Background

The Integrative Therapies Program for Children with Cancer was developed in 1997 in memory of Carol Ann Schwartz who died of lung cancer in 1994 at the age of 56, despite the interventions of conventional medicine. She and her family sought alternative treatments that might have helped her, but had to do so outside of the medical profession. Her family founded this program in her memory to make reliable information on complementary cancer therapies readily available to help others with cancer and to be a resource to the healthcare community.

The Integrative Therapies Program for Children with Cancer in the Division of Pediatric Oncology at Columbia University Medical Center, Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital of New York-Presbyterian, is dedicated to providing free integrative therapies and educational services to children with cancer. Children with cancer and their families use these non-invasive, innovative methods as tools in which they may maintain health and wellness through and beyond treatment. We offer therapies that can be integrated into conventional therapies so as to improve the quality of life, decrease incidence and severity of therapy-related side-effects and late-effects, and educate patients and their families in remedies that may play a role in coping with cancer and preventing recurrence for those patients in remission. Since its inception, The Integrative Therapies Program has been offering a triad of services to children with cancer. Our program specializes in clinical care, research, and education and provides services during cancer treatment, in survivorship, as well as in the end of life setting.

 

Integrative Medicine: The Critical Component to Complete Health

Clinical Care

An essential component of the program’s triad is the provision of clinical care to children with cancer by educated staff trained in integrative medicine and pediatrics. The program offers services to patients in both the inpatient and outpatient settings. All services are supported through philanthropic donations and are provided to patients and families at no cost. We continually serve as a model for other pediatric institutions developing integrative programs in pediatrics. Our current programs include: herbal & nutrition counseling and guidance, aromatherapy, acupuncture & acupressure, massage therapy & reflexology, reiki, meditation, exercise, yoga & movement therapy, and a chef program.

 

Research

The Integrative Therapies Program has launched a number of studies to determine the efficacy of certain complementary modalities such as the use of milk thistle (a non-toxic herb) to help heal liver toxicity associated with chemotherapy, the role of antioxidants in combination with chemotherapy, and the effect of aromatherapy in relieving anxiety and nausea in patients undergoing bone marrow transplant.

With the support and endorsement of Dr. Michael Weiner, Chief, Division of Pediatric Oncology, Hettinger Professor of Clinical Pediatrics at Columbia University, the Integrative Therapies Program's research initiatives are aimed at providing evidence-based research on the safety and efficacy of CAM (Complementary and Alternative Medicine) therapies utilizing conventional research designs. Many of our studies have served as a blueprint for integration into larger research initiatives, including the Dana Farber Cancer Center Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia consortium and the Children’s Oncology Group (COG), the largest rsearch consortium in pediatric oncology.

On a national level, the National Institutes of Health has recognized the importance of CAM and has identified this area for priority research. Both Dr. Kelly and Ms. Ladas  have been invited and appointed as board members of the National Cancer Institute's CAM PDQ board.  As well, Dr. Kelly serves as chair of the CAM committee at COG and Ms. Ladas serves as chair of the Nutrition committee at COG.

 

Education

As part of our education initiative, Carol Ann’s Library and The Integrative Therapies Program’s website were established to disseminate reliable information on CAM and children with cancer to patients and their families as well as the health care providers involved in their care. Carol Ann’s Library is open to patients in treatment along with family and friends. The library consists of over 1000 books, DVDs, audiotapes, and journals on topics related to CAM.  Patients have access to the library Monday-Friday between the hours of 8am and 7pm and are able to borrow any item at their leisure. 

Last updated: December 11, 2009