Cancer and Chemotherapy Support
An exciting development is that more and more people are learning about mistletoe therapy as a supportive treatment for cancer care. This is probably related to news of an ongoing study at Johns Hopkins related to tumor therapy with mistletoe preparations and the education and advocacy of Believe Big. Immuno-therapies for cancer are also becoming an important part of standard oncology practice, especially for some types of lung cancers and melanoma—you have likely seen advertisements for those very new and expensive immune treatments in television commercials or magazine ads. Mistletoe, meanwhile, as an immune supporter and stimulator, has been part of anthroposophic medicine for almost 100 years.
Dr. Blanning has been able to incorporate mistletoe treatment as part of whole person cancer support for the last fifteen years with a wide variety of patients, including individuals with both localized and metastatic disease, pre-cancerous conditions and even palliative care situations. He has used Helixor, Iscador, and Abnoba preparations. Dr. Blanning recently also helped coordinate and edit the forthcoming English language translation of the “Vademecum: Foundations and Applications of Mistletoe Use in Oncology.” This is the authoritative guide to mistletoe use, and will be published for the first time in English this summer.
Dr. Blanning is not an oncologist, he is a family doctor. He is not a replacement for an oncologist. But seeking treatments that strengthen the immune system, encourage healthy detoxificiation (especially during chemotherapy), and support overall quality of life are all essential aspects that can work right alongside standard oncology care. Anthroposophic nursing treatments, especially applications like yarrow liver compresses, are supportive and speed recovery from surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy.
In May, we will begin offering “Cancer and Chemotherapy Support” consultations, which include, as a package, three follow-up nursing treatments. It’s a good support for yourself, or could be a generous gift for a loved one.
These consultations must be done face to face in the office—they deserve that human connection.
