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 special guest artist Muriel Hasbun

barquitos de papel/ paper boats, installation view, American University Museum, Washington, DC, 2008.

Artist and educator Muriel Hasbun will lead a family history workshop. Participants are invited to bring copies of documents and family photos to add their stories to the barquitos de papel collective archive. Hasbun has been gathering migration stories from all over the world since 2006 and invites you to contribute a paper boat with your story as well. In the workshop, we are encouraged to remember, to (re)discover and to claim our individual stories, inscribing them in a communal space. Our barquitos stand on their own as documents of our diverse journeys. They highlight our individuality while gesturing that together, we may find our belonging.

Click here to download the Barquitos de Papel questionnaire and family tree graphic.

Materials:

  • Photocopies of family photographs, documentation, birth certificates, family trees
  • If possible, please print out the questionnaire and/or family tree graphic provided

Suggested Donation: $15


La artista y docente Muriel Hasbun facilitará un taller sobre historia de familia. Los participantes están invitados a traer copias de fotografías y documentos de familia para añadir sus historias al archivo colectivo de barquitos de papel. Hasbun ha estado reuniendo historias de familia de todo el mundo desde el 2006 y les invita a contribuir con su barquito también. En el taller, recordamos, (re)descubrimos y reclamamos nuestras historias personales, y las inscribimos en el espacio comunitario. Nuestros barquitos documentan nuestros viajes diversos. Destacan nuestra individualidad al mismo tiempo que nos demuestran que juntos podremos encontrar nuestro sentido de pertenencia.

Haga clic aquí para descargar el cuestionario de Barquitos de Papel y el gráfico del árbol genealógico.

Materiales:

  • Fotocopias de fotografías familiares, documentación, certificados de nacimiento, árboles genealógicos
  • Si es posible, imprima el cuestionario y / o el gráfico del árbol genealógico proporcionado

Outside the Lines is held Bi-Monthly on Wednesdays from 10:30am – 12:30pm. 

Upcoming sessions:

  • October 28 (Barquitos de Papel Collective Archive)
  • November 4 & 18
  • December 2 & 16

Our programs are open to the community, and tailored to meet the needs of people affected by cancer. Classes and workshops are free or low cost on a pay-as-you-can basis, ensuring that our programs are accessible to everyone.


About Muriel Hasbun

Muriel Hasbun, artist and educator, founder of Laberinto Projects, explores identity and memory through her work. Recipient of numerous distinctions such as Smithsonian Artist Research Fellowship, Howard Chapnick Grant, Corcoran’s Outstanding Creative Research Faculty Award, Fulbright Scholar Grant. Exhibited and collected internationally: Venice Biennale, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museo del Barrio, Art Museum of the Americas, Bibliothèque Nationale de France. 

with Kiersten Gallagher and special guest Denise Feldman

Traditionally, prayer flags are used to promote peace, compassion, strength, and wisdom. The flags do not carry prayers to gods, a common misconception; rather, it’s believed that the prayers and mantras are blown by the wind to spread good will and compassion to everyone the wind may reach. Therefore, prayer flags are thought to bring benefit to all. The prayers or a flag become a permanent part of the universe as the images fade from exposure to the elements.

In this workshop we’ll learn how to make multi-layer prayer flags to send our hopes and dreams out into the world. Each one will be unique – a personal reflection or wish for ourselves and our collective community/world.

Materials needed:

  • 5-8’ of strong string, ribbon or yarn
  • Old papers, children’s artwork, coloring pages, journal pages, etc. (note that these will be cut and ripped, so nothing that is ‘precious’ to you)
  • Scraps of ‘stuff’ that would otherwise be thrown away
  • Magazines for cutting out words or phrases (optional)
  • Stapler and staples

Optional materials:

  • Watercolor and paper, paint brushes
  • Scraps of fabric, yarn, string, felt, ribbon, etc.
  • Beads, charms, or other add-ons
  • Permanent marker, any color
  • Needle and thread or embroidery floss
  • Hole punch

Suggested Donation: $15


This series is held twice each month on Wednesdays from 10:30am – 12:30pm. 

Upcoming sessions:

  • July 8
  • July 22
  • August 5
  • August 19
  • September 2
  • September 16

Our programs are open to the community, and tailored to meet the needs of people affected by cancer. Classes and workshops are free or low cost on a pay-as-you-can basis, ensuring that our programs are accessible to everyone.


Wellness in the Time of COVID

The Washington Home

This 6-month integrative wellness series, sponsored by The Washington Home, will be offered to caregivers, those who are critically ill, and those facing cancer-related challenges during this especially difficult time.


About Denise Feldman

Denise Feldman is a local mixed media artist who discovered the power of creativity as a healing practice after her treatment for breast cancer in 2014. As a creative ‘dabbler’ who loves working with various materials and surfaces, Denise shares her altered book processes and soulful perspective with the hope of inspiring others to tell their stories ‘on the page’ and clear space for life’s chapters yet to come.

About Kiersten Gallagher

As the Cancer Support Program Director, Kiersten fully believes that through the arts we can expand our perspectives and explore new fulfilling ways of being. She invites you to make our space your own refuge, to circumvent your daily routine to spark creativity, to take time for introspection, and draw outside the lines.

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.

 

with Erin Price, LGSW, and Samantha Evans

 “Cancer can be a lonely, isolating journey. I found a powerful community of fellow travelers at my Living Well with Cancer retreat and have returned home with hope and renewed energy, knowing we are all connected in a web of healing and love.”

This one day retreat is designed to empower cancer patients who have completed treatment and are in remission. The goal of the retreat is to build community and be a part of a supportive environment for healing.

During this retreat you will experience:

  • A respite from daily life
  • Delicious, whole foods, health-supportive lunch
  • An education session about healthy eating and nutrition
  • A creativity session to tap into greater self-understanding
  • A community of other individuals who have shared experiences

There is a $45 registration fee associated with this Retreat. Please contact erin@smithcenter.org to pay after you have completed the form below.

About Erin Price

Erin serves as Smith Center’s Director of Young Adult and Psychosocial Support Programs. She is trained in Integrative Patient Navigation, a Project LEAD graduate, and holds a Masters in Social Work. A seven-year breast cancer survivor, Erin is passionate about providing support and community to other cancer survivors, especially young adults. She works with Smith Center’s DC Young Adult Cancer Community and is also actively involved in the cancer community through Young Survival Coalition, Critical Mass, the Georgetown Breast Cancer Advocates, National Breast Cancer Coalition, and the DC Cancer Action Partnership.

About Samantha Evans

Samantha Evans is getting her Masters in Social Work at the University of Maryland. She will be joining the Smith Center as a Social Work Intern until April 2020. Samantha is excited to be joining the team at the Smith Center for Healing and the Arts. When not studying for graduate school, Samantha spends her free time with her dog, reading, and with friends.

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

2MIchelle vertical HIghRes-5

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.

This class is now full. Please check back at a later date for a similar program.

with Chef Kara Garrett

Start out the new year on a healthy note! Learn tips to make weekly meal planning easier and together we will prepare simple make-ahead and easy-to-reheat meals for the week.

We will prepare 4 dishes together and you will take home individual portions of each to enjoy for your lunch or dinner. Please bring your preferred reusable storage containers. 

Menu items will include:

  • Zesty Veggie & Black Bean Enchiladas 
  • Vegan Homestyle Lasanga
  • Meditteranean Grain Bowl with Baked Falafel
  • Tuscan Vegetable Soup

When registering, please indicate any guest(s) that will be joining you, and if you have any food restrictions or allergies. All items will be vegan, gluten-free and soy-free. 

This class is limited to 10 participants. Be sure to sign up early!

Suggested Donation: $25

 

About Chef Kara Garrett

Kara Garrett Cancer Support Program Coordinator

Kara is a health-supportive chef based in Washington, DC. Following her breast cancer diagnosis in 2013, she embraced the challenge of finding a balance between her foodie lifestyle and eating well with cancer. She has adopted a flexible diet plan that focuses on plant-based, sustainable whole foods, but does not restrict indulgences of things she loves. She is passionate about working with others to encourage healthier food choices that energize the body and the soul.

Kara graduated in August 2017 from the Chef Training Program at Natural Gourmet Institute in NYC and spent one month as the sous chef at The Ananda Ashram Yoga Society of New York in Monroe, NY. She is currently enrolled in the Developing Healthy Communities: Nutrition, Behavior, and Physical Activity graduate program at Tufts University Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy.

with Erin Price, LGSW, and Samantha Evans

PLEASE NOTE: This program is now full, however, if you would like to be added to the waitlist please complete the form below and we will let you know if space opens up.

 

 “Cancer can be a lonely, isolating journey. I found a powerful community of fellow travelers at my Living Well with Cancer retreat and have returned home with hope and renewed energy, knowing we are all connected in a web of healing and love.”

This one day retreat is designed to empower cancer patients who have completed treatment and are in remission. The goal of the retreat is to build community and be a part of a supportive environment for healing.

During this retreat you will experience:

  • A respite from daily life
  • Delicious, whole foods, health-supportive lunch
  • An education session about healthy eating and nutrition
  • A creativity session to tap into greater self-understanding
  • A community of other individuals who have shared experiences

There is a $45 registration fee associated with this Retreat. Please contact erin@smithcenter.org to pay after you have completed the form below.

 

PLEASE NOTE: This program is now full, however, if you would like to be added to the waitlist please complete the form below and we will let you know if space opens up.

Please register via this form: https://forms.gle/xFzJoHDwV8yvkW9o8

About Erin Price

Erin serves as Smith Center’s Director of Young Adult and Psychosocial Support Programs. She is trained in Integrative Patient Navigation, a Project LEAD graduate, and holds a Masters in Social Work. A seven-year breast cancer survivor, Erin is passionate about providing support and community to other cancer survivors, especially young adults. She works with Smith Center’s DC Young Adult Cancer Community and is also actively involved in the cancer community through Young Survival Coalition, Critical Mass, the Georgetown Breast Cancer Advocates, National Breast Cancer Coalition, and the DC Cancer Action Partnership.

About Samantha Evans

Samantha Evans is getting her Masters in Social Work at the University of Maryland. She will be joining the Smith Center as a Social Work Intern until April 2020. Samantha is excited to be joining the team at the Smith Center for Healing and the Arts. When not studying for graduate school, Samantha spends her free time with her dog, reading, and with friends.

with Julia Rowland, Ph.D.

Does harnessing procrastination to promote change sound like a paradox? It turns out that we procrastinate for a reason, possibly one that is deeply rooted in our emotions. Come explore what keeps us from reaching our goals and learn more about yourself along the way.

About Julia H. Rowland, Ph.D.

Dr. Rowland, newly named Senior Strategic Advisor to Smith Center, comes to this position as a long-time clinician, researcher and teacher in the area of psychosocial aspects of cancer. She has worked with and conducted competitively funded research among both pediatric and adult cancer survivors and their families, published broadly in psycho-oncology and co-edited the ground-breaking text, Handbook of Psychooncology.  Dr. Rowland received her PhD in Developmental Psychology from Columbia University and completed a post-doctoral fellowship at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in psychosocial oncology. While at MSKCC, where she held joint appointments in pediatrics and neurology, Dr. Rowland helped to develop and was the first Director of the Post-Treatment Resource Program, one of the first non-medical survivorship care programs to be offered by a major cancer center in the U.S. In 1990 Dr. Rowland moved to Washington, DC to become founding Director of the Psycho-Oncology Program at Georgetown University and the Lombardi Cancer Center. Nine years later, in September of 1999, she was recruited to the National Cancer Institute to become the first, full-time Director of the Office of Cancer Survivorship, a position in which she served for 18 years, championing the growth of survivorship research and care, before stepping down in September 2017 to assume her new role at Smith Center.

with Julia Rowland, Ph.D.

Behavior change, why is it so hard to do? Come and learn the answer to this age-old question, along with techniques you can use to reach the goals you set for yourself.  Even if you have long since given up those New Year’s resolutions, it is never too late to honor a commitment to improving your health and sense of well-being. Worry that the cancer may come back is the most common long-term effect of living with a history of cancer. Curiously, it is not the most frequently studied, leaving many to wonder how to manage this anxiety. Come learn about techniques and strategies to master fear of recurrence and embrace uncertainty.

About Julia H. Rowland, Ph.D.

Dr. Rowland, newly named Senior Strategic Advisor to Smith Center, comes to this position as a long-time clinician, researcher and teacher in the area of psychosocial aspects of cancer. She has worked with and conducted competitively funded research among both pediatric and adult cancer survivors and their families, published broadly in psycho-oncology and co-edited the ground-breaking text, Handbook of Psychooncology.  Dr. Rowland received her PhD in Developmental Psychology from Columbia University and completed a post-doctoral fellowship at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in psychosocial oncology. While at MSKCC, where she held joint appointments in pediatrics and neurology, Dr. Rowland helped to develop and was the first Director of the Post-Treatment Resource Program, one of the first non-medical survivorship care programs to be offered by a major cancer center in the U.S. In 1990 Dr. Rowland moved to Washington, DC to become founding Director of the Psycho-Oncology Program at Georgetown University and the Lombardi Cancer Center. Nine years later, in September of 1999, she was recruited to the National Cancer Institute to become the first, full-time Director of the Office of Cancer Survivorship, a position in which she served for 18 years, championing the growth of survivorship research and care, before stepping down in September 2017 to assume her new role at Smith Center.