New Integral Healing Program provides cancer patients and families with awareness of whole-person cancer care and complementary medicine benefits

OTTAWA, March 26, 2012 /CNW/ - The Ottawa Integrative Cancer Centre (OICC) has launched an innovative whole-person cancer-care education program in partnership with the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation's Maplesoft Centre.

The "Integral Healing Program: Empowerment on the Cancer Journey" provides a set of educational modules designed to share evidence-informed complementary care options with cancer patients, survivors and their support network, providing them with knowledge and tools to take better control of their disease management.

Consisting of four, weekly half-day workshops, each session incorporates hands-on interactive learning, audio-visual teaching aids, and lively group discussions.

The next four-week Integral Healing Program will begin on April 10, 2012. The program will repeat several times throughout 2012. All sessions are free of charge and are being held at the Maplesoft Centre, 1500 Alta Vista Drive, in Ottawa. To register, please visit the Maplesoft Centre's online program registration at http://www.ottawacancer.ca and click on the Maplesoft Centre icon or call 613-274-3527. For more information on workshop content and the health-care instructors, please visit OICC events at http://www.oicc.ca

"The Cancer Foundation strongly supports the complementary approach to cancer care and is pleased to partner with the OICC to make this educational program available to cancer patients and survivors visiting the Maplesoft Centre," says Linda Eagen, President and CEO of the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation. "We ran a pilot program in the fall of 2011 which was overwhelmingly popular. People felt empowered and excited to learn about the benefits of complementary and naturopathic medicine. We believe the program's teachings will have lasting impact on the care of cancer patients in the Ottawa region."

"We are very pleased to be working with the Cancer Foundation to educate as many cancer patients and survivors as possible about the benefits of integrative oncology and whole-person care," says Dugald Seely, ND, M.Sc., FABNO, the executive director and founder of the OICC. "Attendees learn how natural therapies can strengthen their immune system, support their body's inherent healing ability, improve quality of life and ultimately help support them during aggressive cancer treatments. They will also learn how to talk with their oncologists about complementary care options. The program instructors include a number of regulated health-care practitioners with training and experience in cancer care."

About the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation

The Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation is dedicated to increasing cancer survivorship in Eastern Ontario. The Cancer Foundation is the most significant philanthropic contributor to cancer care and research in the Ottawa regionby raising the most dollars in our community and allocating the most funds locally to fight cancer. The Cancer Foundation works with its regional partners to ensure local residents have the best possible care close to home, shorter wait times for diagnosis and treatment, access to the latest research and new therapies and overall improved quality of lifewhich includes the opening of Canada's first Cancer Survivorship Centre. The Maplesoft Centre offers Cancer Survivorship Care Coaching that helps to address the emotional, physical, spiritual, informational and psychological needs of cancer survivors and their families. For more information about the Maplesoft Centre and the Cancer Foundation, please visit http://www.ottawacancer.ca.

About OICC

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Ottawa Integrative Cancer Centre and Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation Collaborate on Whole-Person Cancer-care Education