Tag: Life with Cancer

This program is being offered virtually through Zoom. In order to participate and receive the Zoom link, you must register here or by emailing carla@smithcenter.org

with Susi Wyss

Tap into the healing properties of nature in a supportive environment in this summer-inspired writing workshop led by a therapeutic writing facilitator. Please plan to have on hand an object from nature, as well as paper (or journal) and pen. No writing experience necessary, just an open mind.

Suggested Donation: $20

About Susi Wyss

Susi Wyss is a public health professional, author, therapeutic writing facilitator and—most of all—a believer in the healing power of words. Her public health career has spanned more than 25 years, most of it addressing women’s health in Africa. She is the author of The Civilized World, a novel set in Africa that was named “A Book to Pick Up Now” by Oprah Magazine. In addition to her collaboration with the Smith Center, she has led writing-for-healing workshops at the DC Rape Crisis Center and at Crossings Healing & Wellness in Silver Spring.

This program is being offered virtually through Zoom. Please register here to receive the Zoom link to participate.

with Danielle Ferris, MS, OTR/L, CLT, Maude Fish, and Bonnie Vermillion

This ongoing healing circle will focus on the unique needs that people who are living with Lymphedema face. No matter where you find yourself on your journey you will have a chance to be with others who share in your experience. This shared experience will often lead to profound learning and healing.

Healing Circle for People Living with Lymphedema will be held Monthly on Mondays from 2:30-4:00pm.

Upcoming Dates:

  • April 6 (online)
  • May 4 (online)
  • June 1

 

What is a Healing Circle?

Healing Circles bring together small numbers of people impacted by a condition or circumstance to share experiences and harvest collective wisdom.  Healing Circles is a peer-led process by which people support each other through deep listening and shared learning. When working at its best, this collaborative conversation model leads to authentic and deep connectivity and can create wisdom and healing for participants.

About Danielle Ferris, MS, OTR/L, CLT

Danielle Ferris is an Occupational Therapist with a speciality in oncology rehabilitation. She provides one on one treatment sessions to clients at Body Wellness DC in Dupont Circle. She has experience in evaluating and treating differential diagnosis related to pre/post breast cancer treatments. Danielle is recognized by the Norton School of Lymphatic Therapy as a Certified Lymphedema Therapist (CLT). She has also completed training through Klose Training related to breast cancer rehabilitation, and is certified to implement and train individuals in the Strength After Breast Cancer exercise program.

About Maude Fish

Maude Fish has performed classical music throughout the DC Metro area since she moved to Washington in 1988. Currently, she plays regularly with the Amadeus Chamber Orchestra, the Virginia Chamber Orchestra, The Arlington Philharmonic, and the Tysons-McLean Orchestra. In prior years, she has worked with orchestras as distant as Roanoke, VA, and St. Mary’s, MD. She teaches piano and bassoon privately from her home in Chevy Chase, DC. She is no stranger to Smith Center having participated in a day-long writers retreat and yoga classes when she finished active treatment for breast cancer in 2004. Additionally, her chamber group performed at Smith Center at a gallery opening for the Alchemical Vessels Exhibit. In her spare time, she enjoys walking, cooking, knitting, and writing. She is married with two adult children, her dog Otto, and Cookie the Cockatiel.

About Bonnie Vermillion

I am a Cancer survivor/thriver since 1998 and have had lymphedema since 2002. I initially had so much trouble finding information on lymphedema that I went online and found an exercise program that was developed to maintain lymphedema. I became an instructor, then trainer, and finally acquired the program in 2014. I currently teach classes in central Virginia. I’m also a regional coordinator for Chronic Disease Self Management workshops, so actively work with small groups of participants for them to self-manage their chronic conditions. I am also a volunteer Ombudsman with the local Agency on Aging and a volunteer with the Alzheimer’s Association as a support group facilitator and speaker.

This event is being hosted virtually via Zoom. In order to participate live and receive the Zoom link, please purchase tickets below or email carla@smithcenter.org.

Join us to celebrate the beauty of life and survivorship. Come enjoy music, poetry and stories performed and shared in honor of cancer survivors, and in memory of our dear friend and colleague, Fatima Djalo Johnson.

Please stay tuned for an updated list of performances, speakers and other fun opportunities!

Fatima Djalo Johnson touched the lives of so many people around the world in countless ways. Her bravery to reach for the stars and to create a life of joy and fulfillment was truly inspiring. Knowing Fatima meant learning to see life through a brighter lens, to face challenges fearlessly, and to never surrender hope. Fatima lost her battle with cancer on February 12, 2019, two days before Valentine’s Day, a reminder to all who knew her to love and live as big as we can and to never take a single day for granted. The 1st Annual Survivor Voices was Fatima’s effort to uplift those who had persevered through cancer. It is our hope that the event will live on in her honor and carry her light for years to come. 

In honor of what would have been Fatima’s 31st birthday this year, tickets to Survivor Voices are available in increments of $31. Please be as generous as you can.

 

This program is being offered virtually through Zoom. In order to participate and receive the Zoom link, you must register or by emailing carla@smithcenter.org

with Chef Cathryn Pethick

Nourishing Ourselves in Harmony with Summer, the Season of Pitta: An Aryuveda-inspired Cooking Class with Chef Cathryn Pethick

The fundamental principle of Ayurveda is that our habits, lifestyle routines and dietary choices should ebb and flow with the seasons, in harmony with the cycles of Nature. Our bright, hot and humid summer climate is the time to stay cool and hydrated with appropriate food and preparation choices, and support our energy in being relaxed and grounded. The tastes Ayurveda recommends for summer are those foods that are naturally sweet, bitter and astringent, using fresh, local produce, and just lightly seasoning to allow their wonderful natural flavors to shine through.

Join us in creating a summer menu that features all the farmers’ markets best offerings at the height of the season! We will talk about Ayurveda, provide a dosha quiz for you, and demo some beautiful food and cooking technique for you to put to good use at home!

Suggested Donation: $25

About Cathryn Pethick

Cathryn Pethick, AYS, teaches yoga and Ayurveda in the Washington, DC metro area, and is a long-time professional chef. She is an Ayurveda Yoga Specialist through the Himalayan Institute, teaching the self-care basics of the traditional Indian science of Ayurveda and Ayurvedic cooking to groups and private clients. Since 1997, she has taught both traditional and gentle hatha yoga classes for adults and children, therapeutic classes for seniors and special-needs students, and restorative yoga. It is her deepest desire to offer tools that bring balance and well-being into the lives of those she touches.

This program is being offered virtually through Zoom. Please register here to receive the Zoom link to participate.

with Michelle Stravitz and Ilana Gamerman

Exercise is so important, especially if you’ve had a cancer diagnosis! Michelle Stravitz and Ilana Gamerman of 2Unstoppable will present the research and share practical guidance, tips, and resources to help you keep moving and stay strong. We know it’s hard and we can help you get started.

Suggested Donation: $15

 

About Michelle Stravitz

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Michelle Stravitz is a PCI-Certified Parent Coach, holds an MS from The GWU, and BS Engineering and BS Economics degrees from the University of Pennsylvania. Founding 2Unstoppable brings together a wealth of experience and passion advising and serving on the boards of various non-profit organizations and running a small management consulting firm. Michelle is the CFO of Spectrum Management Consulting and is also a professional event coordinator. She has served as a peer supporter for women of all ages undergoing treatment for breast cancer, both informally and through organizations such as Sharsheret and Life With Cancer. She lives in Fairfax VA with her husband, four children, and one dog.

About Ilana Gamerman

Ilana Horiz LowRes-1

Ilana Gamerman is a Registered Nurse with a Masters degree in Nursing Informatics.  Her combined passion for helping people and for exercise is what drives her motivation to help every woman diagnosed with cancer become unstoppable. Ilana’s co-founding of 2Unstoppable is driven by her dedication to fitness, healthcare and helping others. She lives in Vienna, VA with her husband and has three sons.

This program is being offered virtually through Zoom. In order to participate and receive the Zoom link, you must register here or by emailing carla@smithcenter.org

with Miles Braun, MD, MPH

Integrative Medicine helps us to make skillful and healthy choices with regard to diet, exercise, sleep, connecting with others, stress reduction, and avoiding toxins. It also incorporates medical practices from other traditions, such as acupuncture, and the use of natural products and botanicals. Mind-body practices like meditation/mindfulness, massage, yoga and tai chi are key elements. Some other practices, more on the fringe, will also be addressed.

 

About Miles Braun, MD, MPH

Miles Braun, MD MPH is Adjunct Professor in the Department of Oncology at Georgetown University School of Medicine. He is also Director of the Adolescent & Young Adult Integrative Oncology Initiative at the Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center. He served for 20 years in the US Public Health Service at CDC, NIH and FDA, including for more than eight years as a Division Director at FDA. He has more than 100 scientific-medical publications, including many in leading journals and some that affected medical practice in the US and beyond. He also has served in senior positions in the pharmaceutical industry.

with Danielle Ferris, MS, OTR/L, CLT

45-minute Group Exercise class. Pump It Up PINK! Features a full body workout set to upbeat music. Using The Strength ABC program, based on the PAL Trial, participants will participate in progressive weightlifting through a series of core, upper body and lower body exercises using light weights. Exercises involve mat work on the floor level and in standing. Modifications to exercises are available based on individual needs. Following the class, participants will participate in informal education session with tips for management of lymphedema, risk reduction tips and Q&A.

Pump It Up PINK! Is a 45 minute full body group exercise class created from the Strength ABC program. The Strength ABC program is based on the Physical Activity and Lymphedema (PAL) Trial which assessed the safety and efficacy of slowly progressive weightlifting for breast cancer survivors with or at risk for lymphedema. The results of the PAL trial were published in the New England Journal of Medicine, JAMA, and the Journal of Clinical Oncology among other peer-reviewed scientific journals. This weightlifting intervention decreased lymphedema exacerbations by 50%; decreased the onset of lymphedema by 70% (among women with 5+ nodes removed); improved body composition, body image, and upper body symptoms; and prevented the decline in physical function that is observed to occur in breast cancer survivors.

Upcoming Classes:

  • March 11

Suggested Donation: $10

 

About Danielle Ferris, MS, OTR/L, CLT

Danielle Ferris is an Occupational Therapist with a speciality in oncology rehabilitation. She provides one on one treatment sessions to clients at Body Wellness DC in Dupont Circle. She has experience in evaluating and treating differential diagnosis related to pre/post breast cancer treatments. Danielle is recognized by the Norton School of Lymphatic Therapy as a Certified Lymphedema Therapist (CLT). She has also completed training through Klose Training related to breast cancer rehabilitation, and is certified to implement and train individuals in the Strength After Breast Cancer exercise program.

This program is being offered virtually through Zoom.

with Deidre Orceyre, ND, MSOM, L.Ac.

Dr. Orceyre is offering short (30m), healthy living consultations for members of the Smith Center community who may be unable to access medical integrative services in a clinical setting due to cost limitations. By Appointment Only.

Naturopathic Consultations are offered in 30-minute sessions, monthly on Thursdays from 5:00-7:00pm. By appointment only. Please call (202) 483-8600 or email programs@smithcenter.org to schedule an appointment.

Suggested Donation: $10-$40 on a sliding-scale basis

Priority will be given to participants scheduling their first appointment.

Upcoming Dates:

  • March 26
  • April 16
  • May 7
  • June 25

 

About Deirdre Orceyre, ND, MSOM, L.Ac.

Dr. Deirdre Orceyre is a Naturopathic Physician and Acupuncturist with over 10 years in clinical practice in Washington DC. She specializes in integrative oncology, thyroid, adrenal, women’s health (and more) using diet, naturopathic lifestyle and supplement recommendations.

Dr. Deirdre Orceyre, ND, MSOM, L.Ac., is a graduate of the National College of Natural Medicine, a leading institution in natural health education in the U.S. In 2004, she graduated cum laude with a Doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine and a Masters of Science in Oriental Medicine. Following her medical training, Dr. Orceyre participated for two years in a full-time residency program focusing on internal naturopathic medicine, with special rotations in women’s health, endocrinology and integrative cancer care. Dr. Orceyre has undergone extensive national examinations and is a board certified licensed naturopathic physician and licensed acupuncturist in the District of Columbia.

Dr. Orceyre currently sees patients at GWCIM on Monday afternoons, and on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. In addition, twice a  month she works at the GW Breast Center. She offers both naturopathic office visits and acupuncture for her patients. She welcomes patients with all conditions, with the  goal to work with the patients to determine the causes of their imbalance. Dr. Orceyre sees herself as a guide and a coach, with the patient being the true healer. She uses many treatment modalities, such as nutrition and lifestyle modifications, nutritional supplementation, Western and Chinese herbal medicines, acupuncture, flower essences, homeopathy, qigong healing and craniosacral therapies.

with Deidre Orceyre, ND, MSOM, L.Ac.

Dr. Orceyre is offering short (30m), healthy living consultations for members of the Smith Center community who may be unable to access medical integrative services in a clinical setting due to cost limitations. By Appointment Only.

Naturopathic Consultations are offered in 30-minute sessions, monthly on Thursdays from 5:00-7:00pm. By appointment only. Please call (202) 483-8600 or email programs@smithcenter.org to schedule an appointment.

Suggested Donation: $10-$40 on a sliding-scale basis

Priority will be given to participants scheduling their first appointment.

Upcoming Dates:

  • February 13
  • March 26

 

About Deirdre Orceyre, ND, MSOM, L.Ac.

Dr. Deirdre Orceyre is a Naturopathic Physician and Acupuncturist with over 10 years in clinical practice in Washington DC. She specializes in integrative oncology, thyroid, adrenal, women’s health (and more) using diet, naturopathic lifestyle and supplement recommendations.

Dr. Deirdre Orceyre, ND, MSOM, L.Ac., is a graduate of the National College of Natural Medicine, a leading institution in natural health education in the U.S. In 2004, she graduated cum laude with a Doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine and a Masters of Science in Oriental Medicine. Following her medical training, Dr. Orceyre participated for two years in a full-time residency program focusing on internal naturopathic medicine, with special rotations in women’s health, endocrinology and integrative cancer care. Dr. Orceyre has undergone extensive national examinations and is a board certified licensed naturopathic physician and licensed acupuncturist in the District of Columbia.

Dr. Orceyre currently sees patients at GWCIM on Monday afternoons, and on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. In addition, twice a  month she works at the GW Breast Center. She offers both naturopathic office visits and acupuncture for her patients. She welcomes patients with all conditions, with the  goal to work with the patients to determine the causes of their imbalance. Dr. Orceyre sees herself as a guide and a coach, with the patient being the true healer. She uses many treatment modalities, such as nutrition and lifestyle modifications, nutritional supplementation, Western and Chinese herbal medicines, acupuncture, flower essences, homeopathy, qigong healing and craniosacral therapies.

Registration for the October 8 class is now full. If you would like to be added to the waitlist for this event, please email erin@smithcenter.org.

in Partnership with Sephora

Through this free, hands-on class for cancer patients and survivors, learn soothing skincare routines and make up tricks to help restore glow, and the appearance of brows and lashes that may be affected by cancer treatment. The goal is to leave the class feeling confident and empowered and there is no expectation for you to purchase products.

Location: Sephora Capitol Hill, 380 7th St SE, Washington, DC 20003

Upcoming Dates: 

  • October 8
  • October 15

Note: This class is limited to 6 participants. Priority registration will go to new participants that did not attend in spring 2019.