TC RAM PATIENT SEMINAR 2013

Click here for details and to register for this free conference.

UCSD Center for Integrative Medicine, Integrative Oncology 2013 Program by Arilda Surridge

One week ago today I had the opportunity to attend the UCSD Center for Integrative Medicine, Integrative Oncology 2013 Program.  I attended with Eric Galvez, and Monika Carlson  I am grateful for all the information that was provided at this event.  It has encouraged and motivated me to again have a balanced diet, body, and mind.

This event made me more aware about how unbalanced my life has been the past few months.  My diet has been terrible; I have been eating a lot of meat and lacking a plant based diet.  Physically, I am completely out of shape.  I have gained weight, and lost so much muscle tone.  I have not exercised as I did before.  Lastly, my mind has been full of negativity in turn causing much stress.  I am ready to once again go back to my balanced lifestyle for optimal wellbeing.

I began thinking to myself what happened that led me to be so unbalanced these past few months.  I have figured out that after my surgeries I had negative thoughts, I did not feel good about myself, and began to worry a lot about my future.  Also the treatment that I am currently on for breast cancer is causing me many side effects and I don’t like it.  This also has me feeling down.  I hate going once a month to my oncologist to get the dreaded shot on my stomach, and I hate having to take a pill on a daily basis. 

What the conference made me realize is that during my treatment I can also integrate other approaches that will increase my quality of life and help me be a more balanced person.  For the past week I have begun to increase my intake of plant based food and decrease meats.  I have begun to exercise again, and I also am trying to applying stress management skills and activities and having more positive thoughts to have a healthy mind and body.  I plan to integrate something new that I learned at the conference, and this is acupuncture.  Acupuncture appears that it may help decrease some of my treatment symptoms. 

I am looking forward to applying what I learned about diet, body, mind, and acupuncture to increase my wellbeing and decrease my risk of a recurring cancer or a new cancer in the future.

Kickin mAss in Asia 2013 Part 1 Hawaii

Last week mAss Kickers Foundation had the opportunity to speak to Social Work Students and Social Work faculty at the University of Hawaii – Manoa. 3 tumor/cancer thrivers shared their stories and resources that they utilized to pass on to their patients. Marc Rodriguiez, Hannah Hansen, and Eric Galvez presented their unique and often times humorous perspectives as young adult survivors turned “tumor/cancer thrivers.” Survivorship is only the first step in recovery from these diseases. It was determined that each individual survivor will move on to “tumor/cancer thrivership” at their own pace. “A Thriver” is someone who gets an intimidating tumor/cancer diagnosis and REFUSES to let it control their life.  They become LEADERS in the fight against all forms of tumors/ cancer.

Along with the speaking engagements at University of Hawaii, this group of thrivers had the opportunity to take in a few sites in Honolulu and experience the authentic Hawaiian cuisine. The Honolulu zoo, Dole Plantation, and of course the beautiful beach on the west side of the island were a few of the sites they were able to visit in their short time on Honolulu. Future trips to speak in Hawaii are in the works to talk about “thrivership” life after an intimidating tumor/cancer diagnosis.

Later this summer mAss Kickers Foundation has plans to go to Tokyo, Japan and Manila, Philippines to speak to future physicians and tumor/cancer patients about “thrivership”. Stay tuned.
More trips are in the work next year!

Integrative Oncology

UCSD Integrative ONCOLOGY 2013: 
A groundbreaking event with transformative potential 
April 6-7, 2013 – UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA

Join national experts, health professionals, cancer survivors, and community members in a landmark event hosted by the UC San Diego Center for Integrative Medicine:  Integrative Oncology 2013. This conference discusses the complex relationship between tumor, host, and dietary, lifestyle, and environmental factors, and what can be done to foster an “anti-cancer” diet and lifestyle to help rectify imbalances and reduce the drivers of cancer.  Integrative Oncology addresses all aspects of cancer care, using evidence from cancer epidemiology, basic science, and clinical research – together with the ancient wisdom of natural healing systems such as Chinese medicine and Ayurveda.

RENOWNED SPEAKERS –EMPOWERING APPROACHES

Speakers will focus on three core areas in which they encourage active self-care and support a whole person approach: (1) Diet and lifestyle for cancer prevention, (2) Evidence-based integrative therapies and (3) Integrative modalities that improve symptoms and enhance the well-being, functioning, and quality of life of cancer patients. Topics include: optimal nutrition, physical activity, massage, manual therapies, acupuncture, herbs, biofeedback, meditation, guided imagery, integrative psychiatry, biofield therapies, expressive arts, yoga, and tai chi.

At the conclusion of this activity, the participants should be able to:

• Describe the research supporting integrative cancer prevention & treatment
• Apply integrative philosophies to improve cancer patient care
• Recommend appropriate integrative services & lifestyle medicine to patients
• Translate integrative medicine research into actionable wellness plans

Sponsored by:

The University of California, San Diego School of Medicine is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

The University of California, San Diego School of Medicine designates this live activity for a maximum of 12.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

It is the policy of the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine to ensure balance, independence, objectivity and scientific rigor. All persons involved in the selection, development and presentation of content are required to disclose any real or apparent conflicts of interest. All conflicts of interest will be resolved prior to an educational activity being delivered to learners through one of the following mechanisms 1) altering the financial relationship with the commercial interest, 2) altering the individual’s control over CME content about the products or services of the commercial interest, and/or 3) validating the activity content through independent peer review. All persons are also required to disclose any discussions of off label/unapproved uses of drugs or devices. Persons who refuse or fail to disclose will be disqualified from participating in the CME activity.

This activity is in compliance with California Assembly Bill 1195 which requires continuing medical education activities with patient care components to include curriculum in the subjects of cultural and linguistic competency. Cultural competency is defined as a set of integrated attitudes, knowledge, and skills that enables health care professionals or organizations to care effectively for patients from diverse cultures, groups, and communities. Linguistic competency is defined as the ability of a physician or surgeon to provide patients who do not speak English or who have limited ability to speak English, direct communication in the patient’s primary language. Cultural and linguistic competency was incorporated into the planning of this activity. Additional resources on cultural and linguistic competency and information about AB1195 can be found on the UCSD CME website.