Tuesday, March 14, 2017
Required introductory class on March 21 at 5:30 p.m. in Royal Oak
Beaumont Health is offering Living With Ease After Cancer, formerly known as Silver Linings, a nine-class, spring series that teaches meditation, gentle yoga, mindful eating and communication to cancer survivors.
This curriculum, called Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction, or MBSR, has been scientifically shown to strengthen the immune system and decrease: inflammation, fear of recurrence and cancer related-symptoms.
While there is no charge for the program, space is limited and registration is required. Registration is open to all cancer survivors, regardless of where they received treatment for their cancer. All interested participants must attend an introductory class March 21 at 5:30 p.m. in the Doctor’s Dining Room at Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak. The series will meet at the same location on Tuesdays, April 4 through May 30, 5:30-8 p.m. A day-long retreat Sunday, May 21 is an integral part of the program.
Participants must be 18 years or older and have completed their cancer treatments. Those interested in the program should email Living With Ease After Cancer at LivingWithEaseAfterCancer@beaumont.org or call 248-551-5454.
The program has been offered 42 times since its inception in 2005. The spring session will include a select group of physician participants who want to learn these stress reduction tools for the benefit of their patients and themselves.
Living With Ease After Cancer is taught by Ruth Lerman M.D., a 22-year cancer survivor and certified MBSR instructor. Participants will receive meditation and yoga recordings to facilitate their home practice.
A research team led by Dr. Lerman and Dr. Robert Jarski from Oakland University completed a randomized, controlled study of the program in September 2010. Their work was published in the September 2011 Annals of Surgical Oncology.
Our research has shown LWEAC participants experience an improved quality of life,” said Dr. Lerman. “Participants in the study improved in psychological symptoms and cancer symptoms. Our research has been frequently cited in subsequent studies of mindfulness training of cancer survivors.”
About Beaumont's Cancer Program
Beaumont’s comprehensive cancer program combines the expertise of surgical, medical and radiation oncologists to offer cancer prevention counseling, diagnosis and treatment in hospital and community-based settings. The Beaumont Cancer Institute is one of only 34 community sites in the U.S. to be awarded a five-year National Cancer Institute Community Oncology Research Program grant. Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak is designated as a Blue Cross Center of Distinction for the Treatment of Rare and Complex Cancers.