
The Ottawa Integrative Cancer Centre (OICC) is both a treatment clinic and an integrative oncology research centre. It provides multi-disciplinary complementary medicine and whole-person care for people with cancer. It is the first integrative oncology and research centre in Eastern Canada of its kind. Dugald Seely, ND, MSc, FABNO leads the OICC's clinical practice and visionary research agenda. Dr. Seely is the executive director and founder of the OICC, and he also serves as the Director of Research and Clinical Epidemiology in Toronto at the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine. "Providing complementary therapies in an evidence-based manner, supporting conventional medicine, is both desired by patients and is much needed in the cancer community," says Dr. Seely. Many "cancer patients embrace complementary therapies alongside conventional treatments during their cancer journey and this proportion is growing. A common concern among oncologists is the potential for complementary medicine to interfere with conventional therapies such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy. The OICC is committed to working with patients, their families, and their health-care providers to develop a complementary, non-interfering therapeutic program to optimize overall wellness," adds Seely.
The OICC whole-person cancer-care education program has been launched in partnership with the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation's Maplesoft Centre. The "Integral Healing Program: Empowerment on the Cancer Journey" provides a set of educational modules designed to share evidence-based complementary care options with cancer patients, survivors, and their support network, providing them with the knowledge and tools to take better control of their disease management. The program consists of four, weekly half-day workshops. These workshops incorporate audio-visual teaching aids, hands-on interactive learning, and group discussions with topics such as: a) prevention of recurrence, b) cancer and nutrition, c) relationships and family dynamics, and of course d) cancer and complementary therapies. All sessions are free of charge.
Visit OICC events at www.oicc.ca for more information about the clinic and its programs.
Integrated Healthcare Practitioners