The Valerie Fund Blog

The Valerie Fund Children's Centers are home to many healthcare heroes who support our kids during some of the most difficult times of their lives. These caregivers are experts in a variety of practices. We will be showcasing each service provided in our Children's Centers and hearing from the healthcare providers in their own words what they do for our kids and families. In this installment, we are going to learn about our Palliative Care & Integrative Medicine specialists. 

There are so many new words and phrases that a family must learn when they begin a journey through pediatric cancer or blood disorders and it can be difficult to keep track of what they all mean. In the coming months we will try to explain what some of these concepts and practices are and hope it can help make this process just a little bit easier. 

We are starting with a discipline that encompasses many tools and practices under one umbrella. Continue reading to learn why integrative medicine can make a difference when battling pediatric cancer or blood disorders. 

Physicians are trained to utilize modern scientific means to combat cancer at its source, but they are the first to admit these treatments that “cure” can take a huge toll on the patient.  The side effects of chemotherapy and radiation are well known: pain, discomfort, nausea and other issues that require their own set of treatments. That the physical well-being of the patients with life-threatening illnesses is inextricably linked to their emotional state has become widely accepted. Merging integrative health services with medical care and psychosocial support can improve the quality of treatment for these patients.