Presentations of Taichi and Qigong at Dana-Farber Cancer Center

Dana-Farber (from Dana-Farber website

To honor Asian Pacific American Heritage Month and the Zakim Center’s 10th Anniversary, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute hosted a special program to celebrate Chinese Culture of Synergy of Mind, Body and Soul on May 26, 2010. Dr. Yang Yang and Taichi/Qigong Master Ramel “Rami” Rones were invited to give speeches on the ancient Chinese healing arts of Taichi and Qigong for cancer treatment.

Since its founding in 1947, Dana-Farber of Boston, MA has been committed to providing cancer patients with the best treatment while developing tomorrow's cures through cutting-edge research. The Institute has nearly 4,000 employees and medical professionals in supporting nearly over 300,000 patient visits a year. It is involved in some 700 clinical trials, and is internationally renowned for its blending of research and clinical excellence. Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is a founding member of the Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center (DF/HCC), a federally designated comprehensive cancer center. The Leonard P. Zakim Center is part of the Dana Farber Cancer Institute for Integrative Therapies and provides complementary therapies to patients and their families. The Zakim Center offers education on complementary therapies to patients, families, and staff, and advances knowledge of the effectiveness and outcomes of these therapies through peer-reviewed, evidence-based clinical research.
 

Dr. Yang Yang (photoed by Benny Lapid)

Trained in China under several of the 18th generation grandmasters of the Chen style, Master Yang Yang was a three-time Taichi champion at the Shanghai collegiate tournament and former instructor at the Shanghai Chen Style Taichi research association. To understand the power and mechanics of Taichi and Qigong beyond traditional frameworks, Master Yang completed a doctorate degree in kinesiology at the University of Illinois, where he serves as an adjunct faculty. His research focuses directly on the mechanisms and benefits of traditional Taichi/Qigong. Yang’s detailed study of Taichi/Qigong from these commanding points of view—as a master practitioner and as a scientific researcher—uniquely enable him to clarify and/or demystify what are often obscure points of theory and practice and to serve as a bridge between the Eastern/traditional and Western/academic fields. He is the author of Taichiquan: The Art of Nurturing, The Science of Power and is currently the Director of the Center for Taichi & Qigong Studies, New York, NY. His presentation topic was No Pain, More Gain: Methods and benefits of traditional Taichi/Qigong and potential for cancer survivors.

Dr. Yang Yang pointed out that Qigong is traditionally considered the “effective ingredient” of Taichi practice—essential for efficient practice and healing benefits. All cancer treatments (chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery) all have long-term and late side effects which cause fatigue, neuropathy, Chemobrain, heart failure, osteoporosis, reduced lung capacity, intestinal problems, memory loss, chronic pain, and Lymphedema. Taichi/Qigong’s principles include relaxation, positive outlook, harmony, and nurturing. Therefore, there is no pain in practicing Taichi/Qigong. It has been proven that it has primary benefits of postural control/balance, strength/power, sensitivity/awareness, flexibility, coordination, agility, reaction time, and confidence. It also provides therapeutic benefits of improving cardio-respiratory function, immune function, cognitive function, quality of sleep, constipation/bowel function, stress/anxiety, dementia, arthritis, and pain. Therefore, Taichi/Qigong is ideal for cancer survivors to improve their health and reduce the long-term and late side effects.
 

Master Rami Rones

Ramel ‘Rami’ Rones moved to Boston from Israel in 1983 to study martial arts with renowned traditional Chinese Master, Dr. Yang Jwing Ming. After years of winning gold medals in both China and the United States, Ramel now focuses his efforts on helping people with situations such as cancer, arthritis, aging, injuries, and stress. He is a scientific consultant of mind/body therapies at Dana Farber Cancer Institute, and Harvard and Tufts Medical Schools, as well as the co-author of numerous scientific publications. He lectures and instructs the techniques of the eastern Internal Arts in hospitals, institutions, and schools around the world. In addition to contributing articles to medical publications, Ramel has been featured on international television (CNN, National Geographic), in newspapers (The Boston Globe), magazines (Inside Kung Fu), books, and videos. His presentation topic was Complementing Cancer Therapy with Eastern Arts: Taichi/Qigong as a mind-body healing and support mechanism. 

Ramel highlighted that the goals of the mind/body approach are that the body strives to attain its maximum physical potential design to create the “best environment” for all systems to function at their fullest, the mind recognizes what is viewed in the East as two minds (the emotional mind and the wisdom mind), breathing is a tool to capture both minds, the spirit raises and cools as needed, and energy is the product of the other building blocks regulated balanced and in harmony with each other and the forces around them. He shared the result of a pilot study of a 12-week Qigong practice for metastatic breast cancer patients sponsored by the Zakim Center. It shows that Qigong is a very mild exercise, even patients suffering from dyspnea and pain, and patients undergoing active cancer treatment were able to participate in the exercise program. The program is safe and it helped patients to improve their muscle strength and reduce their anxiety and depression.

With the hard work that James Chen, Senior Research Data Specialist & Clinical Research Coordinator & Tumor Bank Administrator at Dana-Farber Cancer Instituteand the chair of the committee and his team for several months, the celebrating program was a great success. The staff and patients at Dana-Farber crowded the meeting room (see the jam-packed auditorium picture photoed by Sam Ogden below). The meeting organizers had to send people away once the room was full. The response to the presentation was overwhelming. DR. David Rosenthal (in the middle of the photo above photoed by Sam Ogden), M.D., past president of the American Cancer Society (ACS) and director and CEO of Harvard University Health Services (HUHS), medical director of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute's  Leonard P. Zakim Center for Integrative Therapies praised both Master Rami and Dr. Yang's work.  Dr. Yang felt it was very rewarding to see how much the participants appreciate ancient Chinese healing arts.