Donna Murphy was the speaker at the Rotary Club of Ann Arbor North Luncheon on December 19, 2019. Donna, is a licensed master of social work at the Rogel Cancer Center (University of Michigan Hospital). She works with the patients through the Family Support Services Program at the Hospital.
Donna said, "The patient family support services is a group of providers, therapists, people trained in the psychosocial part of dealing with health and healing. In this case with cancer."
She continues, "The resources are really designed to help a patient connect the mind, the spiritual part of healing with the physical part." "So, for example, we have
- Art Therapy:
- Healing through Creative Expression.
- Music Therapy:
- Reduce anxiety, worry and perceptions of pain.
- Guided Imagery:
- Helps Reduce Anxiety, Pain and Fatigue.
- and mindfulness."
"We have a specialist who manages the needs of the parents who are ill, who have concerns about their children. We also have a chaplain. We have individuals specifically that'll deal with anxiety, and depression, and if necessary find medications that will help with that. We have a patient education program. We also manage the volunteers in the cancer center. And so, that makes up other range of people that provide resources, sometimes written, sometimes in talk, sometimes in the actual doing of activities to help heal."
Support is available throughout the course of your treatment.
At the end of the Rotary Club of Ann Arbor North Luncheon, President Eric wished everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
