Living Fully With and Beyond Cancer

“Living Fully With and Beyond Cancer” is an annual conference presented by the Anderson Network, where cancer patients, their family and caregivers can share hope, support and understanding with others like themselves, regardless of where they received treatment.

2008 Conference Information

When:  September 4-6, 2008 (Thursday, Friday and Saturday)
Where:  Houston Marriott Westchase
               (713) 978-7400              
               2900 Briarpark Drive
               Houston, TX 77042
Register: Registration will begin on Monday, June 16th. Since registration is no longer available online, please register at the hotel.

• Conference Agenda
• Scholarships (scholarships are no longer available)
• Wellness Workshops
• Breakout Session Abstracts
• Speaker Biographies
• Photography Information

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• Scholarship Application  (doc)
• Solicitud de beca (Espanol)  (doc)       

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Friday, Sept. 5, 10-11:15 a.m.
Breakout Sessions: Cluster 1

1. Path to Inner Peace
   Marisse Farnos, Ph.D., M.A.
   The following presentation is not didactic but experiential. Here participants can choose to engage in mind-body techniques from diverse traditions. The objective is to learn to connect to the body, the mind and the heart by practicing several techniques from yoga, tai chi and qigong. Participants will perform gentle movements sitting in a chair as well as standing up. If done consistently, these, along with breathing exercises, may help participants to live more in the present, achieve a deep relaxation state, lower their stress levels and increase their energy reserves.
2. Ophthalmic Considerations for Cancer Patients
   Stella Kim, M.D.
   Cancer treatment has a variety of ocular side effects. This session will offer a broad review of ophthalmic side effects of cancer treatments, including chemotherapy, radiation therapy and stem cell transplantation. It also will cover special considerations for cataract surgery in cancer patients.
3. Living With Diabetes and Cancer
   Veronica Brady, F.N.P.-c, C.D.E.
   Diabetes affects nearly 21 million Americans, 7 percent of the population. Yet 6 million of these people are not aware that they have the disease. Diabetes is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States (2005). In 2002, the National Cancer Institute estimated that there are more than 10.1 million Americans alive with a history of cancer, with about 1.4 million new cases of cancer expected to be diagnosed in 2006. As incidences of both diabetes and cancer arise, the number of cancer patients with diabetes will increase as well. Preliminary research involving cancer patients with diabetes has revealed that treatment of hyperglycemia/diabetes may result in better cancer outcomes.
4. Finding Free and Reliable Health Information
   Monica Taras, M.L.S.
   Identifying and evaluating health information on the Internet can be a daunting task. Learn to search for and evaluate health and medical information with an expert. Participants will explore the best places to do medical research online, including how to find drug and clinical trial information. Taras will seek research topics from the audience and conduct live searches.
5. Sleep Disturbance in Cancer Patients and Their Caregivers
   Mary Rose, P.S.Y.D.
   Insomnia and fatigue are significant, with prevalence in cancer patients ranging from 30 percent to 60 percent. The greatest sleep disturbance occurs in head and neck, breast, and lung cancers. Patients often have disturbance initiating and maintaining sleep (insomnia). Insomnia as well as hypersomnia and fatigue can be caused in part by psychological stress, change in schedule, chemotherapy, radiation and the cancer itself. In addition, patients who have gone through surgery that affects their airway and breathing may have sleep-related breathing disorders such as sleep apnea. Because sleep affects immune functioning, metabolism and mood, it is critical to identify and treat sleep disturbance. Caregivers often go through sleep difficulties as well. Though the importance of this may be overlooked, doctors at the M. D. Anderson Sleep Center have found that caregivers frequently suffer and rarely receive treatment for their sleep disorders. This session will cover issues of sleep disturbance, its impact, methods of evaluation, possible medication for short-term use and behavior changes that may help.
6. The Highs and Lows of Living With Cancer: Depression and Anxiety in the Person With Cancer
   Mary Hughes, M.S., R.N., C.N.S.
   Being diagnosed with cancer introduces numerous changes in a person’s life: not only physical changes, but also emotional ones. Depression or anxiety can affect 20 percent to 75 percent of people with cancer. These quality-of-life issues need to be diagnosed and treated despite the fact that a person has cancer. This lecture will focus on causes of depression and anxiety in people with cancer. It also will describe signs and symptoms of each, as well as possible treatments.
7. El Manejo de Diabetis en el Paciente con Cáncer (Diabetes Management in the Cancer Patient)
   Michelle Davila, R.D., L.D., C.D.E.
   Más de 15 millones de adultos en los Estados Unidos tienen diabetis, y cada año se diagnostican 1.5 millones casos nuevos de diabetis. Pacientes con cancer y aquellos recibiendo tratamiento de cancer pueden estar a riesgo de desarollar el diabetis. El manejo de diabetis en personas que padecen de cancer puede ser más dificil de controlar. Reconociendo los conceptos básicos del manejo de diabetis incluyendo planificación de alimentos, medicinas y ejercicio puede ayudar a controlar mejor los niveles de azucar y prevenir las complicaciones que resultan de diabetis que no está bien controlado.
   
   More than 15 million adults in the United States have diabetes, and 1.5 million new cases are diagnosed each year. Patients with cancer and those undergoing certain cancer treatments can be at increased risk for developing diabetes. Diabetes management in this group can be a unique challenge. Understanding the basic concepts of diabetes management, including meal planning, medications and exercise, can provide the necessary knowledge to better manage blood sugars and prevent complications associated with uncontrolled diabetes.

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Friday, Sept. 5, 1:30-2:45 p.m.
Breakout Sessions: Cluster 2

1. Heart Disease in the Cancer Patient
   Jean-Bernard Durand, M.D.
   Congestive heart failure is the most common cardiovascular diagnosis in the United States. More than 1 million patients have been hospitalized for congestive heart failure, and the incidence continues to rise. Each year, 700,000 new cases are reported. M. D. Anderson has recognized a growing incidence of congestive heart failure as a result of chemotherapy. Preliminary studies at the institution have demonstrated that chemotherapy-induced heart failure is a reversible process with many new technologies and medical therapies available to cancer patients. Since developing the Congestive Heart Failure Clinic in July 2000, M. D. Anderson has treated more than 800 patients and has developed a device program that includes implantation of pacemakers for congestive heart failure with excellent results. More new therapies lie ahead for cancer patients who develop cardiac complications from chemotherapy, including identification of a blood test that may predict risk for heart failure.
2. Overcoming Sexual Problems After Cancer: A Workshop for Women
   Leslie Schover, Ph.D.
   Sexual problems are one of the most common and lasting consequences of cancer treatment. About half the women who have experienced breast, gynecologic, bladder or colorectal cancer have long-term problems. The most common are loss of desire for sex and pain with sexual activity, especially if a woman has chronic vaginal dryness. Women who have treatment that results in a sudden, early menopause are at especially high risk for sexual problems. In this workshop, participants learn about the ways different cancer treatments interfere with enjoying sex. Topics will include strategies for improving participants’ sex lives.
3. The Bladder Cancer SPORE: Working Toward Personalized Medicine
   Colin Dinney, M.D.
   Physicians and scientists in the Genitourinary Center at M. D. Anderson are dedicated to reducing the burden of bladder cancer for patients in Texas, across the nation and around the world. The institution has a long tradition of excellence in the field of genitourinary cancers. M. D. Anderson’s Department of Urology ranks consistently among the nation’s top programs in a variety of surveys and best-physicians lists. It also has the foundation of a strong research program. Achievements cover the entire research continuum, from basic laboratory science to translational and clinical investigations and the entire cancer care continuum from prevention and early detection to treatment and follow-up care for cancer survivors. The goal of this program is to move solutions for patients from the laboratory to the clinic as quickly as possible. A vast amount of mIncreased molecular and genetic information — from the human genome project and now the human cancer genome project — is leading to important breakthroughs in the understanding of the biology and development of cancer. With this, M. D. Anderson physicians and scientists are beginning to realize the possibility of personalizing cancer treatments that are as unique as an individual’s disease. They also are increasing their efforts to identify markers that can determine those at highest risk for developing disease, detect cancer at its earliest stages and even predict one’s response to therapy. This personalized approach to cancer is the primary focus of current research efforts.
4. The Survivor’s Guide to a New Normal: Acknowledge Your Strengths to Overcome Limitations
   Camille Blundell, L.M.S.W.
   Finding a “new normal” can be overwhelming at best, seemingly impossible at moments. It takes time, effort and energy, a scarce commodity following treatment and the emotional rollercoaster. One thing is certain though, life continues, and how we adjust to the daily routine will determine how well we live. The goal for this session is to learn to avoid obstacles to living a good life, such as fear, anger, frustration, guilt, self-doubt and self-blame. Instead, participants will learn to use the strengths that got them through treatment to create a new normal.
5. Moving Beyond the “Forces of Darkness”
   Lois Ramondetta, M.D.
   The session leader explains: Many have tried to define spirituality and religion in the context of medical care. I have always felt the definitions are not quite right … that there is something missing. For caregivers and patients, exploring the connection between the healing of the body and the healing of the spirit recognizes the comprehensive character of cancer treatment. It also furthers the understanding that both caregivers and patients share a knowledge that what patients lose in their battle with cancer is more than simply a medical life. The fact that this exploration also is deeply personal and frightening, and that these feelings have not been identified as a reason for some hesitancy towards the subject, surprises me. Together we will further discuss our understanding of what defines “spirituality and medicine” and the multiple ways a cancer diagnosis affects the spiritual, psychological and social aspects of survivorship.
6. Decreasing the Symptom Burden of Cancer
   Lori Williams, Ph.D., R.N.
   Patients with cancer may suffer from multiple symptoms that can greatly affect quality of life and ability to function, can cause treatments to be stopped, may persist for years, and can create a symptom burden comparable to the tumor burden of the disease. Symptom burden is the severity of the symptoms most associated with a disease or treatment and the impact these symptoms have on daily living. Symptoms are subjective experiences reported by patients, and the subjective nature of symptoms has limited new research into the cause of symptoms and the development of better ways of treating or preventing them. Research at M. D. Anderson has produced new methods for patients to consistently report their symptoms to health care providers and to researchers. Since multiple symptoms often occur together, they may share a common biologic cause. Research is taking place at M. D. Anderson to test innovative ways of treating the common biologic causes of symptoms while decreasing symptom burden for patients.
7. La Quimioterapia y Su Corazón (Chemotherapy and Your Heart)
   Juan Carlos Plana, M.D.
   El Dr. Plana comenzará discutiendo cuales quimioterapias lesionan el corazón. Luego discutirá los métodos para reconocerla, y finalizará discutiendo los posibles tratamientos.
   Biografia: El Doctor Plana es profesor asistente de la Universidad de Texas. El es el director del laboratorio de ecocardiografía y el director de imagenes cardiacas en el M. D. Anderson.
   
   This session will begin with a discussion of the chemotherapies that cause heart disease and cover how the toxicities are recognized by different methods. It also will include a presentation discussing the treatments.

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Friday, Sept. 5, 3:30-4:45 p.m.
Breakout Sessions: Cluster 3

1. Overcoming Sexual Problems After Cancer: A Workshop for Men
   Leslie Schover, Ph.D.
   Sexual problems are one of the most common and lasting consequences of cancer treatment. More than half the men who have experienced prostate, bladder or colorectal cancer have long-term problems. The most common are loss of desire for sex and difficulty getting or keeping erections. Men who have surgery or radiation in the pelvic area are at especially high risk for sexual problems. Other cancer treatments, such as hormonal therapy for prostate cancer or intensive preparation for a bone marrow transplant, also can lead to difficulties. In this workshop, participants will explore the ways different cancer treatments interfere with enjoying sex. Topics will include strategies for improving participants’ sex lives.
2. Healthy Living After Cancer: Exercise and the Cancer Survivor
   Karen Basen-Engquist, Ph.D.
   Exercise has numerous benefits for cancer survivors, including improving quality of life, decreasing fatigue, enhancing physical functioning, and decreasing the likelihood of other serious diseases and conditions, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and osteoporosis. For certain cancers, survivors who exercise are less likely to experience a recurrence of their disease. Many patients and survivors have questions about how much and what type of exercise are most effective and how to stick with an exercise program once they start. This session will address the benefits of exercise for survivors and provide guidance on choosing appropriate exercise, as well as tips for maintaining your exercise program.
3. Marriage and Cancer: He Said/She Said
   Phyddy Tacchi, R. N., C.N.S., L.M.F.T., L.P.C.
   Once the unthinkable happens, such as a cancer diagnosis, shock waves reverberate through healthy and unhealthy couple relationships. It is not uncommon for couples who previously enjoyed a level of harmony to have their marital interactions change once cancer becomes the focus of their lives together. Each partner holds a unique perspective in how to grieve and adjust to this difficult period. Each must learn new strategies to build resilience and improve communication to cope with the many changes that may take place overnight. This workshop will address pivotal issues facing couples as illustrated through a new video and follow-up discussion of important ways to strengthen the marital relationship during a time of crisis, confusion and uncertainty.
4. Chemotherapy-Related Neuropathy: Why Do My Hands and Feet Hurt?
   Patrick Dougherty, Ph.D.
   This session will review the basic mechanisms of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy pain. Participants will learn about the anatomy and chemistry of cell-to-cell communication that mediates sensation from the skin. Topics will include chemotherapy’s effect on the body’s normal anatomy and chemistry. A discussion will focus on new interventions in clinical and basic science research programs.
5. Clinical Trials at M. D. Anderson: What You Need to Know
   Amy Gonzalez, M.S., and Debra Frye, R.N., B.S.N., O.C.N., C.C.R.P.
   M. D. Anderson is a comprehensive cancer center devoted to patient care, research, education and prevention. Because of the large amount of cancer research conducted here, many patients are offered a clinical trial as a treatment choice or may be seeking the right clinical trial. In this session, participants will explore the basics of clinical trials, such as types and phases. The group will learn how M. D. Anderson protects patients who are in clinical trials. Most importantly, participants will receive information to help in deciding whether to participate in a clinical trial if the option is available.
6. Chemobrain: Is It Real?
   Christina Meyers, Ph.D.
   The short answer to “Chemobrain: Is it real?” is “Yes.” Cancer patients experience cognitive impairments from a variety of sources, including the cancer itself, treatment effects, adjuvant medications and medical complications, mood and adjustment disorders, and non-cancer-related illnesses. Patients frequently complain of memory loss, but formal testing often reveals more difficulties with working memory capacity, the ability to multitask, sustained attention and overall stamina. There are a number of approaches to improving these distressing symptoms, including pharmacologic treatment, behavioral strategies, lifestyle change and neuro-protection strategies. Cancer treatment can be truly successful only if cancer-related symptoms are managed aggressively.

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Saturday, Sept. 6, 11:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m.
Breakout Sessions: Cluster 4

1. Cancer Pain Management Myths
   Rob Yates, M.P.A.S., P.A.-C.
   Many symptoms can occur with cancer. One of the most fearful and devastating is pain. Yet pain and its treatment are misunderstood in our nation. The public and health care providers can benefit from education on the common misconceptions of cancer-related pain. This session will explore common pain myths and give informative advice on how to think appropriately about cancer pain. Participants will gain knowledge, confidence and empowerment to control their own or a loved one’s pain.
2. Cancer Treatment Is Done: Now What Can You and Your Oncologist Do To Maximize Your Health?
   Karin Hahn, M.D., M.P.H., M.Sc.
   With more than 10 million cancer survivors in the United States, emphasis is focusing on how survivors can engage in behaviors that promote health and well-being. Oncologists and other health care professionals can use the “teachable moment” that routinely follows appointments to emphasize health behaviors that could improve the quality of life for cancer survivors. In this interactive discussion, participants will discuss ways in which cancer survivors can engage in behaviors that could improve their health.
3. The Art of Survivorship: COLLAGE Art Workshop
   Roxanne Claire and Maureen McNamara
   Art is a universal language able to transcend boundaries and transform lives. For people living with cancer, art can be a powerful tool for self-expression and can provide a creative retreat from the daily struggles of cancer treatment. Participants are invited to get creative in an art workshop using the medium of collage, the combination of diverse, found images, to create a unique composition. Workshop leaders will guide participants in making works of art. No previous art experience is necessary: only a spirit of fun and joy.
   This workshop is provided by COLLAGE: The Art for Cancer Network, a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating innovative art programs for people living with cancer. Founded in 2006 by Jennifer Wheler, M.D., an oncologist at M. D. Anderson, COLLAGE has collaborated with Place … of wellness and other departments to provide art workshops and an artist-in-residence program to bring local, dedicated artists to the hospital to create art with patients and their families waiting for or receiving treatment. For more information, visit www.collageartforcancer.org.
4. Minimally Invasive New Technology in Oncologic Surgery Program
   Hamel Patel, M.B.A.
   The Minimally Invasive New Technology in Oncologic Surgery program is a collaborative incorporating new minimally invasive surgical technology at M. D. Anderson. Minimally invasive surgery offers patients reduced pain and suffering associated with the treatment of cancer and can improve quality of life while maintaining or improving contemporary oncologic outcomes. MINTOS operates as an independent collaborative body, reporting to the Division of Surgery Executive Committee. It aims to introduce and advance techniques in minimally invasive cancer care by providing opportunities for the development of minimally invasive new technology in oncologic surgery, research and education.
5. Young Adult Survivors and Caregivers: What's Out There for Me?
   Michelle Calabretta, Ph.D., Matthew Herynk, Ph.D., Marisa Mir, B.A., Heidi Adams
   Young adults facing a cancer diagnosis, whether the patient, the caregiver or a loved one, are met with challenges unique to their demographic. In their 20s and 30s, they are graduating from college, establishing careers, starting families and making plans for the future. Adding a cancer diagnosis to the mix turns a young adult’s life plans upside down. This session will guide young survivors and caregivers to generation-appropriate resources available as they navigate their way through unknown territory, armed with an IV pole and a computer.
6. How to Harness the Power of M. D. Anderson’s “Patient Power” for Better Health
   Andrew Schorr, “Patient Power” Host
   Over the past 17 months, M. D. Anderson leukemia survivor Andrew Schorr has hosted more than 25 hours of inspiring, informative Internet talk shows with M. D. Anderson experts, patients and caregivers. Woven throughout these discussions are recurring themes and lessons that can help patients and caregivers along their cancer journeys. Schorr will introduce participants to stories of some of the program’s most memorable guests and detail their key strategies that have advanced the fight against cancer.
7. Manejo del Dolor en Pacientes con Cáncer (Pain Management for Cancer Patients)
   Araceli Garcia-Gonzalez, M.D.
   Pacientes con cáncer avanzado tienen el riesgo de sentir dolor. Más de la mitad de los pacientes con cáncer metastático de la consulta externa sufren de dolor relacionado con la enfermedad, y una tercera parte tiene dolor severo que limita al paciente en actividades de la vida cotidiana así como una disminución en la calidad de vida del paciente. Estudios epidemiológicos retrospectivos muestran que pacientes con cancer al final de su vida tienen un incremento de dolor o presentan dolor todo el tiempo. El dolor asociado con cancer es con frecuencia inadecuadamente tratado en los adultos. El dolor del cáncer puede ser originado por múltiples causas. En aproximadamente el 90% de los pacientes, el dolor por cancer puede ser controlado con medidas relativamente sencillas. El control del dolor debe de ser prioritario, no solo en los pacientes con enfermedad avanzada, si no también en aquellos cuya condición es estable. En la actualidad se cuenta con la escalera analgésica de la OMS. Que recomienda el manejo progresivo tanto de las dosis como del tipo de analgésico, para lograr un manejo eficaz del dolor.
8. M. D. Anderson SPOREs: What Are They, and What Role Do Patient Advocates Play?
   Nancy Hubener, R.N., M.L.I.S.
   The acronym SPORE stands for Specialized Programs of Research Excellence. SPOREs are multiproject, multimillion-dollar grants funded by the National Cancer Institute. M. D. Anderson has 11 of these prestigious grants to investigate cancers of the brain, breast, bladder, endometrium (uterus), head and neck, lung, ovaries, pancreas, and prostate, as well as leukemia and melanoma. SPORE patient advocates are critical components of these grants. They are cancer survivors who work with SPORE investigators to lend a patient’s unique perspective to the research and with recently diagnosed patients to provide emotional support and to educate them about their disease, what they may expect, and the importance of clinical trials.

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Heidi Adams
Ms. Adams is the founder and executive director of Planet Cancer, a non-profit organization dedicated to creating a community of young adults in their 20s and 30s with cancer and to raising awareness about their unique medical and psychosocial needs. She was diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma when she was 26 years old and launched the Planet Cancer community in 2002 in response to her personal experience of the void in information and support services for young adults. A tireless advocate for young adults with cancer, she speaks around the country to medical and patient groups to raise awareness of the issues facing this population.

She is a founding member and the advocacy chair of the Lance Armstrong Foundation’s LiveSTRONG Young Adult Alliance, a national coalition of organizations dedicated to improving survival rates and quality of life for young adults with cancer. She also served on the planning committee of the 2006 Adolescent/Young Adult Oncology Progress Review Group, a joint initiative of the Lance Armstrong Foundation and the National Cancer Institute.

In 2005, she received the prestigious LiveSTRONG Award from the Lance Armstrong Foundation for her work on behalf of young adults, and in 2006, she was named a Swiffer Amazing Woman of the Year. In 2007, she was named one of four national Health Heroes by WebMD. A writer by profession, she also is a contributor to CURE magazine and the co-author of “Here and Now: Inspiring Stories of Cancer Survivors,” published in 2001 by Avalon and featured in O: The Oprah Magazine.

Karen Basen-Engquist, Ph.D., M.P.H.
Dr. Basen-Engquist is a professor in the Department of Behavioral Science at M. D. Anderson.  She conducts research on quality of life and health behaviors of cancer patients, survivors and people at increased cancer risk. Her current research projects focus on the impact of exercise and diet on the after effects of cancer, as well as cancer survivors’ risk of second cancers and other chronic diseases. She also develops and tests programs that help cancer survivors make healthy behavior and lifestyles changes. Dr. Basen-Engquist has received funding from both the National Cancer Institute and the Lance Armstrong Foundation to study exercise and its benefits in cancer patients and survivors. She has published her study results in peer-reviewed journals as well as publications intended for the lay public and cancer survivors.  

Robert C. Bast Jr., M.D.
Dr. Bast is vice president for translational research at M. D. Anderson. His office facilitates translation of new strategies, drugs and devices from the laboratory to the clinic, as well as the movement of human material and data from the clinic to the laboratory. He received his B.A. cum laude from Wesleyan University and his medical degree magna cum laude from Harvard Medical School. After completing a medical internship at the Johns Hopkins Hospital, he served as a research associate at the National Cancer Institute. Returning to Boston, he completed a medical residency at the Peter Bent Brigham Hospital and a fellowship in medical oncology at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. He joined the faculty at Harvard as an assistant professor and was subsequently appointed associate professor at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. In 1984, he was recruited to Duke University Medical Center as professor of medicine, microbiology and immunology to co-direct the Division of Hematology-Oncology and to serve as clinical director of the cancer center. In 1987, he became the director of the Duke Comprehensive Cancer Center, and in 1992, he was named Wellcome Clinical Professor of Medicine in Honor of R. Wayne Rundles. In July 1994, he was recruited to head the Division of Medicine at M. D. Anderson and to fill the Harry Carothers Wiess Chair for Cancer Research. In 2000, Dr. Bast was appointed vice president for translational research. In 2004, he was named the Harry Carothers Wiess Distinguished University Chair for Cancer Research.

Dr. Bast is best known for developing the OC125 monoclonal antibody that led to the production of the CA125 radioimmunoassay. Serum CA125 levels have provided the first generally useful marker for monitoring the course of patients with epithelial ovarian cancer. CA 125 is currently being evaluated as one component of a screening strategy for ovarian cancer. His early studies focused on the use of immunostimulants and monoclonal antibodies for cancer therapy. Over the last 15 years, his group has pioneered in defining molecular alterations in ovarian and breast cancers that might serve as targets for therapy as well as diagnosis. His most recent studies have focused on the identification of ARHI, a novel ras-related imprinted tumor suppressor gene that induces autophagy and tumor dormancy. He has led the M. D. Anderson SPORE (Specialized Programs of Research Excellence) grant in ovarian cancer since 1999. Overall, he has published more than 500 articles and chapters and has edited the textbook “Cancer Medicine.” He has been recognized by the Institute for Scientific Informal as one of the most frequently cited scientists in his field. In 2006, he was recognized with the Smith-Klein Beacham Clinical Laboratories Award, the ISOBM-Abbott Award and an Award for Excellence in Gynecologic Oncology by the International Society of Gynecologic Oncology. He continues to care for patients with breast and ovarian cancer and has been listed in the Best Doctors of America and in America’s Top Physicians.

Camille J. Blundell, L.M.S.W.
Ms. Blundell completed her undergraduate studies at Baylor University and received her master’s degree at The University of Texas at Austin. As a social work counselor at M. D. Anderson, she works with patients in the Gastrointestinal Center, counseling them on issues ranging from crisis intervention to continuity of care, compliance, adjustment and coping with diagnosis, treatment and prognosis, loss and grief issues and end-of-life care. She also co-leads a support group at the Hospitality Apartments.

Veronica Brady, F.N.P.-C., C.D.E.
Ms. Brady is a nurse practitioner in the Department of Endocrine Neoplasia and Hormonal Disorders and one of three advanced practice nurses within the department whose primary focus is the management of blood sugars in the cancer patient. She obtained her master’s degree from the University of Detroit Mercy and went on to specialize in diabetes care. She is a certified diabetes educator and, in 2007, was nominated by her colleagues as outstanding patient educator.  She has done multiple lectures and posters regarding diabetes care and has been the recipient of the Pinnacle Award and AMGA Best Practices Award in Diabetes Care.

Michelle Calabretta, Ph.D.
Dr. Calabretta received her doctorate in biochemistry from Rice University in 2005. While at Rice, she became an advocate for affordable student health insurance and was a member of the Health Insurance Committee and several other student associations. Since joining M. D. Anderson in 2007, she has worked in cancer survivor advocacy, with a focus on young adults. She is a member of the Young Adult Leadership Committee for I’m Too Young For This, a national young adult cancer survivor advocacy group.

Roxanne Claire
Ms. Claire is an American-born artist currently living in Houston, Texas. Using a number of mediums — video, dance, writing, photography and performance — she helps people explore grief, the elemental and the sacred. She has shown her work at Videoformes in Clermont Ferrand, France; Diverseworks and Barnevelder in Houston; Footloose in San Francisco; and Video Week in Geneva, Switzerland. In addition to her own studio work, she currently works with COLLAGE: The Art for Cancer Network as an artist-in-residence at M. D. Anderson. Her work and her blog, The Poetry of Everyday Life, can be found at www.roxanneclaire.com.

Michelle Davila, R.D., L.D., C.D.E.
Ms. Davila is a native Houstonian. She has enjoyed providing nutrition education as a registered dietitian for more than 10 years and as a certified diabetes educator for more than five years. She received her bachelor’s of science degree in nutritional sciences from Texas A&M University. Her areas of interest include diabetes, prenatal nutrition and childhood obesity. With diabetes on the rise among the Hispanic community, and especially in the pediatric population, she has focused her energy on diabetes education and prevention outreach.

Colin Dinney, M.D.
Dr. Dinney is chair of the Department of Urology and holds the Monteleone Family Foundation Distinguished Professorship for Research of Bladder and Kidney Cancers at M. D. Anderson. He received his medical degree from the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, Canada, and came to M. D. Anderson in 1989 as a fellow in the field of urology and cell biology. In 2001-2003, he received  the prestigious Faculty Scholar Award at M. D. Anderson. He has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals and leads the M. D. Anderson SPORE (Specialized Programs of Research Excellence) grant in genitourinary cancers.

Patrick Dougherty, Ph.D.
Dr. Dougherty is an associate professor in the Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine at M. D. Anderson. He received his bachelor’s of science degree in biology at the University of Dallas in 1982 and his doctorate from The University of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at Houston in 1988. After his postdoctoral work, he was an assistant and then an associate professor in the Departments of Neurosurgery and Neuroscience at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. His research interests center on gaining an understanding of the neurochemical and physiological consequences of peripheral and neural injury or inflammation on neural activity in the central nervous system. He won the American Pain Society’s John Liebeskin Early Career Scholar Award in 1996 and the International Association for the Study of Pain’s Patrick D. Wall Young Investigator Award in 1999. He has received multiple grants for his work and published many journal articles and book chapters.

Raymond N. DuBois, M.D., Ph.D.
Dr. DuBois currently serves as provost and executive vice president of M. D. Anderson. His research is focused on developing novel approaches for the early detection, prevention and treatment of colorectal cancer. His laboratory is investigating the molecular links between inflammation and cancer.

He is a native Texan who obtained his doctorate (1981) and medical (1985) degrees from The University of Texas Health Science System before completing his training in internal medicine and gastroenterology at the Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Md. He also completed postdoctoral training at Johns Hopkins as a Howard Hughes Research Associate with Nobel Laureate Daniel Nathans. In 1991, he accepted a position at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine as an assistant professor of medicine and cell biology. From 1998 to 2003, he served as the director of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition. In 2005, he was appointed director of the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in Nashville. In summer 2007, he began serving in his current position at M. D. Anderson.

He is president-elect of the American Association for Cancer Research and past chair of the Board of Directors for the Keystone Symposia on Molecular and Cellular Biology. He is currently serving on the Scientific Advisory Board for the National Colorectal Cancer Research Alliance and is an internationally known cancer researcher with significant scholarly publications, editorial duties and research grants.

He received the Outstanding Investigator Award for the American Federation of Medical Research in April 2000 and was inducted into the Royal College of Physicians UK (by distinction) in recognition of his research achievements. He was selected to receive the 2002 AACR Richard and Hinda Rosenthal Foundation Award “in recognition of innovative work leading to significantly improved clinical care in the field of cancer.” In 2004, he was awarded the prestigious Dorothy P. Landon Cancer Prize and the AGA Distinguished Achievement Award. In 2005, he was elected as a fellow in the American Association for the Advancement of Science for his outstanding contributions toward scientific advancement in the field of cancer research, and in 2006, he was selected to receive the Anthony Dipple Carcinogenesis Award given by Oxford University Press. In May 2007, he was inducted into the Johns Hopkins University Society of Scholars.

Jean-Bernard Durand, M.D.
Dr. Durand is assistant professor in the Department of Cardiology, Division of Internal Medicine at M. D. Anderson where he also is medical director of Cardiomyopathy Services and director of Cardiovascular Genetics Research. Additionally, he holds the position of clinical assistant professor of medicine at Baylor College of Medicine and is a member of the staff at the Heart Failure/Heart Transplant Service at St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital. The author of numerous abstracts, book chapters and articles, he has published in peer-reviewed journals such as Circulation and the Journal of Clinical Investigations. His clinical interests lie in chemotherapy-induced cardiomyopathy and cardiac transplantation. He manages the world’s largest clinical service for chemotherapy and heart disease. He also has an interest in cardiac pacing technologies and inherited cardiac disorders.

Marisse Farnos, M.A. Ph.D.
Dr. Farnos has worked as a clinical psychologist, psychotherapist, school psychologist and counselor, as well as a consultant for organizations such as Y.E.O., Y.P.O., W.P.O. for more than 20 years in Mexico City, Mexico. She is certified in the Myers-Briggs Personality Inventory and is a Senior Birkman Method Consultant and certified mediator. She utilizes her clinical background to contribute to the health and well-being of cancer patients, their families and their care providers.
Currently, she is a senior improvement advisor in the Department of Performance Improvement at M. D. Anderson. She is involved in training large departments in customer service initiatives using a transformational change model, developing and imparting a variety of team leadership workshops for managers and team leaders as well as one-on-one/group coaching using the Birkman Method Questionnaire. She also is a certified yoga instructor and is actively engaged with patients in her volunteer work by giving yoga classes at the Place … of wellness as well as at  M. D. Anderson’s Anderson Network Camp CareFree and PIKNIC (informal lunchtime seminars on topics of interest to M. D. Anderson patients, caregivers, volunteers and staff members).

Micki Fine, L.P.C.
Ms. Fine is a licensed professional counselor and founder of Mindful Living. She earned the credential of Certified Mindfulness Teacher from the University of Massachusetts Medical Center, home of the largest stress reduction clinic in the world. She is dedicated to bringing awareness, compassion and openheartedness to life and helping others do the same. She provides mindfulness-based psychotherapy, individual and group training in mindfulness-based stress reduction to help individuals live more skillfully and with less suffering. She has been a consultant on National Institute on Drug Abuse grants, studying mindfulness and its effects on addictions. She has taught mindfulness at the nationally known Omega Institute and is on the teaching faculty at the Texas Medical Center’s Institute for Religion and Health.

Debra K. Frye, R.N., B.S.N., O.C.N., C.C.R.P
Ms. Frye is a research nurse manager in the Department of Breast Medical Oncology. She began her 33-year career in oncology nursing at M. D. Anderson as an inpatient staff nurse in general oncology and progressed to outpatient breast clinic nurse, clinic nurse manager, senior research nurse, research nurse supervisor and research nurse manager. The positions related to research all have been in the Department of Breast Medical Oncology. In addition to a bachelor’s degree in nursing from the University of Iowa, she maintains certifications from the Oncology Nursing Society and the Society of Clinical Research Associates. Honors include induction into the honor societies Alpha Lamda Delta and Sigma Theta Tau and being selected by the Texas Nurses Association as an outstanding nurse in 2006. As research nurse manager, she is responsible for the overall coordination of a variety of breast cancer clinical research studies in the department and management of a 26-member clinical research team. She has previous experience managing the care of patients participating in a few of these trials, assessing and monitoring patients’ progress throughout treatment. She is a charter member of the investigatory/caregiving teams engaged in taxane, bisphosphonate, aromatase inhibitor and capecitabine clinical studies.

She has co-authored multiple papers, book chapters and abstracts and, since 1991, has delivered numerous presentations to oncology nurses and other health professionals on breast cancer, novel therapies, bone metastases and research nurse professional development. She actively participates on numerous institutional committees that develop policies related to research, clinical practice, the electronic medical record, documentation and quality assurance. She is a member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the Society of Clinical Research Associates and both local and national chapters of the Oncology Nursing Society.

Araceli Garcia-Gonzalez, M.D., Ph.D.
Dr. Garcia es Postdoctoral Fellow en el Departamento de Symptom Research. Division de Medicina Interna, de la Universidad de Texas del M. D Anderson Cancer Center. Dr Garcia fue Posdoctoral Asociado en la seccion de Health Services Research at the Houston Center for Quality of Care and Utilization Studies, Baylor College of Medicine. Actualmente ella trabaja en los Hospitales del Condado Harris (Lyndon B. Johnson and Ben Taub General Hospitals) con población con cancer de mama de pulmón y sus cuidadores. Ella es autora de numerosos resúmenes, capítulos de libros y artículos. Su intereses clínicos son las enfermedades crónicas como el cancer y las enfermedades reumáticas. Ella esta interesada de la perspectiva de salud de los pacientes. Ella también esta interesada en el desarrollo de nueva tecnología que ayude a manejar mejor los síntomas en los pacientes con cancer.

Dr. Garcia is a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Symptom Research, Division of Internal Medicine, at M. D. Anderson. She was a postdoctoral associate in the section of Health Services Research at the Houston Center for Quality of Care and Utilization Studies, Baylor College of Medicine. Currently, she works in Harris County hospitals (Lyndon B. Johnson and Ben Taub General Hospitals) with the underserved population of breast and lung cancer patients and their caregivers. She has authored numerous abstracts, book chapters and articles. Her clinical interests are cancer patients with chronic diseases and rheumatic diseases. She is interested in the patient’s health perspective. She also has interests in new technologies that help manage symptoms in patients with cancer.

Amy P. Gonzalez, M.S.
Ms. Gonzalez is a senior health education specialist in The Learning Center, Patient Education Office at M. D. Anderson. Her career in cancer education began as a cancer information specialist at the American Cancer Society. She provided information to patients, their families and the public about cancer, treatment and resources. She started at M. D. Anderson as a health information specialist on the M. D. Anderson Information Line (now called askMDAnderson). Gonzalez has worked in the Patient Education Office since 2000. From 2000-2004, she worked as a health education specialist, creating educational programs for patients about biotherapy, chemotherapy and side effects management. Currently, she is a senior health education specialist for The Learning Center. She develops programs and clinical trials education, and she helps patients and family members who are looking for information about cancer and treatment.

Gonzalez co-chairs the patient education subcommittee of the Institutional Clinical Trials Education Committee. In this role, she co-authored the booklet “Clinical Trials at M. D. Anderson” and acted as the content expert for the video “Clinical Trials at M. D. Anderson: What You Need to Know.” She often presents information about clinical trials education to M. D. Anderson staff and other professionals, including members of the Cancer Patient Education Network, of which she chairs the Learning Resource Committee.

Karin Hahn, M.D., M.P.H., M.Sc.
Dr. Hahn is an assistant professor in the General Oncology Program at M. D. Anderson. Her two areas of clinical and research interest are in cancer survivorship and cancer care among the medically underserved. She is the medical director of the Breast Survivorship Clinic at M. D. Anderson and the Beth Sanders Moore Young Breast Cancer Survivors’ Program, as well as chief of Medical Oncology at Lyndon B. Johnson General Hospital.

Matthew H. Herynk, Ph.D.
Dr. Herynk is the founder and president of YoungCancerSpouses, a group dedicated to bringing together young spouses of adults with cancer to share information, support and common experiences. The group was started because the emotional and logistical issues a young spouse of a cancer patient faces are vastly different from spouses of older cancer patients that dominate oncology units and support groups. His wife was diagnosed with cancer in February 2005. Sadly, she passed away in October 2007, leaving him to raise their two children with the help of friends and family. In addition to being a patient advocate, he is also a cancer researcher at M. D. Anderson. His personal cancer experience and professional expertise give him a unique perspective on cancer.

Nancy V.B. Hubener, R.N., M.L.I.S.
Ms. Hubener is project director for translational research in the Office of Translational Research. She identifies internal and external funding opportunities for dissemination to faculty across divisions. She serves as a resource for faculty, related to research application processes and advises junior faculty concerning career development funding opportunities. She facilitates communication across the 10 institutional SPOREs and works with the SPORE patient advocates.

Mary K. Hughes
Ms. Hughes earned both bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Texas Woman’s University. She is on the clinical faculty of Texas Woman’s University and The University of Texas at Houston and has been a clinical nurse specialist in the Department of Psychiatry at M. D. Anderson since 1990. In 1986, she was awarded the Sword of Hope Award from the American Cancer Society and, in 1993, she was awarded the Brown Foundation, Inc. Award for Outstanding Nurse Oncologist, among other awards. Most recently, the Oncology Nursing Society has given her the 2007 Supportive Care Award. She lectures internationally and nationally about quality-of-life issues of cancer patients and has published on these subjects. Her volunteer work includes facilitating an American Cancer Society monthly dialogue group for patients with cancer.

David Katz, M.D.  
Dr. Katz is an associate professor (adjunct) of public health practice at Yale University School of Medicine. He directs the Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center, which he co-founded in 1998. In 2005, he became a medical contributor for ABC News and is a nutrition columnist to O, the Oprah Magazine.

Ronnie Kaye
Ms. Kaye is a psychotherapist practicing in Marina del Rey, California and a two-time, young breast cancer survivor. Her book, “Spinning Straw Into Gold,” is based on her personal and professional experiences. For more than 20 years, she has led support groups and workshops for breast cancer patients and their families. Her efforts on behalf of cancer patients have won her recognition, including the coveted American Cancer Society “Quality of Life” Award and the Lifetime TV Breast Cancer Heroes Award.

Stella K. Kim, M.D.
Dr. Kim is an associate professor of ophthalmology and radiation oncology at M. D. Anderson. She spent 10 years at Harvard Medical School, completing her medical school, internship, ophthalmology residency and cancer research fellowship, followed by a cornea fellowship at University of Utah. Her clinical and research interests include ophthalmic cancers, ocular graft vs. host disease, cataract surgery in cancer patients and management of ocular toxicities from cancer treatments, including stem cell transplantations, chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

Maureen McNamara
Ms. McNamara is a multimedia artist and filmmaker in Houston, Texas. She is the director/producer of “Hot Town, Cool City.” She received her formal training in studio art and video at the University of St. Thomas/Glassell School and at New York University for graduate school. She works both in her studio and in the community at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston-Glassell Junior School and as an artist-in-residence at M. D. Anderson with COLLAGE: The Art for Cancer Network. She has a 5-year-old daughter and lives with her architect husband.

Gerald McRaney
Mr. McRaney has appeared in a long list of highly rated series, movies and Broadway shows. including “Simon and Simon,” “Major Dad,” “Deadwood,” “The Exonerated” and most recently in Horton Foote’s play “Dividing the Estate” which will open on Broadway this fall. He is a lung cancer survivor and was treated at M. D. Anderson.

John Mendelsohn, M.D.
Dr. Mendelsohn combines experience in clinical and laboratory research with administrative expertise for leading M. D. Anderson. Since becoming president in 1996, he has recruited a visionary management team and implemented new priorities for integrated programs in patient care, research, education and cancer prevention. The institution has doubled in size by most parameters. Under his direction, M. D. Anderson has been named the top cancer hospital in the nation five out of the past eight years in U.S. News and World Report’s “America’s Best Hospitals” survey, including 2007.

 He was born in Cincinnati and earned his bachelor’s degree in biochemical sciences magna cum laude from Harvard College in 1958. While there, he was the first undergraduate student of James D. Watson, M.D., who later won the Nobel Prize in Medicine for identifying the structure of DNA. After spending a year in Scotland as a Fulbright Scholar in biochemistry, he received his medical degree cum laude from Harvard Medical School in 1963. Between 1963 and 1970, he took residency training in internal medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, completed a research fellowship at the National Institutes of Health and completed a fellowship in hematology-oncology at Washington University Medical School in St. Louis. 

From 1970 to 1985 at the University of California San Diego, he was founding director of a National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center, which he led from its inception in 1976 until he moved to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. At UCSD, he initiated his research on the epidermal growth factor receptor function and inhibition. Along with collaborators, he produced monoclonal antibody 225, which blocked EGF binding, blocked receptor tyrosine kinase activation, and inhibited human cancer cell proliferation in culture and in xenografts.

At Memorial Sloan-Kettering from 1985 to 1996, he chaired, reorganized and expanded the Department of Medicine and held the Winthrop Rockefeller Chair in Medical Oncology. He also served for five years as co-head of the Program in Molecular Pharmacology and Therapeutics. In addition, he was professor and vice-chair of medicine at Cornell University Medical College. His group’s continuing laboratory, pre-clinical and clinical studies pioneered the concept of targeted anti-receptor therapy as a new form of cancer treatment. Antibody 225 (Cetuximab) was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for colon cancer in 2004 and for head and neck cancer in 2006.

For 10 years, he has served as the founding editor of Clinical Cancer Research and has been on numerous editorial boards. He has authored more than 250 scientific papers and articles for journals and books and is senior editor of the textbook, “The Molecular Basis of Cancer.” He has received significant awards and honors, including: the Raymond Bourgine Award (1997), the Gold Medal of Paris (1997), the Bristol-Myers Squibb Unrestricted Biomedical Research Award (1997), the Joseph H. Burchenal Clinical Research Award from the American Association for Cancer Research (1999), the Breast Cancer Research Foundation’s Jill Rose Award (1999), the Simon Shubitz Prize from the University of Chicago (2002), the David A. Karnofsky Memorial Award from the American Society of Clinical Oncology (2002), the Bristol-Myers Squibb Freedom to Discover Award for Distinguished Achievement in Cancer Research (2004), the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars Award for Public Service (jointly with Anne Mendelsohn in 2005), the Fulbright Lifetime Achievement Medal (2005), the Dan David Prize in Cancer Therapy (2006), and the Dorothy P. Landon-AACR Prize for Translational Cancer Research (2008). He is a member of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences (1997). He has received honorary doctorate degrees from the University of Naples (2005), China Medical University (2006) and Yonsei University (2006).

Christina Meyers, Ph.D.
Dr. Meyers is a board-certified neuro-psychologist. She created the Neuropsychology Service in the newly formed Department of Neuro-Oncology at M. D. Anderson in 1984. Since that time, she has pioneered clinical research into the effects of cancer and cancer treatment on central nervous system function, in addition to having an active consultation-liaison service and pre- and postdoctoral training program. Her extensive research includes describing the neurocognitive and psychosocial consequences of cancer and cancer therapy in persons undergoing bone marrow transplantation, as well as those who have been treated for lung cancer, and those treated with interferon-alpha and with novel chemotherapeutic agents. She and her colleagues have been able to describe the unique contributions of tumor-versus-treatment effects in brain tumor patients and evaluate pharmacologic and behavioral interventions in this population. Her current efforts are to characterize the biological and neural substrates of cancer-related, neuro-cognitive dysfunction and to develop intervention strategies, including neuro-protective treatments, to improve this distressing syndrome.

Marisa R. Mir, B.A.
Ms. Mir is a program coordinator for the Anderson Network, a patient and caregiver support program of the Department of Volunteer Services at M. D. Anderson. Diagnosed at the age of 29 with colorectal cancer, she is now a six-year survivor and knows firsthand the challenges, side effects and psychosocial issues that a cancer diagnosis presents to young adult patients and caregivers. As a program coordinator with Anderson Network, she connects those affected by cancer to others who have had similar experiences, regardless of where treatment has been received. Currently, she is part of the team that has created Anderson Network’s newest resource: a Facebook group whose purpose is to bring together young adults touched by cancer, in a fun and supportive social-media community.

Aida Molano, L.C.S.W., L.F.M.T., A.A.C.
Certificada en Hipnosis Clínica, enseña auto hipnosis a los pacientes y a las personas que los cuidan. Dándoles a conocer herramientas que les sirven para enfrentarse con el cáncer, prestan alivio con los efectos tanto mentales, como los físicos secundarios producidos por el tratamiento. El auto-hipnosis sirve para disminuir en gran parte la fatiga tanto como para los pacientes, y las personas que los ayudan. Estas técnicas le dan poder para reducir la tensión diaria. Sus servicios son para los pacientes y personas que los ayudan. Da consultas individuales y grupos de apoyo enfocándose en relajación y auto-hipnosis. Los grupos son en ingles y español. Tiene una maestría en Trabajo Social y es licenciada como Trabajadora Social Clínica por el estado de Texas. Además tiene licencia como Terapeuta en Terapia de Matrimonio y Familia, y Consejera Avanzada en Adicciones. Ofrece consultas en auto-hipnosis y conferencia educacionales a la comunidad, tanto nacionales e internacionales en técnicas de cómo trabajar con pacientes de cáncer y sus familias. Ella hizo dos CDs en auto hipnosis, uno en ingles y otro en español. Este Cd fue publicado en “CáncerWise newsletter” en julio del 2006. Los siguientes artículos fueron publicados haciendo énfasis en su trabajo de auto hipnosis y los beneficios de esta técnica: en las cartas de noticias del Rotary en junio del 2007, en la revista “Body + Soul en Enero/Febrero del 2008 y en las cartas mensuales del Anderson Network en febrero del 2008.

Ms. Molano is a social work supervisor in the Department of Social Work at M. D. Anderson. Certified in clinical hypnosis, she teaches self-hypnosis techniques to patients and caregivers to enhance their coping skills and help manage the physical and psychological side effects of cancer treatment. Self-hypnosis skills can substantially decrease fatigue, and at the same time, patients are empowered to cope with daily stress. Her services are available to patients and caregivers. One-on-one consultation is available as well as four support groups focusing on relaxation and self-hypnosis. Groups are facilitated in both English and Spanish. She holds a master’s degree in social work with recognition as a licensed clinical social worker by the State of Texas. She holds certifications in marriage and family therapy and in advanced addiction counseling. She offers hypnosis consultation and educational presentations to the community. She has done presentations at national and international conferences on her techniques working with cancer patients and their families. She also has produced a relaxation and self-hypnosis CD, which was featured in the July 2006 issue of M. D. Anderson’s online publication CancerWise. The winter issue of Network newsletter highlights her self-hypnosis work and the benefits of this technique.

Hamel J. Patel, M.B.A.
Mr. Patel is program director of the Minimally Invasive New Technology in Oncologic Surgery (MINTOS) and Satellite Programs in the Division of Surgery. For more than 10 years, he has worked under a number of executives and CEOs specializing in physician practice management, financial analysis, organizational/board/program development and business development at nationally ranked institutions. Hamel also has presented papers, published articles and has served as adjunct professor, teaching master’s level courses in business and health care management.

Cherie Perez, B.S., R.N., C.C.R.P., R.M.T.
Ms. Perez is the quality assurance specialist for the Department of Genitourinary Medical Oncology at M. D. Anderson, where she has worked for seven of her 16 years at the institution.  Her clinical interests include cancer prevention and complimentary therapies. She has been teaching at Place … of wellness since it opened in 1998. She audits, reviews trials, edits templates, provides information related to active protocols and educates the staff. She also is a member of the Institutional Review Board. She has worked on clinical trials for most of her nursing career. The aromatherapy class at Place … of wellness provides information on general relaxation, promotion of sleep, a balanced gastrointestinal tract and an attempt to ground and focus. She presents essential oils and recipes for general relaxation, mental stimulation and restful sleep. The lecture is interactive and provides an opportunity for participants to become acquainted with many essential oils.

Juan Carlos Plana, M.D.
Dr. Plana is an assistant professor of medicine and medical director of the Echo Lab as well as director of Cardiac Imaging at M. D. Anderson.

Mike Powers
Mike Powers has been practicing and teaching Qigong for more than 20 years. After many years of Qigong practice, he added Tai Chi and soon found he had a knack for teaching this slow-moving, Chinese martial art, sometimes referred to as “Dancing Meditation.” He has been teaching Qigong and Tai Chi classes at the Place … of wellness for more than eight years. He also maintains a small private practice for bodywork, which includes massage therapy, medical Qigong and other energy-based modalities.