The Conference - Thursday, April 22, 2010

The conference I spoke of a few weeks ago occurred today. I barely arrived on time because the outfit I carefully laid out the evening before looked awful this morning. The colors did not match, although last night they seemed perfect. So, at the last minute, I changed outfits three times before finally finding something that looked decent. Then it was a race to the conference center.

A variety of topics were presented including what to expect from your doctor, fighting fatigue, overcoming fear, cancer-fighting/cancer-causing foods and organic eating. Also, Mark Silver, author of "Breast Cancer Husband", gave a lecture based on his book. The last hour included a "Q&A" session with some of Bryn Mawr’s top doctors. It is difficult to convey in such a short space all the thoughts/feelings I experienced throughout the day. Some of the topics were interesting. I enjoyed the talk given by the Chief of Surgery regarding doctor/patient expectations. On the other hand, I found the lecture regarding fatigue too full of statistics, but lacking in practical application. Although, the physician giving the talk revealed one piece of information I was glad to hear. Apparently, there is new evidence in the medical community linking systemic inflammation to cancer. This is one of the reasons I believe traditional and alternative medicine need to cultivate a stronger dialogue. (I hope to be a part of that cultivation.) The idea that inflammation can be an underlying cause of cancer has long been understood in the alternative sector.

The last lecture on cancer-causing/fighting foods and organic eating, the impetus for my attending, was in retrospect the most disappointing. Basing her remarks on medical studies, this speaker basically denied any relationship between food and cancer. (The source of these studies as well as their validity was never revealed.) She also said that there is no nutritional difference between organic and commercially-grown produce. Lastly, she stated vitamins were basically unnecessary because most people obtain their nutrition from food. I have read so much evidence to the contrary that I was disturbed, to say the least. To tell you the truth, I suspected beforehand the topic would be presented from this perspective. However, it did not prevent me from feeling shocked and dismayed at such bias when I heard it. I left the conference somewhat upset, my mind churning over what I considered damaging words. Thankfully, I had the good sense to call a close friend who helped me put the day in better perspective.

Actually, I believe it was beneficial for me to attend the seminar. I was able to gain a closer glimpse of the philosophies that drive the medical community. It was also a blessing to witness such a group of intelligent, dedicated people. Unfortunately, I was acutely aware of how much is missed in the pursuit of cutting-edge knowledge. From my perspective, these physicians seem so focused on new "studies" that the basic physiology of the human body coupled with critical thinking have been abandoned. To my mind this leaves medical care sadly incomplete. Please, do not misunderstand me. Doctors are busy people to begin with, and I am not criticizing them. I simply wish their view of proper medical care incorporated treatment for the entire human being. To put it bluntly, I am not just a breast or an ovary, etc. I am a three part human being, including spirit, soul, and body. What effects one part effects the other. If we focus only on the end result, whether it be a compromised organ or a disease, we miss the opportunity to deal with the roots of it. I believe if the roots are not addressed, the problem will continue to fester. In my opinion, this is why we lose so many people.

I have one last item to share. What made the whole day worthwhile, besides a great lunch, was meeting the coordinator of the complementary medicine program at the hospital. She is a dear woman named Ruthmary. I explained to her that I manage a health food store and had just finished chemo and radiation treatments. She seemed as eager to speak with me as I was with her. I told her I would call her within the next week. Apparently, the program is in its infancy stages. My desire is to influence its development using the wisdom I have acquired from study and this past year’s experiences.