatments at Heartwood, each woman experienced some relief and deeply appreciated the compassionate attention they received through the program.

 

 

One participant shared:

“The world of medicine is just one piece of the pie. Everything else is just as important. Through this program, I felt that I was taking care of myself in an important and pure manner. ”

Another woman reported:

“The most beneficial part of this unique program for me was that it was wellness oriented rather than treatment oriented. I enjoyed focusing on getting back to health."

Since the program's inception in 2004, Heartwood practitioners and teachers have provided more than 300 treatments and classes to 55 women from the Chicago area.

Heartwood would like to wish continued healing for those who participated and for anyone coping with cancer in their lives. We would also like to thank the practitioners in the 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.