Breast Cancer Awareness Month at TAC

Many of you may be aware of our relationship with the Cornucopia Cancer Support Center; for the past 9 years we have donated free acupuncture treatments to people who use Cornucopia's services. In this time we as a clinic have become familiar with the cancer patient's journey, and as practitioners have seen how acupuncture has supported them in this process. It has been one of the greatest gifts to us to see first hand how patients confront with courage their grief, their confusion, and their fear through their diagnosis. And it has been an amazing experience, on both sides of the needles, to see how acupuncture helps to relieve symptoms, side effects, and the anxiety that goes along with cancer treatment. It is because of this, and because this relationship has helped us to feel more connected in our community, that we would like to show our support for breast cancer awareness month this October. Following are some of our practitioners' experiences treating cancer patients and their families, and how it has touched their lives, as well as ours. Along with that, TAC will be donating a percentage of our treatment revenue to the Cornucopia Cancer Support Center for the month of October.

?I have been fortunate enough to treat cancer patients of all ages and from all walks of life. Even though their individual stories are unique, there are a few qualities that weave through each journey. Cancer patients display an unparalleled level of courage, determination, and grace that always amazes me and leaves me feeling humbled. Sitting across from my breast cancer patients is particularly poignant because I could be facing myself, my mom, aunt, best friend, or one of my loved ones. I feel fortunate that with acupuncture I can provide them with a safe way to deal with their nausea, fatigue, stress, and really support them throughout all phases of treatment and recovery; giving them relief, comfort, and understanding in any way that I can. My intention is to treat them with the respect and dignity they deserve and help them regain their health so they can seize each day with joy!

--Tory Wegner, LAc

Working with cancer patients the past 10 years has shown me how strong and capable of change people are. One of the best examples of this are women overcoming breast cancer. Most of the breast cancer patients I work with use acupuncture to treat the pain, numbness and tissue rehabilitation resulting from masectomies and reconstructive surgeries. It is meaningful work to help these women heal thier bodies and regain pain free motion of everyday activities. But it is more amazing to see ordinary people transcend life changing situations. These women not only have to work through a cancer diagnosis and the intense treatments for it, but in these cases, they also have to work through acceptance of new bodies and concepts of self. It is humbling to see a woman go through a double mastectomy, then the multiple reconstructive surgeries, struggle with coming to grips with who she is now and then emerge a different but stronger person. They show me what it is to work a mind-body-spirit connection in real time. Not in a magazine or class. But actually staying with it, integrating changes forced upon them and choosing how they come out on the other side. That is real work and it has been an honor to witness it over the years.

--Chris Helmstetter, LAc

Acupuncture offers patients going through chemotherapy and cancer treatments the space to feel relief from symptoms and find clarity about their own process. I have seen my patients get relief from fatigue and nausea long enough to catch a glimpse of feeling well again which offers hope. I find offering relief from the physical suffering can be secondary to the emotional benefits of acupuncture. This break from symptoms is a reminder that this current situation is impermanent and feeling this badly can shift. Acupuncture facilitates balance when so much of one's life may be lacking this during treatment. I find patients can manage symptoms and feelings with more energy and clarity through simple, non invasive, holistic means. It is an honor as a healthcare provider to be able to support patients through their treatments and be a part of improving their quality of life during this time.

--Kolleen Mitchell,LAc

I remember my first patient with breast cancer at the clinic. She came for treatment to help her with the side effects of chemotherapy--nausea, no appetite, hot flashes, and anxiety above all else. In my naïveté, I felt sorry for her, and worried about her. But what I learned is that the women who go through this process do so with courage and grace, even despite it's very unglamorous effects. I also learned to really believe in the power of acupuncture. It was almost just as exciting to me as it was to my patients that after treatment they could eat something, or had more energy, or that they weren't anxious anymore, or that their white blood cell counts went back up. These women, their friends, their families and even their oncologists were amazed at how well they were doing. I believe it is in part because of the acupuncture but also because of the haven that the treatments provide. I went from feeling nervous for and around these women, to feeling confident for and supportive of them. I'm honored to be a part of their journey.

--Toby Helmstetter, LAc

Women are strong creatures. I witness daily in my job the stress and heartache of infertility, the biological feat that is pregnancy and childbirth, and the long transition of menopause. Every phase of a woman's life is ripe with hormones and the numerous effects they have on our body and mind. Just being a woman is reason enough to learn to meditate or find that solid place in your heart that will carry you through. When I see women in our office who have or have had breast cancer, it is obvious to me immediately because they almost seem to glow with a special power- like a new level of toughness, like a super-woman. Not to say that all the cancer treatment side-effects aren't intolerable--hot flashes, lymphedema, neuropathy, nausea, insomnia, pain, anxiety and the list goes on and on. These are the things we discuss and that acupuncture helps balance out, but it is their radiance that leaves it's impression on me. Because women are strong and breast cancer challenges everything about a woman, and she rises up because that's what women do. I feel very blessed to work with women surviving breast cancer--and thankful that being an acupuncturist has led me to be in their presence.

--Katherine Rowe, LAc