Caring for the Whole Person

[Guest guest]

Thirty years ago, psychiatrist Jimmie Holland started a revolution around an

idea: Health professionals need to treat the painful emotions associated

with cancer, not just the disease

At 80, psychiatrist Jimmie Holland has never had cancer, but the disease has

nonetheless cut deep wounds in her life. She lost a 3-year-old grandson to a

rare liver tumor, and a daughter-in-law, age 38, to lung cancer. " Never

smoked a day in her life, " Holland says, quietly. " She left two little kids,

which is very sad. " If resources are readily available to help patients and

their families cope with this kind of sadness, and with other psychological

burdens raised by cancer, it is because Holland herself made certain of it.

Thirty years ago, she founded a new subspecialty in cancer medicine-known

today as psycho-oncology. It focuses on the human side of cancer, defining

the typical emotional struggles that arise and the kinds of support that can

best help people through them. Often, this means treating acute depression,

anxiety or panic that can prevent patients from following through on their

course of therapy.

To read the entire article go to the link below.

http://www.crmagazine.org/archive/fall2008/Pages/CaringfortheWholePerson.asp

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Or

http://tinyurl.com/5jyyxl

Kathy