Caring for the Whole Patient

Because of philanthropy, breast cancer patients at Hoag are surrounded with compassionate support and integrative wellness resources that help them thrive throughout their cancer journey and beyond.

Support Group for Patients with Metastatic Breast Cancer

Hoag Women’s Health Institute established the Support Group for Patients with Metastatic Breast Cancer to provide support that is specific to the needs of women with this difficult diagnosis while fostering community among these patients. Launched in 2021, the group is led by Hoag Wellness Consultant, Anusha Wijeyakumar, MA, CPC, E-RYT, and meets virtually to ensure ease of attendance for all. Meditation and mindfulness are central themes, along with other tools to help patients reduce stress and anxiety and learn new ways of coping. “The support group is like a family that supports and encourages each other,” says Anusha. “We celebrate the highs and we’re there for the lows.”

Meditation Intervention in Newly Diagnosed Breast Cancer Patients Clinical Trial

It is well established that having a regular meditation practice before the diagnosis of breast cancer is associated with less cancer related fear and anxiety. Heather Macdonald, MD, medical director of Hoag’s High Risk Breast Program, and Hoag Wellness Consultant Anusha Wijeyakumar, MA, CPC, E-RYT are collaborating on clinical research that hypothesizes that patients who implement a regular meditation practice who did not already have one at the time of breast cancer diagnosis will also experience reduced stress and anxiety levels, depression and cancer-related fear during and after treatment.

Philanthropic support helped launch the feasibility study in which each patient enrolled participated in a meditation induction and two subsequent coaching sessions with Anusha, practiced twice daily guided meditations, and recorded their pain, distress scores and meditation practice daily.

Based on the promising results of the feasibility study and powerful anecdotal feedback from participants, a large randomized clinical trial is being planned to further study the impact of meditation on breast cancer patients’ mental health, well-being and pain levels. The ultimate goal is to provide more tools to help patients cope with their diagnosis and the pain related to their disease along with having a positive impact on their long-term health and well-being.