Pathways to Healing

by Elaine Zablocki

Community Hospital Supports Cancer Patients

Cancer patients at Northern Westchester Hospital in Mount Kisco, New York, benefit from a full array of outpatient services, including nutritional counseling, yoga, meditation, and many forms of complementary/alternative medicine. While a few specialized holistic cancer treatment centers offer an integrative medicine program to support cancer patients, it is remarkable to find such a comprehensive program at a relatively small community hospital.

Marilyn Leroy-Sterling, RN, MSN, ANP-C, a nurse practitioner with years of experience as an oncology nurse, was recruited early in 2011 to serve as the care coordinator at the hospital’s Cancer Treatment and Wellness Center. Thanks to a special grant, the hospital is able to offer these additional services at no charge to patients. The practitioners include a mixture of hospital staff, community-based providers, and volunteers.

“Our goal is to look at the patient as a whole,” explains Leroy-Sterling. “We get referrals from doctors and nursing staff plus word-of-mouth referrals from other patients. I also see patients in the infusion area or the radiation oncology area, and introduce myself and explain the program.”

When someone expresses interest, Leroy-Sterling has a comprehensive discussion with them, covering their health conditions plus any additional problems and stresses in their lives, such as housing, financial issues, other family health issues, and dealing with children and partners. “These questions are stepping stones so I can get a picture of the whole situation,” she says. “During this first discussion we might sit together for about an hour. It’s a good opportunity to get to know each other a bit, and to discuss which aspects of the program will be most useful to them.”

For example, patients can meet with a registered dietitian who has specialized oncology experience, since finding the most effective ways to obtain adequate nutrition during cancer treatment is a significant issue. “It’s matter of finding food that is easily digestible, foods that are high in protein,” explains Leroy-Sterling. “If they are only able to eat a little bit, what should be their choice? There are many highly nutritious shakes a patient can make for themselves. Some people find that when they’re nauseous they can still eat a little something, so they develop a new pattern – not so much eating three meals a day, but more grazing a little at a time.”

Donor Grant has Significant Impact

Northern Westchester Hospital has had an integrative medicine department for more than a decade. Karen Maier, RN, a long-term nurse at the hospital, has a deep interest in this area, and has obtained specialized training in acupuncture, aromatherapy, Reiki, and guided imagery.

“The program gradually migrated from the inpatient setting to the outpatient setting,” says

Minerva Santos, MD, the medical director of the hospital’s health and wellness program. Santos is a board-certified internist who also completed a fellowship at the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine.

The integrative medicine program for cancer patients is available in its current form thanks to a special donor, someone who personally experienced cancer. “He discovered that when he was worried and burdened with many questions, often he had nowhere to go,” Santos recalls. “We were already offering some services, but he had the idea to pull everything together and create a more cohesive, comprehensive program.” Leroy-Sterling was hired as the care coordinator, and the program formally opened its doors in April 2011.

“Marilyn is the point person who coordinates everything,” Santos says. “People with cancer are often treated as outpatients, but all the various services they need are available here at the hospital, including nutritional counseling, various forms of integrative medicine, support groups and so on. Marilyn is able to guide people and help them decide which services are most appropriate in their particular situation. She’s also a great hand holder; she’s available to patients by phone whenever she’s needed.”

When asked to describe the benefits of the program, Santos recalls one of her own patients who recently needed radiation therapy for prostate cancer. “He is an 85-year-old man, and this is a somewhat stressful treatment,” she says. “You have to lie still. The staff suggested that perhaps he’d like some Valium to calm his nerves. He said, ‘No, I don’t need anything, I’ll just do the meditation practice I’ve been taught.’ They were all amazed!”

Cancer Patient Benefits from Acupuncture, Yoga

Porsia Cambareri, a patient at Northern Westchester Hospital, was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2008. The first complementary treatment she tried was acupuncture, and she found it extremely helpful. “They put the needles in and there’s calm music to listen to; it helps me relax,” she says. Generally speaking, Cambareri has an acupuncture session once a week. “I’m dealing with pain, nausea, and extreme tiredness. It’s really helping me out with all three of them.”

Next, she started participating in an hour-long yoga program, which is taught by volunteers, and offered three times a week. It’s a very gentle yoga program, adapted for people coping with illness. “It’s restorative yoga, nothing strenuous,” Cambareri says. “Before the class begins the instructor always asks whether someone has any issues on that particular day. Then they walk around and check to make sure you’re doing the positions correctly, and they always say not to push yourself.”

Cambareri also participates in the Wellness Program’s hour-long meditation sessions, which include a period of focusing on the breath, then deeper relaxation while picturing a restorative environment, such as a peaceful beach, and another discussion period to close. “You know, this morning I wasn’t feeling well at all, and I didn’t really feel like going, but then I went anyway,” she says. “Thank goodness I did! I had a yoga session and then the meditation session and afterwards I felt so much better! This program has been a godsend for me.”

Another benefit of the program is the opportunity for people to support each other and discuss their feelings as they go through cancer treatment. For Cambareri, this has been a very important aspect of the program. “It’s just like a support group,” she says. “We’ve come to know each other, and it’s great to be around people who are who are coping with similar situations, and are comfortable talking about it. You don’t have to explain a whole lot, because they already know what you’re going through.”

Resources

For more information go to the Northern Westchester Hospital Cancer Treatment and Wellness Center: http://nwhcancercenter.org/default

For a list of cancer support groups and activities at the hospital:

http://nwhc.net/home/education-and-events/support-groups?headerbar=99

For more information on Dr. Santos and her practice, go to:

www.minervasantosmd.com

Elaine Zablocki has been a freelance health-care journalist for more than 20 years. She was the editor of Alternative Medicine Business News and CHRF News Files. She writes regularly for many health-care publications.