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In 2009, fashion icon Donna Karan created the Urban Zen project to
merge traditional cancer treatments and yoga. (Source)
She first showed up on Seventh Avenue in New York as an intern for Anne Klein. From there, she was promoted to associate designer and eventually left to start her own fashion house. Today, Donna Karen (pictured below) merges fashion trends with medical innovations.
As the driving force behind a yearlong experiment, dubbed the Urban Zen project, Karan is committed to combining Eastern and Western healing methods at Beth Israel Medical Center.
The foundation is based on Karan's "Seven Easy Pieces" philosophy and made possible by Donna Karan foundation, donating $850,000 to the hospital to fund the initatives. But Karan asked for one thing in return - That yoga, meditation and aromatherapy be involved. In addition to traditional cancer treatments of chemotherapy and radiation, Karan hopes to prove the two go hand-in-hand, treating the disease while also caring for the patient.
As reported by the New York Times, Dr. David Shulkin, chief executive of Beth Israel, beleives in giving patients traditional medicine without excluding them from their ancient values and beliefs. While Beth Israel is among a handful of hospitals nationwide with fully-operational integrative medicine departments, the goal of the project to prove yoga works in a medical setting.
New to yoga, Shulkin was able to experience the practice for the first time late fall of last year, accompanied by Karan and 60 other hospital employees. Following the one-hour session, the New York Times asked Shulkin for comment.
"They didn't teach us that in medical school," Dr. Shulkin said to the New York Times. "I think the personal touch and the personal attention to a patient absolutely works."
Ms. Karan's yoga masters, Rodney Yee and Colleen Saidmain Yee will oversee the execution of the project, including the mission of 15 yoga instructors, who were sent the ninth floor of Beth Israel's cancer ward in January of this year.
While other hospitals across the country have integrated yoga programs into their cancer treatment programs, Karan's donation and support have enabled the Beth Israel maintain financial support, keep records and maintain protocols within the medical industry. Ultimately, Karan hopes the project can be replicated in hospitals around the world.
As a practitioner of integrating mainstream and alternative therapies for over eight years, Beth Israel Medical Center is a 1,368-bed, full-service tertiary teaching hospital founded on Manhattan's Lower East Side. Beth Israel originally was decided to serving a vulnerable population in the community. Now a century later, the Medical Center serves individuals and families from every walk of life throughout New York City and beyond.
Donna Karan, founder of the Urban Zen project, organized a huge sale of her personal belongings and vintage company samples at her late husband's studio to benefit fundraising for the cause. In October, Karan's foundatino donated the money and began development of the experiment at Beth Israel Medical Center. The grant is being used to determine whether yoga, meditation and aromatherapy can enhance the traditional cancer treatments of chemotherapy and radiation. Read more about the Urban Zen Project here.
You might also enjoy these:
Urban Zen: Voice of the Patient (YouTube)
Comments
you should also check out YogaBear.org they provide free yoga to cancer patients and survivors in 23 states!
(but don't have as much marketing $ or fame to get the word out)
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