This annual workshop offers valuable education and resources to support whole-person wellness throughout the cancer survivorship journey.
EASE Cancer Foundation welcomes you to our 15th Journey to Wellness Cancer Survivorship Workshop at Sun Mountain Lodge in Winthrop, WA! This dynamic educational opportunity provides cancer survivors, caregivers, friends, and families with valuable information on a range of helpful topics, in a beautiful and restorative setting. Our educators are experts in their fields, and classes are tailored to each attendee's needs and abilities. Group presentations and smaller breakout class sessions culminate in the creation of individual personal wellness plans, and you'll also take home a detailed syllabus with cutting-edge information, delicious whole-food recipes, and realistic strategies to thrive as a cancer survivor.
Your registration fee includes admission to the workshop, Friday dinner, Saturday breakfast, syllabus, and all supplies for workshop. Covid precautions will be taken, including masks and social distancing. Please note that lodging is not included; details below.
We look forward to seeing you!
Location and Lodging
This event will be held at Sun Mountain Lodge in the beautiful Methow Valley. To book a room in the lodge, call 800-572-0493 and mention that you are attending EASE Cancer Foundation's Journey to Wellness Workshop to receive an exclusive discounted rate of $154 per room per night. Taxes apply; rate subject to change without notice.
Group Presentations
Keynote Address: Radiating Hope: A Radiation Oncologist’s Perspective on Cancer Treatment & Beyond with Nicolas Kummer, MD
Benefits of Exercise for Mind and Body with Tim Burnham, PhD, explores the effects of exercise on fatigue and stress, and provides tips to improve memory and promote neuroplasticity, which is the brain’s way of reorganizing itself by forming new neural connections throughout life.
Creating a Personal Wellness Plan with Chandra Villano, ND and Teri Hugo Hirss, M.Ed. provides an intentional, summarizing checklist plan, individualized by each participant, to assist with integrating key skills and concepts learned during the workshop into everyday life for optimal wellness.
Breakout Sessions
Journey to Wellness features five breakout sessions in which multiple classes are taught concurrently. When you register, you'll choose which class you attend for each session. Select classes are available in multiple sessions.
Class Highlights
Immune Responses & Immunotherapy will discuss innate immunity and defense system, and how immunotherapy uses the body’s own immune system to fight cancer.
Physical Wellbeing & Symptom Management explores strategies to manage fatigue, anxiety, hormonal disturbances, neuropathy, bone health and osteoporosis.
Sleep improves mood, physical functioning, regulates hormones, and reduces disease risk. Optimizing Sleep to Maximize Health provides strategies for mastering a good night’s sleep.
Lymphedema Risk Reduction Practices helps participants recognize the signs and symptoms of lymphedema, and teaches manual lymphatic massage and exercises to facilitate lymphatic function.
Surveillance for Late Effects of Treatment discusses potential treatment-related side effects that may occur years after cancer treatment.
Finding Meaning in Life Despite a Diagnosis explore different ways to capture and find and meaning as you live with a diagnosis of cancer.
Resilience, Relaxation, and Mindfulness applies tools to counter adversity, loss, and negativity, cultivate gratitude, perspective, reframing, and mindfulness habits. Experiential participation samples numerous clinically proven techniques for relaxation and stress reduction.
Eat to Thrive - Anti-Inflammatory Strategies and Abundance and Gratitude Bowls provides an appetizing overview of food as medicine, whole foods meal prep for rotation, variety, and ease, with an intentional mindset for optimal nutrition.
Whole Food Nutrition & Cancer Fighting Foods explores healthy eating habits and phytochemicals that may reduce carcinogens and block the development of new cancers.
In Tibetan tradition, when prayer flags are decorated with images and words, they transmit healing energy into the world through the power of the wind. In Expressive Art, this tradition is adapted to create personal prayer flags that symbolize our healing and recovery.
Steve Wood was taken to Papua to compose the score for the IMAX documentary film Journey to The South Pacific, Steve Wood had no idea what he would discover or how he would create the music. In Obtaining Optimism, Steve will show several personal videos and discuss how his faith in the outcome allowed him to discover people and musicians that enthusiastically joined in to create the wonderful finished sound track.
Shake Your Soul® is a fun-filled movement practice that relaxes your nervous system, energizes your body, and awakens your soul through a powerful, fluid dance repertoire set to world music.
Putting It All Together incorporates lymphatic support, core strengthening, and exercise prescription while hiking in the Methow Valley. You will learn how to calculate your own target heart rate reserve parameters to support optimum physical functioning.
Breakout Session Offerings
Breakout Session 1
Finding Meaning in Life Despite a Diagnosis with Ginny Heinitz, BSN, RN, CHPN
Optimizing Sleep to Maximize Health with Katie Kemble, DNP
Obtaining Optimism with Steve & Beth Wood
Eat to Thrive with Chandra Villano, ND
Shake Your Soul with Teri Hugo Hirss, M.Ed.
Breakout Session 2
Immune Responses & Immunotherapy with Pat Vetter, MD
Physical Wellbeing & Symptom Management with Susan Butler, ARNP
Expressive Art with Amanda Jacobs, PhD
Whole Food Nutrition & Cancer Fighting Foods with Natalie Harris, MS, RD, CD
Lymphedema Risk Reduction with Tamara Wells, OTR/L, CLT
Breakout Session 3
Finding Meaning in Life Despite a Diagnosis with Ginny Heinitz, BSN, RN, CHPN
Surveillance for Late Effects of Treatment with Maggie Ellings, DNP
Obtaining Optimism with Steve & Beth Wood
Eat to Thrive with Chandra Villano, ND
Putting It All Together with Tim Burnham, PhD and Tamara Wells, OTR/L, CLT
Breakout Session 4
Surveillance for Late Effects of Treatment with Maggie Ellings, DNP
Optimizing Sleep to Maximize Health with Katie Kemble, DNP
Expressive Art with Amanda Jacobs, PhD
Whole Food Nutrition & Cancer Fighting Foods with Natalie Harris, MS, RD, CD
Shake Your Soul with Teri Hugo Hirss, M.Ed.
Breakout Session 5
Immune Responses & Immunotherapy with Pat Vetter, MD
Physical Wellbeing & Symptom Management with Susan Butler, ARNP
Obtaining Optimism with Steve & Beth Wood
Resilience, Relaxation, and Mindfulness with Chandra Villano, ND
Putting It All Together with Tim Burnham, PhD and Tamara Wells, OTR/L, CLT
Itinerary
Friday, October 28
5:00pm: Registration
6:00pm: Dinner
6:45pm: Welcome and introductions with EASE Faculty
7:00pm: Keynote Address: Radiating Hope: A Radiation Oncologist’s Perspective on Cancer Treatment & Beyond with Nicolas Kummer, MD
Saturday, October 29
8:00am: Breakfast and announcements with EASE faculty
8:30am: Benefits of Exercise for Mind and Body with Tim Burnham, PhD
9:30am: Breakout Session 1
10:35am: Breakout Session 2
11:35am: Breakout Session 3
12:30pm: Lunch
2:00pm: Breakout Session 4
3:05pm: Breakout Session 5
4:10pm: Creating a Personal Wellness Plan with Chandra Villano, ND and Teri Hugo Hirss, M.Ed.
5:00pm: Adjourn
7:00pm: Live Music with Beth and Steve Wood
Faculty
Tim Burnham Ph.D.
Dr. Burnham is a Professor of Exercise Science at Central Washington University. His research interests include cancer survivorship issues and developing cancer survivorship rehabilitation programs. He has authored multiple peer-reviewed journal publications, which look at the interaction between physical activity and physical and psychosocial function.
Susan Butler, MSN, ARNP, AOCNP
Susan is an oncology nurse practitioner at Confluence Health. She worked at Island Hospital in Anacortes and started their survivorship and chemotherapy education programs. She has a special interest in symptom management and wellness education.
Maggie Ellings, DNP, ARNP, FNP-BC, RN
Dr. Ellings received her Doctor of Nursing Practice from University of Washington. She is an oncology nurse practitioner with a special interest in cancer survivorship. Her doctoral research focused on sexual health and intimacy discussions for those with cancer.
Natalie Harris, MS, RD, CD
Natalie is a Registered Dietitian in Oncology at Confluence Health. She has been a dietitian for 11 years working in a variety of settings; but Oncology is her favorite area of nutrition. Natalie enjoys developing relationships with patients and encouraging them towards health in all aspects of their life.
Ginny Heinitz, BSN, RN, CHPN
Ginny has 40 years of experience and a certificate in Palliative Care from the UW. She’s a national instructor for Vital Talks & Respecting Choices and serves on two state steering committees. She believes patients are experts of themselves and need to be listened to for providing the best possible care as they define “living well."
Teri Hugo Hirss, M.Ed.
Teri is a registered movement therapist and educator. She is a life coach and stress management consultant. She leads retreats internationally, as well as, from her home base in the green Mountains of Vermont. Teri has spent the last 30 years empowering women to live their lives fully and joyfully.
Amanda Jacobs, PhD
Dr. Jacobs has a doctorate in Educational Psychology, and specializes in learning environments. She is a professional composer, playwright, and artist educator. As a composer, she is recognized most for her award-winning work on AUSTEN'S PRIDE, A Musical, which swept the New York Musical Theater Awards.
Katie Kemble, DNP, ARNP, FNP-C, AOCNP, FAANP
Dr. Kemble is an oncology nurse practitioner at Confluence Health, Associate Teaching Professor at the UW, and Oncology Committee Co-Chair for the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. Katie has a special interest in improving the quality of life in cancer survivors.
Nicolas Tiva Kummer, MD-PhD
Dr. Kummer specializes in radiation oncology at Confluence Health where his is the Physician Manager. Dr. Kummer completed medical school at New York Medical College, while also pursuing a doctorate in cancer immunology, investigating the involvement of inflammatory genes in cancer progression. He seeks to connect with patients on their cancer journey and prioritize what is important to them in terms of quality life years.
Chandra Villano, ND
Dr. Villano is a Naturopathic doctor with a background in exercise physiology in cardiopulmonary rehab. She is on the Board of Director for the Wellness Place. She has clinical specialty in whole foods and mindful living, and is passionate about neuroscience, epigenetics, and the endocannabinoid system.
Tamara Wells, OTR/L, CLT
Tamara is an Occupational Therapist. She is certified both as a manual Lymphedema Therapist and Neurodevelopmental Therapist and specializes in lymphedema and rehabilitation. Tamara has extensive training and experience working with cancer survivors.
Beth and Steve Wood
Beth and Steve have a long trail of accomplishments in music. Beth produced the Laguna Tuesday night songwriter’s showcase for nearly 10 years, which became a way station for a tremendous number of highly talented and accomplished performers. Both Steve and Beth have recorded extensively and have numerous CDs to their credit. Steve was Kenny Loggins’ music director throughout the 80’s and is the most awarded composer of IMAX documentary film scores where he worked with Paul McCartney, Sting, George Harrison, and Dave Matthews band among others. They also run a martial arts school with their son and hold 4th degree black belts in Tae Kwon Do.
Pat Vetter, BS, PharmD, BCPS, LSAMT
Dr. Vetter received her Bachelor’s in Pharmacy at the University of Montana and Doctor of Pharmacy at the University of Washington. She’s a Board-Certified Pharmacotherapy Specialist and has worked with Oncology Infusion services since 2012.