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| News From The Women's Cancer Resource Center |
March 2009 |
Greetings!
Losing your job, health insurance and savings is a powerful blow. Accompanied by a cancer diagnosis, the impact can be devastating.
Although it's an extraordinarily difficult time with resources diminishing for every one of us, the Board and staff of the Women's Cancer Resource Center are dedicated to the very best of our abilities to sustain the mission of this organization we love so deeply.
More and more women require our services.
This reality drives us to action.
Our Board is engaged in tough minded discussions about succession planning and intensive efforts to recruit new members who offer the leadership and expertise required to ensure that WCRC continues to serve women who require our support.
Our fundraising program is diversified and encompasses securing foundation, corporate and individual gifts and organizing our annual Swim a Mile for Women with Cancer. There's no doubt that in a struggling economy, each philanthropic gift is of greater significance than in previous years. Please give as generously as you can. To donate online, please go to www.wcrc.org. The staff and I have reevaluated the assumptions that frame our budget and combed through each line item to identify areas where we can be more efficient and cut back, resulting in a 5% decrease in expenditures. We recognize that volunteers are the heart of WCRC, deliver the majority of our services and are essential to delivering our services free of charge. If you are interested in joining this wonderful community of support, please read below for information about upcoming orientation programs. We have developed a Volunteer Handbook that establishes guidelines to assure that all volunteers who provide direct client service meet thoughtful standards for providing empathetic, compassionate and culturally competent services to the diverse women in our community. Click here for a copy of the Volunteer Handbook.
We have redesigned our volunteer training program to feature the exceptional community partners who have stepped forward to share their knowledge and expertise. All current and prospective volunteers will participate in this new program to build and strengthen skills in:
- Emotional self-care
- Communication and listening skills
- The biology of cancer
- Cultural competence
- Critical thinking/ community resources
- Confidentiality and boundaries
- Universal health and safety precautions
- Program-specific curricula
As you read further in this issue of the e-Bulletin, you will see the many and profound ways community support manifests for the center.
As ever, I thank you for your friendship and support of the Women's Cancer Resource Center. Your generous hearts make it possible for us to sustain our mission.
Peggy McGuire
Executive Director
Women's Cancer Resource Center
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Are you a good listener? Are you compassionate? If so, you might consider volunteering with WCRC.
Come to our Volunteer and Intern Orientation
Wednesday, March 4, 6 to 7:30 pm Where: WCRC office, 5741 Telegraph Ave. (at the corner of 58th St. in North Oakland.) Transportation: AC Transit 1 and 1R buses. There is also plenty of parking if you are driving. Find out about Women's Cancer Resource Center, what volunteers and interns do, and basic information about cancer. To sign up for an orientation, e-mail or call Sarah, sarah@wcrc.org, 510/601-4040 x105.
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CULTURAL & HEALING ARTS PROGRAMS - all free of charge
In addition to on-going groups (Writing for Wellness, Gentle Yoga, Yarn Divas, etc.) we offer a variety of other workshops and classes. Send your contact information (postal and email address) to margo@wcrc.org to ensure that you receive a current schedule. You can also check the calendar on our website.
Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) Support Group Begins
CAM Support Group, co-sponsored by WCRC and the Charlotte Maxwell Complementary Clinic
Meets at WCRC starting April 7th. The group will meet on 1st and 3rd Tuesdays from 5:30 - 7:00 pm.
Facilitated by Meri Hayos, a cancer survivor and MFT trainee.
Please call 510-420-7900 if you are interested in joining the group or for more information.
NEW EVENTS
Holistic Oncology Series with Debra Sue  Kelvin, L. Ac., Dipl. Ac.
Co-sponsored by the Charlotte Maxwell Complementary Clinic
Tuesday, April 7, 6:30 - 8:00 pm.
Holistic Integrative Oncology: A Pioneering Approach
to Cancer Therapy & Vitality
This unique and highly effective multi-dimensional approach integrates principles essential to treating the whole person, supporting cancer therapy and other diseases from both a traditional and modern medical perspective.
Tuesday, April 21, 6:30 - 8:00 P.M.
Holistic Integrative Oncology: Applying Botanical
Medicine with Cancer Therapies We will discuss several classifications of botanical medicine, their recent scientific findings and cutting-edge basis for use in cancer therapy so you can feel your best. Learn how herbs protect your healthy chi while weakening cancer's hold whether you are in remission or currently in treatment.
Register: margo@wcrc.org or 510-601-4040 x111 Tuesday, May 5, 6:30 - 8:00 P.M.
Holistic Integrative Oncology: Food as Medicine in Cancer Therapies
We will discuss foods that are cancer-protective & cell-protective, building and detoxifying; what these food compounds are, their actions in the body, and what foods we should clearly avoid.
Debra Sue Kelvin, L. Ac., Dipl. Ac. is a California and nationally Licensed Acupuncturist. She has a general medicine practice in Berkeley, CA specializing in Holistic Integrative Oncology, Adrenal & Women's Health. Her work encompasses Acupuncture, botanical medicine, nutritional counseling and analysis of physical, environmental, emotional, shen/spirit and lifestyle elements. Holistic blood work analysis & tumor sensitivity testing (when applicable) are a cornerstone of her work with cancer patients. Debra Sue is a graduate of upper level training in Integrative Cancer protocols with Donald Yance, author of Herbs, Healing and Cancer.
What is Five Wishes?
Five Wishes is the first living will that talks about your personal, emotional and spiritual needs as well as your medical wishes.
Join the African American Outreach Group for an informative evening on a topic that can give us control of issues when things may seem very much out of control. We will learn together and support each other in being proactive - on how you want to be treated if you become seriously ill.
Speaker: Ms. Cynthia Carter Hill, MPA
Community Liaison, VITAS
Monday, March 16, 6:30 - 8:00 pm
To RSVP contact Dolores at 510.420.7900 x112 by
Friday, March 13, 2009
This event is especially for the African American community,
but all are welcome to attend.
Healing Rage Workshop with Ruth King 
Thursday, May 21 from 7-9PM
Transforming Personal Rage
Rage sits at the crossroads of personal transformation. Those of us on a healing journey will inevitably stumble upon the undeniable truth of personal rage on the path. Rage is not to be understood as a useless emotion, empty of story, knowledge, or wisdom. Rather, rage is fierce clarity and untapped fuel, rooted generationally in what is ungrieved, forgotten, or denied. Embraced with compassion, this trapped energy becomes an intimate and empathic teacher of balance and integrity in our healing. In this interactive mini-workshop, you develop a deeper understanding of personal rage and how to uncover the wisdom behind it. You will:
- Discover your disguises of rage and why you wear them
- Learn how to break your loyalty to suffering
- Learn gentling techniques to soothe the inner flames of rage
We cannot transform rage by being against it or by being afraid of it. In this workshop, we discover that when we are paying kind attention to rage, it ceases to be a problem.
Ruth King, MA, is the author of Healing Rage--Women Making Inner Peace Possible, and the audio CD "Soothing the Inner Flames of Rage--Meditation that Educate the Heart & Transform the Mind." King weaves her background in leadership development, eastern and western psychology, and teachings from wisdom traditions to offer workshops and retreats that transform the emotional body and mind. For more information, visit www.ruthking.net.
Alma*Cuerpo*Vida
A holistic health event specially designed for Latina lesbian/queer women, family and friends Save the Date! Sunday, May 17th, time TBA Co-Sponsored by MASA & the Pacific Center for Human Growth Register: margo@wcrc.org or 510-601-4040 x111
Cooking Club With Sandy Der, Chef and Certified Nutrition Consultant Register with margo@wcrc.org or call 510-601-4040 x111.
Wednesday, March 18, 6 - 8 pm
Rolls and Wraps using rice paper, tortillas, nori, or lettuce as the wrappers. Asian Style Minced Turkey in Lettuce, Vietnamese Fresh Spring Rolls using rice paper, non-traditional Nori Rolls and an Indian flavors wrap with lavash.
Wednesday, April 15, 6 - 8 pm
Knife skills and other basic cooking techniques.
Wednesday, May 20, 6 - 8 pm
Rice and risotto using different types of rice, including black, brown, basmati and Arborio, in rice dishes from jook to risotto to rice pudding. Please see WCRC's website for classes beyond May.
Nutrition Workshops
with Sandy Der
Certified Nutrition Consultant www.betterwaytowellness.com Tuesday, March 3, 7 - 8:30 pm Health Properties of Tea: Red, Green, Black & White Tuesday, March 17, 7 - 8:30 pm Heart Health You may attend one or all sessions. Register: margo@wcrc.org or 510-601-4040 x111
Gentle Pilates with Erica Wright Belle  Saturday, May 2, 10 - 11 AM
Erica Wright Belle began her study of Pilates as a dance major in college. She used Pilates as a way of fine tuning her dance skills. As an adult, Erica found Pilates to be a healing practice that corrected imbalances and alleviated pain after her pregnancy. She became a certified instructor to deepen her understanding of the body and to share this amazing information with others. Erica holds a Bachelor of Arts in dance with a concentration in performance and choreography from San Francisco State University.
Social Networking 101
With Lakisha Brooks
Description: This 3 day series will explore  a variety of social networking websites, including Facebook, twitter, linked in, my space, digg, flickr and much more. This class will also cover blog sites. Come out and join us to learn more about social networking and learn how it can be used for personal interests and business.
April 23, 7:00-8:30 pm
This session will focus on more general Social Networks such Facebook, twitter, linkedin, my space and tagged.com. RSVP: margo@wcrc.org or 510-601-4040x111 April 30, 7:00-8:30 pm This session will will focus on social networks with a specific purpose in mind such as adding photos on Flickr, commenting on an article on digg.com or adding a video to YouTube. This session will also review sites that allow to create your own social networking websites. RSVP: margo@wcrc.org or 510-601-4040x111 May 7, 7:00-8:30 pm All about blogs. There are many blog sites such Blogger.com, 360 yahoo, twitter, blog.com. This session will also explore blogs specifically designed for caregivers and health issues. RSVP: margo@wcrc.org or 510-601-4040x111 Lakisha Brooks has been involved in the technological arena since 1995 and still enjoys the challenges of the ever-changing advances in development tools, languages, operating systems and hardware. She hastaught college level students programming and taught at-risk students about technology. Her experience has provided her the ability to express technical concepts in lay terms, define and identify problems, and present solutions.
Healing Our Losses: Creating Compassionate CommunityA one-day Healing Arts event focusing on losses By creating a circle of compassionate community, participants will have the opportunity to complete the healing of personal losses and come to a deeper peace. Through individual choices of drawing and painting, poetry writing or musical expression, including chanting and drumming, each participant will discover her right form of expression to heal her personal loss. The day will include meeting together as a large group and breaking out into smaller groups for specific healing arts experiences. Participants are asked to bring a photograph (or a copy of a photograph) of their loved one. WCRC will provide drinks and a healthy dessert and request that participants bring their own bag lunch. Pre-registration is essential and will be confirmed before the date. There is no charge for this event although donations are gratefully accepted. Saturday, August 1, from 10:00-3:00 pm For more information and to register, contact Connie Holmes at 510.898.0548 by Friday, July 31. ONGOING CLASSES Writing for Wellness With Abba Anderson Third Saturday of each month 2:00-4:00 pm In this supportive workshop, we'll write like the wind, share writing about our lives, & experience a deepening connection with ourselves & with each other. Abba is a writer & healing practitioner. Register: 510-684-2552 or abbaanderson@aol.com
(Beginning in April this class will be held the 4th Saturday of each month from 2:00 - 4:00 pm and will be taught by local author and teacher Robyn Brooks.)
RSVP: margo@wcrc.org or 510-601-4040x111 Yarn Divas
For knitters & other crafters
Instruction by Kate Freeman of Knit One One Last Tuesday class will be March 31, 7:00-9:00 pm.
This Class will become Yarn Divas/Chemo Caps and this will meet on the 2nd Saturday of each month starting on March 14th from 10-11:30 am. You are welcome to come and crochet or knit caps and hats to be given away to women with cancer or you can bring your own project to work on. The Saturday class will be with Kelley Nayo, who owned the Knitting Basket in Montclair Village and now produces wonderful wearable creative works through Kelly Designs. Kelley can provide crocheting instruction or very basic knitting instruction. Come learn to crochet or bring a crafts project to work on in a friendly atmosphere. RSVP: margo@wcrc.org or 510-601-4040x111 |
| FUNDRAISING
Got Golf?
The staff at the Poppy Ridge Golf Course have selected WCRC as the beneficiary of their "Bras and Balls" event which will take place on October 6, 2009. Please join us for a day of celebration, fun and networking in Livermore( http://www.poppyridgegolf.com). The event will include a 4-person scramble, contests, prizes, box lunch and awards reception following the round of golf. Register now and remember to invite your friends to play. Just click on "Tell a Friend" and you can send them a link to this site automatically. Thank you for your support of the Women's Cancer Resource Center. Visit http://www.golfdigestplanner.com/PoppyRidgeGolf/9945-BrasandBalls/ for more information. Join Tilden Golf Bag and Ambassadors at a golf tournament to benefit WCRC on May 31 at the Tilden Park Golf Course. Shotgun start at 11:00 am, play and contests followed by a cocktail reception. Price is $100. For information and to sign up, contact Peggy McGuire at 510.601-4040 x101 or peggy@wcrc.org. A big "thank you" to all the folks who visited Peet's at 2255 Shattuck Avenue on Christmas Eve and donated the cost of their coffee to WCRC. We received a check for $1,428.68 as a result!
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BEYOND WCRC
Lesbian Health Summit to Be Held in San Francisco: March 6 - 8, 2009
More information on the 2009 National Lesbian Health Summit - including registration - can be found here.
How to talk to and be there for a loved one with a serious illness
Monday, April 27, 2009, 7:00 pm
Eden Medical Center, Castro Valley
FREE
When a friend or relative tells us they have cancer or some other serious illness, we feel helpless, stuck, maybe even paralyzed. We don't know what to say, or what not to say, but we usually think that we should be saying something -- something that will ease the pain and fear.
Join us as we explore how to bring up and discuss challenging subjects involving illness, losses sustained by both patient, family members, and friends, and the fear of death. Learn how active listening can help create a more meaningful, heartfelt conversation. For more information or to register, please call 1-888-445-8433.
"Awakening the Healer Within," a one-day workshop with Dr. Emmett Miller, will be held in San Mateo on April 4, 2009, sponsored by Healing Journeys. Early registration cost of $99 has been held over til March 6. More information and registration is at www.healingjourneys.org. This will be an experiential introduction to why and how tapping your inner resources awakens, promotes and supports the healing process.
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A HEALTHY LIVER By Sandy Der
Our body's defense against exposure to toxins is a healthy liver. However, our present environment is exposing us to thousands of toxins every day, overwhelming our best defense. Compounding the problem is a severely nutrient deficient diet. What can we do?
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A BOOK REVIEW BY CONNIE HOLMES
Unattended Sorrow: Recovering from Loss and Reviving the Heart by Stephen Levine
This latest book by Stephen Levine, renowned teacher, with his wife Ondrea, of the Buddhist path to living in the brilliance of the present moment, is one of his very best. Known worldwide and taught in universities, seminaries, hospice training program and monasteries, his titles will be familiar to many: Who Dies? (with Ondrea Levine), Healing into Life and Death, Embracing the Beloved (also with Ondrea Levine). Themes of presence, of opening, of softening, of compassion, of forgiveness unite these books, yet each of them is distinct and memorable. This book, published in 2005, began as a thirty-two page pamphlet meant to be distributed by the Red Cross to the spouses of the fire fighters killed in the Twin Towers. It was completed two weeks later, but the Red Cross was unsure it could be distributed to those in need of it. Stephen Levine decided to extend it into a book and as he said "incorporating the difficulties that may lie ahead for them and for us all, with an encouragement that those grieved thoughts, which may certainly remain, find your heart in which to come to rest." Read the entire book review.
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