Dr. Laura James with Colleen Broughton In thinking about Survivorship this month, I asked a friend if she’d share some of her experience living with breast cancer for 11 years (9 years metastatic). Colleen is an “exceptional responder” to an immunotherapy clinical trial and a “unicorn” for living with metastatic Triple Negative Breast Cancer (mTNBC) […]
Like a rest in a piece of music, an interval of silence can be as powerful as speech. Our world is so full of noise. Our brains are constantly running full steam ahead, and we are bombarded by information from all of our devices. It can feel like being sprayed with a firehose at times. […]
In her song “Hot Girl Summer” Megan Thee Stallion promoted the concept of “having fun, looking good while doing it, feeling confident in who you are, and not apologizing for being authentically you.” That’s the kind of summer I want for you! For many American women, a lifetime of media attention on having a perfect […]
I recently spoke with a patient who is a breast cancer survivor, and hard won at that. She experienced horrible treatment side effects, much of the psychosocial impact that breast cancer can have on a woman’s life–mostly negative, and rigid barriers within her workplace. Her private counselor has helped her navigate her feelings around this, […]
I don’t know about you, but sometimes I think that my friends are more important to me than my partner. The stakes are just lower. The joy and connection is deep and meaningful. A friend is that one who “just gets it” and shows up for you in your love language, and you accept them […]
Facing breast cancer is undeniably challenging. Whether you are newly diagnosed, or managing survivorship, who helps and supports you can make a difference in your quality of life. Assembling a team you can trust is pivotal. But how do you know who to trust? How do you ensure that your medical providers truly listen to […]
In January, my local area suffered an unusual weather event that included 12” of snow followed by rapidly warming temperatures and rain. I live in the broad lowlands of where the Fraser River Valley meets the tributaries of mountain run-off from Mount Baker. Large areas of land, mostly along the Nooksack River, flooded catastrophically in […]
When I was about 10, my mom gave me a copy of Our Bodies, Our Selves, the first book of its kind cobbled together by the Boston Women’s Health Collective in 1970 and an underground hit by 1971. This book was revolutionary at the time it hit bookstores in those early years of the ERA, […]
Dear Valued Patient, After 22 years of practice, over 17 of which have been dedicated to integrative oncology, I am stepping away from one to one patient care. I will be closing my practice at Bellingham Naturopathic Clinic on March 20th, 2024. If you are in active cancer treatment (surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation), you will […]
We’re talking about “deep listening” this month because feeling seen/heard in your life leads to greater personal satisfaction. In addition to facing a range of feelings in October (breast cancer awareness month), those of us in the Pacific Northwest also face the shift to shorter days and rainy weather, which affects our health. Being aware […]
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