 Attention to the whole person is returning to the practice of health care. We, as human beings, are dynamic living systems integrating many parts that create the whole of who we are. The experience and practice of cancer care by people affected by the disease and providers continues to reflect this understanding more and more. Care for people with cancer is optimally provided in an integrative cancer care model addressing the whole person. Identified in categories, these parts are body, mind, and spirit, including social and environmental health, for each individual. All of these components of health and life interdependently influence each person. There is no separation and only networked parts comprising the whole of each human being. Quality cancer care must address the whole person.
The U.S. medical model during the majority of the 20th century featured external authority to the physician instead of patient-provider collaborations. Providers generally did not incorporate the empowerment of patients into their health model with encouragement for self-responsibility and self-care. Cancer care in the 21st century is increasingly based on healing partnerships.
Cancer providers and cancer patients are incorporating new practices of care tending to the whole person. Providers are empowering their patients with compassion, whole person health care, education, support for each individual’s healing potential, cultivation of a healing environment, and other strategies. People affected by cancer are becoming more proactive in educating themselves about their health and healing, focusing on wellness versus the diagnosis and disease in isolation, improving lifestyle, strengthening body, mind, and spirit, supporting other aspects of the whole person, and more.
Self-responsibility and self-care are essential for people affected by cancer. What does that mean to you? How do you advocate for yourself? How do you proactively take responsibility for your well-being? How do you empower yourself? What actions enable you to feel your own innate power? How do you strengthen your body, mind, and spirit? How do you care for yourself daily? You can be your own best advocate. Collaborating with top-notch providers, staying in the loop with resources such as EmbodiWorks, and practicing self-responsibility and self-care empowers your whole person health and healing.
EmbodiWorks provides people affected by cancer with reliable, empowering information about integrative cancer care education and advocacy. We also serve as a resource to cancer care providers and other health care professionals by offering evidence-based information and innovative strategies to better support patients with cancer and improve components of health models. EmbodiWorks has MDs, PhDs, and other integrative professionals on our Integrative Cancer Care Advisory Board offering expert input.
The integrative cancer care overview section provides introductory, foundational information about integrative cancer care offering a framework for understanding concepts about whole person health care and how it relates to cancer.
What is Integrative Cancer Care?
Learn basic information about integrative cancer care and how it applies to you.
Components of Integrative Cancer Care
Explore brief descriptions of the parts that create the whole of integrative cancer care—Body, Mind, Spirit, Social, and Environmental.
Reasons for Using Integrative Cancer Care
For people new to this type of health care, learning about why others have used integrative cancer care according to research studies offers perspectives to patients and providers.
Patient-Provider Communication
Studies show that most patients do not communicate with their physician about integrative cancer care. Read about strategies to fill this gap.
Cancer Statistics
Explore the numbers for yourself. Cancer care needs innovation. New models are required to reverse the current statistics and trends. Integrative cancer care reduces cancer risk and improves cancer related survival, quality of life, and whole person health care.
Whole Person and Cancer
Your health and healing is about your wholeness. Too often, the whole is not addressed in cancer care. Learn about whole person cancer care through an integrative cancer care model.
Our most popular resources
 Diet and Cancer
You are what you eat! Some foods kill cancer cells and others promote cancer cell growth. Learning the difference between healthy and unhealthy foods in the midst of cancer is essential.
 Cancer Resources
Knowledge is power. Reliable resources are empowering. We provide clear information, explanations, and maps to educate and empower. Explore our integrative cancer care resources for navigation tools and support.
 Mind-Body Strategies
The mental and emotional inner life impacts health and healing through the mind-body connection. Learn about empowering mind-body practices supporting mind, body, and spirit for cancer patients and caregivers.
 Spiritual Support
The spiritual dimensions of life often become more prominent in the midst of cancer for cancer patients and their loved ones. Explore our empowering information about spirituality for support and strategies.
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