Comprehensive care for the patient and family with cancer
Individualized treatment plans are based upon respect for patient values and goals. We have experience in both conventional and complementary therapies and seek to integrate the best of each system.
Many patients are comfortable with mainstream medicine and wish to receive standard treatment in a supportive and compassionate environment. Many others wish to integrate conventional and complementary therapies and are looking for a physician who is respectful of their desires and can help guide them.
If chemotherapy is part of the program, it is given in our office with an emphasis upon minimizing side effects and allowing the person to maintain as normal a lifestyle as possible.
There is a strong emphasis upon psychological support for patient and family both during and after treatment. Psychological and psycho-spiritual techniques are recommended and include imagery, biofeedback, meditation, stress reduction, and prayer.
For patients who wish to include Chinese medicine, Catherine Burns, Damon Miller, M.D., and Margaret Barilli provide acupuncture and herbal medicine. They maintain their own offices but work closely with us to integrate their services with ours. For patients who wish to use imagery and visualization as part of their treatment, Jeanne Fourier conducts classes and provides individual consultation. We are happy to coordinate treatments with other practitioners as well.
Nutritional advice is individualized and varies according to the needs of the patient at the time.
Chinese Medicine
For patients who wish to include traditional Chinese medicine, Catherine Burns, Damon Miller, M.D., and Margaret Barili provide acupuncture and herbal medicine. They maintain their own offices but work closely with us to integrate their services with ours.
Catherine Burns, L.Ac. is an expert in Chinese Medicine with a particular skill in energy work. In addition to practicing acupuncture and herbal medicine, she teaches classes in Qi Gong, a form of exercise/meditation that is used extensively in China for cancer treatment. (650 949-3637, 4546 El Camino Real, Ste. B6, Los Altos, CA 94022, www.catherine-burns.com)
Dr. Damon Miller was educated at Yale, Univ. of Cincinnati and UCLA. He received his training in Oriental medicine at Meiji College in San Francisco. In addition to his certification in Traditional Chinese Medicine he is board certified in interventional radiology. He has a large center in Palo Alto where he provides a variety of complementary treatments. (650-566-9955, 435 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto, CA 94301, www.acupunctureworks.com)
Margaret Barili, RN, L.Ac. is a rare mixture of intensive care nurse and acupuncturist. She is comfortable with very ill patients and knowledgeable about conventional medicine as well as traditional medicine. She offers a gentle, very supportive approach to general Chinese medicine. (408-733-2822, 500 E. Remington Dr., Ste 14, Sunnyvale, CA 94087, www.integrative-acupuncture.biz, margaret@integrative-acupuncture.biz)
Imagery and Hypnosis
Jeanne Fournier, Certified Medical Hypnotherapist has practiced in the Northern California area since 1994. She leads free groups at Stanford's Cancer Center, the Palo Alto Clinic, and the Community Breast Health Project, which focus on using imagery as part of the healing process. She has extensive experience working with cancer patients who are preparing for surgery, chemo, radiation, and other treatments, as well as with individuals who wish to reduce stress or chang
lifestyle habits like smoking. She is a certified Smoking Cessation Specialist also. Contact Jeanne for information on the healing imagery group schedule or individual sessions for persons dealing with cancer at her office. (650-279-8772, 4546 El Camino Real, Suite 268, Los Altos CA 94022, www.imageryforhealing.com)
